Opinions to go Online

* “Envy of the World”: That’s how the Economist recently described the American economy. It also noted that the U.S. “has left other rich countries in the dust.” That’s not how Donald Trump would characterize it.

* A federal appeals court upheld a $5 million verdict against Trump for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll. But, no surprise, his MAGA-base appeal is not impacted by his well-chronicled history of salacious, misogynistic behavior. No more than a track record that includes more than two dozen women having accused Trump of sexual assault.

* Sentencing for Trump’s hush-money case will be Jan. 10. Just part of the countdown to Trump’s Jan. 20, America-shaming inauguration. But no slammer time for Trump–just an ongoing track record of sleazy offenses—jailable if he were anybody else.

 

* Cheers: It’s Wine o’clock, and Ale is well.

* A woman was arrested for trading sex not for money—but for spaghetti dinners. Would that make her a pastatute?

* Gov. Ron DisAstrous has two looks that we’re all too privy to. When he’s smugly smiling about some anti-woke ordinance, he looks like Alfred E. Newman. When he’s squinting and frowning, which is most of the time, he looks like a guy in a crowded elevator, where someone just let go with an SBD (silent but deadly).

* “I don’t believe in the afterlife, but I’m still taking a change of underwear.”–Woody Allen.

* What if UFOs are just billionaires from other planets?

 

* Under Florida law, which Matt Gaetz is probably familiar with, a person who is 24 years old or older who has sex with a person 16 or 17 years of age has committed a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

* Campus pro-Palestinian protests would be more effective and credible if protesters were explicitly anti-Hamas.

 

* In the aftermath of the horrific, weaponized-vehicle terrorist attack in New Orleans, you know the city of Tampa and the TPD are re-scrutinizing and updating soft-target security plans for Gasparilla. This would include federal and state law enforcement partners.

That is the sobering reality we now live in. The challenge is daunting. “We are in the business of trying to predict the very thing that most people could not imagine,” underscores criminologist Alex Del Carmen.

* Both Duke and TECO are adding solar energy—but still rely on natural gas, a fossil fuel, to produce more than 80% of their energy.

* Since 2018, service for the TECO Line Streetcar has been free. It’s hardly coincidental that ridership rose from 300,000 to more than 1.3 million.

* Two luxury, nine-story waterfront condos, the Viceroy Residences Clearwater Beach, are planned to open in 2027 and will be the first condo built on the beach in more than a decade. Prices will range from $2.5 million to $12 million. The Gulf Boulevard location used to be home to the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant.

 

* According to Nielsen Ratings, MSNBC’s prime time audience dropped 55% from Nov. 4 through Dec. 15. CNN experienced a 46.7% decrease.

* “The function of journalism and a free press is not confined to the presentation of news. Their function is to create continued debate, to provide a forum, to give opportunity for the expression of opinion.”–The late American journalist Dorothy Thompson.

* “You don’t hate the lying legacy media enough.”–Elon Musk.

* Merry Christmas: The NFL and NBA did their perverse part. Netflix set records for the most streamed NFL games in U.S. history on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, the NBA had its best holiday numbers in five years, according to Nielsen. BTW, there are no NHL games on Christmas, Christmas Eve or the day after Christmas.

* It’s expected that Matt Gaetz will soon join the One America News network. That should help ratings, if not credibility.

* Maybe the media needs an epiphany when it comes to overcovering the Epiphany cross toss and retrieval in Tarpon Springs.

 

* The U.S. is currently number one in Bitcoin mining—with about 35% of global production. China, with a 20% share in Bitcoin mining, ranks second.

* India ran a $40 billion trade surplus with the U.S. last year. It’s also known for protectionist policies. It’s also in Trump’s trade wheelhouse.

* “Salt Typhoon”: The Chinese hacking blitz that has affected numerous telecommunications companies and dozens of nations.

 

* According to ESPN Bet, the Rays are 50-1 long shots to win the World Series.

* “Here to Stay” T-shirts were handed out by the Rays in 2023. Here’s hoping they don’t become the nostalgic counterpart of Montreal Expos T-shirts.

* The longest-tenured head coach in the NHL: Jon Cooper of the Lightning, who took over in 2013.

* USF’s 41-39, 5-overtime, Hawaii Bowl win over San Jose was also historic. It was the NCAA’s first bowl or post-season game to go more than 3 overtimes. But history didn’t last long. Two days later Toledo beat Pitt in 6 overtimes at the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

* The Ivy League has announced that starting next season, it will compete in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. It ends a century-long postseason football ban that was originally aimed at allowing players to focus on their schoolwork. How quaint.

* Encouraging to hear that this year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Colorado’s Travis Hunter, is also an Academic All-American. The anthropology major has a 3.8 cumulative GPA. He’s the first Academic All-American to win the Heisman since Tim Tebow in 2007. It’s also a reminder that “student-athlete” doesn’t have to be an oxymoron.

* According to AP VoteCast, 37% of Trump voters wanted “complete and total upheaval.” Sobering—but hardly surprising, which is also sobering.

* U.S. officials have asked Congress for expanded powers to deal with drones. But, no, that doesn’t include Trump cabinet picks.

* Trump, as we know, was named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year.” Reported runner-up: Luigi Mangione.

* Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are co-chairing the new “Department of Government Arrogance.”

* Speaking of Musk, his nickname among a lot of Dems is now “shadow president” and “co-president.” Wonder what JD Vance thinks?

* Still speaking of Musk, no surprise that he is backing Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party.

* Looks like the president-elect is turning Mar-a-Lago into a Trumpian Eagles Nest retreat.

* Trump has indicated that he would consider changing the name of Alaska’s tallest mountain—Denali–back to Mt. McKinley. Alaska natives are reportedly not pleased. No word on whether Mt. Palin would placate them.

* Trump: “I should be suing her (E. Jean Carroll) for defamation.”

* Yes, Trump is still interested in privatizing the U.S. Postal Service.

* Trump has warned the European Union that it must make up their trade deficit with the U.S.–such as by buying more oil and gas. “Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!”

* Trump: “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.” Wonder what Jimmy Carter would think?

* BTW, Greenland is still not for sale.

* Trump: “We’re going to bring it back … People are not respecting our country very much and they gotta respect us a lot.” Whatever.

 

* “The bosom of America is open … to the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions.”–George Washington.

* “We highly commend his achievements.”–Chinese deputy U.N. ambassador Geng Shuang, on the passing of Jimmy Carter.

* “Our message to the Syrian people is this: We want them to succeed and we’re prepared to help them do so.”–Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

* “This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil.”–New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.

* “Our schools and colleges have a responsibility to teach history for its own sake—as part of the intellectual equipment of civilized persons—and not to degrade history by allowing its contents to be dictated by pressure groups, whether political, economic, religious or ethnic.”–The late historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.

* “If life were fair, Elvis would be alive, and all the impersonators would be dead.”–Johnny Carson.

* “The notion that there is a simple partisan pattern to the health of the economy is an extension of the exaggerated politicization of our understanding of contemporary American life.”–Brian Riedl, the Manhattan Institute.

* “It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”–Matt Gaetz.

* “FEMA is not leading this show. We are leading this show here in the state of Florida.”–Gov. Ron DeSantis, on FEMA’s role in storm recovery.

* “We are happy to talk to the Rays at an appropriate time, but at this time we will remain respectful of the ongoing talks in Pinellas County.”–Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.