Objects in mirror…are definitely closer

Oddities with billionaire greed, stadiums, and residents needing help

We turn our attention to the Tampa Bay Rays and their ongoing stadium saga. 

In short, the owner wants a brand new stadium, and wants the city or county to basically give it to him. 

The city of Saint Petersburg had previously agreed to do something like that, had already decided which underserved community to demolish, and was planning to vote on the bonds. 

And then came a hurricane that ravaged the city and the surrounding area. It also damaged the current home of the rays. Which meant that there would have to be repairs made to it in the short term, to be paid for by someone (probably the city), IN ADDITION to paying for the new one. 

The city commissioners took theirs stances on the topic… and wouldn't you know there was an election recently, and two of the commissioners were ousted and replaced with people who think stadium spending is a generally bad idea. And in light of the storm damage, and how peoples lives have been affected, definitely think it is a bad look and worse use of money. 

So there was a commission meeting and on the agenda was stadium funding.  The city councils action were … well, amusing. 

First, they voted  4-3 to approve spending $23 million toward repair of the Tropicana Field roof

Then, they voted 5-2 to put off selling $450 million in bonds for a new stadium and surrounding infrastructure. 

And that's when the owner of the Rays decided to get indignant. He needs that stadium! And if they're not going to vote on it, then he'll move the team. 

A team executive said "our agreement effectively died.  I don't believe we can make the economics around this arrangement work any more."

And that caused the council to vote again, this time 7-0 to undo the vote to spend on fixing the roof, basically giving the ownership the middle finger. 

It's a small (and possibly pyrrhic) victory. 

But it's nice to see a billionaire get a little comeuppance. 

“Anti-Woke” is just drivel

You hear the term "Anti-Woke" bandied around frequently. It's the counter to being in any way fair minded, or inclusive. 

And yet, no one can define "woke."  It's an ideal as much as anything. I don't like it. That's woke!

Anyway, the Washington professional football team had been called "Redskins" since their inception.  

Over the last 30 or so years, that name (and others like it) started to come under some scrutiny for being derogatory toward Native Americans.

And then a few years ago, they elected to change the name to "Football Team" (such an awesome generic name!) and later to "Commanders."

But of course some saw the decision as woke. Because they gave in and changed the name! The horror! 

The team was sold and the new owner was asked if he'd bring the old name back. "Unlikely" was his answer. 

And then this year, as our political landscape heated up, it became a thing again (I would assume mostly because the team is located close to DC, so it gets noticed). "They need to change the name back!"

One senator made the circuit, talking about how he had been in discussions with the owner and the tribes and he believes they can work it out and undo this wokedness!

And that is a sound bite. But does it have any merit?

I would argue, No. it does not. 

Because, it's actually about money. 

What gets lost is that before the name change, a federal judge ruled that the use of the word, and the Native American head used on the helmets were not protected under copyright, because the word was pejorative and the image was actually owned by the tribe. 

So in effect, all of the teams logos and merchandise were in the public domain and anyone could produce and sell it. Cutting off a huge revenue source for the team and the league. 

It doesn't matter what anyone thinks about how woke it might be to lose the name. What matters is the ability to make money on selling merchandise. 

No billionaire owner is going to let just anyone profit on the team name and imagery. That just wouldn't be right. 

It's all about the dolla dolla bills y'all.  

That’s amazing

I mean, you still have to have the grades and get accepted (no small feat!) but it's an intelligent way to combat what appears to be a downturn in education that is happening. 

“We are living a lie”

So says astronaut Ronald Garan. 

From within the ISS he reached an epiphany:

"From space, it becomes painfully clear how our human-made systems treat Earth's vital systems as mere subsidiaries of the global economy," 

In short, we can be better to our planet and do things to help the earth more, rather than always trying to extract its resources.

As I've heard it stated colloquially "there is no planet B"

The real question, though: Is anyone listening?

https://dailygalaxy.com/2024/11/astronauts-lightbulb-moment-in-space-reveals-humanitys-biggest-lie/

Another money maker at Disney World

The back story is that some of the guests who stay at Walt Disney World are not content with the free transportation, especially the bus service.  These guests don't have a car and want to get around more easily.

For a period of time until around the 2010s, there would be an occasional taxi called to a destination for a ride. Though, mostly they were used to take people to and from the airport, and rarely would be used within the resort.

Then along came ride sharing services, and guests would sometimes call for a ride between destinations within the resort.

Disney didn't like this very much and created a shuttle service called "Minnie vans" where they had cast members drive people around the resort, kind of like a concierge taxi service. 

But having employees do that is costly and requires insurance and other considerations. And there was still the problem of Uber and Lyft being called onto Disney property and taking some of that business (and reportedly charging less).

Then came the pandemic.  The service was shuttered, and Disney sold all the rde share cars. 

Post-pandemic, Disney brought back the service, but with the twist that they contracted with Lyft to run it for them.

In doing so, It removes competition.  Other drivers know it's not worth making themselves available on Disney's property. At least in part because Disney can (and does)l turn them away at various locations.

Which gives paying customers an alternative (but only one) to bus service. and Disney an additional revenue stream.

And some guests who would prefer to feel special get to do just that.  For a not particularly low price, you can have a dedicated car drive you around Disney property. Another case of wealth inequality showing its face. 

In the end, I guess you could assume they might say "Who needs busses? Those are for the unwashed masses."

Amusing football note

The Kansas City Chiefs were the last unbeaten team this season, and they lost to the Buffalo Bills...

The announcer says "You have to love the tradition down in Miami when the last team loses...the Dolphins team from yesterday has the champagne on ice."

Except that (as I've noted before) this was a mostly made up "tradition" but it does work well in football lore.

And consider that most of the surviving players from that era are now into the late 70s, or early 80s.  And most of them don't live in Miami anymore.

But no matter what, those that have passed on may feast in merriment in valhalla with the football gods.