Lakers in 6

Yes Danny A. has done a great job with the Celtics. However, what does my learned partner think Jerry West is "chopped liver". A whopper of a deal was when Gasol came to L.A. It is a shame for us Laker fans that the rookie had to go under the knife. Than it would have been Lakers in 4. Of those 8 championships, in the early years if a team had 10 players with a beating heart s they made the playoffs. Also the talent was a lot different. Not taking anything away from Larry Bird. Bird had to be a winner with a first name like that. The series is going to be determined how Rondo plays and how Odom plays. Boston's top two, Garnett and Pierce will get theirs as will Kobe and Pau. Rondo and Fisher. I believe the Lakers have the best bench. I think Luke Walton had plenty of time to talk to his father. GO LAKERS.

What a difference a year makes

A year ago Koby was demanding a trade out of LA, and the Celtics finished 5th in the draft lottery ping pong game, this despite having the worst record in the NBA.

Danny Ainge looked like another idiot president, and Boston have had a few since Red left that chair.

Danny Ainge was making one bad trade after another with no rime or reason and the Celtics where going
nowhere.

Koby continued to demand a trade before the draft and through the summer, we can only wonder how close the Lakers came to moving him, and how that would have changed history.

Back on the east coast, on draft day it looked like Ainge made another bone head trade for Ray Allan, then few weeks later the other shoe fell, and now the Celts have a team of 3 super stars and a bunch of no body's.

The two teams have faced off 10 time's with the Celt's wining 8 of them going back to the days when Red was coach, GM and president.

So all I can say is BEAT LA...BEAT LA...BEAT LA.

Tom UC 123

MEDICADE AND CREDIT CARD #2

I was just reading Tim's blog and he was complaining about the short fares out of the airport. Now why doesn't that surprise me. I guess the reason that guy didn't go any farther is because that is why he came to Tampa for business perhaps. Maybe after his business he will leave his money here. Nothing has changed over the years, when the rates are raised in the cab business, we would have to explain why. In this case it is the high price of gas and the high lease. I have found that when you explain it like that most people understand our position. But if you put the blame on them"never go anywhere", and of course of those of you who know me, I still say, "if you work the airport what you see is what you get." I can recall a few former posts tell us about all the great fares.
I was sitting in a doctors office, which I do quiet a bit lately, I had a great conversation with a lady who used to ride a cab in Ft. Peirce for .35 cents, ha in 1950.
About the medicade fares. It is now flat rates. It was 16 months ago. The rate was always short, sometimes a dollar or so, but sometime a lot. Than we would have to call Amy for a correction. The reason for this flat rate, is a lot of the drivers would fudge to much in trying to make up for the discount. I am the first to say I would also get the 10% back from Tamp General. I think Tampa General should do like St. Joe, just take the folks home safely.
With regards to credit cards. We have to problems with them, first the 5% we have to take off, yeah the office gets us on that deal. I have found that if you talk right to the fare on the way to the airport or wherever they are going, they will add more than the 5% anyway. I remember one lady I picked up, she had called late and when she got in my cab she started in on me, hurry up, change lanes, go faster. Now that can get on your nerves. This happened not to long after 911. They were still stopping care in the right lane., They never stop a cab, but I would always stay in the left lane.. This time however, yeah you guessed it. I got in the right lane praying that they would stop me and check my trunk. Ha they did. This broad was livid. It only took a few minutes, but she kept telling me hurry, I had had enough, I told her that the security of our country in a lot more important that her dumb ass flight. She damn near broke my door and no folks NO TIP.

Problems with Medicaid and other charge calls

Cracker's trouble with Medicaid calls reminds me of the problems in Tampa.

First of all United and Yellow have vans they own together that take a large percentage of the Medicaid calls, ca$h flow does make for some strange bedfellows.

What's left over is bid out over the air, sometimes as a Medicaid call sometimes its not, but always at 15% off the meter big surprise.

My question is who gets the 15%? Could be Medicaid, could be the cab co that dispatched it or could be the jointly owned co that owns all those vans.

One way or another its not the drivers and that's one of the reasons drivers don't like the call's, why else how about all the no shows.

I got sent to pick up a woman in the 2100 block of Spruce more then 30 times, but for many reasons I never ever got her in the cab. One day it was raining, another she had no baby sitter, (do you see a trend here) after a while I would tell the channel 1 dispatcher it was a no show as he was giving it to me. But I had to burn gas and time and confirm the no show.

OK we have worn out Medicaid for a while.

How about credit cards, they pay United 5% for all calls we take someone's charge card in payment for a ride, first of all United only gets charged 1 1/2 %.

Guess who gets the 3 1/2 %, yeah United does, who has all the risks oh yeah that would be the driver, just as they do for getting robbed or beaten.

Corporate accounts are another opportunity for the driver to get ripped off, just for an example Tampa General Hospital used to get 20% off and about 8+ years it dropped to 10%, how or why I don't know, do you.

Tom UC 123

Child car seats

Riding around with or without a child car seat is a sticky choice.

Not county or company will give you any money to buy one, and the last I heard you can't charge for its use.

Other downsides are it takes up space in the trunk, which can be a pain in the butt with an airport run, also after riding in the trunk for a while it doesn't look very clean and people complain.

All this makes carrying a child seat is a bit of a trap, at times I did carry one mostly to cut down on no show's, but sometimes it backfired when I rolled on a child seat call only to find they needed 2 child seat's.

I did have one very positive experience with a child seat, I was forth out at Busch Gardens and a woman came out and asked who is first and then asked if that person had a child seat. He answered no as did the next two she then asked me and I did, the woman and the three kids went to Disney World.

Guy's you can make this easer with a few comments to let us know what you think, you asked for taxi stuff and we are trying.

We would like to hear from you with any taxi story's you would like to share with us at gentom727@gmail.com.

Tom UC 123

Does anyone recognize these two cars. The one on the left is easy, however, the black one , not so easy. 1941 maybe. Search your memory. Sam the Barber may now.

LAKERS

Thanks to the steady play of Kobe and a return to form by key role players, the Lakers thwarted San Antonio’s last-minute rally, 93-91, and now stand just one away game from a birth in the NBA Finals. San Antonio nearly had a chance to either tie or win the game with no time remaining in regulation, but the officials ruled no foul on a bump by Derek Fisher on Brent Barry as he was going up for a three point attempt . I don't think anyone can beat the Lakers 3 straight in the playoffs. The Spurs showed a lot of heart, which is what a championship team is supposed to do. In the junior conference Boston is fooling around, they keep it up and Billups will get healthy and look out then, as it is the Pistons have stolen two games without him really playing his game. I saw on AOL news that a poll was ran on the worst states to drive in. Wow Florida didn't make the top ten.. What really makes me upset is that people don't even know how to make a turn into traffic. The first thing I learned when I started to drive, if you are turning right end up in the right lane, not all the over in the left lane. The same goes for making a left turn. Ha, but not here in Tampa. Oh well shi&%$#happens.

Memorial Day II

Today is actually memorial. Yes "Barber" you are right about Dale Mabry. I think there was also a military base named after him. If anyone is interested you can go to your search engine and St. Pete Times has a good article on him. Nice time to thank the men and women that are in the "war" especially the ones who gave all they had.

Strange or unusual rides part II

LEJ is right you do need to take chance's, we can't always sit back and wait for a sure thing, because there are few sure things in life.

The thing is you do have got to pick your spot's, and sometimes you will get burned.

The next day the same guy called me on my cell phone as he did every time he was in town.

I just read on Tim's blog that the meter went up as well as the flat rate's, that's all good news if greedy crew from Fort Lauderdale doesn't grab a big chunk of it.

The other nasty side of a fair hike is decreased rider ship, its not like that has never happened before.

Hey guys if you have any taxi stories you would like to have posted send them to gentom727@gmail.com and we will put them on.

Tom UC 123

MEMORIAL DAY

I don't know if any of you out there watched 60 minutes tonight. But Andy Rooney was great. There is too much commerical pushing on Memorial Day. So many people just think of it as just a 3 day weekend. Lay back and watch the Indy race and drink beer, after all have the next day to sober up. Or maybe take the family to a park for a picnic. All of that has nothing to do with Memorial. I, for one, still get a prickle on the back of my neck when Lee Greenwood sings "Thank God I am a American". I am going to close this for today with, does anyone know how Dale Mabry got it's name. No, to bad.

Strange or unusual rides

Strange or unusual rides, we all have had them, sometimes things don't seem right before the fare gets in, and sometimes things look normal until they get in.

Several years ago I get sent to the Day's Inn on the strip. I get there and there is a guy with a laundry list of thrift stores he wanted to visit.

The reason for the trip, to buy phonograph records, you know the old vinyl stuff.

I take one look at his list and its all over the place, there is one in Ruskin, Brandon and Plant City plus everyone in and around Tampa.

I did something not many would do, I first talk him out of all but those in and around Tampa and put them in order, all with the meter off.

Many he was in and out of but a few he hit the Mother load with, I had picked him up just before 9 am and dropped him back at the Day's at 3:30.

The total was just under 170. and I got 200. and he bought me lunch, yeah I took a chance doing what I did but it all worked out.

My question is would you fix the list with the meter off?
Tom UC 123

1956

Check these comments out.
Comments made in the year 1956! That's only 52 years ago! 'I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00.' 'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.' 'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous. 'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?' 'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.' 'When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.' 'Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.' 'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying damn in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either hell of damn in it.'
'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .'
'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.' 'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.' 'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.' 'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.' 'Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.'
'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.' 'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.' 'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.' 'There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.' 'No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.' 'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.' Know any friends who would get a kick out of these, pass this on! Be sure and send it to your kids and grandkids too! The previous was mine too.

GAS PRICE INFORMATION

Good afternoon, here is a web site for the lowest gas prices around. http://www.tampagasprices.com/Tampa/index.aspx For you town and country folks I found a Sunco at Hulsey and Waters, for $3.75 for regular. I have a feeling that all of the prices will go up tonight. I saw a 7-11 for $3.88, that is unbelievable. Well the Lakers are up two-zip. But I think it will be the Lakers in 6. So much for the Spurs being tired from two games in a row and no sleep. They got to sleep but still got their butt beat. A older friend of mine sent me some stuff about things in 1956. T am going to post it later, Still no comments and this blog we can'st if there have been any hits.

Airport minimum fare

I remember when the 10.00 minimum kicked in and on the first day I picked up an elderly but very well off couple from Venice at the La Quinta on Spruce.


I had picked up this couple and there 2 sets of matching luggage several times and I seem to remember it running about 5.25 and they gave you about 6.00. This is after helping them down form the second floor, which is cheaper then the ground floor.

On that day as soon as they got in the cab I pointed to the sticker on the window informing them of the new fare. The man said he would not pay it and I told him fine Ill put out there luggage on the curb...he then said he would pay but wanted to know why.

I told him the price of gas, the traffic in and on the way to the airport and dealing with luggage.

This was about 7 years ago, after that came a minimum of 3.00 per person for calls starting and ending "in town", that kicked in just before my last day.

Now you have a 25.00 form Howard Ave that's up from I think, 20.00 it all sounds good till you have to pay for gas and your lease, then there is problems.

Guys Larry thinks you are having trouble making comments, here is what you do after typing your comment click on anonymous, but please put you name on it, tks.
Tom UC 123

ANOTHER CAB COMPANY

When I got in my van to go the Doctor a van pulled up across the street, big letters NED TRANSPORT. He had a 813 number so I knew he was from Tampa. He honked his horn but no one came out. Too bad a NO Show. I tried talking to him but he spoke very little English, now why doesn't that surprise me. What I could get out of him is that he gets paid by the mile. There was a company in Little Rock like that. Got paid off the odometer. Yesterday Bill, the driver for United, told me that the commission has increased the flat rate from Howard to the airport to $25.00, also minimum of $15.00 to the airport from anywhere, Ha the people that work for Continal Reservations are going to love that. I very rarely got over 13.00 from them. Does anyone disagree that Kobe is the best on the planet.

TAXI HAPPENINGS

When I first started driving in Tampa, before I started going to work at 4am, I would come out at 7 or so. Even then I would hang out around the stadium. Around 3 in the afternoon I got a call to go to the Mons Venus for a credit card fare. I went over there and picked up this guy, dressed very well, and very I mean very drunk. He wanted to go to St. Pete, to the 9th Street bar. That bar has since closed but in those days it was a rough bar. I checked his card and off we went, oh yeah I got him to sign the reciept before we left. He passed out before we got to the interstate. When we got there it took a few minutes to wake him up. He wanted to know how much he owed me. I didn't hesitate, told him nothing, he already paid me. Some of the new drivers like they have now, may not have done that. True he wouldn't have know n the difference until he got his credit card statement. But folks, I learned a long time ago, what goes around comes around. I loved driving a cab before I got sick. Every day was different. Another tale comes to mind, a year or so before I had to quit, I got a call to go to a room for a fare at the Howard Johnson, this was around 5am. I was told to knock on the door. Ha not a chance, not at 5 am and the room was all the way in the back. This young girl came running out with nothing on but a beach towel wrapped around her. She wanted to go to Clearwater. I asked her how she was going to pay for the trip, I could see she didn't have a purse, no nothing. She said she would pay me when we got there. Ha normally I would never do that. A little voice said trust her, so I did. On the way to Clearwater she told me she was afraid of the situation, I already had that figured that. When we got to her house, a huge condo, she said please wait, what a thing to say to me. She came back out with a 100 dollar bill, I told her I didn't have change, told me keep it, she than thanked me for trusting her. Sometime it works out. But believe me not all of the time.
Well faithful followers, more later.

So the price of gas is got you down eah

All Jokes aside guys when I had my accident just over 5 years ago gas was 1.50 a gallon and things where getting rough.

I just spent 20.00 for mid test gas and @4.05, the pump didn't hit 5 gallons.

I cannot for the life of me understand how you guys are making it, working way too many hours is the answer I am sorry to say.

Ok here is something on taxi driving, such as it is, don't you guys like sports?

There are some good sports trivia in our first two posts, check em out and see how good you are.
Tom UC 123

As the playoffs continue

While we all watch the playoffs the people in the NBA office and ABC are hoping and yeah praying the teams that these 2 logo's belong to make it to the finals.

The only combo they have higher on there wish list would be NY-LA, but we all know it will be a long time before the Knicks make it to the playoffs.

With all due respect to Donnie Walsh and Mike D' Antoni the Knicks are like a computer with a virus, that you can't shake. So many bad players with bad contracts where do they start where would you start? I would start with Stephon "head case #1" Marbury, it doesn't end with Marbury because the Knicks have too many problems.

There have been talk about Patrick Ewing coming back to the Knick as an Assistant Coach what the Knicks need from him is to put #33 back on, and turn back the clock.
Tom UC 123

humor time

Not feeling swell today how about some humor.


UPS Airlines Just in case you need a laugh: Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one; a reassurance to those of us who fly routinely in our jobs. After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a 'gripe sheet,' which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitt ed by UPS ' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers. By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident. P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. S: Almost replaced left inside main tire. * P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough. S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft. * P: Something loose in cockpit S: Something tightened in cockpit * P: Dead bugs on windshield. S: Live bugs on back-order. * P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground. * P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. S: Evidence removed. * P: DME volume unbelievably loud. S: DME volume set to more believable level. * P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. S: That's what friction locks are for. * P: IFF inope rative in OFF mode. S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode. * P: Suspected crack in windshield. S: Suspect you're right. * P: Number 3 engine missing. S: Engine found on right wing after brief search * P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!) S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right and be serious. * P: Target radar hums. S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics. * P: Mouse in cockpit. S: Cat installed. * And the best one for last * P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer. S: Took hammer away from midget.

AROUND THE HORN

There has been a lot of talk about all of the money being paid to Peavy this year. Now he is going on the DL, seems his shoulder hurts. Some talk shows claim it may not be that bad. Some of you out there may not be old enough to recall a tall pitcher for Houston, that had a great career ahead of him. Then he came up lame. A lot of the Houstan fans got on him pretty heavy about having no heart. It was later it was found that J.R. Richards was indeed hurt. He tried to pitch through the injury but couldn't. If Peavy can get his arm repaired he will be as good as ever.

About retirement. Looks like Pedro may give it up after 2008. Might as well, he has has some great years and is a shoo in for the hall of fame. Mike Piazza also has announced his retirement. His stats read .308 lifetime average, .377 on base percentage. Slugging percentage .545. Possabily the best hitting catcher to play the game. Some will say Bench, Tom maybe Yogi. Speaking of retirement, I really think that John Elway did it right, back to back Super Bowl rings. Why stay around and get beatup. Get out so you can enjoy life.
Here is some "did you know", now this information and a $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee at IHOP.

Freddie Sanchez of the Pirates went to the same high school as yours truly. Burbank High, go bulldogs!!!

My next post will be about some very strange riders that I have transportated in my cab.

Celt's win!!

As you may have read in one of his posts Larry is a Laker fan, and just to let you know I am a Celtic fan.

I had no idea how they would play last night after a very emotional game 7 vs Cleveland, plus the Pistons had nearly a week to rest, but they came up big with KG with 26 and Pierce had 22.

Ray Allen's shot is still mostly a no show, he did have 9 points but at least 3 where dunks.

The 2 teams play again on Thursday in Boston and then its back on the dreaded road again, but I think its time for a road win. Tom UC 123

Final Four

Hit-Les In Boston: Lester Tosses no hitter. This has got to be like a good movie. Jon beats cancer, wins game 7 of the world series and throws a no-hitter. With all of the problems in sports, drugs helping to give them records they don't deserve. Oh wait a minute that will be a good topic for another post. Congrats John, even if you are playing for Boston..

Now to the suject at hand. The final four ( Toms ) My Lakers, opps, the Lakers and Pistons are well rested. In the Laker and Spurs series it is going to be my Kobe, damn did it again, SI mean Kobe against Parker. Years ago there was a saying when playing the M.J. Bulls, one could stop Jordan, the trick is to stop the rest of the team.

I would love to see a Laker-Celtic series. Anyone out there remember "show time".

Yes Tom it was the unit. He was 40 at the time.

My take on the NBA Playoffs

Great game last night Spur's vs Hornets, experience again won over youth.

We are now down to the final 4 and the only upset has so far has been the Spur's. That is if you can call 3 beating 4 an upset, with 4 being a 4 time champ including winning the last 2.

One last thing never give up on the heart of a champion. I am old enough to remember the Celtic's of the 60's they won year after despite being near the end of there playing days and some looked like they where past there playing days. So watch out for the spurs.
Tom UC123

Answer to Larry's Question

Just a quick guess but could it be the big unit???

I think he is the oldest pitcher going right now, and it sounds like a good guess.
Tom UC123

BASEBALL

Who was the oldest pitcher to throw perfect game and his age at the time of the gem? Hint: He is still playing today. Answer Tuesday

The fall of a legand

The big three of Boston prevailed. Now on to Detroit. The Pistons in 6. You can say you heard it here. More later. Larry UC157

Welcome abord

Welcome to Larry and Tom's new blog.

What are the subjects of this blog, mostly cab driving and sports.

Lets start of with some sports trivia questions, try the ones here and you can post any sports trivia questions you may have in your comments.

1) What team started the tradition of championship hats and shirts?

2) What team in what year started an ovation when a pitcher had 2 strikes on a batter?

3) What team started the Gatorade shower?

We will try to post something everyday. Tom UC123