On the (spring) home front, and a rant

Don't be surprised if the Sarasota and the Reds try to work out something to keep the club's spring home there.

It's been 2 1/2 months since the referendum to fund the city of Sarasota's share of the cost of rebuilding the Ed Smith Stadium complex was voted down.

Not much has happened since. No place in Florida has come forth and promised to build the Reds the kind of facility they want. I think Orlando is the best possibility at this point.

Sarasota, meanwhile, is dealing with the reality of losing the Reds who pay a lot of money to maintain Ed Smith.

Arizona is a possibility for the Reds. But the people running the club realize that would not be a popular move with fans -- given the added travel distance.

Anyone who's ever been to Sarasota would agree that it is the ideal place for the Reds to train. If something can be worked out to rebuild the Ed, it's no brainer to stay. Remember, most of the funding was in place before the vote. There's a chance a deal could be put together with tax abatements and the like.

You may wonder why Ed Smith Stadium, which opened in 1989, is out of date. I don't know that it is. But the Phillies, Tigers, Red Sox have better facilities, so the Reds would like to keep up. Things get old very fast these days.

I write this because today was Planned Obsolesce Monday for me. I bought a new computer a couple of months ago. But I haven't been able to get my photo printer working. After a couple attempts to download the driver and the like, I give up and call the printer's maker. I give the guy the model number. He comes back 10 minutes later. "Sir, the printer you have is very old. It's six years old. We don't have the software for it anymore." But for $54, they'll send me a new one. That's half of what I'd pay in a store. I feel honored as I give him my credit card number.

A little later, I call an old friend who has an appliance repair business. Our stove randomly begins beeping loudly and flashing an "F-5" where the time usually is. Give him the model number. "That's usually the clock assembly. I'll call you back." Ten minutes later, he calls back. "They don't make it anymore." So what do I do? I ask. "Get a new stove."