It’s better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it.” –Anon

Today's Tids Issue 3,654

For  Silence:

Many Republicans keep on waiting to emerge a Donald Trump they could vote for. He and his campaign spent weeks trying to mold a new image for the convention, and then he goes out and picks a fight with a father of a war hero where he can’t do anything but lose in the court of public opinion, especially since the media will pile on and make him look small. And, picking this fight in the first place is totally inconsequential to the needs of the nation. Trump could have said “Your son is a tremendous war hero and Patriot, and I feel sad that you had to use his memory for political purposes.” Or better yet, swallowed hard and zipped his mouth shut. But, he mumbled something inane about how sacrifice in business is somehow equivalent to the loss of a good son, and now he is sitting out there looking foolish…again. I hear Repubs are seriously looking at former moderate Republican Governors Gary Johnson and William Weld. One rumor has Romney endorsing that Libertarian ticket.

Of course Trump does this at the same time when Hillary is getting “4 Pinocchio’s “ from the Washington Post for lying once again about the emails.

What has God wrought upon America!

The Trump kids need to take dad to the woodshed.  Hillary wouldn't understand why she was there in the first place, and probably find Bill in the shed with somebody else.

Speaking of diving off a cliff, did you see where the 47 year old guy who over the past weekend sky dived without a parachute, has made 18,000 jumps! If he began diving out of plane when he was 20, that would be about 660 jumps per year or a little less than 2 a day for 27 years. He must be fun to be married to. Of course, if his parents threw him out of a plane as an infant, that would only be 382 jumps per year. Crazy.

AT&T says it is going to clamp down on Robo-Calls. They probably won’t get much help from the Government since Politicians are among the biggest abusers.

Some people Tweet, and some people Tid.

The Question:

Yesterday a retired general said that General’s should refrain from politics after retirement. Name all of the retired Generals and high ranking military officers who have become President of the USA.

The Headlines:

--Market Walking On Eggshells As Experts Try To Decipher Future; US Consumer Spending Rose More Than Expected In June.

--Syrian Town Attacked By Helicopter Dropping Barrels Of Chlorine Gas; Saraqeb Is Same Town Where Russia Helicopter Was Shot Down Yesterday Killing 5 Soldiers.

--Tensions Rising As China Begins Live Fire Naval Exercises In South China Sea.

--Pope Orders Study Into Women Deacons.

--Reindeer Induced Anthrax Outbreak Sends At least 90 to Hospitals In Northern Russia; Santa Blames Rudolf.

--Ice Cube Rave In Cal Gets Out Of Control Killing 3.

--58 Story Millennium Tower Luxury Residence In San Fran Has Sunk 16 Inches, And Is Now Leaning 2 inches To the North; Trump Didn’t Build It.

--Warren Buffett Latest Of Democrat Brotherhood To Slam Trump.

It’s been a while since the Tids Actuarial Department (That’s a Tad in Tids) took a reading on the average death age. This morning’s Obit page has an average death of 81.93 years…just in case you are looking forward.

It is conceivable that part of explanation for a rising ocean is the annual growth of the Mid Ocean Ridge. The Mid Ocean Ridge is a 44,000 mile mountain range that travels the centers of the world’s oceans, looking somewhat like the seams of a baseball. The magma from the earth’s core constantly flows upward and oozes down the sides adding to the height of the surface of the ocean’s floors, thus over time displacing water and forcing it upward. Nature is always a combination of elements and occurrences.

Wanting debates against NFL games is insane. Another reason not to vote for Hillary, who seems happy to be lost opposite a couple of pretty good games.

Now, maybe Trump will allow Washington Post reporters back into his circus tent.  

Well, it’s August. Let’s take a look at the Major League pennant races. The so-called power rankings have Baltimore and Cleveland as one-two in the majors. The rest of the Top Ten are the Cubs Nationals, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Red Sox, Astros, Giants and Rangers. With three in the top ten, The Al East looks pretty exciting, with the late emergence of Toronto. The NL Central is exciting mainly because the Cubs have an 8 game lead and looking like a possibility to break The WS losing streak. I’m sure Cub fans have knots in their stomachs worrying about a collapse. The same can be said for the AL Central where Indians fans are also excited and holding their breaths. Those are two best emotional races. I think the NL East could get tighter even though Washington is coasting. The second tightest race is in the NL West, where at this time SF is but 2 ahead of LA. In the AL West it is interesting that Houston has a higher power rating than Texas even though Texas is five games ahead on the race. That must mean there is a close finish in the cards. It’s fun to watch the various leagues. Some people yawn over the slow methodical baseball, but baseball is much bigger than what’s on the field, so much more involved than the visceral excitement so much desired by the millennials.

Nothing stops traffic faster in North Kingstown RI than Japanese Lotus Blossoms.

It seems that Uber has acquiesced to the Chinese government. They have just sold their Chinese operations to a China rival. Uber is basically taxi cabs with Apps, and China maybe just one example of what the company faces in the future from US regulators too. Massachusetts did it yesterday and I expect state after state, especially in big cabbie cities, will enact more regs and fees. Politicians want a piece of everything, and being chic is not a reason for exclusion from bureaucratic control. Sad but true.

For years husbands have been fighting the battle of disappearing favorite old clothes. Many men have safety deposit boxes, not for secret funds or love letters, but for a faded shirt or worn out comfortable pants.

Take Two Cabernets and See Me in the Morning, Department:

Did you read where Big Pharma is finding a way to deliver the benefits of Red Wine in a pill. I wonder if they will be aged. Zowie!

There’s a convention of Hackers in Las Vegas this week. You have to wonder if the FBI is watching them the way they used to watch Mafia confabs. Do you think Casino owners will allow them at the tables?

The Answer:

Most high ranking Generals in peacetime became high ranking powerful Pentagon mavens because they are better at politics than those who just do their job. In fatc, after the 26 Lawyer Predients, 12 Generals are the next most previous profession. Ok, off the top of my head I have George Washington, and Ike. Just beyond the fuzzy horizon I see old US Grant and Tippecanoe – William H. Harrison. There is also Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor. Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Andrew Johnson, Franklyn Pierce, Chester A. Arthur and Benjamin Harrison. There were also Colonels like Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Polk, Truman and good ole Teddy Roosevelt who really made a name for himself in battle. Even Richard Noxon and LBJ were Lt. Colonels. You know that JFK was a navel hero as was pilot GHW Bush. Ford, Reagan, Lincoln, Carter, GW Bush and Tyler were also Army or Naval officers. The only enlisted man President was Private James Buchanan. Only 12 US Presidents did not serve.

I may give up writing Tidlets about Politics…mainly so I don’t appear as ridiculous as the politicians and their supporters.

Maybe I’ll change the name of Tids to – Mums.