Is it or isn’t it

Today's Tids Issue 3,867

Tids for Fact Checking:

My initial reaction to the big news blitz last night about Trump’s latest episode of loose lips, telling secrets -- was that I heard it from CBS, and they had far too much glee in their eyes for impartial news reporters They even politicized teir “expert” analysziun byb introducing a citizen, Hillary. It was most certainly in the alleged category, even though it is pretty evident that this president is capable of saying just about anything. Yet what is interesting, scoops about Obama based on hearsay evidence were kept on the back burner “until thoroughly analyzed”. So today McMasters, a guy whom many a Dem said they liked. who was actually in the room and not he recipient of a leak, says the WAPO story is false and all Trump remarks were entirely appropriate for the conversation. So where are we. The Dems say let’s impeach, and the Repubs say much ado about nothing. And the really big question: Will they still like McMaster if he can cast doubt on their newest juicy story.

An Asian philosopher says that the depressed live in the past; the anxious live in the future; The contented live in the present. This Present?

Actually I was pretty contented this morning watching an enormous hawk lolling in warm breezes. That was, until my mind wandered into the future and I became anxious as I imagined the huge bird diving at me, thinking that I looked like a woodchuck. I am getting shorter! Remembering what I looked like back in the younger days depressed me.

It could have been a fishhawk, now going by the more genteel moniker Osprey, as I was near the Ocean. I don’t think I look like a tuna.

The Question:

What Pope wrote a popular erotic Novel?

The Headlines:

--Dow and S&P Lower; TJ Maxx Shortcomings Has Retailer’s Nervous; Hoe Depot Looking Stringer; Nasdaq Positive About Tech Stocks.

--Latest Evidence Points To North Korea As Behind Massive Global Cyber Attack.

--Trump Signs EO To Put Focus On Cybersecurity.

--Iran Conservatives Organizing To Bring Down Rhouani.

--Washington Post Story On Trump/Russian Talks Still Under Scrutiny, McMaster Who Was At Meeting Says WAPO Story False In Press Conference; Trump Says He Has Absolute Right To Talk To Russia About ISIS.

--Celtics Beat Washington; Move On To Face The Mighty Beast; Hope To Win Draft Lottery Tonight..

--Callista Gingrich Gets Vatican Ambassador Job.

--Murdered DNC Staffer Seth Rich Now Said To Be Chief Leaker To WikiLeaks; Investigators Have Emails Between rich And Gavin MacFadden.

--ISIS On Brink Of Total Defeat In Mosul.

The Voice was very entertaining with Hunter Plake leading it off with the old U2 favorite, With or Without You. I like him. The best of the night may have been the duet between Vanessa and Chris Blue. It just plain worked, very professional. Lauren was as usual her cool and easy self, her rich voce continuing to deliver. And Chris was powerful in his religious song. That kid is real good. I thought Brennley was just ok, and maybe she should have stuck with her softer side. Jesse’s song was different, but I got into it and he was very good. He has something. Vanessa’s solo was nice as was Aliyah Moulder, who someone describes as being perfect for a career singing as cute female Disney Characters. I think she is better than that. Incredible poise. T-Soul just has something that he exudes on stage. I thought he was a little rambling, disjointed last night. They are dropping four tonight. I have to say that Chris Blue A=and Lauren Duski look safest. The other two will come from Hunter, Aliyah, Brennley and Jesse. I don’t believe Hunter has the audience reach, and Jesse seems to get people excited. Aliyah is a charmer and scores well. Brennley looked like a shoe in, but not after last night. I’m picking Aliyah and Jesse as the other two, with Hunter as the possible upset.. We’ll see. its going to be close.

ITunes Sales had four The Voice performances in the Top 10, including #1 – Lauren, and #2 Chris. # 6 was a moderate surprise, the duet with Chris and Vanessa. Aliyah was # 7. Jesse Larson did well at #14, as did Aliyah/Plake Duet at 18 and Plake solo at 19. Other who scored well are Brennley/Lauren duet at 25, Vanessa at 26 and Brennley at 44. T-Soul hit 56…just in case you are keeping score at home.

Aren’t you glad the Boston Celtics beat the Washington Wizards. I don’t Like gleeful government employees.

Actually, we need a couple of wizards down there in DC. Calling Harry Potter for Congress.

Over at DWTS, everybody was aghast, including judges with the elimination of Simone Biles who just happened to receive two perfect scores for the Monday dance effort. Say what? Just goes to show ya that the audience likes what it likes. Biles had two 40’s a perfect 80 points, but will be watching the finals with baseball player David Ross (70, Fifth Harmony member Normani Kordei (76) and NFL Back Rashad Jennings ((77). I think It’s time for me to start watching. I feel like a Washington Post reporter putting out stories on something I know nothing about.

This could be the shortest Tids in history. Busy day.

I find I have become inert. There is so much anti Trump, anti Repub stuff out there, hysterical reporting, one more breaking story, another really bad late night joke. Yeah, how about SNL in the anti-Sarah Sanders segment: “My mother is a big southern hamburger.” The mindless audience went berserk. People with brains scratched their heads…this is humor? Can you say jumping the shark?

Trump looks bewildered.

I’ll take Jack Benny, any day.

I’d know more about what ails me if I could understand what the doctor is saying. I think they do that to confuse us, so we won’t go running to WebMD on the internet.

The Answer:

Arneas Silvius Piccolomini was one of the best read Renaissance authors. He was an eloquent, educated man who among his many works was,”A Tale of two Lovers”. It was about Euryalius an assistant to the duke of Austria, and his married lover Lucretia. It is loaded with erotic descriptions and imagery, and a reason for it’s incredible popularity of the day. Arneas became better known as Pope Pius II. The book continued wide readership after his election as Pope, for its literary merit and illicit pleasures. As pope he supported the Crusades, condemned slavery and started one of the first ever city planning projects in Europe. You never know what you can find if you dig through history

Happy reading!

I’ll see if I can make this more interesting tomorrow.