Too much out of too little.

Today's Tids Issue 3,998

For smaller bumps along the way:

For most all teens,

Life seemed simple’

Until they discovered

Their very first pimple.

Let’s hope those pampered UCLA basketball player’s first collision with the real world will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Unless the happy result just reinforces their belief that they are above the rest, and can get off any time they want no matter what they do. We’ll see.

On a local, state and federal level, little incidents which can be handled quietly and simply among interested parties, erupt into angry global discussions because of social media and endless 24/7 news networks. America wastes too much time, energy and angst on nothing at all.

The growth of Asian Tech companies has been so fast that Wall Street analysts admit their historic programs can’t understand it, can’t keep up with it, much less accurately predict where it may go next. So, when you have heard financial geniuses saying that Tencent, Alibaba and others can’t possibly sustain what they are doing, you are beginning to learn that perhaps these companies play a new game in a an entirely new world. Don’t be surprised by anything.

Circling vultures are a dead give-away.

The Question:

As you probably know, Blake Shelton has been named by People Mag as Sexiest Man Alive for 2017. Name People’s five previous “SMA’s”. Bonus: Which three Car makers were the big winners in Kelley Bluebook’s Just announced, new “Best Buy Awards”?

The Headlines:

---M and Cisco Results Have Wall Street Happy Again; Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectantly;  Time Inc Shares Higher After Koch Brothers Help Fund Meredith Takeover Of Publishing Giant.

--Repub Senate Tax Bill In Trouble.

--Wal-Mart Entry Into Online Sales A Winning Move; Cyber-Sales Up 50% In Last Quarter.

-- And Increasingly Bitter Hill Unloads On Sessions And His Suggestion For Clinton Foundation, Uranium One Probe.

--Missing Explorer-Documentarian Benedict Allen Found Safe And Quite Healthy In Papua “Headhunter” Country.

--More Women Come Out With Accusations Against Moore While Teens.

--20 Countries Join In Alliance To Wipe Out Coal By 2030.

--Senator Al Franken Accused By TV Host As Groper.

Despite big media looking for negatives, all-in-all, Trump’s Asia trip looked pretty good. He was measured and rarely contradicted himself with tweeting. Maybe, just maybe, he is understanding that the US Presidency is bigger than the demands of his ego. Maybe.

Interesting: Moore Women; More Women.

One of the unknown potential new taxes in the current tax protest reformation will change the status of all those big college athletic supporters who get to write off payouts for premium seats in stadiums, just as they would if they had built a new science lab. It’s the old Quid Pro Quo thing, and the IRS is aiming to bring it to a stop. (College sports is a $13 Billion industry, bigger than some super for-profit companies. One of the bigger gimmicks among many which protect donors is the payment of large sums to a program, which in turn places the big hitter on a preferential list for the best seats in the house. The cost of those donations would be taxable.) The IRS and Congress are also looking at other aspects of money flow in big college sports, like equipment payments to coaches and teams. It certainly looks taxable, they say. In addition states are seeing their highest paid officials as most always coaches and university employees. There is a lot of activity in state legislatures looking at special taxes for salaries over $1 Million. Lot’s going on.

You have to wonder what relatives of Leonardo DiVinci are thinking today after the sale of his Salvator Mudi painting for $450 Million! The picture was that of a gentle Jesus Christ – “The Savior of the World” – Salvator Mundi. Maybe it was bought by a football coach who prays to God every day for his unbelievable job.

Miley Cyrus had some tough choices last night on the Voice. All of her singers were way above good, and that includes some not taken, like Comeback Performer Karli Webster beautifully singing Dolly’s “Coat of many Colors”. Janice Freeman has one of those powerful voices which will keep her rolling for a while. Brook, also kept is a powerhouse too, an entirely confident performer too. And then there is Ashland, one of those true and strong Country Singers who could win it all when the “Live’s” begin next week. Adam Pierce singing “Love Hurts” and Moriah Formica with “World without You” could have made any of the other teams. So far, based on general audience voting and ITunes sales, it appears that viewer favorites are Damon, Addison, Jon Miro and Noah Mack. I still like Red, but would be happy with an Addison win. The fun about this program is that somebody will emerge when the people star voting. Chloe could become a favorite.

Ray Moore will kill the Repubs and the rest of Trump’s tenure. He seemed weird before we had all of these accusations of weirdness.

We have too many Zombies walking, and it is not pretty. Zombie of course is the definition of a business allowed to continue walking through subsidies, bailouts and favorite deals, despite being chronically ill for decades. They are a pox on a free enterprise system where they often undercut pricing and siphon away too much capital that could be going to companies with a real future. Beware of the walking dead, only appearing to be alive because they have been forgiven just one too many times.

One thing that people n the world have to determine is which people on Cable networks are news people versus opinion people.

Another strong week has the Pigskin Pickers up to 102-44(69.9%) I think this will be a tough week. The LA Rams Vikings game has the potential to be one of the greatest of the year, at least on paper. For starters, we have an exciting youthful offense against a stingy, experienced defense. But Minn under Keener aren’t so bad on “O” either. I’ll pick Vikes. Tonight’s game shapes up as a pretty good tussle too. Mariota will keep Titans in the game, but Pitt at home will be tough. Pitt. I like Detroit over Chi, in another classic battle of old NFL rivals. I’m picking the Jags over the Browns, Chiefs over the Giants and Philly over an Eliot-less Dallas. GB woke up a bit last week, and Balt can surprise. But I like the GB weather to be a factor giving the Pack and edge. Two really mystery teams from Florida make the TB -Miami game a poser Let’s pick the home team Miami. I like New Orleans to keep it going over a good Skins eleven. Actually I feel sorry for Skins who have been playing hard. Buffalo is inserting rookie QB, and the Chargers are better than their record. LAC. I see the NE Pats continuing over Oakland in a good game in Mexico City and Denver coming back against the fading Bengals. Now I have two mystery games remaining – Seattle ( Do they  know who they are yet) versus Atlanta, and Arizona against Houston. I have to pick the Seahawks, but I am no longer sure of that team’s ability to win. Houston is at home, but something tells me Arizona has the better team. Fingers crossed…hard, this week.

The Answer:

Last year the SMA was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Before him we had Adam Levine, Johnny Depp, Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Jude Law, (Depp again), and Ben Affleck. Before that you had Pierce Brosnan, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford and Denzel Washington. The first SMA was Mel Gibson.  who preceded Mark Harman and Harry Hamlin. Well, I guess that’s enough sex for one issue of The Tids. Bonus: Honda was the really, really big winner with awards for seven models – Accord, Civic, CRV, Pilot, Odyssey and 2 more. Two companies received 2 awards apiece – Ford and Audi. Ford won for the 150 and for a complete redo of the Expedition. Audi won the Luxury arena with its A5 and Q5. Its Porsche 718 Boxter also took top honors in performance cars category.

Well, I hope there are no mountains looming before you. That each day feels good, even when rain drops patter upon your head. There are at times clouds along the way, some black and frightening. Yet when we look above we always find the promise of brighter days.