Talking to themselves.

Tiday's Tids Issue 4,249

Finding Peace:

Just, what, five more days and it will be after the polls have closed. The cloud of the unknown will be lifted. The wild and crazy rallies will be over, and you won’t have the expectation of an Oprah knocking at your door. Your phone won’t be loaded with political pleas or paltry promises. The political experts will still be complaining about something or other, but you won’t be listening. The pollsters will lick their wounds and everybody will make excuses about something. I guess this is our new purgatory, suffering through the eternal, overexposed electioneering. And in the end you either get heaven or hell, and often you have nothing to say about it.

Talking heads are the new fingernails on blackboards.

In the old Nuke preparedness days we felt pretty comfortable within the relative safety of the old Mutual Retaliation policy. Now, we have learned that the US is fully ready to meet cyber-attack with cyber-attack. Our laptops, desk tops, tablets and smart phones are full loaded and ready to click in the event any of our adversaries think it is wise to hack into the USA Networks. Our readiness may be tested with the first inkling of a Russian intrusion into our elections.

Old English teachers never die, they just parse away.

The Question:

Everybody knows that the first 13 states in order were Delaware, Penn, New Jersey, Georgia, Conn, Mass, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and RI. Well, maybe not in order of admittance) Ok, Name what you think were the next ten states.

The Headlines:

--Global Markets Seeing Bright Sunny Skies As Word Out Says Trump To Soften Stance Against China.

--US Companies Add 250,000 Jobs, Beating Estimates; Stocks Look To Be Positive For Fourth Big Day; Apple Strong Earwigs Reports Muted By Poorer Outlook. .

--US Grants 8 Countries Iran Sanction Wavers.

--Microsoft Is Losing $10 Billion In Profits To China Shenanigans.

--Alleged Killer Of 11 in Squirrel Hill Says He Is Not Guilty And Wants Trial By Jury.

There are basically two types of people. One is among those who grow up in a town and stay close to home. They are pretty much happy being comfortable in who they are, enjoying familiar surroundings. The other group includes those who for many reasons have traveled to many regions and feel they have enriched their lives. I could be pretty darn happy staying my own town and enriching my life with love of friends.

Yesterday, McDonalds premiered its brand-new breakfast special – The Triple Stack. It is two sausage patties and two slices of cheese between your choice of McMuffin, Biscuit or McGriddle (Pancakes). I probably won’t tell my doctor it’s my new addiction.

Saturday TV is basically that of countless men with exaggerated shoulders in tight shiny pants running endlessly upon a field of white lines…followed by zebras. On most Saturdays after a while it just all blends together. This weekly blur is another example of a modern-day American tragedy – too much of a good thing becoming ennui. This week though maybe different. There are a few games worth watching, that also have meaning. The main attraction is #1 Alabama against #4 LSU. This could be a battle, but oddly, the odds makers don’t seem so sure about that. They have the Tide set as 14-point favorites. Also, Kentucky has chance to prove they have really made it out of the second tier by beating perennial contender Georgia. Northwestern has been tough in several games this year and could rake in some prestige points by making #3 Notre Dame sweat a bit. I think they will. A couple of other meaningful games which also look to be pretty good, worth your time – Texas versus the Mountaineers of West Virginia and Michigan against Penn State. Could be a better than average Saturday, at least for football fans.

My old alma mater is in the mired in the murky dregs of hopelessness his year.

Desiring an orderly, controlled immigration policy has nothing to do with racism.

What do you call a Blond with two brain cells? Pregnant.

All I ask for in life is an upward trending nominal curve.

Based on what seems to be trending now leading up to the elections, it is entirely possible that when the dust clears and Washington reopens its doors to happy, eager, smiling new electees, nothing will be accomplished for the next two years.

The problem with writing the Tids right now is finding news that just aren’t iterations of tired ole political happenings, innuendo and rumor.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--If you like Queen’s Music you will probably enjoy Bohemian Rhapsody. But, you will have to be aware that the Bio Film will take you to some of the dark corners of Freddie Mercury’s life. But then, it will also bring you way back up with his triumphant return in the Live Aid concert. The film is filled with musical high notes and the drama of Freddie’s influence on the fortunes of the great band. Probably worth the effort, if you like the music.

--Hollywood has always had the propensity to destroy, and they do it to Tchaikovsky in The Disney version of The Nutcracker. You will be better off looking in your own home town for a local performance of this wonderful classic.

--After watching prometons on TV I have no reason to want to see Nobody’s Fool. It is the lowest rated film of the week. The nutty loser sister pretty much disrupts the life of the serious successful sister, and I’m wondering if this is against accomplishment.

The Answer:

After the original 13 colonies finally agreed on the Constitution and statehood for themselves, they were followed by Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama and Maine. Missouri and Arkansas rounded out the first 25. I got 9 0f 10 correct, but not in order.

I’m in a quiet place. It’s pretty damn perfect. Find one.

Have a great weekend E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!!