Political Agriculture.

Today's Tids Issue 4,269

Kindness is Good:

I thought the ceremony bringing GHWB to the capital was moving, pleasant for a change in today’s times. The measured movements, the old protestant hymn played beautiful. The setting sun and orange sky. But mostly, the words spoke that were inspired by his presence on earth, gracious, elegant, kind.

Over the years you have noticed that the Tids political department has expressed fears about the rampant growth of so-called “absentee” balloting, and other forms of pre-election voting with manipulation possibilities. Fear intensified as I realized how much politicians and their operatives liked the idea, That in itself should be a warning sign at any level. But now we hear of “Ballot Harvesting” being influential in several races. This is where non-relatives of people bring in boatloads of votes at the last minute. Many of them are the result of “Granny Farming” which has political party members visiting senior housng complexes and helping them fill out ballots “correctly”. Others,  it appears are the result of union coercion where bosses hand out ballots to members with “or else” voting instructions. And also creeping in to all of these ballots sent out to “absentees” is out right “Ballot signature Forgery” though automation as signatures are harvested by hacking into various web sites. Early voting is one of these newfangled things that would be better off going old fashioned again.

It must be Christmas season. “Clapper” advertising is back. Are there still that many people without remotes?

The Question:

Name three of Tennessee Williams best plays. Bonus: What is an Etron?

The Headlines:

--Uncertainty Creeping Into China US Announced Trade Understanding Has Stocks Lower; Bond Market Forecasting Recession As Spread Between 3 and 5 year Inverts For First Time Since 2007.

--Americans Lining Up To View Bush’s Flag Draped Coffin In Capitol; Bush Family Welcomes Trumps To Attend Funeral.

--Putin Says Dialogue With US Is Not Working; Kremlin Says Putin Trip To DC Is Now Out of The Question.

--France’s Macron Makes UTurn On Gas Tax For Climate Hoping To Quell Rioting.

--Mattis Says it is Tome Finally To End Afghan Wars.

--Mays Brexit Plan Appears Doomed; Parliament To Vote.

--Migrants Attempting To Breach US Border.

--Trump Recommends Tough Sentence For Cohen; Than Bashes Mueller Tactics.

Some of the celebrity loud mouths think that the Bush funeral is another good reason to pile on Trump, instead of taking heed from the words of the former president who urged a “Kinder and Gentler nation”.

Make your kids smile. Give them socks wrapped in a PlayStation Box.

I need to put more pics in the Tids blog site called “World View: Etc.” Unfortunately, my hand shaking makes everything a little foggy.

The Voice last night had a few good moments. I personally liked Kimberlie Joy best. Once again, I’m in the corner for Dave Fenley who was much better this week, but doesn’t seem to have the fan base. His look-alike Blake teammate Chris Kroeze does, but he was off last night. Another of my favorites Kennedy Holmes, sang an average song well and put on a great show, with effortless dancing and choreographed moves. 13 years old? The very young old-time country girl Chevel Shepherd hit her country perfectly! Sarah Grace came back with strong performance in her blues wheelhouse, that included playing the trumpet. Everybody liked Kirk Jay (They always do), but I wasn’t one of them. Makenzie Thomas has a great voice, but I was bored with her song. She did well, though. And that Deandre Nico sang well again. He always sings well. But I don’t think he has captured the fan base. The poorest performance of the night to me was cute and energetic Reagan Strange who just took a pretty good song and screamed it out often off pitch. But, she has fans. Two get chopped tonight. The bottom four could be Reagan, Deandre, Dave and Chris. Deandre and Dave to go?

iTunes sales Rankings for last night’s Voice performances (Note the two top sellers last north were by Ariana Grande and Halsey – “Without Me”): At number tree we had Sarah Graces followed at #4 by Kirk Jay. #15 was Makenzie followed by Chevel Shepherd at #24, Kimberli at #25, Kennedy #41, Dave Fenley #44, Chris Kroeze #57 and Kirk Jay #73. Coaches Blake and Adam also had Top 100  hits as did Andy Williams and Dean Martin. Dominant in the top 100 were Queens songs from Bohemian Rhapsody, and a few from A Star Is Born.  

Dean Martin and Andy Williams?

Unfortunately, Kindness would just get in the way of what too many people do well today – irritate.

When I am about to type the name of Stanford University, I always have to stop in think is it Stam or Stan.

While we‘re on that subject, the average graduation rate of this year’s Bowl participating college football teams has gone up from 77% to 79%. Black players have risen from 71% to 73% while whites are up from 87% to 90%. The Colleges football teams with Graduation rates over 93% are Duke, Stanford, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Utah. NCAA chiefs are rapturous over the latest advances.

The best way for kids to get a puppy for Christmas is to ask for a baby brother. But, then tee is the little girl who wrote to Santa asking for a baby sister. Santa replied, “send me your mother”.

The Answer:

Williams may have been the greatest playwright of all, though considered by theater critic’s one of the three best along with Arthur Miller and Eugene O’Neill. Williams five best were Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie, Night of the Iguana and Rose Tattoo. You may have also considered Suddenly Last Summer, Sweet Bird of Youth, Orpheus Descending, Camino Real, Summer and Smoke and Period of Adjustment…or perhaps his novel made into a movie – The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. S-t-e-l-l-a-!! Bonus: An Etron is the new Audi electric car.

This issue is a little bit vegetarian today. But, there will be more meat tomorrow.

I voted for Bush over Reagan in that 1980 primary.