“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” –Thomas Jefferson

Today's Tids Issue 3,651

For an Easy Weekend:

Well, the conventions are over. Hillary did what she was supposed to do last night for her crowd just as the Trumpster did a week before. Both candidates were introduced by smarter than average daughters. Both have higher than average unfavorables. Hill will get a bump to match Trump. People who think nobody could hate a candidate more than they hate Trump would find that the anti Hillary crowd feels exactly the same way. So, that’s what we got – a nation that became more divided and progressive under Obama, and one candidate who is implying she will continue that (Until she shifts to the center) and another who tweets we’re broken and we need a fix. What a revolting development this has become. The choice is really this – do you want to go moderate and to the right or do you want go moderate and way to the left.

Organic corn on the cob comes with well fed bugs.

Duh, Deartment:

The NCAA Football playoff committee held a meeting this week and determined that the 36% drop in TV ratings last year was probably due to the game played on New Years Eve! Most intelligent USA observers felt that would happen way before the game was played when the schedule was announced. This is another good example of how big governing bodies get in the way of rational thinking.

I have to believe that Alphabet (The Corporate entity owning Google) has to be one of the best stocks own in this new global business world. They have learne how to cross broders better than Apple, which still allows arrogance get in the way.

The Question:

Who are these people? -- Kevin Chapman, Tim Gunn, Alexandra Paul and Allison Mack. Bonus: Who was the first US President to visit a Nazi Concentration camp?

The Headlines:

--Exxon Profits Drop 59%; Earnings Season Has Been More Positive Than negative; Markets Looking For Direction.

--Stopped Black Driver Opens Fire On Police Killing One.

--At Least 5 US Troops Wounded In Afghan Fight Against Islamic State.

--FBI’s Comey Reinforces Potential Danger Of ISIS In USA; Says When Islamic State Is Defeated, Combatants Will Infiltrate Many Countries Across The Globe.

--PGA Tourney Favorites Johnson And McIlroy Open With +7 and +4. Jimmy Walker Leads at -5 followed By Grillo, Fisher, Kaymer, English, Hahn, Sullivan And British Open Champ Stenson.

--Hillarious And Trumpeter Bring Campaigns To Rustbelt.

After observing the two conventions and the resultant reporting, it is obvious that Trump’s biggest adversary (Other than his own words) is the general media who have apparently sold their soul to the Clintons. Besides, the media love breaking news stories and writing about something new like the first woman president, regardless if isn’t is good for America.

“Shoe” says that a golf club can find water faster than a divining rod.

Yesterday a New England Team comprised mainly of 16 year Rhode Island soccer players was crowned National Youth Soccer Champion after beating a team from California. The undefeated RI’ers  had previously beaten teams from Colorado, Chicago and Seattle. Also yesterday the one hundred foot yacht Comanche skippered by RI’s Ken Reid established a new across the Atlantic speed record for monohulls. So, if there are so many capable RI’ers, and so many great regular people who know that the problems in the state are the result of a union owned Democrat legislature in power for 5 decades, how come nobody can vote them out and move RI off of 50th position for favorable to business index. It just shows you how a bad government can impede the hopes of great people.

Another Cop has been murdered approaching a stopped car, and you wonder why police are overly alert to sudden movements inside the vehicles.

The conventions that have dominated the “News” for the last two weeks are not news at all, but simply programmed promotions.

How much do you want to bet that the media  that pretty much ignored Trump’s surge will look at the Hillary “bump” as historical in American Politics

Local New England football kibitzers agree that Bill Belichick is probably happy to have the opportunity to play Jimmy Garafolo during the four Game Brady suspension. As good and reliable as Brady is, Belichick knows he won’t be here forever. The Pat’s winning longevity has come from Bill looking ahead at all times. Goodell unwittingly gave him an opening to see what he has for the future.

People keep on telling me that Trump is a jerk, and it is practically impossible to disagree. But the Marian Wright Edelman disciple and big government maven, Hillary, is a potential disaster for the future of an America that works for the self esteem of people.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--Count me in for Matt Damans latest version of the adventuress of the shadowy Jason Bourne in a movie of the same name. The third film in this now four part series was a dud, but fans will be happy again with this one as critics whine.

--The title Bad Moms just turns me off immediately. I am just sick and tired of comedies that lower the bar to assuage the guilt of the irresponsible. A gaggle of over stressed moms go on a no holds barred bender, and along the way the movie makes fun of decent moms. It is considered “Hangover” for moms and it is nowhere on my radar.

--Nerve is a teen thriller that could be good. A high school senior craves excitement for her wallpaper life and at te urging of friends signs on to the popular online game Nerve, which is about accepting dares. In it she is teamed with a mysterious stranger and the game takes a sinister turn with more dangerous challenges, and a thrilling finale.

The Answer:

Kevin Chapman is a great character actor you may know as the enforcer in Mystic River, but I enjoyed a lot in the role of the bad cop turned good in the TV series Person of Interest. Tim Gunn was the Chief Creative Officer for Liz Caliborne, but is best known for his mentoring on project Runway. A former model, Alexandra Paul gt her first break in the excellent horror film Christine, but is best known perhaps as Lt. Stephanie Holden in the TV series Baywatch. Allison Mack is best known for her role as Chloe Sullivan In “Smalltown”. Bonus: Gerald Ford visited Auschwitz in 1975.

I don’t know about you, but I have wiped the conventions from my mind and look forward to an angst free, quiet weekend.

En-joy it to the max…E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!

Finding a comfortable place.

Today's Tids Issue 3,650

For Us:

I’m real tired of political harangues,

And all of those convention gangs.

So I thought I would explore my town

Just to see what was going down.

I drove my car to the Farmers market

And luckily found a place to park it!

There were organic greens, gluten free rices

And lots of tomatoes at prohibitive prices.

I heard music, fiddle, banjo, guitar strumming,

Soon I was smilin’, walking and humming.

Hell, I even tossed them my last single buck

It was far cheaper to watch this trio pluck.

Then as I gazed out through this rainbow prism,

Hey, they’re all “Berners”, employing raw capitalism.

Rats.

Obama keeps on telling us that the country is great. It is great…for progressives, who want to see a burgeoning government that eventually controls daily living through massive programs like ObamaCare or, yes, automated cars. I got to find a cave real fast, or better yet stand up and fight for dramatic change.

If you loved Mad Magazine as I did, you have to feel sad this morning for the passing of Jack Davis, 91. He was the artist for almost all of the great MM parodies, and the memorable portraits of Alfred E. Newman. If you read Mad, Jack was part of your life.

The PGA Championship starts this morning, and politics will be far down my list of interests for at least the next four days.

The Question:

A survey lists the “Most Overrated TV Shows of All Time”. These are popular shows and some even critically acclaimed, but the viewing audience thinks differently. Name the top ten.

The Headlines:

--Nadaq And S&P up, Dow Down 17; Stock Futures Looked Iffy; Investors Looking For Energy Rebound.

--Turkey Shuts Down 130 Media Outlets As A result Of The Coup.

--US Homeland Chief Says Lone Wolves Biggest Threat.

--North Korea Says US Sanctions Is Declaration Of War.

--Boeing Says World Needs 30,000 Pilots Per Year To Keep up With Travel Growth!

--Police Officer At Alexandria “Noodles” Restaurant refused Service.

--Veterans Administration Spent $20 Mil On Art As Vets Languished Wanting.

The comedians would have a field day if a Republican serial adulterer were to talk of his love affair with his wife.

The reality of the intolerant humorless left is that they are trying to convince people that Trump’s joke about Putin finding the 30,000 missing Hillary emails is news about a treasonous act. How farcical has our country become? Every sanctimonious commentator and political hack I have seen pontificating on this tongue in cheek utterance has entirely misquoted the words to fit the desired contempt. It is pathetic.

I believe that in most cases when writing prose, numbers should always be spelled out.

It’s about that smirky smile on the face of Hillary in that front page photo this morning that shows she and 0-Man hugging. “O” seems to be thinking, she will keep my legacy healthy, while she is knowingly considering the possibilities for her own legacy and how to keep Obama happy until after the election.

I see where the French government has banned bags from beaches, next thing you know they’ll ban bathing suits. Hey, wait a minute the French already don’t wear bathing suits, so, where do you hide an AK 47?

Word Department:

Yesterday I wrote about “Quixotism,” Romantic and impractical behavior. That’s me.

I’m not terribly impressed with Tim Kaine. And, that has nothing to do with my political leanings. In fact, based on what I had read I thought he would be an energy bar for Hilarious’s campaign, but now he looks like a bowl of dry cereal.

Trump’s Campaign Chairman Paul Manfort should be banned from speaking in public on any topic.

New FBI documents show that IRS Officials, including Lois Learner, knew that they were targeting conservative groups by 2011, 2 years before Congress got a whiff of it. So, how can you trust democrats about anything they say n this election?

The Answer:

According to a survey of critics fans and average people down by “Ranker” the best list generator, the show said to get far too much acclaim is Glee! Next are American Idol, Sex in the City, Two and a Half men, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, America’s next Top Model, Big Brother, Girls and The Voice. The Apprentice is #59, ncase you were interested.

There’s a place for us, known as the Conservative bus, It takes us where there’s logic used, and America’s principles are not abused. Somewhere, somewhere – There’s a place for beginnings, where the truth is still winning. Read the Tids and I’ll take you there, somewhere. Somewhere.

If you need it, I’ve recorded my humming the melody from West Side Story.

“…Leave your worries on the door step…”

Today's Tids Issue 3,649.

For Love:

The conventions create a sort of fictitious enthusiasm for candidates. The truth of voter affection will be known better around a month from now when the titillation ebbs and reality takes hold. So just hang in there and maybe a clear picture will arise from this morass

Maybe we should all just take a break from the heartbreaks of the world and the frustrations of the elections and think only of romance. Think of the beauty of making someone deliriously happy, holding hands while standing in a clear mountain stream. Looking into eyes that absorb your soul. Feeling tingles overwhelming your body. Flying above the clouds buoyed by love. Dive into your dreams. The world will still be spinning when you return.

According to some Democrats exulting in the Hillary nomination, it appears that I’m supposed to be really happy for NOW. Shoot me.

The Question:

Where do you go after you leave “your worries on the doorstep”? Bonus: Name a great song by Maureen McGovern. Her songs were sung in two well known disaster movies. Name them

The Headlines:

--Markets Up Barely Despite Plunge In Durable Goods Orders; Apple Soars On Services Business, Better Than Estimate IPhone Sales; Coke Profits Strong But Revenue Continues To Slide As Bloomberg Effect Takes Hold.

--Hillary Nominated As First Woman Presidential Candidate Of A Major Party; Clinton Also Named Subject Of New IRS Investigation Of Clinton Foundation.

--All Charges Against Officers In Freddie Grey Case Dropped.

--Blocs of Sanders Supporters Walk Out Of Convention.

--Massive IS Bomb Rocks Kurdish City Of Qamishli. At Least 54 Dead In Syrian Border City.

--Judge Says Reagan Shooter Hinckley Ok To Leave Hospital And Live In Washington.

Has Bill Clinton stopped talking yet?

Some people yesterday questioned my headline about the little red headed girl. If you read Peanuts you know that Charlie Brown’s hesitations about the girl he loves strikes at the heart of every man who as a kid fought the battle of finding enough courage to ask out the girl of his dreams. That’s why the Little Red Headed Girl segment of Charlie Brown is so poignant to so many.

After an exhaustive investigation it has been learned here that the Bernie fans were most upset by his Monday night speech because it ran into the Bachelorette. There goes the revolution.

For some reason when writing about Hillary I find myself typing Hilarious. That may stick.

A lot of people walking around town these days look to me as if they are wearing costumes.

The price of entertainment and sports events is way out of sight and you never hear of Dems complaining about that.

A sign at the entrance of Democrat Convention credentials room says, “be prepared to show your “Photo ID’s”. How will their illegal alien supporters get in?

Let’s see President Obama and the Governors rushed to judgment in the Ferguson and Baltimore shootings, and yet all the charges against police officers were never issued or dropped entirely. But, the cities burned as the leadership stood by.

Immigrants who sneak in illegally are basically un-American in this nation of laws.

I should have more love in my heart for people who break the law, but I just can’t find it.

BTW, I have been working on getting “The Parking Lot” going again. It’s at about 52,000 words now and should end at around 60K. Our heroine Nancy seems to be running out of allies. Will the ills of her past family’s actions against the Howland’s come back to haunt her? Or will the goodness sowed by her Hick’s family ancestors ride to the rescue.

The Answer:

Why of course you would grab your coat and grab your hat, leave your worries on the door step, just direct your feet on the sunny side of the street!  Bonus: I liked Maureen McGovern and always enjoyed The Morning After”, which she sang in The Poseidon Adventure. She also sang “We may never love like this again” in the Towering Inferno.

Have you noticed how conventions can insidiously infect your mind, and it’s never pretty. I have a lot of holes in my tongue from biting it so hard in this issue. I need an antibiotic. Oh yeah, love. It’s love! Beautiful, irrational, exhilarating love!

The little red headed Girl has moved away forever. Rats.

Today's Tids Issue 3,648

For resolve:

A lot of disappointment comes from not doing something about something you know you should have done something about.

Some Democrat observers are quietly saying that Bernie is in for a rude awakening when Hillary goes back on all of the promises she made to get him to go along. It’s what Clintons do.

A millennial tells me the highways will be much safer with automated driverless cars. Personally I will feel like I’m being herded a long like a convention of democrat sheep. And, that subjugation is not a pretty picture to this old hermit.

The Question:

Who was Charles Bonapart? Bonus: Who was the first US Postmaster general?

The Headlines:

--20,000 Evacuated As Southern Cal Fire Continues To Roar; Heavy Smoke Forces Water Carrying Planes To Remain Grounded.

--Markets Down; Looking At Apple Post Close Earnings, Growing Negativity On Global Growth, US Housing Reports And Anheiser-InBev- SAB Miller Merger; Texas Instruments Is Hot Stock After Excellent Earnings Report.

-Mass Murder Department: Priest in Rouen France Murdered By ISIS Operative In Front Of 84 Parishioners’ Who Were Taken As Hostages – French Terror Unit Called In; 19 Dead, Dozens Injured In Tokyo Stabbing Spree.

--New Evidence Showing That High Minimum Wage In Seattle Is reducing Employment.

--Michelle Obama In Speech Says She Now Likes America; Warren On Warpath Ripping Trump; Bernie Booed By Ex Fans As he calls For Hillary Support; DNC Convention Tries To Divert Attention Away From Email Fiasco.

--US State Department Characterizes Iran Deal After A Year As fragile.

--Poke-Mon Players in Las Vegas In Shootout With Would-Be Robber.

--Amazon To Test Drone Delivery In England

The media biz will be interesting to watch following the departure of Ailes at Fox and the Purchase of Yahoo! By Verizon. Already Yahoo personalities Katie Couric, David Pogue and Joe Zee are getting itchy. And over at Fox, exec VP Michael Clemente has stepped down, and more execs are wondering what life at Fox will be like under Rupert and Lachlan Murdock. Stay tuned on this. MSNBC will be spreading malicious rumors. Hey they’ve tried everything else.

It is one of my favorite times of the year,

When fields of black Eyed Susan’s Appear.

The greenery now turned massive yellow,

Is the kind of sight that makes me mellow.

Did you see where the last VCR ever has been produced? I’d better go out and buy a couple of CD players, before my large CD collection becomes useless.

Barack Obama thinks the USA is in good shape now because Community Organizers like to promote angst.

Trump has tapped into the same audience who elected FDR four times. Dems will blanch at the suggestion that Trump is any way like their hero Franklyn Delano, but let’s face it, few of today’s Dems are like the real Dems of yore. FDR’s message was essentially against the liberal side who proposed and enacted free stuff that would be paid for by, what has been called by Yale’s William Graham Sumner, “The Forgotten Man,” the middle to low end of the economic spectrum, who pays for the liberal programs. It was this group then, and again today who have surprised the experts and algorithm manipulators. So, the more Hillary espouses free stuff, the stronger the Trump “Tired-of-it-all” crowd becomes. It is not about how stupid and crass Trump may appear or how dishonest Hillary is, it’ is about people sick of the BS. Few politicians ever see that.

The PGA Tournament begins on Thursday, an already some are deeming it the tourney for Spieth’s redemption. But, if you, as I, have been watching lately, there is just a huge amount of players who can win on any given day. I have to say that Dustin Johnson has never looked more relaxed, which translates into confidence. I’d have to put him in as the favorite. Speaking of confidence, how much more of a threat will be Stenson after breaking through in a major? Jason Day has looked less that #1 lately, so he has a real motivation. Baltusrol is one tough golf course dripping with history and spectacular moments. The betting odds for this week have Dustin on top followed by Rory, Jason, Jordan, Henrik, Phil, Sergio, Adam, Justin, Bubba and Rickie. Personally. I’d like to see Sergio holding this cup in a year of break-through wins. But, who knows, this golf course could be the real winner.

The Answer:

Charles Bonapart had nothing to do with his namesake in France. He put together a group of men that became the FBI.

The conventions are teaching me that I could really get along nicely without television.

See you all tomorrow.