Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. –Confucius

Today's Tids Issue 3,851

For Ostriches:

Do you know why we are all seemingly so confused these days? Too much information.

Is giving in to a bully really peace?

The Nation’s Community Organizer in Chief, looking fit and relaxed, had his first post Presidency public viewing amidst a group of sometimes radical activists. I can’t begin to imagine what might be happening next. Or can I?

Doesn’t seem to you that we are the brink of wars across the globe, from NK to Afghanistan to now Turkey, just to name a few of the hottest of the hotbeds. And I haven’t even mentioned Russia which continues stoke little fires in faraway places. The latest, Russia is weaponizing The Taliban, which in case you haven’t noticed lately, controls over 40% of that large Opium growing country.

The Question:

A lot of retailer companies have a lot to worry about. In fact, there are many on the brink of bankruptcy. Name five of those considered as best candidates to take the big fall.

The Headlines:

--Turkish Jets Bomb US backed Kurd Troops In Syria, Iraq.

--Nasdaq Hits 6,000 For First Time; Oil Prices Up, Stocks Strong; Homes Sales To 8 Month High, With Average Home Prices Rockets.

--Trump Eases Up On Budget Demands Easing Fears Of Gov Shutdown. Congressional Repubs Pushing To Avoid Government Shutdown.

--Trump Places 20% Tariff On Canadian Soft Lumber; Trump, Schumer Take On Canada’s Dairy Industry; Scuttlebutt Says Trump Looking For 16% Corporate Tax.

--Nascar’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. To Retire.

--Obama Rakes In $400K For First Wall Street Speech.

--Fars In Unstable Venezuela Deepen.

--Arkansas Executes Two In One Night.

Inscribed on My Tombstone: “Are you telling me now that Cheetos are not made from Nuts and Grains?”

You have probably noticed the smiles on news anchors faces and the gleeful tone of those writing for the big newspapers reporting on Trumps low approval ratings after 100 days. They seem to be bursting with pride over their successful sustained attacks on the American presidency. It has been found that one of them, the haughty Washington Post, forgot to mention the results of their own poll with ABC that said: Trump would still beat Hillary 43% to 40%.

The Voice will go from 12 singers to 11 tonight. Last night produced some very good efforts, mainly from Chris Blue, Brennley Brown and Vanessa Ferguson. For me personally, Brown was the best, but that takes nothing from Blue and Furguson. I’m a big fan of Hunter Plake and he showed me a range that was compelling, better than the three above. I think his song was a little confusing, but what he did with it was amazing as usual. My other personal favorite Lauren Duski seemed a little flat, but was rated highly. She is still one of my favorites. Stefanie Rice started way too softly but came around, although for the first time, I didn’t feel it from her. Again, she and Plake could be two of the best song producers ever. The most rambunctious twosome who revved-up the audiences were Lilli Passero and Aliyah Moulden, both delivering somewhat confusing songs with a lot of poise and energy. In fact, 15 year old Mouldin is incredible for her age or any age, the way she commands the stage. Jesse Larson sang the hell out of “Make you feel My Love. This outstanding guitarist showed a lot of tenderness and a new kind of voice. I hope he doesn’t get lost. I thought Troy Ramey, the born and raised in Newport Contestant gave it the old “I’m here, I’m singing and I’m off” routine. He could have been better. Another disappointment was Rice who actually missed it a bit. T-Soul is a somewhat of an enigma. He is a great performer, at ease on the stage, but I’m just not sure his voice is that great. Mark Isaiah started off the night and to me his voice was flawless but he seemed lost at times and may not have connected. Overall, I felt that the band had better acoustics than several of the singers, unless they are all not as strong as I originally thought. Who goes?. This is very difficult. I’m thinking one of the chubby bearded ones, Larson or Ramey, with Mark being saved by the cute boy vote. But then, Mark seemed like a blur.

I-Tune sales for The Voice participants started last night. This is always a good clue for determining potential winners. Two made the top Ten – Brennley Brown (7) and Lauren Duski (10). Aha, The Voice has not lost its Country roots. The rest are Hunter Plake (16), Chris Blue (26), Vanessa Furguson (37), Stephanie Rice (42), TSoul (54), Aliyah Moulden (65), Troy Ramey (73). The only performance from last night between 100 and 200 was Lilli Passero. I thought Larson deserved better.

Have you noticed that there seems to be a quiet, concerted effort to muddy the images of US icons, from great athletes to old generals and beyond. Most of the slurring is against non-liberal advocates. It’s easy to do, because they have the media on their side – Drop a leak in the editorial department and a columnist will go crazy. It has no bearing on the real quality of the person slammed, but only about who the person supports.

The nightly News will be with us forever despite their bias and encroachment upon by social media and technology yet to be innovated. Where else can Pharma sell drugs to old people so efficiently

I am looking after my will chiseled body a little better these days. I’ve gone from carrying in my golf bag 6-Oreo Paks to 2-Oreo Paks. The pounds are flowing off.

Here’s a convoluted analogy for you. As you may know. my biggest pet peeve of all is all of those people who refuse to admit that sneaking into the United States is breaking the law. Typically, they say in their meager defense that the people are just looking for a better life. So too are all those who wait their turn and come in legally. And now many of those legal new residents are looked at askance because of the illegal acts of their brethren. That’s the real shame. So, I’m thinking why don’t these naysayers lobby to make acceptable smashing retail windows for looting! Hey these people deserve to have what other people have, right. Is there really a difference between smashing windows for looting the businesses of hard working Americans and the fracturing of immigration laws to loot the US treasury? I don’t think so.

The fact is that the US sends tons of money to the leaders of these countries from which people are so intent in leaving, Could it be that the government keeps the money for themselves, and it doesn’t filter down. Nah, what good Central of South American leader would keep the money for himself at the expense of his loyal citizenry.. So, here’s an idea: They don’t get more dough, until the show where the dough goes. How simple is that. American’s clamor to spend time in their sunny climates. Their people would also like to stay home if they actually had an economy to sustain them. Maybe the leadership needs a little continuous prodding. Perhaps that’s a function that the UN could actually do well do – monitor the spending of donations for the US and other big countries.

The Answer:

There is a list of familiar names that could bite the dust next year by defaulting: Sears Holdings, DGSE Companies, Inc, Appliance recycling Centers Of America, Bon Bon Stores, Bebe Stores, Destination XL Group, Perfumania Holdings, Fenix parts, Tailored Bands and Sears Home Town and Outlet Stores. For sure, you will be seeing these retailors closing stores like JC Penny, Macy’s, Sears, Kmart, CVS, Chico’s The Children’s Place, Wet Seal, Whole Foods, Limited, HHGregg, Radio Shack and GameStop.

Do you know that Mark Twain once said: “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please?” I think he is on to something.