Old Sol creates bright news.

Today's Tids Issue 3,929

For Regular Stuff:

There I was all dressed up for an eclipse party, and the eclipse never came.

Happy Birthday, Yaz!

After 911, I was all for bombing the hell out of all known al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan, and then getting out right after the initial barrage. Russia gave us great advice when they said don’t get involved in that impossible to win dogfight. Getting out then, getting out now or getting out later is all the same. Taliban will wait until the end of time and come back in.

For a couple of minutes yesterday, nature was more interesting than phones.

The Question:
Who is Annie Proulx? Bonus: Who are the Ten all-time winningest NFL coaches?

The Headlines:

--Beaten Down Stocks Contributing To Strong Start In Stock Markets.

--USS McCain Sailors Remains Found.

--US Sanctions Chinese And Russian Firms That Aid NK.

--Dem Fundraising For 2018 Has Been Surprisingly Anemic.

--NATO Backs Trump On Afghan Plans; Taliban Not Impressed.

--Kohl’s Is The Latest Big Retailer To Go Smaller.
--Dershowitz: “Many Of Those Tearing Down Statues Want To Tear Down America.”

--Repub Committee Investigating Post Offcie Employee’s Illegal Fudnraiing For Hillary

--Sales Of Mayweather-McGregor Ticket Sales Lagging; America Regaining Sanity.

Remember that great TV commercial of the Indian standing there stoically while a single tear runs slowly down his cheek as he watches the environment in decline. Replace that Indian with me, looking at America,

While absorbing the terrible news of two US Navy high technology vessels running into commercial freighters within two months, I’m reminded of all of the strange auto accidents lately where cars drive into buildings, because of driver distractions, like texting.

Seriously though, there is some ongoing analysis of the naval accidents that seems to point at the possibility of hacking into onboard guidance systems. This would explain a lot, when you consider that today’s technology pretty much tells a Captain just about everything he needs to know about everything in surrounding waters.

This is why I always read a map first before entrusting my life to that disembodied voice in the dashboard.

It was pleasant last night for the first time in a year when the lead story on the Nightly news wasn’t about something negative in politics or disastrous in the world. It was of course about regular people, black, tan and white, rich and poor, simply enjoying togatehr a natural spectacle. That is still the essence of the USA, despite what all the protestors say.

I didn’t watch the President’s talk last night. I remember snoozing along with several cadets during “O’s” West Point Afghan surge speech. And of course, Bush’s before that. So’ I’ve learned that that the snooze factor is bipartisan in politics.

“Shoe” learned today that the rug cleaner’s Union was the “Steamsters”.

While we weren’t looking, Chinese eCommerce Giant Alibaba wiped out a lot of short sellers.

To a lot of people, Atheists marching is as offensive as Nazi’s marching is to others. Except for one thing – The media likes atheists.

These are heady days for America if you are looking at rankings of the Wealthiest nations. Or just look around your state as the average price of homes climb to points where but a few can afford them. Yes the sky’s the limit when comes to the current wealth rampage, except for a lot of working families. Stock ownership by Americans is at its lowest point on record at 52%! The problem is that the mass human skilled labor factor in businesses isn’t as valuable as it once was. So while more people are working, wages are not increasing. The bigger problem is that tip of the wealth to population ice berg will be getting smaller as more of the working classes heads underwater to pull the mass down. Interestingly, Trump was elected just because of this scenario, and it is still up in the air about whetehr he can do anything about it. For one thing, the Dems don’t want him to succeed so they can run for congress on the same issue in 2018. Of course the bigger problem is that he just keeps on losing the potential allies who may have been able to contribute to the paradigm change positive for that mass of people. Of course, the biggest problem is that it ain’t want it used to be. And, it ain’t coming back. America’s wealth…The big contradiction.

Anybody in the Northeast who said they marveled at the eclipse had to have been drinking or testing medical marijuana.

What is really interesting is that it is the liberal technology barons and their Wall Street supporters who have all of the wealth.

I’m working on my obituary and being sure to include plenty of typos so I don’t lose my identity.

The Answer:

Proulx is a Pulitzer Prize and Steinbeck Award winning author of note. He most famous efforts are the novels Postcards and The Shipping News…and her short story Brokeback Mountain which became a movie favorite of the critics. Her other novels were Accordion Crimes, That Old Ace in the Hole, and Barkskins. Bonus: Bill Belichick (4^th)⁾Is the only active coach in the Top Ten All-Time. (Andy Reid (11^th) Belichick is also 4^th in Winning Percentage among modern NFL coaches after Vince Lombardi, John Madden and George Allen. (Two older coaches Ray Flaherty - Boston Redskins - and Guy Chamberlain - Canton Bulldogs with far fewer victories, top Bill.) The Top Ten Winningest All-Time are Don Shula, George Halas, Tom Landry, Belichick (Needs 13 wins to pass Landry), Curly Lambeau, Chuck Noll, Marty Shottenheimer, Dan Reeves and Chuck Knox. Thre are several hall of fame coaches below #10 including Bill Parcells (12), Paul Brown (16), Joe Gibbs (18), Bud Grant (19), Marv Levy, Steve Owen, Tony Dungy, Hank Stram, Weeb Ewbank, Mike Ditka, Sid Gilman, Allen, Madden, Lombardi and Bill Walsh.

I you are looking for a nice fixer-upper, fast-flip project, New York’s famed Plaza Hotel is for sale. There are millions of folks with a lot of extra money who would probably be able to back you.

See you all tomorrow.