I lower my head and cry.

Today's Tids Issue 3,961

For Praying:

Hold the presses: I had pretty much written this morning’s Tids on Sunday and Saturday. I had various titles under consideration, like “Sweet Caroline”, “Hugh Heffner made me do it.” But everything changed with a steady frightening spray if lethal bullets. All of the words written below pretty much became irrelevant when the darkness of last night’s enormous human tragedy, this latest grizzly murder spree descended. Innocents, enjoying what is typically an upbeat, patriotic Country Music concert mowed down by a lunatic. One minute they are laughing and thrilled; for the next horrible seconds, they look over and see people falling to the ground, blood spreading on the grassy field. I know not what to say, but I know you all are feeling what should be said.

“A riddle wrapped up in a mystery inside an enigma”. That’s was how Winston Churchill described Russia in 1939. Some days I see that as today in our society. That’s how I originally started today’s Tids. And maybe last night is one of those reasons I went onto say, Thert are days I feel lonely, when the simple little beliefs I’ve held for many decades become wrapped up in violent controversy. That ethics and morals that always seemed so sensible become normalized for so many without conviction. Yet, I keep my sanity knowing that there are millions upon millions who think like I do, and yet I see all of our pleas for understanding and sensibility being heard less and less, or maybe more-so, being reported less and less. I just hope for the return of that cycle where goodness drives us. Where earning is more rewarded than taking. Where people can reopen their eyes to some pretty basic concepts of civilized living. When people begin again to value human life as most precious. I know I am not alone.

Do you realize that if you add and “e” to pleas, it becomes “Please”. Maybe that’s why so many people don’t get what they crave, or is that demand. They forget the “e’.

What ever happened to the career of funny woman Jenna Elfman?

The good news you never hear much about is that SoS Tillerson says they have lines of communication into North Korea, and are talking.

Wait one damn minute! Did our President just throw our Secretary of State under the bus. I think he did when he said trying for peace is wasting time. I will not be surprised if Tillerson walks. And that would a shame. Maybe it is Trump who is “a riddle wrapped up in a mystery inside an enigma.” Or maybe they are just playing Good cop, Bad Cop.

The only thing an expanded 240-character Twitter will do is further expose those with bad grammar and ill-conceived thought processes.

It appears that our instant gratification society is thinking there is a “Fix Puerto Rico” App.

Whenever Wagner’s Pilgrims Chorus from Tannhauser starts playing, the hairs on my arms stand up, and chills run up my back. Maybe it’s because I’m thinking of the Navy Hymn, of seeing steel bows of mighty ships plowing relentlessly through deep oceans.

Do You get the feeling that lots of Repubs in 2018 will be running as independents?

The Question:

Where in this world is the bay called Mandalay? Bonus: What was the first racially integrated event in South Africa.

The Headlines:

--At Least Fifty Killed, More Than 400 Wounded In Mass Shooting At Country Music Concert In Las Vegas; 12 Rifles Found In Shooter Stephen Paddock’s Mandalay Bay Hotel Room.

--French Terrorist Slashes To Death Two Women At Marseille Train Station; Five Injured In Edmonton Canada Terrorist Attack, 2 In Second Edmonton Attack.

--800 Injured As Spanish Police Crack Down During Catalonian Independence Vote; Vote Heavily In Favor Of Seceding.

--Stock Markets Up On Good News For Construction Industry; Casino Stocks Lower After Shooting..

--Volcanic Eruptions: 10, Leave Ambae Vanuatu As Lava Spews Up To 300 Feet Every Few Seconds; 120,000 Flee In Bali As Volcano Shows Signs Of Major Eruption; Popocatepeti Volcano Near Mexico City Erupts Following Earthquake.

--No more Deals; Quiz Show Host And Philanthropist Monte Hall Dead At 96

Ravel’s Five pieces for Children is a pleasant way to wake up in the morning. It must have something to do with that inner child thing.

Two meals that are among my all-time favorites are grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and just about any fish with Hollandaise or Béarnaise sauce – with rice.

On Friday, a new contract was announced for a basketball player named Russell Westbrook. He will get a smidge over $40 Million/ year. God bless the Red, White and Blue.

McDonald’s wants to boost their business; it appears they need arch support.

I live in Newport RI, a pretty well-known tourist location. An online question was asked this weekend: Does this city need more hotels? The answer choices were 1. Yes, hotels bring in visitors who bring in money. 2. Yes, but not in the 3 proposed areas. 3. No, we need development that will bring in better jobs, not tourists. The results: 1. 30% 2. 7.7% 3. 61.3%. I voted for #3.

The Great South African golfer Gary Player said yesterday: “There’s only Freedom of Speech (In America) if it is politically correct.”

Every time some cartoonist or writer or comedian uses the much-overworked slam against Trump about his preoccupation with players on their knees, all I can think of is Monica Lewinski.

I’m am seeing mountains of squash in supermarkets, and alongside country lanes. Must have been a very good year.

The general conclusion is that almost everybody in Washington DC, Dem or Repub, just can’t allow a totally politically inexperienced outsider solve all of the problems they have created. That’s what some pretty smart people without axes to grind discuss when they talk in private.

And it is also generally discussed that everything the left touches turns political.

Now that the left has rationalized as normal dishonoring the American flag, what could they be thinking of as being next in their sights – removing “In God we trust” from money?

They pay these guys?, Department:

A Houston player hit a hard ground ball to short which turned into a routine double-play. The announcer actually said, “If he had hit it into the air it would have been a home run.” If my grandfather was Cornelius Vanderbilt I would be typing this from my yacht…in New Zealand.

The same “Hall of Fame Pitcher later in the sportscast also said, “He (Alex Cora) has been mentioned to be in line for a manager job as recently as next year.” You can’t get any more recent than something that has yet to be. Maybe I could send him the Tids. He probably wouldn’t mind the typos.

The only restaurant bread that is memorable to me is the rolls at Bertucci’s. (Regional Pizza, pasta place.)

The next national holiday is spelled C-o-l-u-m-b-u-s Day – just in case somebody tries to fool you.

The Answer:

There are two Mandalay’s. One is Mandalay Bay on the coast north of Los Angeles. The second may be more exotic, but is an inland city in Burma, with no bay.  Bonus: The first integrated event in South Africa was at the 1971 South Africa PGA Tournament which thought the efforts of Gary Player and the rest of the white golfers, black golfer Lee Elder was permitted to play.

Feel the salty spray in your face; feel the courage of brave sailors. That’s what I had written before this morning. But as the organ fills the air, I feel the power of that music written for the brave facing perils of the sea and unknown enemies, also as carrying those victims of one disturbed man’s war against the innocent, safely to their beautiful eternity. “Eternal father strong to save…”   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3cJtPKAd1o