Just because you can...

Today's Tids Issue 4,207

For Looking Back:

Necessity used to be the mother of invention. Today most popularized new stuff isn’t fulfilling real basic needs but just finding outlets for ingenious inventions. Basically, new technology plants greener grass on the other side of the fence where the eager clamor to be.

A giggle is a small job for musicians.

I see large headlines about police officers from time to time being sentenced for killing black teens, But, I never read headlines shouting out that somebody was sentenced for ambushing and murdering police officers.

Let’s take google, the tach giant that would control your life. They have a new Gmail product called Smart Reply. They say “it suggests email replies on your behalf”. Ah just what a mindless society needs, another reason to stop thinking for themselves.

Politically Correct Auto-Correct always changes my name to Duck. Quacks!

The Question:

Quick, name all of the “Stans” in western/central Asia.

The Headlines:

--Markets Open Higher; Trade Confusion Has Traders Addled.

--Trump Cancels January Wage Increase For Government Employees.

--In Last days, Jerry Brown Mulling Over Whether To Commute Death Sentences Of Monsters On Death Row.

--Black Rock Voted To Remove Musk From Tesla Chair.

--McCain Service Is Moving; Biden Heartfelt In Tribute To Old Friend.

--Aretha Ceremony Expected To be Celebration Of Great Life And Career.

--Former Enron CEO Jeffery Skillings Released From Prison To Half-way House After Serving 12 Of 14 Years.

--New ABC/Washington Post Poll Has 60% Disapproving Trump’s Job Performance; 45% Approve Of His Handling Of Economy; 63% On Sessions Side.

I sat in a waiting room this morning listening to a guy boasting about not understanding how his Smart phone works. He sounds like the people who say, I never watch TV. Being dumb about modern technology used to be funny. Now it is part of survival.

How come in this late hot summer where there is more talk about global warming, schools are starting earlier to make up for more expected snow days.

I Have to tell you, I would never want to work for Donald Trump. I wonder what Sarah Sanders is thinking these days.

Omission is one of the classic examples of bias in modern day journalism. The other is story emphasis.

Coca Cola has been on a buying spree that includes a large British coffee shop chain and the incredible New England soft drink -- Moxie. It’s great to watch a company understand that they need to supplement a formerly no-lose business.

Newspapers that attempt to provide balanced reporting and editorializing, are always accused of extreme bias by the left.

I have noticed that people don’t seem to read the Tids as usual during Labor Day week. For me it’s a labor of love. To others, it must just be work.

I mean, why do you have to buy a new smart phone  every year, or for that matter, every five years?

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--The highest rated new movie is Searching, a modern techno-thriller where the story unfolds via technology we use every day. After a fruitless search for a missing 16-year-old daughter, a man decided the best clues may be in her laptop. Sounds like a winner to me. Stars John Cho and local girl Debra Messing.

--The big promo movie of the week is Operation Finale which is about the well-known story of the Moussed tracking down Hitlers mass Killer—Adolph Eichman. It is a pretty good yarn about the daring raid to capture the villain in his home now in Buenos Aeries. The tale of the secretive mission is tense, but for some, slow moving. I’d be tempted.

--Kin is an exciting, somewhat sci-fi crime thriller. A recently released convict and his brother are chased by an avenging mobster, the feds and assorted irrational soldiers. People like it. Critics pretty much hate it,

--Critics are also down on Destination Wedding, which is turns out that just about every regular human being who has seen it loves. The stars Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves meet at a destination wedding and find lots in common –they both hate the bride, the groom, the wedding, themselves and each other. So, I guess you can see the plot developing. But when they find that all of the guests love everything about the wedding, the two are forced to seek out each other for comfort. That’s about it. It will probably keep you smiling like many romantic comedies of the past.

The Answer:

“Stan” in Persian means “Land of”. The countries on the tip of your tongue are Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkministan and Ubekistan. And then there is Iran of which American are not a fan but rhymes with Stan.

It’s easy for younger generations to be entirely different from the elder wise folks these days, because technology has pushed us all into dimensions beyond imaginations. That, doesn’t mean it is better.

Have a great weekend, E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!!

I like music that is like lolling in an aimlessly drifting rowboat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdOOa_TOdPg

I liketo loo

Dredging.

Today's Tids Issue 4,206

For keeping a lid on it:

When I want to relax, I conjure up this vision I’ve saved from days past. Sitting on the bow of sloop nestled calmly in a peaceful cove, the sun easing down, shadows long. I look out and see a couple, one of years, sitting quietly in their catboat. Lateen sail full of the late evening breeze. The waters are still, at ease from a tumultuous day, save the flowing ripples as the bow knifes through. The two appear entirely serene; downwind, gently tacking, effortlessly jibing. I don’t know who they are, but somehow, I have never forgotten them; he in that floppy white hat with his arm around the rudder; she her graying hair pulled back held firm with a red and white wide ribbon, sitting opposite. He seems to be staring at her beautiful face, and she him. I could only imagine the smiles on their faces from what must be their nightly routine. And, I smile with them

Americans have been going soft ever since they gave up husking their own corn.

It appears that the pragmatists are gaining an edge over the hardliners in Iran. That’s what happens when the economy sinks. The people look for solutions instead of chants.

Eating a clock is time consuming.

The Question:

Who was the first black Supreme Court Justice. Hint: It wasn’t Hugo Black.

The Headlines:

--US-Canada Looking For New Trade Deal By Friday.

--Markets Could Open Soft This Morning.

--Trump Suspends US-South Korea War Games.

--McCain Moved To Arizona Statehouse; Sarah Palin Not Invited.

--Green Bay Packer’s’ Aaron Rogers Signs Richest NFL Contract.

--Polar Bear Kills One Mauls Two Other Hunters; Black Bear In Cal Mauls Hunter After Being Shot With Arrow.

--CNN Ignites Blistering Attack On President After Misreporting Trump-Tower Knowledge.

--Consumers Gearing Up For Labor Day Car Deals.

--Construction Industry Clamoring To Find Enough Quality Workers.

Do you know what is disappointing? It’s buying what you think will be a refreshing ice-cold Diet Coke and it turns out to be warm. Can I say Ice?

Realtors are finding that people are looking for detached, or separate entrance units on homes, which can be used to house those colleges kids still at home, In-laws, home offices, kids playrooms or as income producing rentals. Homes are not simple any more.

Just because new technology gives people the means to dig up dirt on people, it doesn’t mean we have to do it.

Personally, I always liked Sarah Palin.

So what if I don’t know the meaning of the word apocalypse? It’s not the end of the world.

Husking corn in the early evening is more relaxing than a good martini.

AGT had its selection show last north. I was quite happy to see Us the Duo, a very nice singing twosome beat out the energetic but only modestly talented Hans. I also wanted the fantastic fiddler Brian King Joseph, and he made it. Others on my list who made it were the excellent Michael Ketterer, Daniel Emmet and the super dance group Zurcaroh. The eerie magician Aaron Crow and the ok singer (To me) Christina Wells, also made it through. Next week begins the semi-finals with Zurcaroh, Us the Duo and Michael Ketterer joining Duo Transend, Makayla Phillips, Amanda Mena, Samuel J. Comroe, Voices of Hope, Junior New System and the fabulous magician Shin Lim.

I have this arthritis in my ankle which is pretty damn achy at times. But like the magic Frosty found in that old black hat, I find the same when I put on the old Footjoys.

I’m surprised I’m not musically inclined because as a child, I was always told to sing a new tune.

I just don’t recognize many names in the tennis world any more.

It seems after seeing the cable TV ratings, that CNN is doing a lot to improve the public image of MSNBC, which has zipped past the old news station.

When a new channel is dredged, a lot of crap is pulled up to the surface.

The Answer:

Let’s hope everybody knows Thurgood Marshall. Forgetting important parts of the past seems to be a national malady. Or, is it a convenience?

You know, peeps not knowing much about former American high officials produces an intriguing phenomenon. It is particularly interesting when people with little knowledge of the past have an innate ability to vote Donald Trump is the worst President “ever” in history. How do they know?

Dredging is the new national pastime. People don’t seem to know a lot about history or even how the American system works, but they certainly know how to drill down into a person’s past to find reams of apparently dreadful activity, an ill spoken word, a mental lapse, which have the power to change outcomes of elections, or avenge a perceived interpersonal muggings.

Destroy your hard drives.

Crammed with Experience.

Today's Tids Issue 4,205

For Longevity:

One of the good things about bad times is that the folks generally wake up to recognize that getting along is better than sneers and scowls. I’m basically a pendulum guy who has seen enough of worldly toils and tears to know that what swings too far will eventually find its way back to a comfortable center with smaller modulations. The fringes will recede to obscurity and cooperation will replace the stagnating resentment.

A noted doctor says that old people’s brains appear slower primarily because they have tucked away so much information gathered over so many decades. It just takes time to sift through it. It’s not unlike how older computers struggle as more stuff is added to their memories, according to Dr. Michael Ramscar. So, I’m wondering where I can buy a couple of additional gigabytes or some kind of external hard drive implant. But then, my head is always in the clouds, so maybe I can just leave a little of it there and retrieve it for later use.

Be yourself. Everybody else is already taken. – Oscar Wilde

There is always a lot more toothpaste left in the tube than you think.

Personally, I define “Health Food” as food that makes you happy. A happy heart and contented mind is great for a long and enjoyable life.

It’s just 2 days before the premier of a new Prime TV series, “Jack Ryan”. I’ll be there watching this hero of so many Tom Clancy novels. I just hope that the TV sensationalists don’t make him too much of an over-the-top hero.

The Question:

--Which four MLB players are in the 3,000 Hit, 300 HR, 200 Steal club?

The Headlines:

--2^nd Q GDP Revised Upward To 4.2%; Consumer Confidence Index Highest In 18 years; Dow Off, Nasdaq and S&P Open Higher.

--Canada Rejoins Nafta Talks.

--Martha McSally Wins Tight Repub Primary Over Ward And Arpaio; Will Face Tough Dem Kyrsten Sinema In Key Senate Race; Scott Wins In Fla To Face Nelson For Senate; Saunders Candidate Andrew Gillum Big Dem Upset In Fla Governor Primary; Trump Man DeSantos Wins To Face Gillum. .

--Jimmy Carter Urges Dems To Forget The “I” Word, Not To impeach Trump.

--California Votes to Eliminate Cash Bail; Non-Violent Suspects Will Be Freed Within 12 Hours.

--Putin Has To Back Off New Pension Program After Backlash From Citizens.

--Sears And Amazon To Expand Partnership.

--On Trump Front: President Asks For Investigation Into Alleged China Pirating Of Hilary Emails; Cohen Info About Trump Knowledge Of Tower Meeting Not True; Lanny recants, CNN Doesn’t.

When you live in tourist town, you have the opportunity to see many people from all walks of life, nations and cultures. That’s great for budding authors who enjoy character development. One thing I have noticed is how many young married couples are walking and typing with heads buried in their phones. Are they hoping to connect with somebody else?

Bias clouds the most brilliant of minds. Maybe bias should have been one of the 7 deadly sins.

The Consumer Confidence Index is at its highest level since the last days of Clinton’s admin. Does it have anything to do with the sexual exploits of Presidents? Or, is it the eternal signal before a crash?

I started a business breeding chickens, but I had trouble making hens meet.

For decades AMD has always been the chip maker that almost made it. There have been off and on publicity fueled spurts for all of those years, but somehow the darling of the moment always fell short. Maybe people were just looking for someone to break Intel. But, now with some problems at Intel, this new opportunity for AMD may be the real thing. Don’ take my word for it. Check it out.

Four car brands led the American Customer Satisfaction List – Volvo, Lexus, Lincoln and Subaru. Over all satisfaction was 82% with Europe first at 82, followed by Japan and Korea t 81 and America at 79. Volvo surged up 4 points to tie Lexus for the lead, 85. Other luxury brands are Audi (83), M-B (82), Caddy (82) and BMW (82). Subaru led the “mass market” brands with  84. Toyota slipped 3 points to 83 and was tied by Honda and followed by Volkswagen (82). Ford (77), Dodge (77) and Chrysler (74) took the bottom three spots.

For some untold reason there has always be an active segment of the population who put all of their energy into concocting ways to to take stuff from other people. The dastardly few probably stole stones from caves just as today they set up serious damaging scams on the internet. I have no sympathy at all for scammers and thieves. Lock em’ up. I may add some to the Tids Capital Punishment list.

There were a couple of good moments on AGT last night, but none that really made me want to standup an cheer. I liked the very unique voice of singer Michael Ketterer and the energy and storytelling of dancing group “Zurcaroh”. Great ending from them. Also, violinist Brian King Joseph’s energetic fiddling had me smiling. Operatic Daniel Emmet was another who was pure quality, and rose to the ocasion. Two magicians tried to amaze, and while Aaron Crow held my attention, his act was much too long with little happening and an ending that was anti-climactic. Rob Lake’s motorcycle and himself disappearance act was mindboggling. I personally enjoyed the UDI, “Black Light” routine, but the judges were lukewarm. Hans the impresario with nothing but energy for talent traipsed through an average glitzy review. The judges went crazy over it. I thought hip-hop dance group The Future Kingz were good, but not that different than others in the same genre. The rest were singers – “Us the Duo” who I enjoyed quite a bit, and big voice singer Christina Wells who was very good, but to me just one more singer. I had enjoyed singer Joseph O’Brien, and he certainly is very talented, but I don’t think he captured the audience tonight. Maybe his innocent smile will get votes. It is unlikely that voters will put through 5 singers. If they do, it’s just “The Voice” all over again. Michael Ketterer should make it. While don’t think either of the magicians are that great, I believe the folks like Crow. I would vote for UDI and Zurcaroh, and probably Violinist Brian King Joseph. Daniel Emmet could make it. We’ll see tonight.

College Football season begins in earnest tomorrow, Thursday, with a game between Central Florida and UConn. All the bigs will be filling grand stadiums Saturday. I’ll be anxious watching my Lehigh U team going up against the US Naval Academy, the favorite team of my youth. Has anybody seen my brown and white pom-poms?

I defined tomorrow as Thursday for older people

The Florida Governor race is shaping up to be a war between a strong conservative and a super (Soros funded) liberal. The super lib, if he wins, could put Florida under if he proposes large taxes on wealthy snowbirds to pay for giveaways. You just never know.

Tiger Woods gave a considered answer to a knucklehead* sports reporter/expert when asked about his relationship with The President. When Tiger didn’t denounce the President of the US and instead said Americans need to respect the office, the crazed reported went on an insane rant. *The reporter was Max Kellerman, and I have always considered him a bit loony, an out of control knucklehead on all of his sports rants. Tiger, as do most thoughtful athletes, live in a world where they see the market for their products as 100% of the population, while ideologues with microphones only want one side of a story to be heard.

The Answer:

One of my favorites, George Brett, is one of the four including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Dave Winfield. Basically, I only asked this question because I like George Brett, who sometimes gets lost when “experts” talk about the greatest players ever.

Every day I try to perform a simple morning chore entirely differently than the way I have done it before. I like doing things the hard way. It stimulates the creativity in your brain. Beware of rote*.

*One of the problems with abusing the concept of rote, is that my golf swing is also different each time. That tends to make the first couple of holes very difficult.

Frankly, the biggest problem of an aging mind is trying to figure out which day it is.