Vagaries.

Today's Tids Issue 4,301

I didn't see that coming:

While life at times is quite predictable

Lately more events are just inexplicable.

Things we always thought acceptable

Are now considered rather objectionable.

Of course, if you don’t watch network and cable news, everything is just plain and simple as it always was.

The most overused word in reporting today is controversial.

John Bogle, Founder of Vanguard, died yesterday. Here are his five basic investment tips: 1. Stay the Course. (Wise investors won’t try to outsmart the market.) 2. Beware the experts. 3. Keep Investment Costs Down. (Vanguard was always lowest with fees and added costs.) 4. Don’t get emotional. 5. Own the entire stock market. As Bogle always said: “Impulse is your enemy”.

Where is it written that we need a President who can sing and dance on Late Night TV. How about we return to a learned person who has an ability to get beyond political rhetoric and celebrity foolishness. A person who has the ability to comfortably stand up to critics simply by using intellect, droll humor, and solid facts. What’s wrong with a president who is somewhat boring, but entirely effective. And perceived as person who can lift a nation up regardless of the circumstances. But then, perhaps the truly intelligent, non-ideologue, minimally political potential candidate is just too smart to get involved in today’s silly games.

The Question:

Who was the first child born in the White House?  Bonus: What country sold the Virgin Islands to the USA for $25 Million?

The Headlines:

--Markets headed Down Early; Morgan/Stanley Misses And Is Punished; New Jobless Claims Fall Unexpectedly.

--Microsoft To Spend $500 Million To Aid Homeless And Build Affordable Housing In Seattle Area; Apple To Cut Back On Hiring.

--Celtics Jason Tatum First To Wear Nike Self Lacing, $300 Shoe In NBA Game; Says It Feels Better than Proverbial Glove.

--Giuliani And Chris Cuomo Get Into Weird Melee On Said What About Collusion.

--ISIS Attack On Americans In Syria’s Gives Dems Ammo For Questioning Trumps Syria Decisions.

The Boston Red Sox announced their day to visit the White House. Of course, some of the more ideological sports talk shows tried to turn it into a “Racist” discussion. Click! Yes, that is true. But, Sox Prez Sam Kennedy appeared on one morning sports show saying he doesn’t view the trip as political.  “It;’s an honor and a privilege to be invited to the White House, just as it was 2 times under Bush and once under Obama.

Word of the day, Penultimate: Now, that’s a pretty complex appearing word, and all it means “Next to last”. That’s it, “Next to Last”. I have to wonder about some linguist spending a lot of time worrying about “next to last”. RI is the perennial penultimate state in the union.

Many of the crime dramas on TV set up an interesting premise, suck me in and then devote the majority of the show to some little emotional side story. It drives me out of my mind. It ‘s like combining with Ralph Edwards’ “This is your Life” with Perry Mason. Where neither of them is satisfying their audiences.

When a baker is   happy, he has abundance.

Probably the silliest continuous news alerts revolve around Meghan “Suits” Markle.

I’ve been reading a lot about the upcoming AFC Playoff between the old and new QB’s. And, the more I read about the mercurial Mahommes and his speedy receivers; the rambunctious fans and the bitter cold, the more I get the feeling that my beloveds don’t have a chance. We’re doomed. But then, I keep forgetting the “B” factor – Belichick, Brady and Brains.

The more I read about Trump’s lawyer Cohen, the more I think Trump should be worrying about his presence before the Dem House interrogators.

The Answer:

The Daughter of Thomas Jefferson, Martha, had the first baby in the White House. He was named James Madison Randolph. Bonus: Today, cold Denmark probably wishes it kept their Caribbean islands get-away for their citizens.

Word Two: Vagaries: An unexpected and inexplicable changed in a situation or someone’s behavior. And certainly, the weather. Wealth is subject to the vagaries of the stock market. Elite athletes are often protected from the vagaries of growing up. And, then there is politics.

Chapter 85: The Parking Lot.

  It took a while for Alex to decompress, just as it had been for Jared when Nancy pushed him to circumstances beyond his experience and physical capability. Nancy has a way of doing that to people, but everybody seems to love her anyhow.

   Now she had two puppies wide eyed before her, waiting her plan. Her phone rang before she could start talking. “Hello,” a pause, “Oh, Hi Claudia (Claudia Howland matriarch related to Hicks).” She sent a thumbs-up to the two men. Her face turned serious as she listened. Her head nodded yes and no to no-one in particular. Just a quiet assimilation of information.

   Nancy smiled slightly when she hung up the phone.

   “What, what?” Alex and Jared said in a harmonic chorus.

   Nancy leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. The two guys leaned forward. “We have been fighting a lot of battles, Jared, You and I.” She stared at him with those eyes that always stopped him. He felt her words and found his body reacting. She did that to him, especially like now when she was thoughtful, looking more beautiful than ever.

   Alex now watched them both, feeling a little jealousy.

   “This started out as a Casino land deal which a group of investors thought was going to be easy. Unfortunately, what they didn’t know was the type of silent partners they had acquired with the deal. And of course, who owned all of the farmland. You and I have met them all, and Claudia now understands how formidable we can be. They scared her too, and she didn’t know how to handle it. She let others take over, like Kendrick.

   But, that isn’t the entire picture. What a lot of this comes down to is the Hicks versus the Howlands. I’ve told you about the history of the lands here and the disputes along the way. Basically, all was good between families. The village was happily making money and the farmers were happy the village was there. But, things change and as the modes of transportation changed the shipping advantage of the village lost its importance. The Howlands owned defined land around the village that was declining in value. The Hicks managed to survive nicely by selling off pieces of land for homes and some commercial use as the farmers retired or went west for better soil.

  And then there is the real problem.”