Heat.

Today's Tids Issue 3,903

For Measured Judgment:

This a pretty big week, regardless how you may feel about Trump. Or is it how you feel about The President that makes this a big week? NK has thrown down another gauntlet, this time one that says that Alaska USA is within their sights. The G20 begins with eyes focused on Trump meeting Putin. More important (considering Kim Jong Un) is how will Trump and XI get along now that there have been a couple of small incidents between the two since their apparent copacetic first meeting. Regardless, we have a problem in need of a solution, and rallying the G20 against NK maybe part of the answer. If there was ever need for diplomacy among all of the leaders of the world, this is it. This is the week where egos must be left the coatroom. We need a measured judgment, not a scorecard; a campaign slogan.

Oops! Forget what little hope I espoused in the above. President Trump just tweeted out that China may be of no use as they are in economic cahoots with North Korea. I may just resort only to writing about waving white daisies fluttering upon rolling green and white hills that run down to the sea.

I see where the CEO of Twitter came out in support of the President’s use of his service. Duh, his stock bonuses are based on the rampant, mindless tweeting of users.

There are good democrats, and then there is the left.

The Internet to day is about getting people to do stuff foreign to their internal guidance systems. Baring their privacy to the rest of the world comes to mind as number one.

For some reason, I’m finding myself humming “I dreamed a dream” from Les Miz.

The Question:

Triple “Q” day: 1. Why was the Secret Service Organized in 1865? 2. Who was Micheline Bernardini?  3. What was the name of Elvis Presley’s first commercially recorded song.? Bonus: In 1811, what was the first Country in South America to declare independence form Spain?

The Headlines:

--Looks Like A waiting Game On Wall Street; Oil Slips After Ten Day Surge; Fed Minutes Due.

--Russia Playing Down Expectations In Advance If Trump-Putin Meeting.

--World On Edge After Apparent Successful NK Test Of ICBM Capable Rocket; Kim says Nukes Non-Negotiable.

--US General Vincent Brooke In South Korea Says US Prepared To Go To War.

--In Struggling Illinois, Senate Overrides Governor Tax Hike Veto.

--On Eve Of G20, Merkel Stands By Her Statement That, “Europe Can No Longer Rely Entirely On The US.”

--Volvo Announces That Beginning In 2019 It will be all Electric; Manufacturing Of Combustion Only Engines Will Cease All-Together.

--Europe And Japan Reach Agreement On Free Trade Deal.

--Bass Pro And Cabela’s Merger Approved By FTC.

--NYC Policewoman Assassinated While Sitting In Patrol Car On Bronx Street.

Hey! Why isn’t Dustin Pedroia on the All-Star team. He still flashes the golden glove game after game and is batting over 300, just as he always does year after year. And he is a warrior dirtdog.

I had the misfortune of listening to one of those celebrity interviews the other day. You know, where a celebrity interviewer’s ego battles the celebrity interviewee’s ego for a half hour; where there is nothing in depth said…and the only thing it has going for it is celebrity. What a waste.

I guess the reason I never became a big real estate mogul is because I am so unlike DT.

Since food stamp recipients surged to 46 million Americans during the Obama admin (After O-Admin waived SNAP work requirements), things have changed dramatically. At least, in those states that have reinstituted work requirements for the freebies (For able bodied adults without children). For instance, in Georgia where the work rule was reinvigorated there was a 62% drop in SNAP! Some pictures become pretty clear when the truth is revealed.

Apparently some people hate the truth. Up in Seattle, the towns fathers and leadership are rejecting the study performed by their own esteemed University of Washington that said the $15/hour min wage has been devastating to business and workers alike. They are now opting to use an incredibly liberal study devised by a leftist professor at UCal Berkley. This is the new world we live in. If the facts don’t fit, it ain’t legit.

I remember those days of adolescent lore when images of Eva Marie Saint would send me to ecstasy.

If you were a movement foreign to the principles of American freedoms and responsibilities, what would you do to gain assure a foothold into the future of American society. Personally, I’d get involved in the education process to would mold minds at an early age, and as a bonus, effectively creating rift between children and parents. It seems to me they have already commandeered the colleges, but there are still more than enough intelligent parents fighting for honest open education in elementary and high schools.

That Volvo commitment to all or nothing electric is huge among the world’s carmakers.

Too many people don’t know what is going on, and even more so have no clue of what happened in the past See previous Tidlet). To celebrate the 4^th, NPR tweeted the “Declaration of Independence”. Humorously or sadly, the Broadcaster received many a reply tweet that castigated NPR for advising revolution against the US government. Sad, sad.

The Answer:

Okay, here we go: 1. The Secret Service was instituted by the Treasury Department to combat counterfeiting. It took until the 1901 assassination of William McKinley before The SS protected presidents.  2. Micheline was the model in Paris who first wore the bikini in 1946. It was named by the designer Luis Reard after the first above ground atomic explosion on the Bikini atoll. It is still contaminating beaches, if you get my drift. 3. Presley’s first effort in a commercial studio was, “That’s All Right”. Bonus: Venezuela was the first SA country seek independence from their European masters. They must have done something different than the USA, because we would never look to anything socialist as an answer. Would we, Bernie?

Some are saying that yesterday’s celebration honored Brexit 1776!

Of, By, For.

Today's Tids Issue 3.902

For the People:

July Fourth is the people’s holiday. I don’t just mean family and friends gathering together. First at parades and readings of the Declaration of Independence; later laughing and enjoying the company of good people in back yards or at public parks for hot dogs, hamburgers, and yes, grilled vegetables. That is good, real good, but the people’s day is so much deeper. I mean this is the day the soldiers celebrate the brave everyday Americans who rose up to the behemoth of the world to overthrow tyranny, to create a country that had yet to exist in the history of civilizations. The people couldn’t take it anymore, and they became the warriors against injustices. They created freedoms like never before seen. Freedoms that came with responsibilities to contribute to one another’s wellbeing. And somehow the spirit in the hearts of people overcame the might of large and practiced armies. We know that what was born lives today, as does the most cherished freedom of being able to continue to decry injustices. I pray that the new divide which appears further apart than ever will begin to listen again. Freedom of speech also means listening to and understanding others. This is a country of unity, that has survived small internal battles over 241 years. Is this new divide one that would demolish the visions of so many brave people so long ago. I think the hearts of the people of the USA are far bigger than the demons so loudly propagated by a few. The will of the American people will always find the light.

Three Cheetos for the People. This is your day. Love it forever.

See you all tomorrow, everybody. Enjoy

Cheap gas. Crowded Streets. Bah, Humbug.

Today's Tids Issue 3,901

For a Respite:

Bam, BOOM!! By now you have gotten the feeling that we are in July. This the first declaration of the red, White and Blue Tids for the wonderful month of independence. People started taking off from work on Friday and we still have two days to go. Fireworks are everywhere, thankfully not next door. The pervasive aromas of burgers and dogs, and the now ubiquitous BBQ’d ribs giving scientists second thoughts about the real reason for climate change. Barbecued melon balls, not so much. People make salads out of just about everything, and the summer menu is now set for the next two and a half months. The only decent interruption comes in late July when the local corn is back. The Pats and your favorite NFL team begins practice, and that warms our appetites for the fall and tasty tailgate grilling. Do you get the feeling that everything these days is about food – the love of it, the avoidance of it or the bastardization of it. Enjoy July everybody. Feel a little pride.

Well, the trash man came right on time this morning, so I figured there wouldn’t be a holiday for the Tids. Rats.

For some unexplained reason, we all of a sudden have enough bread in the house for a sermon on the mount.

They just published the White House personnel salaries and they make less than a third assistant aid to RI State Legislator. Rhode Island: “The Rich, Creamy, Gravy State!” 

The Question:

What do Buster Crabb, John Weissmuller and Esther Williams have in common.

The Headlines:

--Alan Greenspan Says “No Irrational Exuberance” In Today’s Markets.

--China Accuse US Warship Of Serious Trespassing not Their Sovereign Waters; Trump Talking To Xi On NK Problem; Recent Irritants Bothering Xi..

--Senate Talking About Skipping August Holiday; Trump Wants To get Onto Tax Reform.

--Illinois Passes $5 Billion Tax Package; Raises Personal Income Tax Rate by s for Taxpayers By 32%, Closing Many Loopholes, Unfunded Pensions One Of The Culprits; Governor Promises Veto..

--Tesla Set To Intro Lower Priced Model 3 On Friday.

--Pope Fires High Ranking Opposition Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller; Key Position Filled By Francis Co-Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria; Move May Be Win For Women In hierarchy.

Despite the embarrassment of the Trump tweeting, the Repubs are making some progress. The progressive’s tactics of stalling and alleging unsupported incidents as roadblocks is failing, with an American public tiring of it. While Trump is easily his own worst enemy, the progressive advocates like the Washington embedded infrastructure, power brokers and the news media are beginning to show their own paranoia and shallowness. Having been beaten at the polls, many are saying that is the real reason for the adversity in the country. The people who thought they were in charge of America weren’t listened to in the past election and they are getting even through sponsored ugliness. Now, if only Trump would hide the trumpet, we might get somewhere. A quiet Trump could be making America great again.

Maxine Waters is a face of the “Impeach 45” movement? Talk about a credibility gap! I wonder if she knows what Impeachment means? BTW, there were many an ante Mr. T protest march yesterday, barely covered by the media. Protests have become “chicken little”, the ”Boy who cried wolf”.

It will be interesting to see if Oscar Meyer’s announcement of a “Healthy” Hot Dog will destroy the appeal of the frankfurter market.

You would get a lot of more interesting Tids if I could read the handwriting of my notes.

They say that on the first day of the NBA Free Agency, teams spent $1 Billion on player salaries!

The giant Swedish Music Festival “Barvalla” Has been cancelled for 2018. The reason: “Widespread sextual violence and rapes.” Bands say they can’t play in such an unrestrained environment. Hey. Nostalgia is fun, but going back to caveman antics is becoming much too prevalent these days. Where is the respect for human beings? Thanks for the Festival management “Taking a stand”, for the band Mumford & Sons saying no more for us.

I am totally not for asking states to give the Feds my personal data because of the presidential paranoia over voting.

The anti-Cigarette crowd effectively used the ‘secondary smoke” ploy. I would think that pot generated secondary smoke could really be dangerous to your mental stability. One moment while walking down the street you think you are intelligent, and in the next instant you forget where you are. Or, maybe that’s just my age!

I’ll tell you what really bothers me – North Korea, and what we may do about it. No jokes here.

The progressive message against Trump is that he is helping all of his billionaire friends get richer. $20 Million per picture actors don’t think they are his friends. $20K per foul shot B-Ball players don’t seem to be rushing to the White House, No, “The Rich” are people with billions who aren’t liberals with Billions. No, it’s The wall street types, unless of course they are backing a movie picture. U.S.H. -- the United Shills of Hypocrites.

Speaking of ploys, millennial driven companies are using the Term “Digital native” as a requirement for employment. That is opposed to “Digital Immigrants” who are older people learning the techniques as opposed to those who were given an IPad moments after birth.

If athletes are making more than CEO’s, and CEO’s are making more than God, than it is obvious that consumers are paying way too much for what they buy.

A day or two ago a Police K-9 died in a patrol car from overheating. Can dog lovers make a citizen’s arrest?

Are professional sports better than fifty years ago because athletes are making more money than God? I don’t think so.

NASCAR events do the best job of celebrating America. It seems to come from the heart as opposed to being from some PR professional’s word processor.

Are you still allowed to say “word processor”? You know how these digital immigrants are?

The Answer:

The three people Crabbe (1 Gold), Weissmuller (5 Gold) and Williams are Olympic caliber champions who went on to have big careers in Hollywood. I have to say “Olympic Caliber” because Esther Williams did not win gold like Crabbe and Weissmuller, but she would have if not for the WWII cancelling the games for which she had qualified. She was true champion swimmer too. Crabbe was best known for his super popular Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers film roles, as well as Tarzan, and Weissmuller was “The” Tarzan to just about everybody. Of course, Esther Williams was the magical Esther Williams of the famed aqua movies of the 40’s and 50’s.

Tomorrow is the holiday of the people. Think of the whole America, not the hyphenated segments. Whatever happened to blending?

Is the summer over yet?