I’m outdated and I couldn’t be happier.

Today's Tids Issue 3,852

For relaxing in a "Keeping-Up" world:

College years used to be about becoming educated, feeding a hungry intellect. But the times they are achangin’ , as one Nobel poet once said. Now I always believed that colleges were important for the intellectually curious where intelligent professors would augment these fertile brains with facts and theories, and most importantly reasoning skills. But, alas the market for philosophy jobs is in bankruptcy. We’re in a “Just do it” society where today colleges are scrambling to become training schools designed to educate for real existing jobs. In other words, provide courses to produce specific skills that employers need; and along the way try fill their brains with the ability to be reasoned and rational. Knowing how to do a job is one thing. Communicating with others and feeling confident is what sets individuals apart. So, liberal arts is out, and training is in. But don’t tow away the brains with the drive to practicality.

Is hot, buttery popcorn a vegetable?

Don’t you think that “Oh My God!” has become as dated as a kitchen cabinets on H&G TV.

The Question:

Now being “dated” is not generally the desire of our intelligent, contemporary, urgent, beautiful Tids readers. Name the World’s ten most popular Fashion designers.

The Headlines:

--Wall Street Wary Awaiting Word On Trump Tax Plan; Nasdaq Comes Off Yesterday’s All Time High.

--Munchin Outlines Admin Tax reform. (More to come tomorrow)

--US Installing Anti-Missile Battery In South Korea.

--Pre-Mediated Violation Of United States Immigration Laws Falls To Lows Predating Obama.

--Canada Reports Some Progress On US Lumber Issue.

--Ivanka Trump Says “Syrian Refugees A Global Humanitarian Crisis.

In talking to a lot of people about their grandchildren and children, a pattern developed that said a lot of our younger generation seem to love being young, stress-free and sometimes irresponsible as they head into their early to mid-twenties. My theory is that as twelve year old’s they had become so adult that they never saw the childhood before them and didn’t truly realize what they were losing until they were twenty they woke up to discover the vacuum  – all of that youthful innocence they had missed.

In case you are interested, a noted consumer electronics experts says that after a few weeks using the  new Galaxy S8+, he feels that the  IPhone 7 Plus is the best smart phone in the world. Now, he cautions, that  is not to say the S7 isn’t positively amazing and looks and feels far better than the IPhone. But, that’s where it ends. He says it is in the software where iOS is just better, smoother than Android, especially the continuity features which are miles ahead of Samsung. In addition, IPhone has better apps, and S8 can’t keep up with IPhone 7 in performance. It sounds like no contest from here. But I’ll keep my old, outdated Galaxy S5. It still works just fine.

Business Bloatation is rearing its ugly head again, and excessive bloviation may be the culprit. Is it precursor to a downturn when companies must pare over-staffing accompanying the economy which was resurging from 2008? Or, is it once again those unstoppable generational changes, that has ESPN shooting air balls. The Disney owners are distressed as the big sports media company hemorrhages subscribers, from about 100 million to 88.4 mil. That is a lot of ad dollars that the Scrooge McDuck company isn’t getting. Maybe as early as today, some pretty big (in their own mind) on air personalities will e heading to the dugout in favor of a low-cost relief pitcher. It doesn’t surprise me. How often do you need to hear repeated opinions about old stories, many of which were not very important in the first place, especially since they have already been tweeted by 100’s of thousands!

Hyperbole versus fake news, Department:

The term “Fake news” rubs me the wrong way. I’m thinking I’m likening Hyperbolic News better, you know the art of exaggerating positively or negatively. A recent example of that was how the news treated Ivanka in Germany. All I saw in various news papers or in the utterances of Nightly News talking heads was the emphasis on only “Groans” and “Hisses”. But from eye witness reports we learn that IT was supremely poised and gracious, battling through the guttural responses of a hostile audience. The First daughter won admiration from the leaders of the conference like Merkel and Head of IMF Christine Lagarde. Actually the left should be a little soften by her. She seems quite moderate and seems to judge positons on their merit as opposed to party ideology. German Prez

I’m not too bothered by the easing of restrictions on Wall Street. All I ask is that here are no bailouts, and harsh jail time for investment people who take irresponsible risks with other people money. Let the results of failure be the regulator; failure was always the built-in governor, speed bump of capitalism. When companies go belly-up, no parachutes.

Don’t talk out loud in Public, Department:

This morning I walked outside with my granddaughter to meet her dad who had driven over, when it was actually easier for me to take her to him. As he rolled down the window, I said “You’re crazy!” and we laughed. He retorted with some snide comments about the inadequacies of old people. We laughed some more. But the to my right a Hispanic man was crossing the street 10 feet from us saying, “Who you callin’ crazy!” I immediately looked for a knife, cowered and pointed to my son-in-law. Sorry Sanctuary city people, but he as Hispanic…and really big.

I love thinking about how much money I have saved by wearing outdated clothes.

Retailing paradigm changes will devastate malls over time. But, not far behind will be, I suspect, the inevitable closing of big multiplex theaters, another cornerstone of big malls. The movie trade is moving at warp speed directly into the living room. I just think of all the buttery popcorn not eaten, and that bothers me.

A lot of people I know tin that Trump is goofy, daffy at best. But the fact that liberals hate him with such venom says to me that he must be doing something right.

BTW, Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary, held a Press conference prior to the daily White House Effort. He was outstanding and appeared to warm the normal somewhat hostile audiences with knowledge and handling of a variety of questions. The whole thing ended with genuine laughter on both sides. There are in fact many smart peeps in Trump’s cabinet, who should come out from time to time to sooth the furrowed brows of angry reporters.

The rumor out there says Melania is saying no more sex every time you tweet.

The Answer:

This is a colorful Top Ten starting with Betsy Johnson (Born in Wethersfield CT). Continuing on we have Tom Ford, Donatella Versace, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Valentino Clemente, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbanawho, Lee Alexander McQueen, John Galiano and Stella’s McCartney (Paul’s Daughter). I didn’t see LL Bean in there.

The years pass by so quickly these days, it is difficult to know exactly when “Dated” began.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. –Confucius

Today's Tids Issue 3,851

For Ostriches:

Do you know why we are all seemingly so confused these days? Too much information.

Is giving in to a bully really peace?

The Nation’s Community Organizer in Chief, looking fit and relaxed, had his first post Presidency public viewing amidst a group of sometimes radical activists. I can’t begin to imagine what might be happening next. Or can I?

Doesn’t seem to you that we are the brink of wars across the globe, from NK to Afghanistan to now Turkey, just to name a few of the hottest of the hotbeds. And I haven’t even mentioned Russia which continues stoke little fires in faraway places. The latest, Russia is weaponizing The Taliban, which in case you haven’t noticed lately, controls over 40% of that large Opium growing country.

The Question:

A lot of retailer companies have a lot to worry about. In fact, there are many on the brink of bankruptcy. Name five of those considered as best candidates to take the big fall.

The Headlines:

--Turkish Jets Bomb US backed Kurd Troops In Syria, Iraq.

--Nasdaq Hits 6,000 For First Time; Oil Prices Up, Stocks Strong; Homes Sales To 8 Month High, With Average Home Prices Rockets.

--Trump Eases Up On Budget Demands Easing Fears Of Gov Shutdown. Congressional Repubs Pushing To Avoid Government Shutdown.

--Trump Places 20% Tariff On Canadian Soft Lumber; Trump, Schumer Take On Canada’s Dairy Industry; Scuttlebutt Says Trump Looking For 16% Corporate Tax.

--Nascar’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. To Retire.

--Obama Rakes In $400K For First Wall Street Speech.

--Fars In Unstable Venezuela Deepen.

--Arkansas Executes Two In One Night.

Inscribed on My Tombstone: “Are you telling me now that Cheetos are not made from Nuts and Grains?”

You have probably noticed the smiles on news anchors faces and the gleeful tone of those writing for the big newspapers reporting on Trumps low approval ratings after 100 days. They seem to be bursting with pride over their successful sustained attacks on the American presidency. It has been found that one of them, the haughty Washington Post, forgot to mention the results of their own poll with ABC that said: Trump would still beat Hillary 43% to 40%.

The Voice will go from 12 singers to 11 tonight. Last night produced some very good efforts, mainly from Chris Blue, Brennley Brown and Vanessa Ferguson. For me personally, Brown was the best, but that takes nothing from Blue and Furguson. I’m a big fan of Hunter Plake and he showed me a range that was compelling, better than the three above. I think his song was a little confusing, but what he did with it was amazing as usual. My other personal favorite Lauren Duski seemed a little flat, but was rated highly. She is still one of my favorites. Stefanie Rice started way too softly but came around, although for the first time, I didn’t feel it from her. Again, she and Plake could be two of the best song producers ever. The most rambunctious twosome who revved-up the audiences were Lilli Passero and Aliyah Moulden, both delivering somewhat confusing songs with a lot of poise and energy. In fact, 15 year old Mouldin is incredible for her age or any age, the way she commands the stage. Jesse Larson sang the hell out of “Make you feel My Love. This outstanding guitarist showed a lot of tenderness and a new kind of voice. I hope he doesn’t get lost. I thought Troy Ramey, the born and raised in Newport Contestant gave it the old “I’m here, I’m singing and I’m off” routine. He could have been better. Another disappointment was Rice who actually missed it a bit. T-Soul is a somewhat of an enigma. He is a great performer, at ease on the stage, but I’m just not sure his voice is that great. Mark Isaiah started off the night and to me his voice was flawless but he seemed lost at times and may not have connected. Overall, I felt that the band had better acoustics than several of the singers, unless they are all not as strong as I originally thought. Who goes?. This is very difficult. I’m thinking one of the chubby bearded ones, Larson or Ramey, with Mark being saved by the cute boy vote. But then, Mark seemed like a blur.

I-Tune sales for The Voice participants started last night. This is always a good clue for determining potential winners. Two made the top Ten – Brennley Brown (7) and Lauren Duski (10). Aha, The Voice has not lost its Country roots. The rest are Hunter Plake (16), Chris Blue (26), Vanessa Furguson (37), Stephanie Rice (42), TSoul (54), Aliyah Moulden (65), Troy Ramey (73). The only performance from last night between 100 and 200 was Lilli Passero. I thought Larson deserved better.

Have you noticed that there seems to be a quiet, concerted effort to muddy the images of US icons, from great athletes to old generals and beyond. Most of the slurring is against non-liberal advocates. It’s easy to do, because they have the media on their side – Drop a leak in the editorial department and a columnist will go crazy. It has no bearing on the real quality of the person slammed, but only about who the person supports.

The nightly News will be with us forever despite their bias and encroachment upon by social media and technology yet to be innovated. Where else can Pharma sell drugs to old people so efficiently

I am looking after my will chiseled body a little better these days. I’ve gone from carrying in my golf bag 6-Oreo Paks to 2-Oreo Paks. The pounds are flowing off.

Here’s a convoluted analogy for you. As you may know. my biggest pet peeve of all is all of those people who refuse to admit that sneaking into the United States is breaking the law. Typically, they say in their meager defense that the people are just looking for a better life. So too are all those who wait their turn and come in legally. And now many of those legal new residents are looked at askance because of the illegal acts of their brethren. That’s the real shame. So, I’m thinking why don’t these naysayers lobby to make acceptable smashing retail windows for looting! Hey these people deserve to have what other people have, right. Is there really a difference between smashing windows for looting the businesses of hard working Americans and the fracturing of immigration laws to loot the US treasury? I don’t think so.

The fact is that the US sends tons of money to the leaders of these countries from which people are so intent in leaving, Could it be that the government keeps the money for themselves, and it doesn’t filter down. Nah, what good Central of South American leader would keep the money for himself at the expense of his loyal citizenry.. So, here’s an idea: They don’t get more dough, until the show where the dough goes. How simple is that. American’s clamor to spend time in their sunny climates. Their people would also like to stay home if they actually had an economy to sustain them. Maybe the leadership needs a little continuous prodding. Perhaps that’s a function that the UN could actually do well do – monitor the spending of donations for the US and other big countries.

The Answer:

There is a list of familiar names that could bite the dust next year by defaulting: Sears Holdings, DGSE Companies, Inc, Appliance recycling Centers Of America, Bon Bon Stores, Bebe Stores, Destination XL Group, Perfumania Holdings, Fenix parts, Tailored Bands and Sears Home Town and Outlet Stores. For sure, you will be seeing these retailors closing stores like JC Penny, Macy’s, Sears, Kmart, CVS, Chico’s The Children’s Place, Wet Seal, Whole Foods, Limited, HHGregg, Radio Shack and GameStop.

Do you know that Mark Twain once said: “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please?” I think he is on to something.