Thursday

Just a few lines this AM to let the masses know that I live.  One of the problems with spending too much time at work is that you aren't out there doing stuff, seeing things and otherwise exercising your mind.  Pretty hard to be creative when the brain matter is stuck on the Internal Revenue Code.

The political ads have taken over local TV.  I've cut back on watching much commercial TV, but the ads fill almost all of the commercial time.  There are a couple of local races that are a bit heated, but it is the Senate seat in Iowa and the Governor's spot in Illinois that are the main plays.  Lots of outside money on both sides in the Iowa contest.  The seat has been held seemingly forever by prairie populist Tom Harkin.  His hand-picked successor, Congressman Bruce Bailey, was originally expected to have an easy time of walking into Harkin's shoes.  Not so much.

In Illinois, you have the Chicago Democratic Machine looking to maintain its spot in the governor's mansion.  Pat Quinn is trying to get reelected, not by his own record of course, but by painting the GOP guy as a rich guy with no care for the people.  Not sure why anyone would want to be governor of Illinois.  The last three have ended up in prison.

And then you have the congressional seat on the Illinois side.  The pizza guy Republican who won in the 2010 Tea Party movement is running again against the liberal gal who took the spot in the 2012 presidential year.  Its one of those gerrymandered districts.  Traditionally Democratic.  I think the incumbent wins between two weak candidates.  Nasty campaigning.  Yuck on both.

The market took a tumble yesterday.  Lots of negative-trending news.  Hong Kong unrest.  (What's that about?)  Ebola in Texas.  ISIS in Iraq.  End of quantitative easing by the Fed.  Maybe some profit-taking from a good run at the end of Summer?  Hmmm.  Lots of uncertainty.  Welcome to life.

ND has a big game this weekend in South Bend.  Stanford comes to visit.  Looks like Vegas has The Cardinal favored by 2.  It will be a good measuring-stick for the Irish.  If they play like they did last weekend in NYC, it will be a long day for ND.  The Over/Under is 44.  I think I'd take the Over.

The plan is for me to pick up The Winniferous for the weekend later today.  2 gets to visit Harvest Path.  The W will get the run of Maplecrest.  Maybe it will be the start of my TT training!

OK.  That's all I have.  Lower the expectations for the next couple of weeks.  Lots of stuff to do here will limit my time on the blog.

Thanks for reading.

BCOT