First I remind everybody that the Times is starting, with this issue, its 36 year of existence. That may be no big whoop to all those newspapers who once touted being over 100, but those papers and most of the older start-ups have disappeared.

So, why is the Times still here? Is it my sheer determination? My outstanding personality?? My desire to rid the planet of everything Trump and anti-democracy? To tell the naked truth in the news? To use what some consider bad words in print? To unveil the good, the bad and the ugly?

Probably all the above except the one about my personality.

There is no such thing as total news without some of the formats personality showing through. I recall my love of straight, factual news, whether in print, or through TV, radio and even (gulp) social media. But even when I was much, much younger, I saw that any presentation of news carried a form of provocation for those with leanings, left or right.

Some forms of news presentation do not even hide their leanings (FOX). But overall the news is the news.

Now, back to the 36th year of the Times. 

This year we will be reviewing content such as news sources, cartoons, alliances and format. Don’t get me wrong, police is police, weather is weather and un-lady-like language will still be normal, but our audience is getting older, losing their sight a bit and quietly, frankly, dying. The changes to come will not be drastic, just an attempt to make reading and content easier.

On average, two to three newspapers across the U.S. are closing every week. Dailies are cutting back days and pages and they fear upsetting the apple cart,  leading to  many being little more than pabulum (look up the meaning if you have too).

The Times has had a steady subscriber and reader average for years, but I do see a trend towards more  online-only readers. As such, we will be increasing online news for those subscribers.

Remember, those who subscribe to the Times can also receive a free online subscription as well, a type of twofer deal. (If  you cannot figure how to set it up, give us a call)

Moving on...

Trump is in a heap of trouble. His poll numbers are diving and his approach to demeaning anything but Trumpism seems to be backfiring. There are some 80+ days before the presidential election and he has yet to hit, or find his stride.

Therefore, my early predictions of Trump’s next move will come into focus post-haste. His next attack will take the form of the 2020 election where he will claim voter fraud and expect his red haters to make more violent undertakings. In short, government destabilization.

I only wish all readers could see the daily plummeting and stories on how this is already starting, especially on social media. Over half of his former cabinet, staffers, etc. are turning on the former president. Even tried and true Republicans are now casting doubt on his campaign, but they fear saying it out loud, even locally.

To Trump, revenge is a tool too often used and threatened.

Since Biden stepped down from the Democrat nomination for another four years, voter registration has skyrocketed, along with new donors and donation totals.

I had to chuckle recently when anti-environmental, anti-electric vehicle supporter Donald Trump changed his tune. Donald Trump has for months denigrated electric vehicles, arguing their supporters should “rot in hell” and that assisting the nascent industry is “lunacy”. He now appears to have somewhat shifted his view thanks to the support of Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and Musk’s large contributions tp the Trump campaign. “I’m for electric cars, I have to be because Elon endorsed me very strongly,” Trump, the Republican nominee for US president, told supporters at a rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday. Stay attuned to what is coming.