NEWS OF THE WEEK

• Are you sitting down?  The Reds won four in a row including a sweep of the St. Louis Cards.  Could it be?   They have a chance to raise their record to the .500 mark.  Wednesday, they moved into second place in our division - four games out of the wild card position.  Could it be?  They have about 40 games to play beginning with three against the KC Royals this weekend.  Three observances:(1) the pitching has been outstanding overall; (2) when they hit they have a good chance of winning, (3) they must be the worst fielding team in the league.
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• The Bengals didn't win last weekend but no one seems to care.  The offense might have looked good but it's hard to say anything like that in preseason.   This week they are off to the Windy City to practice with and play a game with "Da Bears."  Bad weather in Chicago made the practice dicey for the offense - also, more injuries to our defensive line and one to Chris Evans.  They are still playing money games with top receiver Ja'Marr Chase.  The club did write a new contract for "Money" Mac.  
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• Our country is sending an excessive number of naval weapons into the Middle East in the hopes of preventing anything major happening between the Israelis and their 'friends' in Iran.  It is surely difficult to live in a neighborhood where your neighbors vow to eliminate you.  I guess it's hard to move a country.  How's your neighborhood? 
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• The presidential contestants and their partners are jabbing at each other right now - both are trying to see which elaboration, exaggeration or lie will stick.  We haven't gotten into the hard stuff yet. The DNC convention is coming up in Chicago and the debates will follow - I suppose.  I'm not sure why they call them "debates".  
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• The stock market has rebounded from its fall a week ago.  Every week a new number comes out of Washington from one department or another.  Can you say volatility?