Where “Tennessee” is a blind 13-year-old shih tzu who had been frightened by a storm, panicked and ran the wrong way from home into the woods, became lost and eventually walked into a lake.  

Early the next morning fishing guide Brian Carper spotted a shivering fur ball after Tennessee spent the night lost and alone.

It’s a great story.

NASHVILLE — Fishing guide Brian Carper didn’t have to use a pole to make a big catch the day after Christmas.

All he needed was a soft spot in his heart for a blind dog in trouble.

Carper left his boat to rescue the tiny 13-year-old shih tzu who wandered into Percy Priest Lake. Carper returned the dog to his grateful owners, who had been searching for their beloved pet for 15 hours. (more…)

An arrest has been made in an arson case which took place on Christmas Day at a mosque in Houston Texas. Earlier CAIR had proclaimed the fire was started by an anti-muslim bigot and the aggrieved Islamic Community activists demanded immediate action.

Today ATF and Local Authorities arrested Gary Nathanial Moore, 37, for the arson fire. Mr. Moore is one of the Muslim attendees at the mosque and the fire was a hoax intended to give the appearance of the mosque being targeted.

HOUSTON – The suspect in a “suspicious” fire at a Houston mosque is an adherent who attended services there, officials said Wednesday.

Gary Nathaniel Moore, 37, of Houston, was arrested Wednesday morning for the Christmas Day blaze, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told NBC News. (more…)

Presidential Candidate Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Hilton Head, SC at The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa earlier today at 11:00am.

Mr. Trump spoke for just over an hour to thousands of raucous supporters:

(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “2016 Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Presidential Race and/or any of the candidates therein.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Candidate Donald Trump holds a commanding lead in almost every poll.  While the media broadcast public polls, the internal polling actually drives the campaign activity.  With that in mind the public polls provide ‘retrospective’ to either support, or undercut, the activity of the campaign itself.

The latest report from YouGov is one of many which highlights why Team Trump is slowly shifting focus toward a more general election race.  Another good summary of indicators is Available HERE:

You might have also noted candidate Donald Trump referencing today’s Reuters polling trend in earlier interviews.  Apparently that’s because the trend shows the number two and number three candidates have peaked, and now are moving back into low double digits.

(more…)

Campaign Asterisks all around the country are united in their collective grief. Multiple condolence calls from Jim Gilmore, probably. 

I mean, who’s going to win New York now?  No, wait.. huh, wha….

Washington (AFP) – George Pataki, who was governor of New York during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, told key supporters Tuesday that he is ending his presidential bid, US media reported.

Asterisk Haz Sad

Pataki, a moderate Republican, was running a longshot campaign from the start, and his candidacy failed to take off in a crowded Republican field dominated by the bluster of billionaire Donald Trump and dragged to the conservative right in the primary race. (more…)

On the way to Iowa Candidate Donald Trump held a press conference aboard his private Boeing 747 airplane as he transported members of the following press corps.

The “optics” are brilliant as candidate Trump projects the image of President Trump, Air Force One, and the traveling press corps.  Brilliant !  Big Smarts…. Big Smarts.

(Unfortunately audio is little sketchy, turn your sound way up)

Donald J. Trump Rally in Council Bluffs Iowa at Mid-America Center. Event begins 7:30 PM CST – LiveStream Link #1 and Alternate LiveStream Link #2  An earlier media report indicated the venue is smaller capacity (1,000 – 2,000 max)  than a customary Trump Rally.

(more…)