SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

WHEN YOU'RE LOSING PAPA JOHN'S... – FROM FOX BUSINESS:   Papa John’s Pizza, one of the NFL’s biggest corporate sponsors, on Wednesday said the league’s mishandling of player national anthem protests has had a negative impact on its sales.  “The NFL has hurt us,” Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter said during an earnings call. “More importantly, by not resolving the current debacle to the players’ and owners’ satisfaction, NFL leadership has hurt Papa John’s shareholders.”  A longtime NFL sponsor, Papa John’s has been the league’s official pizza since 2010. The restaurant chain has partnered with several top NFL stars, including retired quarterback Peyton Manning and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, as well as 23 of the league’s 32 teams. Papa John’s has also been a major advertiser during NFL broadcasts for several years.  Did you ever think you'd see the NFL charged with damaging Papa John's?  Is this the end of civilization, or what?

ASTROS WIN – The Houston Astros have won the World Series, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers.  It took a full seven-game series for the Astros' triumph to be achieved.  To some, the Houston victory came as a result of skill, perseverance and spirit.  To those of us who worshipped the old Brooklyn Dodgers, the victory was Divine retribution for the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn in 1957.  We have never forgiven Walter O'Malley, who owned the team, for abandoning us to our agony.  Who were we left to root for?  The moneybags New York Yankees?  It was said that rooting for the Yankees was like rooting for U.S. Steel.  It was also said that there were three permanent villains in Brooklyn – Hitler, Stalin, and Walter O'Malley.  Congratulations, Houston.

THE AIRLINE BOOM – FROM CNBC:  With the economy picking up strength and airfares staying relatively low, a record number people are expected to fly during the Thanksgiving holiday period.
"Low fares and increased availability of seats continue to make air travel widely accessible," said John Heimlich, vice president and chief economist of Airlines for America, a trade group representing carriers.
Airlines for America estimates 28.5 million people will fly U.S. airlines between Friday, Nov. 17, and Tuesday, Nov. 28. If that happens it would be a 3 percent increase over 2016.  The busiest day of the Thanksgiving weekend will be Sunday, Nov. 26, when an estimated 2.88 million people are expected to take a flight.  There are good signs in the economy.  Trump has brought a good deal of economic confidence, although he'll never be given the credit by the media.

November 1, 2017