DELEITURAS

The summer travel season is one of the busiest for U.S. airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration, which is expected to screen 28.3 million Fourth of July travelers through July 9 and millions of others through the end of Labor Day weekend.  Smart planning and preparation is the key for travelers who want an easy start to their vacation, without the stress associated with airport crowds and security checkpoints, say the experts at Travel Leaders Network – one of America’s largest retail travel agency organizations.

“Many people procrastinate in making travel plans and then they are harried all the way to the airport, adding stress to the start of their happy, relaxing vacation time,” said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. “Planning and preparation from your itinerary to what’s in your suitcase makes a world of difference to landing on the right foot at your vacation destination. Travel Leaders travel agents provide their expert advice, time and talent to ensuring that their clients have an enjoyable journey from beginning to end.”

Here are 12 tips from the travel experts at Travel Leaders Network for easing summer travel:

1. Check-in online. Airlines generally allow passengers to check in online 24 hours in advance, with a cutoff a couple of hours before boarding time. Checking in well before heading to the airport, saves time. Travelers should opt to receive digital (and paper) versions of their boarding pass so that a backup is at the ready on a handy mobile device.
2. Leave home early. From traffic that may be heavier than usual and hard-to-find parking spots, to lines for security screenings, there is peace of mind when there is extra wiggle room in the schedule, whether traveling by train, plane or automobile. Arrive at the airport 75 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
3. Double check your baggage. Overhead space is at a premium during the heavy holiday travel seasons. So when preparing to pack bags, it’s ideal to check in advance whether luggage meets the airline’s size and weight restrictions for checked baggage and carry-ons. Nothing brings on the worry like finding out last-minute that one has to pay extra for overweight or oversized luggage filled with sun visors, flip flops, extra-large cosmetic cases or junior’s plush toy.
4. Pack smarter with essentials. Packing a few vacation essentials in a carry-on, such as a swimsuit and a change of clothes, helps if your luggage gets delayed, because you can still go for a swim upon arrival or put on a fresh change of clothes. This also comes in handy for those who arrive at the resort before the room is ready. Simply lounge by the pool or beach while you wait.
5. Remember 3-1-1 rule. TSA allows each passenger one quart-size bag of liquids and gels, including toothpaste, gel deodorant, and lotions. Each item must be 3.4 ounces or less. Excluded from the carry-on list this summer are canisters of powders larger than 12 ounces. This affects protein powder for your mid-flight energy drink or a large jar of your favorite ground coffee. But for most people the powders will not ring any alarms, as it applies only to international flights in-bound to the United States. Medication and infant formula are exempt from the rule — but keep them separate from other items in case they need to be hand-checked on your return trip.
6. Purchase TSA PreCheck, CLEAR or Global Entry. Travelers who enroll in one of the expedited security checkpoint services spend less time in line. PreCheck members don’t have to remove their shoes, belt or jacket or take their large electronic devices from their carry-ons. So not only is the security screening less cumbersome, it also saves time not having to repack items and retie shoes – which can be a hassle for a family of four. Those enrolled in CLEAR, which is integrated with TSA PreCheck, will be able to skip straight to a special lane to get their boarding pass checked. (Children under 18 can use the CLEAR lane for free when accompanied by a CLEAR-enrolled family member.) Global Entry cuts down on immigration and customs processing time when reentering the US after international travel. TSA Precheck for domestic travel costs $80 for a 5-year clearance and Global Entry for international travel costs $100 for 5-years and includes TSA Precheck. CLEAR is $179 per year. This small commitment saves time and stress upon arrival at the airport.
7. Airport lounge pass. Frequent travelers or those who arrive to the airport before boarding begins will enjoy an airport lounge pass over waiting at crowded gates. Most lounges offer complimentary food and beverages, along with free wi-fi. Those perks alone are worth the value for frequent travelers.
8. All-inclusive family resorts. After arriving at one’s destination, especially an international one, an all-inclusive resort is especially satisfying on that first day in town away from home. No need to navigate to another location for dining or worry about menu prices. An all-inclusive package alleviates some decisions when all that is top of mind is relaxing. It also helps keep one from going over budget. Spending more than one plans to raises stress levels, but with an all-inclusive travelers know in advance exactly how much they are spending on food and drinks.
9. Cruising along. There are many ways to take advantage of a cruise experience. First, arrive in the port city a day before sail time. This way, even if a travel companion misses a flight connection there is no worry about missing the boat. Once onboard, curtail exhaustion by skipping an excursion or two.  Take time to enjoy the ship with fewer people onboard while others are off exploring the port city. But when planning to go ashore, make sure you listen to the port talks. A lot of valuable information is relayed, as well as maps, taxi and shop information for those who choose to venture on their own.
10. Bon Jour. Konichiwa. Shalom. Learning a few words in the native language of the destination country will ease stress, as a simple hello or thank you in the native language can improve the kindness of strangers and even open doors – figuratively and literally. If there’s no time to learn a few words before leaving home, the traveler can download an app to their mobile phone that will translate even the most complicated of sentences. It’s a great way to make new friends.
11. Keep valid identification at hand. Children under 18 are not required to provide identification when traveling domestically with a companion, but passengers age 18 and older must show valid ID at the airport security checkpoint. Since most ID, like a driver’s license, has an expiration date, double-check that your ID will not expire before your return trip home. It’s a good idea to have color photocopies and digital copies of all important identification documents, including your passport, boarding passes, front and back of credit cards and health insurance information. Also have extra ID photos cropped to passport size in case you have to order a replacement at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Be sure to pack all paper copies or flash drives in a separate location for extra safe-keeping. Also remember to check the expiration date on your passport. If it expires within six months, you may not be able to enter most countries.
12. Put your travel agent on speed dial. Bring the email and cell phone number of your travel agent with you, and provide your travel agent with your personal contact information, as well as pertinent health and travel insurance information. Your travel agent can rearrange your itinerary should you decide to extend your trip, or if there’s an emergency.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) raised a historic amount of money in February, as Republicans gear up for 2020, The Daily Caller News Foundation learned Wednesday.

The RNC raised 14.6 million, a record high for the month of February in a non-election year, according to internal numbers shared with TheDCNF. The number is also the second highest of all time for the month of February, going back to 2004. The party is also zero dollars in debt, as the RNC has continued to beat The Democratic National Committee (DNC) in fundraising.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has continued to lead the committee to historic fundraising numbers, giving the party hope for the 2020 elections.

The RNC and National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) also raised a historic amount of money in the month of January, as Senate Republicans gear up for a fight to keep the Senate. The NRSC raised a record $5.58 million in January, the most money ever raised by the committee in that month.

The RNC announced in June that they would be fundraising throughout President Donald Trump’s first 500 days in office as a campaign strategy. For  five months the RNC released videos touting Trump’s success, which they believe will help lead them to victory for the midterm elections.

The committee filed a record-setting $19.8 million January 2017 after Trump was elected into office.

Existing-home sales declined in September after a month of stagnation in August, according to the National Association of Realtors. All four major regions saw no gain in sales activity last month.

Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell 3.4 percent from August to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.15 million in September. Sales are now down 4.1 percent from a year ago (5.37 million in September 2017).

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says rising interest rates have led to a decline in sales across all regions of the country. “This is the lowest existing home sales level since November 2015,” he said. “A decade’s high mortgage rates are preventing consumers from making quick decisions on home purchases. All the while, affordable home listings remain low, continuing to spur underperforming sales activity across the country.”

Yun echoed President Trump’s sentiment that raising interest rates too quickly will have a harmful effect on the U.S. economy and the nation’s spiraling debt.

“I’d rather pay down debt or do other things,” Trump recently said while criticizing the Fed’s actions. “I’m worried about the fact that they seem to like raising interest rates.”

The median existing-home price for all housing types in September was $258,100, up 4.2 percent from September 2017 ($247,600). September’s price increase marks the 79^th straight month of year-over-year gains.

Total housing inventory³ at the end of September decreased from 1.91 million in August to 1.88 million existing homes available for sale, and is up from 1.86 million a year ago. Unsold inventory is at a 4.4-month supply at the current sales pace, up from 4.3 last month and 4.2 months a year ago.

Properties typically stayed on the market for 32 days in September, up from 29 days in August but down from 34 days a year ago. Forty-seven percent of homes sold in September were on the market for less than a month.

“There is a clear shift in the market with another month of rising inventory on a year over year basis, though seasonal factors are leading to a third straight month of declining inventory,” said Yun. “Homes will take a bit longer to sell compared to the super-heated fast pace seen earlier this year.”

Realtor.com’s Market Hotness Index, measuring time-on-the-market data and listings views per property, revealed that the hottest metro areas in September were Midland, Texas; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Odessa, Texas; Boston–Cambridge–Newton, Mass.; and Columbus, Ohio.

According to Freddie Mac, the average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage increased to 4.63 percent in September from 4.55 percent in August. The average commitment rate for all of 2017 was 3.99 percent.

“Rising interests rates coupled with increasing home prices are keeping first-time buyers out of the market, but consistent job gains could allow more Americans to enter the market with a steady and measurable rise in inventory,” says Yun.

First-time buyers were responsible for 32 percent of sales in September, up from last month (31 percent) and a year ago (29 percent). NAR’s 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers – released in late 2017 – revealed that the annual share of first-time buyers was 34 percent.

“Despite small month over month increases, the share of first-time buyers in the market continues to underwhelm because there are simply not enough listings in their price range,” said NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall, a sixth-generation Realtor^® from Columbia, Missouri and CEO of RE/MAX Boone Realty. “Entry-level homes remain highly sought after, as prospective buyers are advised to contact a Realtor^® as early in the buying process as possible in order to ensure buyers can act fast on listings that catch their eye.”

All-cash sales accounted for  21 percent of transactions in September, up from July and a year ago (both 20 percent). Individual investors, who account for many cash sales, purchased 13 percent of homes in August, unchanged from July and down from 15 percent a year ago.

Distressed sales⁵ – foreclosures and short sales – were 3 percent of sales in September (the lowest since NAR began tracking in October 2008), unchanged from last month and down from 4 percent a year ago. Two percent of September sales were foreclosures and 1 percent were short sales.

Single-family and Condo/Co-op Sales
Single-family home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.58 million in September, down from 4.74 million in August, and are 4.0 percent below the 4.77 million sales pace from a year ago. The median existing single-family home price was $260,500 in September, up 4.6 percent from September 2017.

Existing condominium and co-op sales were recorded at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 570,000 units in September, down 3.4 percent from last month and 5.0 percent from a year ago. The median existing condo price was $239,200 in September, which is up 1.5 percent from a year ago.

Regional Breakdown 
September existing-home sales in the Northeast decreased 2.9 percent to an annual rate of 680,000,  5.6 percent below a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $286,200, which is up 4.1 percent from September 2017.

In the Midwest, existing-home sales remained the same as last month at an annual rate of 1.28 million in September, but are still down 1.5 percent from a year ago. The median price in the Midwest was $200,200, up 1.9 percent from last year.

Existing-home sales in the South decreased 5.4 percent to an annual rate of 2.11 million in September, down from 2.12 million a year ago. The median price in the South was $223,900, up 3.0 percent from a year ago.

Existing-home sales in the West fell 3.6 percent to an annual rate of 1.08 million in September, 12.2 percent below a year ago. The median price in the West was $388,500, up 4.1 percent from September 2017.

At this year’s BRICS summit, Russian President, Vladimir Putin’s security detail was challenged while trying to enter a building.

via the Daily Mail-

Armed guards from Vladimir Putin’s entourage were involved in an ugly fight in South Africa after they were ordered to put top secret suitcases – believed to contain the codes for Russia’s nuclear arsenal – through a security scanner.

Angry ‘pushing and shoving’ broke out after some members of Putin’s security detail were prevented from following the Russian president into the conference hall staging the summit, which was hosted by South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma and also involved Brazil, Russia, India and China.

What’s interesting is the apparent lack of diplomacy that happened next, when a Russian spokesman threw the host of the summit (South Africa) under the bus.

Kremlin officials blamed the embarrassing bust-up on the South Africans, with Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: ‘They manage football better. A lot of confusion.’

He added: ‘The incident happened because of the fault of the inviting side.’

Also interesting?  The spokesman said South Africans “manage football  better” in response to the incident over the suitcase presumed to have nuclear codes.  This is interesting, because the American counterpart to that suitcase just so happens to be referred to as a “football” by members of our President’s security.  (of course, in this case, “football” refers to “soccer”, but an interesting tidbit, still)

SO WHAT IS THIS BRICS SUMMIT ABOUT, ANYWAY?

Simply put, it’s a group of five (it used to be four) nations that happen to have large populations and a lot of economic potential, but they lack the same kind of pull that the United States and Europe have enjoyed over the years.  It has been their hope that maybe they can band together and use their synergies to help achieve prominence and leverage on the world stage that they haven’t been able to obtain individually.  As this piece on Bloomberg details, their results, so far have been mixed at best.

WHO ARE THESE BRICS NATIONS?

An investment analyst at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. famously came up with the BRIC designation (South Africa was an afterthought) in 2001

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.

While the Bloomberg piece suggests that the BRICS summit can sometimes (or often) come across as a fruitless endeavor, it should be noted that these countries are becoming more and more coveted by various corporations around the world due to their large populations and practically untapped markets.

India, for example, has been seen by many as the next place for a great smartphone boom, as more of it’s 1.2 billion citizens become upwardly mobile.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will continue its more than 60-year-old tradition of tracking Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole to deliver presents across the world.

The twitter account for NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command announced Friday that Santa will be tracked on Christmas Eve regardless of whether or not a government shutdown has gone into effect.

“In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24,” the agency said. “Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year.”

WATCH:

Accordingly, Congress failed to pass a spending measure before government funding expired Friday at midnight, triggering a government shutdown.

The House passed a stopgap funding bill Thursday that included $5.7 billion for the a wall on the U.S.-Mexico. However, Senate Republicans were not able to get the necessary 60 votes needed to send the bill to the president’s desk. Prior to the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed that any legislation with additional funding for a border wall would be dead on arrival.

Regardless, NORAD is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, which is not included in the stopgap funding bill and has already been funded for the 2019 calendar year. President Donald Trump signed the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act into law in 2018, which included a budget of $717 billion for the department.

 

by Chris White

Tesla has less than six months to go before the electric automaker enters complete insolvency due to chronic business problems, according to one Chicago-based investment group founder.

Analysts are blasting Tesla as the Silicon Valley company’s shares and bonds continue to flounder amid concerns about the safety of electric car technology. Tesla is not in financial condition to absorb any more bad news, one analyst told The Daily Caller News Foundation

“If you look at the financials, they are going to run out of money in less than three months,” Vilas Capital Management CEO John Thompson told TheDCNF in reference to what he sees as the company’s inability to deliver the family friendly Model 3. Tesla is making only around 975 Model 3s a week — well short of the 2,500-unit rate target by the end of this quarter.

Concern is growing over Tesla’s poor production performance. It managed to build a mere 260 Model 3s between July and September of 2017. That number is well below the 1,500 Tesla promised before the end of the fourth quarter of said year. Total orders for the wallet-friendly vehicle tumbled from a high of 518,000 to 455,000.

Production on the highly touted vehicle was expected to expand from 100 cars in August to 1,500 in September then plateau to 20,000 per month in December 2017. CEO Elon Musk promised to eventually produce 20,000 cars per month. The falling numbers coincide with Tesla’s inability to turn a profit.

“If you are losing a ton of money and you keep losing money, it’s like driving your car without a seatbelt,” Thompson said. His group is shorting sales of the 14-year-old electric vehicle company. “If you hit something, then you are dead. They are finding themselves in an unstable position.”

Tesla’s shares fell as much as 8.2 percent Tuesday to the lowest in nearly one year, while its debt is setting new all-time lows. Tesla’s stock and bonds are declining as analysts doubt the electric-car maker can reach production targets for the Model 3. A deadly Uber accident on March 19 also hurt the Tesla brand, which is inextricably tied to self-driving technology.

Shareholders approved a compensation package potentially worth $2.6 billion for Musk Wednesday in a test of their confidence Tesla’s leader. The compensation involves no salary but sets rewards based on Tesla’s market value rising to as much as $650 billion over the next decade.

Much of Tesla’s problems can be laid at the doorstep of the company’s willingness to stay wed to Musk, who splits time between running SpaceX and Tesla, tech investment group Devonshire Research Group (DRG) co-founder Matt Stack told TheDCNF.

“This is amazing. It’s a back-ended deal to himself alone. It shows profound degrees of embedded control Elon has over the board,” Stack said of Musk’s compensation package. “He’s (Musk) too commingled in the company; he needs to be replaced as the CEO immediately.”

Tesla’s move to acquire solar panel company SolarCity in 2016 was likely part of the automaker’s plan to attract “loss-tolerant” investors to avoid possible financial downturn, DRG warned investors. Loss-tolerant investors are capable of enduring massive amounts of loss in an enterprise, company or asset with or without knowledge of the loss — it’s a type of pyramid scheme, according to a report DRG published in May 2016.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Wednesday he is severing diplomatic ties with the U.S. and expelling U.S. diplomatic personnel within 72 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized his rival as the country’s true leader.

Trump became one of several world leaders to recognize Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaidó as the country’s president instead of Maduro with a statement Wednesday morning. Maduro, 56, countered by saying he would cut diplomatic ties with the U.S. during a speech outside his presidential palace in Caracas Wednesday, reported Reuters.

The people of Venezuela have faced economic hardship and crackdowns on their freedom under Maduro, who succeeded infamous socialist dictator Hugo Chavez.

Trump’s announcement came after Guaidó, 35, declared himself the country’s interim president amidst “nationwide protests” Wednesday, reported NPR. Maduro is still holding onto power, however.

Trump also seemed to indicate his administration would ratchet up oil sanctions against Venezuela in his announcement Wednesday, reported CNBC.

“I will continue to use the full weight of United States economic and diplomatic power to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy,” he wrote.

Gauidó is the head of Venezuela’s Congress, according to CNBC. CNBC also reported:

Venezuelan opposition sympathizers had been urging Guaido to assume the presidency since Maduro was inaugurated to a second term on Jan. 10 following a widely boycotted election last year that the United States and many other foreign governments described as a fraudulent.

Brazil and Canada have also recognized Gauidó over Maduro. Maduro compared Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro to Adolf Hitler in a speech Monday after Brazil recognized Gauidó Saturday.

“Our destiny, beyond the Earth, is not only a matter of national identity, but a matter of national security.”

–President Donald J. Trump

The establishment of the U.S. Space Force will help ensure the United States is postured to deter aggression and outpace potential adversaries in order to protect and defend our national interests in the face of a changing space environment and growing threats.

• • Fundamentally transform our approach to space
  • Establish the U.S. Space Force 
  • Maximize warfighting capacity and advocacy for space
  • Outpace future threats 
  • Defend our vital national interests in space 

The Defense Department has forwarded to Congress a proposal to create the U.S. Space Force — the sixth branch of the armed forces, officials at the Pentagon said today.

Space is a vital national interest, and the Defense Department seeks to maintain America’s comparative advantage in this new domain of great power competition, officials said. To that end, they explained, DOD has proposed that the U.S. Space Force initially be established as a new military service within the Department of the Air Force.

In this model, the new military service would have a similar relationship to the Department of the Air Force that the Marine Corps has with the Department of the Navy. A uniformed four-star Space Force (chief of staff who would be granted full membership in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Additionally, the proposal calls for a new undersecretary of the Air Force for space, who would provide dedicated civilian supervision of the USSF, under the direction of the secretary of the Air Force.

Many nations have advanced their space capabilities and are actively looking for ways to deny America’s access to this critical domain. China and Russia have developed anti-satellite capabilities, and other nations — such as North Korea and Iran — are developing assets designed to negate American advantages.

“It is imperative that the United States adapt its national security organizations, policies, doctrine and capabilities to deter aggression and protect our interests,” President Donald J. Trump said in a directive he signed Feb. 19.

If Congress passes the proposal, the U.S. Space Force would be authorized to organize, train, and equip military and civilian personnel “to ensure unfettered access to and freedom to operate in space and to provide vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces in peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict,” the proposal says.

The proposal indicates that stand-up of the U.S. Space Force would be phased over five years – fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2024. During this period, the preponderance of space missions, capabilities, and associated personnel residing in the existing military services, including the Air Force, would transfer into the U.S. Space Force, under the direction and final approval of the secretary of defense.

Full Text of the DoD Proposal

UNITED-STATES-SPACE-FORCE-LEGISLATIVE-PROPOSAL

Strategic Overview

UNITED-STATES-SPACE-FORCE-STRATEGIC-OVERVIEW

Fact Sheet

SPACE-FORCE-FACT-SHEET

Frequently Asked Questions

SPACE-FORCE-FAQ

Threat Assessment

Defense Intelligence Agency Threat Assessment

The economy is more unstable than we would like to think and it is always good to have some money saved since you never know what the future holds. Frugality can be a positive trait that will help you, whether you are a young adult or an elder person.

Discounts are one of the best ways to save money, and the senior discount is the most well-known ones. There should be discounts for everything, from food to entertainment or car rentals. Senior discounts are nothing to be ashamed of and you should take advantage of them since it is not wise to miss an opportunity like that. Thanks to the Internet, finding coupons and discounts has never been easier. Sites like Couponbuffer can always help you find the best deals and you can search for the products you are interested.

If you ever feel guilty about your discount think about all the money that you could save. That money can then be used for better purposes. Whether you decide to help a relative through college, donate them to a good cause or simply spend them for yourself, having a sum of money is always helpful.

Restaurants that offer discounts

Many restaurants offer discounts, including fast food and sit down ones. Here are some of them:

• Burger King offers 10 % off for persons over 60.
• Captain D’s Seafood has its Happy Wednesday Offer that allows you to get 8 meals at $4.99 or less as long as you are over 62.
• IHOP has a senior menu for persons over 55.
• KFC offers you a small drink for free if you are 55 or older.
• McDonald’s has discounts on coffee for people over 55.
• Outback Steakhouse gives you 15 % off if you have an AARP membership.
• Dunkin’ Donuts gives a free doughnut with a large or extra-large coffee to AARP members. The offer varies by location.

Grocery stores that offer discounts

If you are looking to get some fresh ingredients for yourself and your family, then grocery stores are the best options. Luckily for you, many of them offer some discounts:

• Albertson’s offers you 10 % off the first Wednesday of the month as long as you are older than 55 years.
• Great Value Food Store gives 5 % off every Tuesday for persons who are sixty years old or older.
• Morton Williams Supermarket: 5 % off every Tuesday for everyone older than 60.
• Publix has 5 % off every Wednesday for people who are 60 or older. However, that offer is available only in certain regions such as South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, parts of Alabama, and North Carolina
• Rogers Marketplace offers 5 % off every Thursday for people who are 60 and older.
• SuperFresh gives 5 % off every Thursday for every person who is older than 55 and has $30+ of groceries.

Pharmacies that offer discounts

Medicine is very important for elder people, and luckily for you there are many drugstores who offer senior discounts:

• More than 64 000 pharmacies across America accept AARP discounts.
• Target has its Target Prescription Savings Program that offers 10 to 50 % off any prescriptions.
• Costco offers the Costco Member Prescription Program for persons who do not have insurance coverage and the program provides savings of 2 to 40 %.
• Rite Aid has the Rite Aid Rx Savings Program that gives more than 15 % for generic and brand-name prescriptions.

 

by Joe Simonson

More people between ages 25 and 54 tuned into Home and Gardening Television (HGTV) and Food Network on average than CNN’s townhall event on television featuring Beto O’Rourke giving his pitch to Texas voters on Thursday night.

According to cable ratings reviewed by The Daily Caller News Foundation by Nielsen, CNN’s one-man show with the Democratic Senate candidate was a relative bust, bringing in under a million viewers and getting less than half of regular programming on Fox News airing at the same time.

Only 938,000 people watched the event on television, finishing last on Nielsen’s list of five channels, next to MSNBC and Fox News, which delivered 2.6 million views.

In the key 25-54 age demographic, CNN finished behind TBS, TNT, FNC, AMC and The Food Network at 276,000 during the 7 p.m. timeslot. Comparatively, Fox had 437,000.

Other shows Thursday, like Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset,” which follows around a group of Persian-Americans in Los Angeles, aired at 10 p.m. Thursday and had 851,000 total viewers on television.

Programming on HGTV also outperformed O’Rourke’s event, with back-to-back episodes of “Flip or Flop Atlanta,” scoring over 1 million viewers from 9 to 10 p.m.

O’Rourke has been regularly trailing in the polls throughout his campaign to Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.