We've all been Charlie Brown.

Today's Tids Issue 2,588

Opening Stuff:

 

This is the best time of year for a walk down to and around the harbor. On Friday, the breezes were brisk off of 53 degrees water, and the air as clear as Shirley Temple's skin. This is that time of year when you can walk to the end of the longest piers, through gates that say "For Boat Owners Only." Makes you feel like you own something. Standin' there, alone in gigantic world, I felt pretty much like I owned the harbor. The only sounds were wavelets lapping at the pilings. The pling of halliards on masts of winter wrapped boats. The occasional thunking of a hammer as the working harbor people get the working harbor boats ready for the crush. There's something about those launches that have always fascinated me most. The hefty, clean. seaworthy lines. The rumble of the engines as they glide through mooring fields to perform their tasks. No motion, no rumbles today. I stand amidst this serene beauty watching the water, thinking that perhaps a fish will jump, a seal will pop up and stare me down. But, it never happens. Except in the imagination of my muddled mind. There I can see things that don't exist. What's happening neath the calm waters.

I'm betting that by the time of the election, President Obama will have issued an Executive Order in favor of every defined group, large and small, in America. And he will fly his AF1 to a signing ceremony somewhere in the US.

In my mind the greatest story of unrequited love is the one of Charlie Brown and the cute little red headed girl. It's the story for everyone who has ever had a ping in their heart.

A good eye-on-the-ball reader sends along this link about future or should we say, non-future of America. It is just the facts. A non-partisan look at the real problem, which few talk about much less admit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW5IdwltaAc&sns=em

 

The Question: A company called Interbank continually monitors the strength of all US corporate brands. What are currently the top ten?

The Headlines:
--Stock Opining Looks Steady.
--Spain Joins UK As Officially In Recession.
--7 Killed As Van Plunges Off Bronx River Parkway Near Zoo.
--China Relations Tense As Hillary Visits.
--Asylum In US Expected For Chinese Dissident.
--Rajon Rondo Bumps Ref In Hot headed Stupidy; Star Player Could Be Suspended.
  al-Qaida Still Strong Enough To Launch Revenge Attacks This Week.

Anything that says "Rich and Buttery" always catches my eye.

Hey, where is the White House outrage over Apple's $90 Billion in profit. You Mr. President wouldn't be playing favorites, would you? After all, fairness is your mantra. Break up Apple!  Go Exxon.

In case you are interested, I would not give the baseball to that whining baby in Texas Ranger stadium, the symbol of today's age of entitlements. And, shame on those Ya - Ya- Ya...(Well you know who I mean) announcers for berating an nice mother and father of seven who got the ball fair and square. That's one of the problem of the new vast social communication's devices and sites -- too many critics who don't know the whole story.

North Carolinian's considered personal injury lawyer John Edwards an unctuous creep way before he proved it.

For all of you secularist readers, only 238 more shopping days til that day when you-know-who was born. Can the ACLU get me for that.

Somehow when I watch the Boston Bruins I have this sense that nobody on the team knows how to score.

The most ludicrous of Obama commercials is the new one based on a mere assumption that if President, Romney would not have gone after and killed OBL. As several pundits have noted, Obama killing Osama was just about the only thing that he has done since in being office to unify the country. Now he using it to divide.

I was really rooting for an Ernie Els win this weekend. But it's about those white soled shoes -- he looks like he's playing in some kind of Senior league.

I was depositing some money from my old bank into a new account at my new bank. The teller told me that the money would be available next Tuesday. I said, "Really? I never heard of that at my old bank". She said, "Only government checks are cleared immediately." I replied, "But the government is more likely to go bankrupt than me." She sorta smiled.

Sign in Seafood takeout eatery: "Today's Special --Buy one fish and chips for the price of two, and get a second fish and chips absolutely free."

Is there something wrong with this picture, Department:
They are trying to get rid of a law in RI that has Election Day as a paid holiday for public employees. The employees say they need the day off to assist those running for re-election who got them their jobs -- and enormous benefits. Meanwhile the people paying for this have to go to work so they can continue to pay for it all; finding time during their busy day to vote -- to hopefully someday end the merry-go-round ride.

High School proms have just gotten way too expensive.

Obama just has trouble staying on the high plane, which he could easily do as incumbent president. His newest ploy is "My grandfather was poorer than your grandfather". Next it will be "Your mother wears army boots" Ah, to be a sixth grader again.

The Answer:

The top ten are #1 Coca Cola followed by IBM. Microsoft Google, General Electric, McDonald's, Google, Apple, Walt Disney and Hewlett Packard! Now here's the good news. An old investing adage is ""Invest in waht you know. Since 1999 the Top Ten brands have returned and average of 288% while the S&P gave back just 20%. Of course, that's just a numbers game.

Sign on front lawn of home: "Beware of dog. Cat isn't trustworthy either."

One of the fastest growing chain of Coffee cafes in England is called Rhode Island Coffee. The owner says that he is competing well with Starbucks because his shops are comfortable and friendly. "That," he says "is why I named then after the smallest state in America. In his web site he mentions lighthouses, fisherman, the Newport festival and most importantly that it is "Friendly, welcoming people, hearty natural food, a place of enjoyment and relaxation" -- "Just like us!". Yeah, right, if  you don't turn on the news. http://www.rhodeislandcoffee.co.uk/ Oh yeah, and the owner had never been to RI before he named his restaurant. He just thought it sounded like a nice place, He's quite right -- after we get the razor wire in place around the state house.