Today's Tids Issue 2,721 
Opening Stuff:
 
Hillary began her 2016 Presidential campaign when she, as the only person truly in the center of the Benghazi murders tragedy, completely disappeared for a month.

I see where the Perdue chicken company has added a large dose of green to their packaging. Does this mean that they put gyms on their farms or at least a window or two to the coops? Or do they just add Green so they can raise prices.

Every day there's another, new temptation. Today it was NY Style Crumb cake. I resisted. Score one for my nutrition angel.

The Question:
How many Albums did Dave Brubeck make? Name five.

The Headlines:
--Chemical Warfare Fears Force US And Russia Meeting.
--Jim Demint Resigns From Senate; Gov. Haley To Appoint.
--Egyptian Army Comes In To Order Protestors Out.
--NASA Says Admin And Congress Have Taken Away Their Rudder.
--New Jobless Claims Down To 375K. 25K Higher Than  A Month Ago.
--Justin Bieber Fans Irate Over Grammy Snub;
--Apple To Return Some Mac Production To US.

I notice that the prevalence of Tums flavor options are now berry. Is that becasue they are trying to become a health food?

Ok let's start picking fast, right out the gate I'm going for the Pat's over the Texans in one of the monumental battles of the year; one incredibly important to the Pats. It's called suck-it-up time for the beloveds. Now I have to wade through 10 of the remaining 15 games that to my mind, are posers: Minn over Chi, Wash ove Balt, Cleve over KC, Indy over Tenn, Jax over Jets, Atlanta Over Carolina, Buff over SL, Cinn over Dal, SF over Miami and NYG over NO. Whew! -- White knuckle picking. The rest are Denver over Oakland, Pitt over SD, TB over beleaguered Philly, Seattle over Ariz and GB over Det. I'm seeing upset potential across the board as the dynamics change at the end of the year. Last week brought us to 122-67-1 (64%0

Back in my ocllege days you graduated from High school music to "sophisticated" college music. The first big jolt was the move into Dixieland all of the time. There were trips into classical and Broadway. But then, progressive Jazz with a premium on improvisational skills took hold. We were putting on our intellectual facades to discuss the merits of Stan Kenton, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Ahmad Jamal, Errol Garner, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, George Shearing and of course the one and only Dave Brubeck. Brubeck, who's music stirred your heart and calmed your senses with Your Own Sweet Way, The Duke and of course Take Five. Paul Desmond who played the sax on take Five and a good friend of Brubeck for over 70 years.. Brubeck was able to drift into fantasmical musical auras without ever using drugs or alcohol.

Being an old football player who occasionally in the past had a beer or two after grueling practices, I was taken by the wisdom of the great Paul Hornung's comment: "When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."

Some conservatives are so conservative that they miss the point that the people they're trying to convince don't understand a word they're saying.

People brought up in an environment of crime have trouble understanding that a normal life doesn't include it.

It's about time our Entertainment Editor got into the X-factor, at least as a warm up to next years American Idol. having gotten past the judges programmed bickering and the annoying performance of the twin emce's (Khloe Kardashian? Common'), I'm seeing some better than average singing going on, much better than last year. But then, performance isn't everything. It's about who the audience likes. Ad this small segment of the audience Likes Fifth Harmony and Tate Stevens. I also thnink the Emblem3 are pretty talented but their performances often come across as being flat. The three single women, girls, all sound the same. I guess it's a matter of who screeches less. I'd rule out Diamond this week, and maybe CeCe Frey (Best Stage name). Carly Rose Sonenclar is a lock. Although I enjoyed CeCe's Edge. Emblem will probably stay becasue they are cute young boys and Tate because he is good and there's a lotta country out there.  My guess is that Fifth Harmony and Diamond or CeCe will go.

Obama is saying -- that the Congress is bad because they are not paying attention to me. I'm saying Obama is inept because he is not paying attention to the future of America.

I'm missing Laura Ingraham on the radio.

The four man Rhody Congressional puppets, I call them Ruppets, are in lockstep with the President's plan to drop the US over the cliff for the main purpose of embarrassing Repubs. Nary a hint of a scream in opposition coming from the inept four when the cliff means that a RI already atop the unemploymnet list will lose 10-35,000 of their best paying jobs! But, nary a whisper from our fearsome four Ruppets. Hey, it's just politics.

Two side by side headlines read: "Marijuana Goes Legal in Washington State Amid Mixed Messages." "Washington Sate Readies For Same Sex Marriage."

I have been getting tired of eating out as so many of the selections have just become ordinary, no matter where you go, no matter how much you pay. Last night we hit one of our favorite inexpensive places and I had a lobster-grilled shrimp risotto dish that I am still savoring. Yum.

Talent wins over form, Department:
Dave Brubeck was almost expelled from College because he couldn't read music. But several professors came forward saying he was brilliant in his counterpoint and harmony. So the College of the Pacific said they would allow him ro graduate if he never would teach music. He went on to jazz greatness as we know, but after his quartet days ended he composed some amazing concert pieces including the 1968 The Light in the Wilderness for piano, baritone organ and choir whcih was premiered by the Cincinnati Symphony under Erich Kunsel.  The piece was an oratorio on Jesus teachings. On becoming a Catholic, Brubeck said, "...that he didn't convert, becasue he didn't have anything to convert from. He just joined." "Being normal" often forces talented people into boxes. Just as the government knowing what's best for oyu saps the creative of a nation.

The Conscience: Chapter 10 continues.
--"Of course I'm not going to hire you. You are a personal friend of a man I hate. You are my adversary, and a weak one at that. You've been here, what, an hour, and you think I have crumbled becasue of your inane witticisms. This is a business, pure and simple." She did not smile at all. "Would you like that drink now?" She got up and went to her side bar by the window.
  I watched her walk, so gracefully, that  I almost forgot she had just killed me. Things aren't going that well after all. But why would I think they would be. This is a big deal, and she just sucked me in and squashed me. The first battle is a clear victory for her. I rose and went to the window where she was pouring herself a sparkling water. I eyed the array of excellent choices for my regular diet. I picked a diet coke instead. And turned away fast, from temptation.
  "So, you are willing to make yourself miserable just to make a point with me. In case you are interested, there is a nice bar just around the corner from here. You will need it when you leave." She drank the water, her eyes holding me in their grasp.
  "Nice ploy. Beating up on the handicapped." I smiled the smile of naive confidence. "The fact remains, my mind still works at times, and in case your research hadn't discovered it, I was one of the best for a while. Nobody knows International marine Law better than I. So you can play the jousting game or get serious about the deal."
   "Bravo!" Let's get to work, and then we will have a nice lunch. And maybe I'll have a drink with you."
   "Why do you hate my clients, so? Maybe we should clear the air of little things so we can make the big things happen."
   "We will not discuss my feelings in this. But, I can assure you that your position will grow weaker, if you don't do something to makwe this happen now."

The Answer: Brubeck had 118 albums, many live preformances in different countries or special places. Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays bernstein, Time Out, Time In, Dave Brubeck and Jay and Kai At newport, Newport 1958. Brubeck in Carnegie Hall, Brubeck and the London Symphony and My Favorite Things. His last Non-Concert was here in newport a year ago when sitting in his car next to one of the stages, he told impresario, Newport's George Wein, that the music he heard was too beautiful, too good for him. He couldn't go on." It was his sons playing on the center stage.

Take five. I'll be back tomorrow.