USA dehydrated.

Today's Tids Issue 2,809
(Written 4/9/2013)
Opening Stuff:

Well, Louisville eked out a win in a game where I thought Michigan was the better team. I found watching the game like listening to fingernails on a blackboard. A helter-skelter affair where players clanged into the midst of players flailing away until the ball magically squirted into a basket. Mostly it looked disorganized, skilled players looking out of control. I have trouble watching the game, and I am a reformed Gym Rat. College basketball today is over exposed and undermanned. The exposure began when people enjoyed watching good games where seniors were the best players on teams that played together for three or four years. Today, for instance, we have a supposedly one of the best young players in the land in a kid named Ricky Ledo who is expected to be a lottery pick in June. His college experience...practicing with the Providence College team waiting for his grades to allow him to play. So as money in college BB grew, Institutions of Higher Learning were willing to gamble on anything for that moment in the sun.

Some times the key to success is a combination lock.

Maybe the next two weeks will have the stock market returning to the meat, rather than jaunts upon innuendo and momentary frenzy. We got past the cliff and sequestration. Yes profits are back in the picture and Cyprus is out. It's time to walk the walk, and it looks like an investment in a crutch company could be a winner. Analysts are looking for a decline, perhaps into negative territory, in average profitability in this first quarter following the nice year-end up tick. Q1 can be off following an effort for better Q4 reports. Losers will probably out weigh winners and the average profit percentage will be lower, meaning stocks will drift a bit for a while. Experts are predictng about a7% increase in profits for 2013 and 5% for 2015, both below the 10.2% average for the past 20 years. so, profit watching will be fun and maybe anxious for the next two weeks.

The Question:
Quick... who were the original seven Astronauts? Bonus: What is Michael Bloomberg's middle name?

The Headlines:
--Wall Street Researchers Say Current Bull Cycle Would End In 2015 At 18,000; 2013 Expected To End Between 14750 And 15,100.
--NK Warns Foreigners To Leave SK
--Killer Quake In Iran Rattles Ground Near Nuclear Ops; Iran Says Reactors OK.
--US Navy Introduces New Laser Weapon which Could Drastically Reduce The Cost of Missile Defense.
--Shootings, Bombings Continue In Syria, Sudan Serbia And Assorted Middle East Area Countries.
--H-Wood Celbs Form Group Of Elite To Ask "O" To Ease Drug Sentences.
--0-Man Continues Anti Gun Campaign.

Are we Nuts?, Department:
The Obama organization is urging banks to provide loans to people with "weaker" credit. Admin housing officials are suggesting that the Justice Department provide assurances to banks "That they will not face legal or criminal recriminations if they make loans to riskier borrowers who meet 'government standards' but later default. The admin is also seeking to "make it easier for people who owe more than their property is worth to refinance." In other words, throw the rules of sound business out the window, water down banking, thus making the government the arbiter in lending as opposed to sound economic rules. It is a subliminal takeover of private business, a quasi socialist move. "Hello, I am from the government and I'm am going to take over your loan department."

So a friend of mine after hearing a knock on the door opened it to find a smilng young man, a Jahovah Witmess, standing there. He invited him and brought him a cup of coffee to the couch where he and sat, still smiling. My friend asked the young man what he wanted to talk about. The JW sad, "Damend if I know, I've never gotten this far Before."

In reports from real people out of South Korea we see a population going about its business as usual. Relaxing with laptops and coffee at Starbucks, riding bikes, taking out the wash. Even up in NK, tourists there (Yes Tours go there) report no sense of warlike urgency, but only hundreds of kids skateboarding in Kim Il-sung Square, where we are used to seeing those clips of marching soldiers and missiles. The drum beating on the nightly news maybe good for ratings, but it appears the folks in SK are used to the rhetoric and the folks in NK never get to hear it.

Let's hear it for Cranston RI's Alan Fung! About 2 years ago I played golf with Fung and he was on the phone with lawyers talking about what he accomplished yesterday -- getting out of control Firemen and police pensions back down to earth. Interestingly, he did on the day Margaret Thatcher died. She'd be happy.

Yesterday the Headline said, "Joint Chiefs Say

Haven't had enough college basketball yet, here's a peak at the best for the 2014 Final Four. Starting with #1 the top ten are Kentucky (Some players actually stayed for a second year), Louisville, Michigan State, Arizona, Duke, Florida, Marquette, Ohio State, Georgetown and North Carolina. What!...no Michigan. Others who could surprise are Colorado, UConn, Gonzo, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Memphis, Michigan, New Mex, Providence, 'Cuse, VCU, Wichita And Wisconsin.

Daniel Nava Is the Danny Woodhead of baseball.

In fairness to Granny Smith, Mayor of the big apple, he may, as many denizens of that giant city cry out, be doing a fine job managing the city itself.  But, his intrusion into people lives based upon momentary hysteria is exactly what the USA is not about. Hands off government is what built this country, at least until FDR, LBJ and BHO. And, MRB.

Tonight I'll be enjoying the Women's NCAA final between UConn and Louisville, where the kids sitll pass the ball and the Seniors help the freshman, as great as athey are, play better ball. I'm picking UConn to end Louisville's roll.

With the RI legislature spending so much time on the Squid, you have to wonder if it is in fact the symbol of their activity -- Slippery, ugly with tentacles in too many pockets of the economy.

The Conscience: Chapter 18 continues.
   I sat on a bench in the square a couple of alleyways down from Biglietta, fixated on the bar across the way as I listen to Jason outline everything he knew about the explosion. I thought it interesting that Bar in English was also bar in Italian. I was happy about that and smiled as Jason came to an end. I was also thinking that Jason hadn't learned much since we last talked.
   "Still sounds like some third party is interested in messing up a good relationship between you and the Biglietto family." Stating the obvious is one of the better lawyer tricks. "I'm going to meet the parents aof Angelica and I already met the Grandfather. I think they want to adopt me.
   Jason laughed a bit. "You do appear relaxed." He laughed again, and then turned somber. "If somebody is bombing us, you had better look over your shoulder. I'm serous Jeff. And diving in to a bottle isn't going to hide you."
   "Thanks for the warning, Jace." I looked over my shoulder...and saw a brick wall. That was comforting. "I'll be careful. How careful do I have to be with the Biglietto's Junior today?"
   "To be honest with you, I never have met Mr's B, but Francsico is a very nice and smart guy. You'll like him, but be careful. I'd like to know what you think of the mother, who, they tell me, has quite a bit of influence of the running for the company."
   I looked over my shoulder just to be sure that brick wall was still there, "I'll be talking straight with this two and see how they react to questions about the explosion. I don't believe Angelica or the grandfather know, but someone here does. I just feel it." I also feel that that bar calling me in, so I put an end to this call. "Gotta go and have some lunch."
   "Have a dry one, and, Jeff, thanks for your work. I wasn't sure when Wu brought up your name, but I'm glad I listened."
   I was a little stunned with all that sincerity, but more-so now that I realize in a better functioning brain that Wu brought up my name.
 
The Answer:
Of course, Alan Shepard comes to mind first. Then I think of Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Deke Slayton, Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter and Wally Shirra. These guys were true American heroes back then -- "I wanna be like" guys. Bonus: Rubins. I wonder if he was named after the calorie enriched sandwich or painter who specialized in overweight women.

I have to go into my vaults. I'm looking for more material on Benghazi...just gettin' ready for the Hilary campaign, if you get my drift.

It's snowing in Colorado and 70 off the water here.