Today's Tids Issue 2,942
Opening Stuff:

One thing you learn for sure over the years -- you are never as old as you think you are on your Birthday. Birthdays are landmarks for successes, accomplishments; Those special days when you can look back at all the love you have given to the world around you. And look ahead to being even better than you are today. I love birthdays. Maybe it's the cake. Maybe it's the smiles on everybody's faces.

A good reader sends this "thought for the day": We always hear about Social Security running out of money. How come we never hear of welfare running out of money?

The Question:
What are the Favorite colors of men, women? Bonus: What is the favorite color for Mums?

The Headlines:
--Boehner Asks Repubs To Apprehensive Short Term Debt Level Increase.
--Stocks Soar On Potential Deal To Avert US Default.
--New Jobless Claims Zoomed Up 66,000 To New Six Month High; Retail Activity Off Projections.
--New AP/Gfk Poll Has Obama Approval rating Down To 37, But Repubs Taking Heat For Shut Down.
--Egypt Criticizes US Aid Cuts; Israel Hopes Move Doesn't Hurt Peace.
--Canada's Alice Munro Wins Nobel For Literature; Considered "Master Of Contemporary Short Story".
--Consumers Unenthusiastic About OC Roll-out.
al-Qaida Supporters Kidnap Libyan PM In Retaliation For US Kidnapping Of a-Q Leader.
--New Report "From Committee To Protect Journalists" Published In Wash Post Says Obama And Admin Have Had Chilling Effect On Journalism. Phione Records Of Over 100 Journalists Seized; Obama Blames It On Bush.

Every time Yahoo tells me it has improved my Email, I loose the parts which had always made it easy to use.

Pick-'em Time:
Not a stellar week for picks last week. Maybe I'm trying for too many upsets. By now we should know the teams, but with all of the injuries this year, teams change rapidly. For instance, Tennessee which looked like an up and comer became average with loss of their excellent young QB. That's the kind of season it has been. Take tonight for instance -- the Giants should have won one by now, right. But, Chi was playing well and is at home, and NYG have not shown much. Da Bears. There are a few more this week that appear to be easier picks. Yeah, right!  In my heart I believe the Pats can win, but after last weeks no-show, I have to go with the Saints who are playing very well. KC should roll, unless their heads are getting big. Philly will keep TB down. In an upset I'm picking the Ravens over a Clay-less GB. I like Minn over Carolina, Det over Cleveland and Houston to wake up over St. Louis. My real upset is for the Steelers finally to get on track against the surprising J-e-t-s, Jets. Tenn and Buff have been playing teams tough, but now both have lost good QB's so they will lose to Seattle and Cinncy. Do you think Denver has a chance against Jax.? I do. I have to pick SF over Ariz, who has played very well, and Dallas to survive against Washington...even though I'm rooting big for the Redskins! Another upset has SD beating the new media darling Indy. A meager 7-6 effort brings the year to 49-27  (64.5%).

The fishermen around this state are saying the waters are cooler this year than last. They can tell by the way the fish are biting. They know cool. They don't sit labs calculating it. They live it. So, if you want to get a real gauge of the changing climate, talk to a fisherman.

Don't you love it when an architect gets praised for designing exciting new buildings -- on a campus or in a government center or city -- that match the tone of existing arhitecture...even when the existing architecture is bad. He/She did a great job of perpetuating ugly!

If the Government closes all of the parks, where will the homeless stay?

Andy Pafko died last night. During my formative years, he was one of my all time favorite baseball players, whether as the guy who could kill you as an opponent playing Left Field for the Cubs, or as a hero on the Dodgers. He was a solid career .286 hitter (With many .300 seasons in his heydays,) a timely hitter in clutch situations with many 100 rbi seasons and a 4 time All Star and candidate for MVP. But in these days of Political Correctness he is only remembered by the new sports writers as "Having played with Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron".

Why didn't we stop sending money to foreign governments during the shutdown?

I wonder if Short Story excellence in the future will be measured by how well they adapt to Twitter.

The USA has become loony.

The Answer:
Blue is number one for both sexs, 57% fro men and 35% for women. For women it then goes purple, green, red, black, orange, yellow, brown grey and white. For men after blue it is green, black, red, orange, grey, brown, white and yellow. Bonus: But some how...Yellow is the big inning color when it comes to buying mums.

Have a perfectly delightful Columbus Day weekend, and don't let any of the various loons rooming inside and out of our TV's dissuade your admiration for Chris by demeaning the man who sailed the ocean blue in 1492.