The challenge.

Today's Tids Issue 3,025

Opening Stuff:

Oh the power of fearless woman, careening down the steep mountain, nipping gates as they dig in the edges of skis travel 50, 60, 70 miles an hour. What majesty! What beauty! What a great genuine smile on the face of Julia Mancuso as she surged across the finish line, first in the Downhill, and salvaging a Bronze in the combined with a courageous all-out Slalom. Want to feel great about the world. Re-run that tape a couple of times.

I am setting out to make this a no typo day. I cleaned all of my sticky keys and I put my mind on high alert! Which, may or may not last an hour.

One of our observant readers noticed that all of the Congress people who rose to applaud the President when during the State of the Union he said, "I will do whatever he can without legislation", were essentially approving their irrelevance in the system. Fire them all.

What this world needs is more Kate Hudson movies.

The Question:

Name five of Shirley Temple's movies.

The Headlines:
--America's Sweetheart, Shirley Temple Dies At 85 .

--Yellen Says She Will Stay The Course; Says Economy Is Strengthening; Will Testify Today Before House Financial Services Committee.

--China-Taiwan Talks Result In Historic Decision To Set Up New Communications Mechanism; First Contact In 65 Years.

--Iran Test Fires Two Missiles; Rouhani Vows Peaceful Use Of Nukes; Blasts Use Of Sanctions By Other Countries..

--British Politicians Furious At Barclay's Announcement That 12,000 Could Lose Jobs While Execs Get Higher Bonuses; Unions And Pols Say Company Did Not Learn Lessons Of Financial Crisis.

--"Flappy Bird" Creator Dong Nguyen Removes Game From Net Saying He Thought Too Many Were Becoming Too Addicted.

Yesterday, Joe Biden said that he thought NYC's LaGuardia Airport looked like that of a third world country. He's the man that 0-Man Appointed to run the $1 Trillion Infrastructure improvement budget. I wonder if he knows that airports are part of the infrastructure.

I see where according to some new memos just released by the husband of  former Clinton aide Diane Blair, Hillary said back in the nineties, "The Press have big egos and no brains." Do you think the fawning press will turn on her? Or. Will they'll just roll over imploring Hillary, "Beat me a again. I love you even more when you are mean and ruthless." Your choice.

Now all Jimmy Fallon has to do is look over his shoulder at Seth Meyers.

Just when you weren't looking, Nanny Nation is out to squelch caffeine intake by kids, and they're taking aim at soda pop. Not energy drinks, Not coffee shops, but good Ole' Pepsi and coke. For 0ver 70 years I've been ingesting huge quantities of the carbonated twosome, and I haven't died yet. Go help us.

The current stock price chart eerily tracks exactly like the 1929 charts just before the crash. Calling Shirley Temple. Check it out:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/scary-1929-market-chart-gains-traction-2014-02-11

The art of writing the Tids is to know a little about a lot and to get out just before you have to rely on facts.

Hold your ears while surfing through channels. O'Donnell the angry is back on The View

Hillary may run just to save Democrats from the embarrassment of having to vote for Joe Biden, the man who said he would be ready if The Hill was out. Hillary is a good person like that!

Denmark zoo officials killed a young giraffe because they were afraid of inbreeding. I always thought the giraffe was the result of species inbreeding! But then, I haven't seen any giraffes roaming the hills of Appalachia.

How about those Danes, any how...they have always been more progressive than the US, and now they are killing a seemingly healthy animal in public before school children, dissecting it as part of an anatomy lesson and then feeding it to lions to illustrate evolution and survival of the fittest. Do you think the US education system could ever be that efficient?

From what I hear in casual conversations, Congress would do well interviewing the "Everyman" in the government, the worker-bees who really see what's going on. The enlisted people in the military. Teachers in Government installations. Real people. They could tell you where the waste is. But, the august lawmakers only talk to the people who are creating the waste; The people who got to where they are by being the most adept at covering up mistakes..

The Conscience: Chapter 37.

       I didn't call ahead for a ride as I knew my plane would arrive in Genoa way after Angelica was snug in her bed. I had a sense that we'd be pushing our energy resources to the limit in the next couple of days. Sleep would be a luxury.

     The good news is that I didn't immediately rush to the mini-bar when I hit my room. I flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling. What in the hell am I doing, I wondered. Would I actually have the courage to pull off this charade sober? This isn't fair. I need time to slide into my new self. 

     James suggested that Sanna probably sucked me into this mess with the prospects of making me the dupe for the illegal boat building operations. Her objectives were to get back at me, which I don't really blame her for, too much; and to get out of the Drug business like some kind of heroine. At least that's James view, and he's pretty smart. His opinion is also backed up by Washington.

     The ceiling was becoming my friend. My new comfort zone. Until, I heard something at the door. I bolted up. Tense. Instead of yelling, "Who's That. Go away", I walked quietly to the door and looked through the peephole. I saw a housekeepr putting the key in a lock, about to turn it. I put my shoulder to the door. As it opened. I pushed back. "I'm still here". Which probably meant nothing to this person who only spoke Italian.

      "Ho cioccolato per la vostra stanza".

      Cioccolato sounded familiar, and my stomach growled. I released the door.

     The woman came in timidly, bowing and walking backwards towards the desk, "Scusate, scusate, scusate, she kept repeating. That sounded familiar too.

     I smiled and as she came back to leave she smiled back. She had a nice smile. I closed the door, locked the safety bolt and went to the mini-bar.

The Answer:

Ok, now that you have retrieved your Shirley Temple Dolls from the attic, put on your nostalgia cap and remember Little Miss Marker. the Little Colonel, Our Little Girl, Curly Top, The Littlest Rebel, Captain January, Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm, The Little Princess and Heidi. This is just a sampling of some I remember, but there were many more.

It's odd, but every once in a while I catch myself singing, "On the Good Ship Lollypop." There was just something magical about that kid with the dimples and the curly hair. The way she would dance with Bill Robinson, entrance the actors around her and light up the life of Americans struggling through the Great depression. She was the top Box Office Draw from 1935-38 beating out Clark Gable, Bing Crosby Gary Copper and Joan Crawford. Talk about simpler times! She moved smoothly from overwhelming child star fame into a productive adulthood, raising a family before receiving several diplomatic appointments,which she handled professionally. She is one you remember for her refreshing talent, and not as today, for culturally depraved escapades. Thank you Shirley Temple for reminding us all that a happy  life doesn't need laser shows..

Today's love song for V-Day is a simple one, from Shirley:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2eeH1Zpdxwhttp://