The season that feels like a poem.

Today's Tids Issue 3.484

Opening Stuff:

It’s feels like a perfect day in May,

Now, two weeks before Christmas day.

Maybe God’s sending the sun so warm

Because of cold hearts of evil that swarm.

To comfort us and all those we love.

Rays of hope, from the heavens above.

Obama’s legacy to the future maybe his development of techniques to get around Congress, and that would be very unfortunate. Sad. When I watch Obama do what he does with no apparent conscience, I think of that great environmental TV commercial where the stoic Indian stands there with a tear running down his cheek…as he watches his land deteriorate.

Average products are manufactured in the satisfactory.

The Question:

What is the oldest Catholic University in the world?

The Headlines:

--Euro, Asia Stocks Down; Energy Stocks Biggest Contributor To Sell Off; New Data Says Current Stocks More Overvalued Than In 2000 and 2007; Dow/DuPont New $130 Billion Giant To Cut 10% Of Employees; UTC To undergo $1.8 Billion Cost Cutting Program.

--High Yield Debt Fund (“Junk Bond” Fund At Third Avenue Focused Credit Fund) Blocks Investors From Withdrawing Money

--NOAA Says Monster El Nino Will Continue Through Winter And The Worst Has Yet Top Come; Will Rival Big, Destructive el Nino’s Of 1997-8=98 and 1950.

--White House To Make End Run On Gun Control: Obama Henchmen Preparing Proposal That would Expand Background Check Without Congressional Approval.

--Trump Calls Off Israel Trip…”Until He Becomes President”; Netanyahu Happy, US State Department Happy.

--Internet Buying Too Hot For UPS?

--Assad Seen As One Of Biggest Customers For ISIS Oil.

--Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer, Gives Birth To Twin Girls.

--In Boston, Police Say Run-Away Subway Train Was Tampered With.

--Uber Drivers Win Big Victory In Courts; Decision Could Hurt “Freelance” Economy, But Will be Good For Drivers Expenses And Benefits; Uber Counters Saying That As Employees Drivers Would Lose Flexibility And Earn Fixed Hourly Wage.

--New Reports Say ISIS Is Making Concerted Effort To Tet WMD’s.

Let me see if I have this straight. The President and media and assorted sanctimonious commentators think it is Ok to vilify all gun owners fro the actions of a few. But the thought of instituting cautionary observations of all Muslims due to the actions of a few is considered outrageous, igniting screams and gnashing of teeth across the land; in the black bowels of media companies. Let’s see, we have two groups each protected by the constitution but one is fair game and the other isn’t. I guess we are in a new world where you get to pick your favorite bill of rights.

By the way, where were all of these first amendment Freedom of Religion advocates when the government was imposing birth control rights in ACA, or funding Planned Parenthood.

I’m thinking that tonight’s Boston Celtics/Godden State Warriors Basketball game will be one of the great fun nights at the Gahhden in many a year. The fans are really getting behind this Celtics creation of Ainge and Stevens, and they are thinkng about breaking the Warrior’s amazing win streak. Sorry, my green is showing.

You have to wonder if all of the new immigrants primarily from lands with dictatorial governments think of Obama edicts as business as usual. Let’s hope these voters of the future learn that a do nothing or Congress stopping a draconian leader is the essence of the most free society in the history of the universe.

Pat Buchanan says to support Trump or Hillary wins. I believe the hidden advantage of the Trumpster is his appeal with independents and yes, hard working Democrats. There is a real schism in the Dem party that is conservative versus liberal, solid family Dems who earn their way as opposed to the  fast growing group receiving handouts.

I heard a story about a guy doing a great job in his work. He was doing such a great job that his bosses wanted to give him him more hours and moe interesting tasks. There was one catch – State law required that he join the union first, or else. So this guy who liked his job and who all the bosses loved had to join up to play. But, in addition to paying to join and the cost of dues to per month, he found that is pay would be cut by $3.00 per hour. So, he thought, I will have been in this job a full year in a few months, so I will get a merit raise from all of the supervisors who love my work. Not so fast my honest, hard working friend say ten supervisors -- when joining the union there are no merit increases. All raises are predetermined by contract, and they are miniscule. So, this is how the USA intends to become more competitive in the world, by pols like Hillary kowtowing to Unions which disincentify work?

Speaking of illogical incentives, the Government will fine households that don’t have health insurance in 2016 $969. So that’s how government works. They don’t provide something desirable to buy – they intimidate you into signing up. It’s a form of extortion…like the old protection rackets.

Several states have passed laws legalizing both gay marriage and marijuana. It makes perfect biblical sense: Leviticus 20:13 says, “If a man lay with another man they both should be stoned.”

I think the news of the Third Avenue Fund blocking investors from selling and getting out is significant to analyzing what’s happening in today’s potentially unhinged economy. And scary.

ISIS made a profit of about $500 Million in the black market saleof oir. In addition they made cool Billion from looting captured bank vaults in Syria and Iraq. They continue to make many millions more squeezing populations under their control. Kind of like extortion and the old protection rackets. Their problem is they need a continuous supply of money to wage their multi-front wars and act as a proxy to a small state. The reliance on a steady flow of funds is their weakness.

The national reaction to Trump’s Muslim comment was as over the top as the pronouncement itself.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--A lot of people have been waiting for In The Heart of the Sea, and the people who have seen it seem to love it. In 1820 the New England whaling ship Essex was attacked by a mammoth whale with almost human like instincts for vengeance. It became the basis of the book Moby Dick. The tragedy at sea was historic, but the movie is also about survival of the remaining crew after the attack, and how they have to compromise there innate morals to do it. Tense and full of action.

--The Big Short looks like a winner to me and will be on my list. It turns out to be a very good movie, well directed and precise in moving through the details of the big housing crisis.  A definite thumbs up.

--Bleeding heart. Now why would I want t see this movie with that title. Could it be that it is because it is about a yoga instructor? Maybe. But, as I get into it I learn that you can’t tell a book from it’s cover. It’s about a woman who digs down deep to do whatever is possible to protect her new found sister form a ruthless boyfriend

The Answer:

The plus/minus 600 years old, Katholieke Universsteit of Leuven Belgium is the oldest, and is now deeply involved some of the most contemporary discussions about the newest technology and associated controversies. Its Electrical Engineering department is a leader in Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography, and has become the battleground for privacy advocates versus those who believe government has the right to all info in the name of national Security.

While still in my head the clarity of my thoughts are black and white. When I express them, though, they blur to gray. Maybe I should keep them in my head where the gray matters.

(Thanks to D. Miller)

Have a great weekend, E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!!