Today's Tids Issue 3,626
Tids for a Quiet Place:
I
like to keep my heart from pounding
So I avoid politicians expounding.
Their untruths are particularly astounding
Their principles significantly confounding
And those words people hear resounding,
Are not what our Fathers were founding.
People
have been killing each other since the beginning of
time back when they only had rocks to throw. You’d think that by now in this
new, supposedly highly civilized world we’d have begun to find a solution to
mitigate aberrant human behavior. There are, unfortunately no safe havens from
violent aggression – in schools, on sports fields, in offices, and yes,
neighborhoods and homes, peaceful fields with daisies waving in soft gentle
breezes. Nowhere.. People just seem to like to take opposing sides, and too often
we are seeing violence as the only way to victory.
Whenever
I have a muscle ache in my back or hips, I just go out to
the car and sit in my heated seats.
Lead
Zeppelin is a soft metal band.
The
Question:
Who are considered the Top 10 Bluegrass bands and
artists? Bonus: Name what are considered
the top 5 Bluegrass Festivals.
The
Headlines:
--Japan, China Markets Up; Brexit May Not Be
Disaster Financial Event; US Futures Lower But No In Panic Mode.
--Trump Swoons In June: New NBC/WSJ Poll Has Hill
Up by 5 Points; Post/ABC Poll Has Hill Up By 12; Trumperino Adding Negatives On
Daily Basis.
--Iraq Proclaims Victory Over ISIS in Fallujah.
--Obama Declares WVa Major Disaster: PGA Cancels
Greenbriar Tournament After Devastating Floods.
Sometimes
it’s tough being conservative. You feel the
hardships of others; you see the struggles, you weep at the setbacks and
tragedies. Yet you know that keeping standards high, that reaching up requires reaching
down to he depths of personal resources. But it’s there. It is always there.
And to take away that challenge is as cruel a thing as you can do to another
human.
A
young black girl named Patience Adegboyega who came to
the USA from Nigeria as a child, just graduated high school as valedictorian and
said, “I don’t understand entitlement, If you don’t work for something why are
you entitled to anything? Waiting for success just to show up is never going to
happen.”
One
of the more melodic, soothing orchestral pieces
is the tone poem Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss. It means “A Heroes Life. In
1899 German critics said of it – “As Revolting a picture of this revolting young
man as one may ever encounter.”; and another “The climax of everything that is
ugly, cacophonous, blatant and erratic; the most perverse music I have ever
heard in my life.” Hmmm so, what do I know? Well maybe something. In 1900 The
NY Times critic wrote: “There are passages that are true, glorious, overwhelming
beauty…”. And, at the British premiere in 1902 ,”Wonderfully Beautiful. I guess
if isn’t Wagner, Bach or Beethoven the Germans aren’t interested.
I
don’t expect that we’ll see Disney execs wearing
LaCoste shirts these days.
Maybe
athletes are turning to flat brim over curved brim hats so
photogs can get better pics of their faces.
With
high tech fashion exhibits now at Boston’s MFA and New York’s
Met, there is a movement to equate fashion with art like ceramics and painting.
I wonder if that includes the amazing eclectic outfits of day tripping
tourists? Maybe in the Grafitti category.
When
you think about it, politicians and advertising thrive by
creating an environment of jealousy and envy, and that is not good for general,
all-around harmony. All it does is lead to waste, angst and anger.
Did
you hear about Tony Robbins and his latest motivational
fiasco. In an effort to help people conquer their fears, he convinced a large
group of believers to walk on hot coals. This was not good for the ObamaCare
trust fund as many were rushed to the hospital with nasty burns. Well, one
thing is for sure, he has made me fear of walking on fire
Let’s
see…my
mom always said never to touch the stove burner with my hand. But, she didn’t
say anything about my feet. I’m with you Tony. Yikes.
Vacuuming
the house is great exercise, especially doing stairs with a
hand vac. And I generally get some good ideas for the Tids as a bonus. The only
negative is that it strengthens my right arm which interferes with my
delicately balanced golf swing. Life is all about compromises.
Let’s
see…a
guy named Sam Bell, who calls himself and followers real Rhode Island democrats,
has a movement gaining momentum which he says he will take the legislature back
for the people, away from the far right conservative democrats running in now!
Yikes! See, it can get worse. USSRI is conservative?
The
Parking Lot: The
story resumes at Chapter 64 where we see Jared scampering away after nearly
being decapitated by his old nemisis. Proor to that in chapte 63 we saw our indomitable
heroine Nancy taking control of the State AG
Jareed
swaw Fred running up towards his car. He looked down at the bleeding giant and
decided that Fred may be the more important prize. Old Jared’s aging legs were
aching badly when he finally caught the older Fred whose legs were about to
crumble. Jared lay one hand on the upper back, gripping Fred’s collar and hauling
him down to a quick stop stop.
“What’d
ja tell him Freddy,” he shouted just before the old political hack fell to the
ground . Fred’s eyes were wide as he looked up at the not so happy Jared.
“Nothing”.
“Bullshit,
gimmie your phone.” Jared dialed 911 on Fred’s phone, and told the woman that a
large man had run into a tree up by Fred Office. He pushed stop and threw the
phone behind the bushes before the woman could ask questions. But she had Fred’s
phone number.
Jared
knew he would sleep for a week after tonight but he couldn’t stop and rest now.
He reached down and roughly pulled up Fred, the heaved him across the street
into the deep shadows where he had his car. He was tired of coddling the local kingmaker.
“How much
do they know, Fred. You can’t make me any angrier than I am now. But, I can
guarantee Nancy will be prone to ugly violence when she sees you. And you know
Nancy. Fred was silent, but Jared could see he was weighing his odds.
He started
the car, and slowly drove half way up the hill turning into a long driveway of
somebody’s home. He rolled to a stop about 190 feet away from the road.
A police
car came down about 2 minutes after they stopped. Jared patted Fred on the head.
“Take a short nap, my friend.”
The
Answer:
According to “Ranker”, Ricky Skaggs is number one
and he is followed by Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Alison Krauss &
Union Station, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Doc Watson, The Stanley Brothers, Earl
Sruggs, Doyle Lewis & Quicksilver and Lester Flatt finishes the top Ten. The
second Ten are The Osborne Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, The Steeldrivers, Tony Rice,
The Seldom Scene, Old Crow Medicine Show, Patty Loveless, The Del McCoury Band,
Lonesome River Band and Nickel Creek. The beauty of Blue Grass is that there
many unknowns traveling the circuit who are as entertaining as the big names. Bonus:
Get out the maps and fill up the car and head out to Telluride, World of
Bluegrass in Raleigh NC, 3 Sisters Bluegrass in Chattanooga Tenn, Merlefest in Wilkesboro
NC and Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival in Beanblossom
Indiana. There’s a bunch more out there like Joe Val Bluegrass in Framingham
Mass, Grey Fox in Oak Hill NY, Christmas in the Smokies at Pigeon Forge Tn and
Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Celebration in Rosine Ky. Or you can always hop over
to Aquidneck Island all winter long for the weekly concerts at the Common Fence
Community Center in Portsmouth RI. Did I say, “Get out the maps.”
Pretend
you’re tired of political yackin’; you’re sitting on a big
rock on grassy hillside far from the sounds of the city and people noise. The sun
is bright, not hot at all, just right. You lay back on that rock and your feet dangle
a bit; you feel a soft country breeze across your face; the same breeze that’s
pushing fluffy clouds across the early summer sky. You close your eyes. Your
body melts into the rock. From over the other side of the hill you hear something
real nice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSif77IVQdY
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