The Humpty Dumpty Effect:

Today's Tids Issue 3,778

For Glue:

I’ve been trying to assume a fairly neutral position as I observe the comings and goings of blocs from all sides during this buildup to the transition from one President to another. Then I started becoming annoyed when I heard that kids were going to leave school on Friday at 11:00 AM, spouting reasoning that were verbatim out of the Democrat handbook, with apparently little understanding of what was actually happening and why America is great. And then there is the giddiness of the onslaught of marchers who’s intent is to disrupt before even giving the new person chance to be right or wrong. And forgetting that a big part of America is being able to make peaceful transitions. So, I’m thinking, if people are using all of this energy to further fragment a once great society, why not instead use it to put it back together again. Why not have all of these anti-everything leaders rally the troops for “Listen-Ins”! Yes, people from every possible designated idiosyncrasy gathering together to hear – not just to hear but listen carefully with open minds -- what the other sides are saying; to create understanding and a better platform for moving forward together, before marching- off or sitting in to condemn for condemnations sake. The more the fragments diminish into smaller and smaller pieces, the harder and harder it is to put it back together again. That‘s what I would like to say.

By the way. There are huge organized groups of American kids going to Washington this weekend…to learn…about democracy. Some of the nation’s brightest between the ages of 11 and 14 will be meeting together, first to observe American freedom in Action, and then spending time in demanding seminars to absorb the facts about what it’s really all about. It is non-partisan sponsored operation with supposedly little or no bias -- “Just the facts mam”.

What is making me think that Trump is asking for the inauguration tix of those congress people not coming so he can scalp them?

Teresa May stood upon the world stage yesterday in Davos, and it appears she did a pretty good job. Many heads of European countries praised her talk about the power of free trade. It is a good example of how media induced hysteria over events like Brexit can be overcome by smart people with better ideas. Beware of media induced hysteria. Wait for reality.

The Question:

How about a few aviation history puzzlers: Who was first to cross the English Channel? First to fly a plane over a half an hour? First licensed woman pilot? First US woman pilot? First Nonstop Transcontinental Flight? First Polar flight? First Instrument guided flight? First woman Transatlantic? First solo around the world?

The Headlines:

--3 Story Luxury Central Italy Hotel Buried In Avalanche; People Trapped Inside Tweeting Out Messages Gives Scurrying Rescuers Hope.

--GHW Bush In Intensive Care; Barbara Still In Hospital.

--US Housing Starts Surge In December; Pound Retreats After Yesterday’s Biggest Gain In 20 years Markets Lower In Advance Of TrumpSpeak..

--Media Focus On “The March”, Not The Inauguration.

--Huge Fire In Teheran Collapses 17 Story High Rise; 30 Firefighters Killed.

--Mad Dog Confirmed In Senate Committee 24-1; Dems Continue Pounding Away On Other Nominees; Rick Perry On Hot Seat Today.

--French Left Struggling To Find Acceptable Candidate.

The 64 Dems who say they won’t attend the Inauguration say it is Ok, because their constituents say they are good with it. Does that mean that these constituents don’t want to be part of America?

Things to watch, department:

The US Navy will have a lot of decisions to make if the Trumpster starts looking at some of the expensive planned-for ships in the budget. Cuts in ship building equals cuts in those good high wage jobs. Apparently, China and Russia spend a lot of bucks on technology that is now capable of demolishing our greatest naval weapons including Nuke subs. So, are building obsolete weapons? –China is making bold moves that could place it at the head of the economic power rankings. How difficult will this make life for Trump and his pronouncements against a country which is making it big in global markets?

By the way, the word is that Randy Forbes would be the greatest choice for Secretary of the Navy. When you are typing within view of the US Naval War College, it’s always a good idea to mention the Navy every once in a while.

Correction: Actually, this isn’t necessarily a correction but more filling in an omission. The airlines ranked by “On-Time” flights are #1 Hawaiian Airlines followed by Alaska, Delta, Frontier, Spirit, United, Southwest, American, Skywest, Jet Blue, ExpressJet and Virgin. But the differences between first and last are not gigantic – 91.5% for Hawaiian to 86.5% for Virgin. Yesterday I forgot the list.

A lot of people this morning are turning to Les Miz and singing, “One More Day”.

You’ve heard of the “Tiny House” rage among young married couples. It turns out that for many of those the real excitement for living small is that it represents the way Honest Abe grew up – except he didn’t have heat, A/C, Microwaves, Refrigerators, TV, Wi-Fi, et.al. But they will both have cramped quarters. How’d you like to live in cramped quarters with Mary Todd?

How about that Netflix on its way to taking over the entertainment world? Now they have signed Jerry Seinfeld for a series of funny shows. Can cable TV and the networks survive over time as these streamers seem to be on their way to becoming the new giants of content ownership and delivery? Well, at least you will no longer have to complain about your cable provider. That’s something.

It will be interesting to see where this season’s Homeland goes. They seem to be setting up a lot of plots right now. The new Prez appears to be patterned after a female Trump. By the way, Rupert Friend who plays Quinn is a helluva an actor. Critics are saying they like it, and praise the producer’s ability to keep this good old thriller series moving forward each year. Personally, I like it to, and am intrigued.

As much as I have heard it, the Tchaikovsky Piano concerto still sends out the shivers.

All the people who feel slighted by discrimination generally come out Ok in the pocket, unless the lawyers take too big a chunk of settlements.

I think it is sad that the media is demanding that performers explain why they are entertaining at the inauguration. It’s an honor, plain and simple, to help represent Americans at the ceremony of peaceful transition that is part of the fabric of America.

I don’t know if this is a reliable global warming indicator, but I have worn less fleece this Winter -- The Fleece Days Index! Watch for it on CBS Nightly News.

Scott Pelley has become insufferable.

The biggest fear of the Democrats and growing socialist blocs is that Trump will achieve what he said he will achieve despite his inept use of the English language. Progressives despise inept use of the English language most.

The Parking Lot: Chapter 72 continues…

   Martha thought nothing of her dad’s comments, they always had a lot of work to do. In fact she wondered at times if there was ever would be time to relax again now that she was doing her and her mother’s chores. She had to find a woman for dad. That was it.

     Martha had married a good boy, the son from the neighboring Prescott farm. His father and hers were probably the two elders in the farm communities to whom people would listen and trust. Her Prescott, Noah, was a great husband, a hard worker and an innovative framer.

  She smiled a little to herself as she cleaned away the breakfast dishes. She liked these early morning visits with dad, but seemd to spend more time thinking about how she could get away without making him frown; constantly thinking about what lay ahead at her own home. Her older children would be out helping Noah, but the younger two needed her. And she loved being with them

   She wiped dry the last dish, put it away and turned: “Gotta go dad, lots to do,” and she walked over do give him his daily good-bye kiss.

  “Not so fast, Mart, I have a big project for us, and it is very important not only for our family but also for hour new family and all of ou  friend’s out hear in farmlands.” He pulled back a chair. She looked at it and her mind immediately flew to her home.

   What could be so important she thought, and she countered, “But dad… Emily and Ethan…I have…” “Why can’t my sisters and brothers do it.” She stared at him, “I mean, Dad…”

   What I have to do is even more important for them at home. He looked stern, which is not like him.

    She looked a little frightened now as she went silent and slowly took seat.

    You are the one, Martha. You have always been the one. I just never looked at what we will be doing as that urgent, until now.”

The Answer:

Ok, let’s fly: Who was first to cross the English Channel? Louis Bleriot --First to fly a plane over a half an hour? Orville Wright -- First licensed woman pilot? Baroness Raymondo de le Rocha of France --First US woman pilot? Harriet Quimby (She was also first woman to fly across the English channel) -- First Nonstop Transcontinental Flight? Lt’s John A. McCready and Oakly Kelley --First Polar flight? Floyd Bennett with navigator Richard Byrd – First Instrument guided flight? Jimmy Doolittle --First woman Transatlantic? Amelia Earhart --First solo around the world? Wiley Post. When you read a complete list of dramatic air flight forts there a lot more heroes than the highly publicized.

Well, here we are, on the verge! You know that “One more day” was sung by the students as they readied the barricades. Hmmmm.

There is a lot more to America than what you see or hear. I had a nice note from a good friend in West Virginia who told me about he and his family going to their all white church on MLK day. They heard their minster beautifully redeliver the I had a dream speech, and they and the congregation were totally inspired. Stuff like that goes on all over this country, and nobody tells you. As somebody said recently, the NY and LA Times should open offices in so-called out of the way places like WVa or southern North Dakota and see what really goes on, instead of guessing. Happy Thursday.