Today's Tids Issue
3,885
For the Batmobile:
I have friend
who just can’t get enough of Rachmaninoff. And it is easy to understand
why. That is, if you want your heart to soar, feel your feet walking on clouds;
to sense the thrill of love; touch all of life’s loving. Old Sergei wrote during
what is called the romantic period, and in listening you feel at once that he
captured it perfectly. It was an era where music was beauty, not pathos. And
going back to it through the emotions of the great composer, can lift you above
any complexities you may have to endure.
Zowie,
etc, Department:
Adam West’s Batman was one of the best ever tongue
in cheek, quirky adventure shows on TV. With plenty of comic book foolery and
perfect performances by West and Robin’s Burt Ward it was must see each week. But
at times, was hard to hide your devotion to this simple but incredibly
entertaining show from your PBS discussing workmates. Because when things went
wrong in your office you would shout, Aaarrrrrrrrrrrrgh!, for all to hear. Alistair
Cook never said Argh. Holy exclamation point, Adam. You were the best.
There
were some things better than smart phones in the old days.
Tech
stocks were down significantly on Friday. Are these high fliers
once again issuing warning signs of an overheated market that could be
approaching a scary brink? Or was last Friday just a good day for profit taking
time. I have to believe there are several internet stocks that need to be
trimmed, but unlike the 2000 calamity, most of these new tech companies have
plenty of growth potential just based on the enormous size of the global
population. It’s out there, and all you have to do is touch it. Achieving
record heights in an older market run-up always bothers me. For istance, some
say valuations like that of Apple, “a mere phone manufacturer” with a cult
following, are a little whacky. Strangely though, “Market confidence remains
high”, according to a majority of analysts.
I guess it is just time to watch a little more closely. Can’t hurt,
especially when conflicting statements become more the rule.
An
Oxford professor is projecting that babies born today
will see an average life expectancy of 104. Now theorists who like to overthink
data are asking if we should change marriage laws from “Until Death do us Part”
to something like “Until Your or I get intolerably boring.” Why is life supposed
to be better when responsibility and love are undermined? Why do we need put
loopholes into promises, vows…commitments?
The
Belmont Stakes seems to lose its luster, its broad-based
appeal when the Derby and Preakness are won by two different horses. In fact,
this year the winners of those first two legs of the Triple Crown didn’t show
up in the track built upon Foster’s Meadows on LI. Also, the first four
finishers in Saturday’s race didn’t run the Preakness. Everything changes. It
was a nice race for everybody there with several very good horses. And a place
for the crowd to sing “New York, New York”. Hey, didn’t they used to sing “East
Side, West Side, all around the town”? Things they are a changing. Nothing is sacred,
and who knows, someday maybe not even the Triple Crown.
The
Puerto Rican statehood vote over the weekend was as confusing
as its economy! 97% of those who voted said resoundingly, go to USA. But, and
this a big but, only 23% of eligible voters walked into the voting hall. An
oddity, which BTW is not rare in Puerto Rico, is that instead of following an anti-statehood
objective of boycotting the vote, it appears they could have voted a resounding “No” and easily sent the
statehood wish back to the drawing board. It’s no wonder that the island in the
sun is bankrupt. Well, now that it doesn’t look like #51 is in the cards for
PR, maybe Greece will move to the head of the line.
(According
to the Tid’s Puerto Rican department and resident
editor/advisor there, they do things differently on that island, really
different.in every way).
The
Question:
Who are Robert Holbrook Smith and William Griffith
Wilson? Bonus: The NYT’s has just
published a best movie list for the current century. See if you can name them
The
Headlines:
--Techs Continue Friday’s US Sell-Off In Europe And
Asia Earlier Today; Markets Lower In Early Trading; Oil Price Ticks Upward.
--In Morning TV Interview, Ivanka Says She Is
Surprised By the Level Of Viciousness In DC.
--Trump Expected To Soften Over Restrictive Factory
Rules This Week; OSHA, Environmental, And Labor People Nervous; Priebus Given
Until July 4th To Clean Up White House.
--John Flannery Named New CEO For GE; Uber CBO To
Step Down Over Corporate “Climate” Issues, And Founder Travis Kalanick Also To
Take Temporary Leave While Board Straightens Out Mgt.
--Pittsburgh Penguins Take Stanley Cup Second In A
Row; Sad Song Sung In Nashville.
--Melania And Baron Move Into White House.
--No Lie, Dear Evan Hansen Roars In Tony Awards; “Dolly’s”
Bette Midler And “Evan’s” Ben Pratt Big Popular Winners.
--Bush AG John Ashcroft Hired By Qatar To Help
Rebuild relations With Rest f neighbors, US>
--German Food Giant Aldi To Push Harder In US With
800 New Stores This Year; German Rival Lidl Also set To make US Push Against US
Traditional Grocery stores..
--Californian Wins $447 Million Powerball Ticket.
--Lost Hiking Teens Spot “UFO” IN Blue Hills South
Of Boston.
I
am far from a music expert, but I have always thought
Schubert’s “Great” Ninth Symphony lacked something. Oh, it does have many beautiful
moments, and certainly was considered innovative at the time. There is,
however, a promise I sense that never seems to be delivered at the end. Years
ago, I thought maybe it had been one conductor’s interpretation, but I have
listened to many different versions and I still haven’t felt that magnificent
conclusion I have imagined, and am seeking. And this, what you have just read
above, is a case of somebody writing authoritatively about something of which he
knows nothing. Beware of the Internet. But, love your music as your own. Your
ears know.
Ben
Pratt, that lead actor in Dear Evan Hansen is real good.
Music
does seem to drive many apps, Internet and product
creations. Services trying to sell me something always build the enticement around
new features that improve my ability to listen to music. I rarely listen to
music on the car radio or on these new devices. But, music has become so huge,
that it is a good bet that such a promotional plea will be attractive to most.
Did we ever think so much brainpower and investment would be brought to bare on
the delivery of music? Bach would be smiling.
What
do you get when you cross a laughing hyena with a
martial arts expert? Chuckle Norris!
Musicians
and their fans often think they are bigger than they are.
Take, for instance, Jerry Seinfeld snubbing a hug from a singer named Keesha.
His excuse, “I never heard of her, and her repeated offers of a hug made me nervous”.
Jerry is just another guy over 60 who can’t keep up with the proliferation of
the singers of the week.
Philly
Mob Boss Ralph Natale has a message for ISIS. Says US and
allies has been “pussycats” in terrorist war. He says, if a man known to
authorities like the Manchester bomber were known to the mob, he’d be
dead…immediately, no questions asked. Bing, Bang, Boom. And, then hanged in
front of his home for all to see.” He says his boys are ready to help.
There
really is too much money around. Somebody just paid $2.6
Million For the right to have lunch with Warren Buffett.
I
liked the music from the successful 911 Musical “Come
From Away”.
In
the late sixties, early seventies, Rose’ was a hot wine. Remember
when the distinctive bottles of Mateus and classic ceramic jugs of Lancers were
often sold out at local restaurants as the “Millennials” of that era were
rhapsodized by the soft mellow siren’s song of that Spanish pink wine. Well,
Spanish Rose’ may be making a comeback, and it is doing it with simpler, pleasing
to the eye packaging. Actually, the French put Rose’ back on the shelves a year
or so ago. And the Spanish were quick to
see the revival in acceptance and jump back into their old wheelhouse! Now all
they have to do is get people to break their golden white or deep red habits.
I
have no sympathy for Roman Polanski.
A
pleasant little piece of music is Arrigo Boito’s
Prologue to Mefistofele. The prelude and chorus is particularly soothing.
I
never thought I would ever say this, but I like super Lib
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’ devotion to the Cyber hacking problem. Maybe that
will get him off of some of his usual BS.
There
is just nothing pretty about the gaudy Super Bowl rings,
except perhaps the money you can get form a pawn shop. What makes the Pats ring,
and other teams following that obtuse logo design style, is that the team
symbol just competes with the other junk design elements. But then, who am I,
anyhow?
I
actually try not to offer all of my comments about many
personal annoyances in daily life for fear of insulting a reader’s own special favorite
things. I figure none of you have a Super Bowl Championship ring. See, I do
have a heart.
Prices
are getting too high for a lot of people. Apartment
rentals are out of sight for the typical renter’s budget. $20 used to buy you
something in a supermarket (See above news item on Aldi.) Up in Maine,
Blueberry farmers are dying as the price of the precious wild berry has dropped
form $1.00 to 23 cents/lb! Too much production for the sales volume, and competition
form plumper controlled growth berries.! We could be apexing in the housing
markets too. I have noticed just recently around the so-called upscale
neighborhoods of our town concise clusters of homes for sale! Have these home
owners seen the coming of the end of overpaying for homes, and looking to max
up before the decline? Maybe, it happened in 2008, and home prices are back to those
pre-decline levels. We don’t have the same housing problems we had then, but still,
overpriced is overpriced. On a side note – 2010 was the peak year for bankruptcies
following the 2008 debacle. After seven years, bankruptcies are erased from
credit reporting. That means there will become eligible thousands of former non-creditworthy
potential buyers, most likely for mid-priced homes. Are their old habits still alive?
The
Answer:
Let’s drink a toast to Robert Holbrook Smith and
William Griffith Wilson who founded Alcoholics Anonymous in Ohio in 1935. Bonus: You may not be familiar with
many of these. #1 from the cerebral times reviewing committee is “There will be
blood”. The rest in order are “Spirited Away”, Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby”,
“A Touch of Sin”, “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”, “Yi Yi”, “Inside Out”, “Boyhood”,
“Summer Hours” and “The Hurt Locker”. That wasn’t so bad, was it. But I figure there
are plenty of favorites missed.
Maybe
some will say, I gave a little too much prominence
to Adam West and Batman to start this morning mess. But that was all about my
desire to get back to pure mind releasing entertainment. You know, just sitting
and laughing, crying, tensing -- no strings attached. A lot of today’s efforts
are just the opposite, and in places like Broadway you have to pay high prices for
the brainwashing. I like my brain uncleansed, thank you. Holy Ivory Soap, Batman.
Pow! Bam! Oof!
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