Push the Refresh Button.

Today's Tids Issue 3,995

For Pre-existing Values:

I like the word refreshing. Some synonyms are: stimulating, uplifting, invigorating and energizing. And, the word refresh -- that means giving new energy, vitality. Refreshing is the nature of our earth. Tides refresh marshes and the life in them. Seasons refresh flora. A wailing cry of a newborn refreshes a family, society. Unfortunately, too many words today are like -- degenerating, demoralizing, dysfunction. Often some try to rationalize those words into existence instead of trying to overcome them. I personally don’t think we ever have to dwell on the bottom. An invigorated public can work together over time make bottoms rarer; work together to proffer understanding; legitimize hope. Maybe refreshing the attitude of the world is too big of an ask. Maybe I’m just a Pollyanna, a Walter Mitty who doesn’t properly see misery. Yet, I feel a refresh cycle beginning that may have way more people looking at the bigger picture instead of fighting over pebbles on beachheads. “If you hit the refresh button, you may have to go back to original defaults. Yes? No?”

Lately I’m beginning to see a new descriptive phrase for promoting Comedy Shows: “Family Friendly.” That would be refreshing.

When the spirit moves the Tids Actuarial Department (TAD), also known as Tid’s Tads, our intrepid mathematicians there randomly pick an obit page of one major newspaper edition. They scour it for average ages on that given day, that being the previous Saturday, November 11. They sprang into action finding an average Obit age of 83.3. And, a median age of 87. Life is looking up.

A lot of people worry about the attack of the Zombies. But if you look around today, you see a lot of celebrity skeletons coming out of closets. And they are really scary.

Refresh your mind. Turn off the news.

Don’t you think it was better when people wished friends Happy Birthday without the help of Facebook?

I don’t know whether or not my Sunday morning chills came from the 19 degrees outside, or from the Brahms chorale I drifting though my room.

In case you don’t know the definition, a “Default” is a preexisting value in a computer. Some of the preexisting values in society have been mucked up by humanity, if you get my drift.

The Question:

Who was Mary Mallon? Bonus Duo: (Note if you get these you are probably ready for Jeopardy) Who was the last Monarch of Hawaii? In what forest was the armistice that ceased fighting in WW! Signed?

The Headlines:

--People Stream Into Sutherland Springs Texas Memorial Service To Offer Presence, Prayer And Support; Chilling Memorial Inside Baptist Church Brings Tears.

--Death Toll In Massive 7.3 Iraq-Iran Boarder Earthquake Over 325 with 2,500 Injured; No Tsunami From 6.8 Earthquake 40 Miles Off Costa Rico In Pacific.

--Tax Reform Uncertainty Continues To Keep Markets In Sluggish Territory; Boeing Continues Winning Streak With $15 Billion Deal From Emirates; Economy Basically Good; Future: Oil Prices Could Rise; GE Slashes Dividends By 50%.

--Dem Senator Amy Klobuchar Denounces Victim Shaming By Clintons, Kennedy and Edwards; Says Victim Shaming Should Never Be Excused.

Hearsay, Circumstantial And Real Evidence Of Moore Actions With Juveniles Mounts

--Qualcom Rejects Broadcom $103 Bil Offer.

--Bill Gates Commits $100 Million To Fund To Combat Alzheimers.

--Amazon Pushing Hard Into Australia.

Speaking of Jeopardy, everybody’s favorite Austin Rogers squeaked into the Jeopardy Championship semi-finals for this week.

Driving today is a crap shoot. It’s nearly impossible to predict when somebody driving towards you will receive a text.

CVS and Verizon are two big stocks currently residing at the low end of their fifty-two-week range. Health and Talking – basic necessities.

Sorry that on Friday I didn’t steer you to the Auburn -Georgia game. It was fun to watch an inspired Auburn team take it to the Bulldogs, the favorite of the NCAA Behemoths. It’s always nice to see behemoths agitated, and to be sure they are this morning as another of their historic favorites, ND, got smashed yesterday too. With those #1 and 3 teams dropping, I’m saying the new top five will be Miami, Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

In today’s press, the words Cassius Clay (Mohammed Ali) are always followed by the phrase, “Greatest boxer of all time.” Who says? Did he ever fight Rocky Marciano or Sugar Ray Robinson?

Campaign promises should be banned.

I hear that “Ultimate Frisbee” will be an official High School sport in 2 years. It sounds tame, and should get the nod from protective parents. But, if played well, it can be very aggressive.

Maybe high tax states should find a way to cut their bloated governments, and then they wouldn’t have to worry about their citizens being hurt by inability to write off ultra-high State/Local taxes. Maybe we’re coming to the end of the “You-can-have-it- all” society. Yes, management of expenditures in government would be refreshing.

Yesterday I cheered for the Browns almost making it, but alas they lost it in the end. But, they played hard and tried hard. Not so much for the hapless, bewildered Giants who are more and more not showing up. So, Cleveland should be happy to have a team that at least shows there is still some fire in the belly.

The new tax thing was originally supposed to benefit small businesses, but now appears it is doing just the opposite.

I think we can agree on one thing, Jimmy the Greek has finally been proven right.

I hear that the record sales of female pop performers are trending down. I just think the reason for it is simple: Too many singers who sound too much the same singing songs with little melody differences – if any melody at all. Bring back “Tea for two”. Or may be at least The Rose. That would be refreshing.

What would be refreshing is if we got rid of the professional excuse makers who basically ensure that the world will always be in a state of stupidity. “He/She just made a mistake!” Yeah sure, because she or she was an immoral, evil human being or just plain stupid. (See basketball players who shoplifted in China.)

Do you know why I am excited right now? I just finished listening to Saint Sans’ 1^st Piano Concerto.

The Answer:

Mary Mallon was better known as “Typhoid Mary”. She was a cook who infected three people who died. She was banned in quarantine to North Brother Island in NYC’s East River, where she lived for 29 years before dying there. Interestingly, in 1904 a steam ship, The General Slocum, wrecked on the island, burned and over 1,000 died from the burning or drowning. From what I can see, after numerous happenings over the years it should be called Bad Luck Island. It is now a bird sanctuary. Bonus Duo: The last monarch of Hawaii was also its first and last Queen – Liliuokalani. The armistice that ended fighting in WWI was signed in The Forest of Compiegne.

How about this. How about if each new congress has to hit a “refresh Button” and start at the beginning every four years. Currently we have laws being built upon worn out laws, upon laws already in place. Yeah, how about we go back to refresh our government every four years, and see how a new crowd deals with common sense. Some year we’ll get it right.

“Click!”