Today's Tids Issue 4,609
Lock-down:
Well, that’s about it, isn’t
it? Everything in the USA has been padlocked…except the hearts of Americans. Yes,
the 80% or so of those who would not be severely affected by Covid, are in essence
sacrificing normal life to protect against the spread of this disease that
could be extremely injurious or kill a large proportion of the other 20% or so.
It’s a time when Americans rise up to care for others.
Well, Bernie and Joe
went one on one last night, and fortunately for them viral restricted Americans,
who had already binged every decent Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Hulu and Amazon Prime
streaming option, had nothing better to do than watch them. Bernie probably won
the debate, but does it really matter anymore? Joe was like what Joe has always
been, inaccurate. Regardless, Joe will probably walk out of the convention with
the nomination, and he will pick a woman as his running mate. Would it be Elizabeth
to appease the far left?
With all of this this isolation,
I find me and my Cheetos growing closer together.
There is something special
about Saint Pat’s Day this year. Maybe I’m expecting a delightful leprechaun to
wave a magic wand and clear up this virus. Or perhaps just wipe it away with
Irish Whiskey and a couple of pints. Regardless, Tuesday is special.
There must be
something more to write about than a disease.
Dilemma:
I just bought a book on Feng Shui, and I don’t know where to put it.
I guess I’m more
disturbed by panic buying and hoarding than anything else I’ve seen during this
crisis.
The Question:
I remember the first Inventor I ever learned about
in grammar school. Do you? I’ll name mine if you name yours. Bonus: Who
was the first great Movie musical choreographer. Extra Bonus: Name the Top
Ten All Time Dance Movies. Special Bonus: Yesterday was is the 2064th
anniversary of the day Julius Caesar was done in by his pals. Who were the leaders
of the noblemen who done the dastardly deed?
The Headlines:
--Fed Reduces Rates To Near Zero, Futures’ Markets
Respond Negatively.
--Barrage Of Rockets Once Again Hit Iraqi Base
Holding US Troops; 27 Rockers Were Fired It Is Said By Iranian Backed Militia Group
Kata’ib Hezbollah; Iraq Irate.
--Nancy Moves House Vote For WH/House Developed CV
Plan; Trump Agrees.
--Wuhan Doctors Celebrate Closure Of Last Temporary Hospital
After Dramatic Fall In Cases For China.
--Spain Imposes Italy Style Lock-down.
--Big US Cities Asking For Closure Of Bars And
Restaurants.
--Trump Adds UK To Banned List.
--Revelers Keep Downtown Newport Lively Despite Cancellation
Of St. P’s’ Parade.
When you think about it,
this is a great time to update all of that software for all of your smart
devices, which most people typically push off to “later”.
This China virus
has produced Panda-monium.
Picture this in your mind:
Placid Pence debating Excitable Elisabeth.
Actually,
after a weekend void of sports, we around here have today at noon to look
forward to. – the first real hints of what Tom Brady might do next.
Isolation gives
you a lot more time to dream about beautiful things.
Cities that have always yearned
to be International Airport hubs are probably smiling today knowing they
aren’t. Unless you consider California an international country.
I suspect that
in a week or so the noise level to get back personal freedoms will be rising a
few decibels.
Cadenza:
No it is not a large “L” shaped office desk. It refers to a portion of a
Concerto when the orchestra stops and the soloist plays alone in free time,
often improvised. One of my memorable favorites seems to be pianists inspired
by Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto.
Several readers
wrote to say how they enjoyed the Friday Tids’ link to Louis Armstrong playing and
singing “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” Thanks.
You have to figure that
“On-Demand” movies will be making a lot of money for the cable companies these
days.
Tell me again why
the supermarket toilet paper shelves are bare. I have talked to a lot of people
about that, and they don’t get it either.
“To go”
is the new word around here, and probably where you live too. And it has
nothing to do with disappearing toilet paper. Restaurants are scrambling to
make it easy to order meals for delivery or pick-up. Good for cash flow, but
not so hot for severs and bartenders.
News people are presenting graphs
showing the dramatic rise of Covid-19. Everything that starts at zero shows a
dramatic rise.
I still muse
about sports and that is depressing too. Because I’m musing about the potential
for Red Sox pitching, and I don’t see any.
I have so much free time,
that the Tids could grow into a novelette each day.
I have heard
that in lieu of sports to watch for the weekend, young Irish lads and lasses were
building bar lists for Tuesday.
Can I still say Lasses?
If the world runs out
of toilet paper, will the next big pandemic be constipation?
I think that politicians
have cancelled the world so that there will be enough voters come November.
How many times
can ESPN show “The Hoosiers” or “A League of Their Own” before people go
bonkers. Sports cable networks rely on live events and have but a few produced
shows in their vaults. Get prepared for re-runs of month old scores.
An Indian chief on a remote
reservation being modern, couldn’t forecast the coming winter using traditional
tribal methods, So, he called the National Weather service. The respondent said
it was going to be cold in winter. The chief told his tribe to collect all the wood
they could find. In three successive calls the weather service each time predicted
an even more brutal winter. And each time the Chief requested the same from his
people. Finally, after the last dire forecast, the Chief asked the Weather Bureau,
‘How can you be so sure?” The weatherman answered, “Because the Indians are collecting
wood like crazy!”
I think there
is a message in there somewhere.
The Tids
will keep you company, day in and day out. Until the day they are discovered by
politicians.
The Answer:
My memory says it was clearly Eli Whitney. Some
other bigs that have stuck with me since my early education were Elias Howe,
Samuel Slater, Alexander Graham Bell and Samuel Morse. Ad of course Thomas
Edison and Henry Ford. I particularly remember the intriguing and daring story of
Slater. Bonus: I would have to say that Busby Berkeley with big dance Judy
Garland Musicals and scenes like “I Got Rhythm”; and 42nd Street and movies for
Carmen Miranda and Esther Williams. He set the standard in that big era of big
musicals. But, real knowledgeable choreographers only have him Number 8 after
several Ballet oriented and especially the great George Ballentine who shows up
#1 on many lists. Other more popular, better known movie choreographers in that
big list are Gene Kelley (#12), Jerome Robbins, Fred Astaire, Gower Champion,
Mikhail Baryshnikov (#23), Michael Bennet, Paul Taylor, Shane Sparks, Katherine
Dunham, Nick Castle, Agnes de Mille, Bob Fosse (#38). The celebrated Twyla
Tharp is #80 and at the bottom at #88 is Rudolf Nureyev. Extra Bonus: The
Top Ten Dance movies leads off with one that is not very well known but
considered exceptional -- Center Stage. Next is West Side Story, followed by Dirty
Dancin’, Singing in the Rain, Billy Eliot, An American in Paris, Step Up,
Cabaret, Footloose and Flashdance. The next five are Saturday Night Fever,
White Knights, Black Swan, The Red Shoes and Shall We Dance. Oh well lets got
to 25: #16 is Chicago followed by All That Jazz, Hairspray, The Turning Point,
Swing Time, Fame, High Strung, You Got Served, Save the Last Dance and Step Up
To 3D. Special Bonus: Marcus Junius Brutus and Galus Cassius Longinus
are the top two of whom everybody knows. But a third was Decimus Junius Brutus
Albinus, a great general and another close friend of Julius C.
I hope your hearts
are still dancing. Because that’s the way it should always be regardless of a
few ills that may appear along the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment