Today's Tids Issue 5,958
Above the clouds:
I hate to tell you this because you know I like calm and wintry beaches, but... but, it's just two mère weeks til Christmas. Are you ready. Aaaarrrrrrrrgh!
I have to say the seizure of the Tanker leaving Venezuela was a serious international event. And international evidence tells me it was probably the right thing to do. So why when we tune in to the the serious official explanation, we have to list ot the president saying this about the tanker. “A large tanker, very large, the largest one ever seized, actually.” Hyperbolic self-gratification drives me crazy.
They have announced a new movie, a prequel to the Hunger Games series. And it has fans rapturous. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will be in it as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Jennifer was just 20 yo in the original and playing Katniss a mere 16-year-old. A prequel implies that she will have to be younger. How does a 35-year-old look 14 or 15. AI?
The Question:
Easy. What happened 405 years ago today.
The Headlines:
--Oracle Revenue Miss Casts Doubt on Techs; Oracle Profits Up 54%, Revenue up 14%, but Investment Community wanted More to Offset High AI Investments; Stock Severely Punished; Costco to report Today.
--US Seizes Tanker “Skipper” Well Known as Part of The “Dark Fleet”; Ship continually Tracked for Changing Names, Hiding Location Signals and Falsely Flying Guyana Flag; Dark FLeet” is international Designation for ships Transporting Sanctioned Goods; Venezuela Describes US Tanker Seizure as Piracy,
--New Jobless Claims at 236,000, Higher than Forecasts.
--Disney to Invest $1,000,000,000 in OpenAI
--Time Person Man, Woman of the year awarded to a thing – Architects of AI.
--House Passes $900 Billion Defense Bill.
Just to show you how silly celebrity adulation has come, a Hunger Games fan said that the return of Lawence and Hutcherson was like Jesus coming back to Earth. God help us.
If you cross a compass with a shellfish you get a guided mussel.
The Ole’ TidsPickers were on the cusp of a 10-4 record last week but fumbled to 9-5. We are now 138.5-69.5 (66%). Tonight’s game is a bit of mystery primarily because Tampa Bay has gone from highly completive to mediocre. But, they are playing the Falcons. I have to pick the Buccaneers. There are several really key matchups. Can Kansas City stay alive against the LA Chargers? Two anticipated battles are those between Green Bay and Denver and Detroit and The LA Rams. How do you pick em’? The Chargers beat one of last year’s SB participants last week, but they won't beat the other. KC finds something. Denver’s “O:” is suspect and the Pack’s “D”: is very good. I give Green Bay the edge. For almost every week the Rams are considered the best team in the league. I have to pick them over the Lions, but I am holding my breath. The emergence of Miami after a terrible start makes the game against the Steelers a pick-em'. I pick Miami though I hope they lose. Another pick-em; is between bottom dwellers Washington and the NY Giants. I pick the Giants. I don't like the Minn-Dallas game either. The Vikes awoke last week and the Cowboys showed their weaknesses. I'll stay with the Cowboys. Of course, the other big key game is one where the NE Pats could win the East Division by beating Buffalo at home. Josh can be superhuman, But the Pats have shown a steadiness under adversity, so far. The Pats will figure our=t how to score in the Red Zone and win.
Moving on, I like Da Bears over the Browns, Jax over Jets and the Eagles to finally arise and soar against the lowly Raiders. San Fran should take down Tennessee. I expect a tough game nbetween the Saints and Panthers, but the Panthers have been showing us something lately. I'll pick t k them. Seattle is a top team now and Indy was a top team earlier, A 44-year-old QB isn't going to bring them a win against the Seahawks. The Cardinals aren't bad, but Houston is playing lights out. They will win. Lastly, we have another mind poser in Baltimore Cincy. To say the least, the Ravens have been underachiever's, Cincy is supposed to be out of it but Burrow is a winner and will make it tough. Reluctantly, I pick Ravens.
There are currently $525 Million (A Half billion) worth of NBA players sitting on the sidelines with injuries. If the NBA was a manufacturing company, it would be having serious productivity problems.
The secret of the 2,000-year-old recipe for the durable Roman concrete has been revealed at MIT. Maybe RI Department of Highway and Bridge Construction should look into it.
Evil nuns have bad habits.
Teen phones and driver's licenses don't mix well.
There is a plague of restaurant closings across the country. Yes, with stepped up ICE raids very successful Mexican restaurants are having trouble with higher costs, with hundreds of then closing. Actually, higher costs are a real problem for many restaurant chains, but t itis taking an even greater toll on many Mexican Food chains.
Maize puns are corny. But eye puns are cornea
The Answer:
The Mayflower sailed into Plymouth Harbor Massachusetts, and Pilgrims stepped ashore. This actually was after a short visit at anchor off Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod.
Christmas music is merry, but you can get that anywhere these days. I think I'll just give you an option, an array of Happy songs for the next week or so.
