Politics of snow storms and gravy

Today's Tids Issue 2,064
The Opening Stuff:

There is something very special to a Global Warming skeptic and dietary pragmatist about watching the wind-down of a blizzard eating broccoli smothered in rich pork gravy. Luscious gravy that heightens the taste buds while preparing the body for a walk outside into yet one more Arctic blast. Hey…wait a minute…I thought Arctic blasts were supposed to be warm.

Ellen DeGeneres says that Simon is meaner than she thought. Ellen must be one of those people who thinks telling the truth is mean. How do you ever get what is best if you continue to justify mediocrity. I mean, Ellen thinks she can dance because her audience’s manic applause keeps those little feet moving.

The Question:
What three products do consumers recommend most often to each other?

The Headlines:
--New Winter Storm Reburies Middle Atlantic; Fizzles In New England.
--Iran Proclaims New Success In Uranium Enrichment.
--Observers Expecting Big Afghan Offensive Soon; 0-Man Troop Build Up Ready To Move.
--0-Man Says US Will Add 95 Thousand Jobs Per Month.
--Psychiatrists Renaming Mental Diseases.
--World Markets Rise Cautiously As All Eyes Are On Greece.

More Stuff:

If a conservative wrote a lyrical piece about his love of trees and rolling green hills and grassy, stone wall caressed fields that flow gently down to a calming sea, do you think that Liberals would accept it as a poem?

The way Google is going, Eric Schmidt may be the first President of the Universe instead of 0-Man. Yesterday the Search, and everything-else-it-seems, giant announced their entry into a fiber optics broadband delivery service. Why do I have this feeling that we are all being gobbled by Google and don’t know it.

Don’t you think that God is sending Washington DC a message about Global Warming?

If anybody thinks that Republicans are going to help out Democrats with health care compromises about eight months before a very critical election day, they must be smokin’ something. And if Republicans think that Democrats are going to give them some credit for being good guys and gals for cooperating, then they must be stoned out of their gourds.

I see where London England is designating a huge area of land in the city as an outdoor workout center for seniors. Just what I would love as an old person…being herded into a playground to perform regulated exercises. Think of the noise as the bones creak and the participants groan in unison. This could get ugly.

The Novel:

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 54. –Kent is the best medicine, I was thinking as the nurse walked in, “Ok Sarah, time to start walking again.” She laughed and I felt more buoyed than ever. I immediately pulled back my arms to give me leverage to sit up by myself. I thought it was pretty fluid, for in seconds I was sitting staring at her. “Let’s rumble!” I said. We both laughed. I was ready to get out of this place. “Ok super girl, be careful. You look like you have taken some energy pills, but believe me you’ll feel weak.” Yeah, sure I thought. She doesn’t know me. I swung my legs around to the side so I was sitting now looking at the floor. Now I was tired. But, I was ready. “How do your legs feel”, she said as she squeezed my foot. “Pretty good. I can feel your hand”. “Good”, and now she put her arm behind my back and nudged me forward til my toes touched the floor. “Oooh, that’s cold.” “And that is good Sarah. Feeling the cold is what normal people do. Ok, drop down…slowly…slowly. Now stand and put weight on you legs. Good. How does that feel”? “It feels wonderful”, I answered quickly, “But, I’m a little dizzy.” Just stand there a moment. Feel better?” “Yup, I said” “Ok, take a step.” I put my left foot forward and then my right. I felt proud of myself.” Then I heard, “You look more beautiful than ever.” I looked up and there was my proud husband Paul, and the kids starting to clap their hands.

More Stuff:

In Rhode Island, the city/town with the supposed worst school system has students bright enough to be the perennial state chess champions. Think about that for a second. That’s kind of an interesting paradox. The question in education has always been though: Where is the problem? Is it bad parents? Is it a bad environment? Is it bad teachers? Unfortunately, the answer is always a firm yes to the question -- Do we need more money? I’m a huge believer in the bell curve and the distribution of human attributes. In every given population center there are good brains and less good brains. We know that in this poorest performer in education there are great brains. Contemporary wisdom often says take the good brains out and put them in so called better schools. What happens to the promising brains left behind that need to be fertilized? Basically, we need teachers for the parents. Education has to start where life starts. I’d better get out of here before I say something brainless.

The people who can’t figure out how to run a football play-off system, often using the excuse that they don’t want the “student-athletes” out of the class room too long, are proposing a 96 team NCAA basketball tournament. This by necessity will keep about 500 more kids out of the classroom for extended periods of time. The United States of Hypocrisy motors on.

About a week or so ago I wrote that most of the big web operations are adding a “Friends” component to their sites to take advantage of the social networking craze. I implied with some sarcasm that the idea of friends you don’t know is nutty. Aha! Now we read that many are dropping out and feeling “relieved” to have their privacy back again. This has always been too much of a bad thing. And no…I’m not interested in whether or not you love gravy.

The Answer:

People look to others most often for advice on buying automobiles. After autos at 66% come grocery stores at 64% and banks at 62%. How often do people change banks? BTW, more and more people are leaving giant banks for small community banks.

The End:

The Tids Entertainment editor has been keeping an eye on American Idol. As you remember, the Tids has often been a fairly on-target of analyzer of talent. We do it from the heart of a simple soul. So far, I’m not seeing boffo. Everybody sounds the same to this tin ear.