Drill baby drill

Today's Tids 2,120
Opening Stuff:

This oil slick looks like it could produce one of the ugliest natural disasters of our times. While I expect that the Nightly News will be showing streams of video showing people caressing sea turtles, dolphins and pelicans, my heart will be with the hard working shrimpers and other fishermen whose families rely in the sea for a living.

Wow, I thought we were still in January. The last day of April! Already! The way days, months seems to fly these days, it must be time for me to begin Christmas shopping – even before my golf handicap drops into the toilet.

I never heard of Dorothy Height. I must have a short memory.

And this just in…Historian anthropologists have finally determined that Stonehenge is the remnants of the housing bubble of 1251.

The Question:
 The President seems to have this fatal leadership flaw of jumping up to microphones to insult or demean people or groups of hard working patriotic Americans. Give me five 0-Man slurs against Americans.

The Headlines:
--Oil Reaches Shore As Gulf Coast Disaster Looms; BP Stock Tanks; Moratorium On new Offshore Drilling Now Expected; Coast Guard Has Over 100 Ships Fighting Overwhelming Battle.
--Justice Department Opens Criminal Probe Of Goldman.
--Solid First Quarter Consumer Spending Boosts Prospects For Economy; GDP Rises 3.2%
--0-Man Begins SC Selection Process; Met Yesterday With 9th Circuit’s Sidney Thomas.
--British Conservative Party David Cameron Zooms Into Lead After Last Night’s Final Debate.
--The Success Of “Cougar Town” Has Lingerie Sales To Older Women Booming In Britain.
--Tiger Woods Own Estimate Of Woman While Married Is Up To 121.

Back to More Stuff:

Remember WNGU – “Whackos Never Give Up”! These Arizona protests are so much like all other protests based on ideologies. Even in the face of overwhelming logic, they keep on coming much like the march of the Zombies or the attack of the killer tomatoes!

I have to agree with the comments of a reader on the dismissal of Siobhan Magnus from American Idol: “Clearly the voters got it wrong. She will go on to become a star. Aaron and Mike, not so much.” He went on to say what is becoming obvious – that there are too many guys left on this show which can only mean that too many pre-pubescent girls are dominating the voting. You may even have to worry about the talented Crystal. She and Lee are definitely 1-2 or 2-1 in my book.

After November, suits against Wall Street Bigs will probably dissipate. But until then, desperate Dems will continue to play Saint George against the fire breathing dragon to make points with the misinformed.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 69. –Kent’s gentle touch along my back felt good. Like always. It instantly evoked passionate memories of last night. Did I blush? I looked at Henry quickly, but he was looking trough a couple of papers. I quickly squeezed my legs together. Took a deep breath. I started to open my mouth, but Henry beat me to it. He looked up at me.
“Why do you think Kent dropped in like that? He has done that several times in the past couple of days. Did I tell you that?” he continued not expecting an answer. “I am noticing a pattern. He comes in like my good ole’ boy friend. Skirts around several issues. Asks a couple of seemingly innocent questions. Then he plans his unobtrusive get-away.” He paused like Henry pauses. “Odd, isn’t it?”
“Well Henry, it sort of fits into what we were talking about – that mysterious bra.” He nodded as in, go on. “His primary offering was about Laura and he seemed to be looking at us both for a reaction.”
“I agree”, Henry answered and then receded into his mind.
“Laura is a little young for him, don’t you think Henry?”
“Hell” he laughed while adding, “You’re way too young for him”. I tried to laugh along with him. But, now I was feeling a little shaken. “Yup, I always had an odd feeling about his stoniness. So I wouldn’t be surprised about Laura at all.”
Laura, I thought. God, what am I? I was feeling weak. And it wasn’t because of my recovery. I have to get out of here. I can’t continue this charade. “Maybe you should talk to her a little more,” I started mainly to hide the queasiness in my stomach.

I still wish Clueless Lane would put some of their genius people on the front lines for the small investor.

I have always though that Alaska King Crablegs were overrated. Sorry brave fishermen.

If your boss keeps on calling you by the wrong name, change your name to the one he is using.

With the appointment of Yellin, Raskin and Diamond to the Fed, 0-Man will have financial control over the triggers that effectively control financing -- interest rates, money supply, mortgages, credit. “President Obama is sending a strong signal that easy money and bureaucratic control of finance will be the hallmarks of the American economy for years to come.” (Andrew Shiff of Euro-Pacific Capital.

Within days of banning smoking on Subs, the Navy authorized for the first time women submariners. Well that is one way to relieve ex-smoker tension!

My friend has this talking GPS system and all around computer in his car. When his wife tries to give the GPS instructions, the woman in the machine responds, “You are not using the proper tone”. How funny is that!

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:
--Furry Vengeance is a pretty predictable propaganda film about animals in the forest rallying together against hapless humans and in particular a developer. It’s a typical brainwash the kids against big business effort. A raccoon leads the way in retaliatory tricks including some trite toilet humor. Which unfortunately will send the children into fits of laughter while mentally competent adults shout “Get me out of here!
--A Nightmare on Elm Street had Freddie Krueger slashing teens in their dreams (Did you notice the insertion of the word “A” before Nightmare?) It is another in the long series of inventing clever ways to get the blood gushing.

The Answer:
He just called Arizona lawmakers “Misguided” That was after he has called Cambridge mass police “Stupid”, hard hit Pennsylvanians “bitter, clinging to guns and religion’, Fox News not a legitimist news outlet, plus snide slurs against the Supreme Court, the Special Olympics, Poland, Gordon Brown, Tea Party members, Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton and any other American against anything he wants. The Great Mocker is at his best when spontaneously grabbing a mike.

The Beginning:
Around here, this is looking like a perfect day to start to enjoy the promise of what should be a good week end.

Celtics in Seven!

Today's Tids Issue 2,119
Opening Stuff:

There is a new war a minute it seems in this changing world of ours. But, the only war I’m interested in is the one that is set to begin in Cleveland this weekend – the Boston Celtics versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. We New Englanders think it will be a bloody doozy! Note to Cleveland readers: We are most concerned about the ever energetic Anderson Varajou. James gets what James gets; even, it appears, with one arm tied behind his back. Of course, some think that his left handed foul shooting trick is all about increasing his already out of sight visibility, and assuring prime ESPN Sportscenter highlights! Is this series all about winning before James’ next contract, possibly elsewhere? Will that scenario place more pressure upon the Cavs? Probably.

You have to like that reasoned approach from the Supreme Court about religious symbols on Public Land. Some don’t think the real reason why Christmas exists should be acknowledged. Crèches don’t necessarily champion a religion, but recognize a fact. Several years ago, around 1992, a guy (A professor at liberalish type college that specializes in social services) moved in around the corner from me. The first thing he did after signing his deeds and mortgage papers was to sign another set of papers authorizing a suit against the town for removal of a cross on a small island in the middle of an intersection of two country-ish roads. The cross was placed there in 1927 as a memorial to the good work of a local country doctor. This was similar to the reason that the cross in the Mojave was placed on a rock in 1935. The cross in the middle of two roads wasn’t a religious, in your face movement. It was a symbolic representation to honor a man who did unto others as he would have others do unto him.

A media observer commented yesterday, “We are in the era of fact-free journalism.”

The Question:
What do you think Americans are doing this year with their tax refund?

The Headlines:
--Oil Slick Bigger than Thought; New Estimates Say That Damaged Well Is Producing 5,000 Gals/Day Instead Of 1,000.
--New Obama Appointees, If Approved, Would Make 5 Of & Federal Reserve Board Members Obama-ites; Janet Yellen, Sarah Raskin and Peter Diamond Expected To Be Approved.
--SEC To Probe Hedge Funds Use Of “Side Pockets” As Means To Prevent Clients From Withdrawing Billions During Crisis.
--Spain Downgraded As EU Crisis Widens.
--US Profits Indicate America Ready To Reignite.
--Head Of Pakistan Taliban Plays Mark Twain: “Reports of My Death Are Premature”; Militants Get Propaganda Victory As Early Reports Of Leaders Death Are Discredited.
--Fla’s Crisp Expected To Run As Independent.
--Man Walks Into China Kindergarten And Stabs 28 Children.

Back to More Stuff:

One of the things I like about cooking is having lots of things going on at once and having them all come together at the right times. Tasting good is just hopeful fallout to the process.

In response to a couple of yesterday’s items about illegal alien laws and banning of toys at fast food joints, a California reader writes: “I care more about my grandchildren’s toys being stolen out of their homes by illegals than toys being eliminated at McDonalds’s!!!”

Another reader commenting on the Goldman affair suggests that Goldman had to figure out what do to with all of the paper which was the result of Government forced bad mortgages.

The more you listen to the anti-Arizona law zealots, the more you realize that they are either irrational or disingenuous. They will never equate the word illegal with the word criminal. And, there will never be agreement on a good solution for a serious problem. Especially as Pols turn to jelly.

With people pouring billions into things like “Synthetic CDO’s, you have to wonder why others think there is safety in gold. Nothing is backed with much any more. There’s something about the word “Synthetic” that is scary and all too descriptive of financial bubbles.

Smoking on subs has been banned. So, I guess going out on deck for a smoke is problematic. How would you like to be under the ice cap with a guy trying to crack the habit?

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 68 continues: --Sarah was looking at me in a knowing way. She had a small look of concern on her face. She could not possibly know what is in my mind or heart. Nobody does. Even those I seem to let in to roam around. They think they feel what I feel, but they never will. Yet, my Sarah/Maggie thinks a little like me. I should be more aware when I’m with her. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her. I like her.
“How are you feeling now, Sarah?” I decided to change the subject.
Henry chimed in before she could answer. I have to believe she was happy for that. “Sarah is one tough person. Frankly Kent, I have really enjoyed working with both of you. Most lawmen wouldn’t admit that two civilians could be so helpful.” He just paused and smiled that pleasant smile of his. I like him, but he is a cagy old guy, and I know he loves to make people feel too comfortable. “How is your business going now that this has all come out?”
“We’re doing Ok, and you just reminded me of all the work I have a ahead today.” I took the opportunity to quickly stand and walking behind Sarah, where I gently drew my hand across her back, like a waitress looking to increase her tip.” A reminder to Sarah that my touch was important to her. I got what I wanted. I had to do something about Laura.
“Good-bye Kent,” she smiled. “Maybe I’ll see you around town.

A reader writes to make us aware that a Movie “Corpus Christi” is set to be released in theaters between June and August. It is a mockery of Jesus, depicting him as a gay leader of a group of homosexuals. Maybe we need more crosses at intersections after all.

Britain’s Gordon Brown proves once again that he should never have been elected Prime Minister in the first place.

It has been pretty clear that loving Great Britain as a long time and important ally has never been a priority in 0-Man’s heart. But that could all change (And Change is the word) as upstart Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg as been surging lately on a campaign eerily similar to that of our own beloved “Prime Time”. Right now Conservative Party leader Cameron has a slight edge over Brown and new young darling Clegg. Brown looks like a loser to me. Clegg and Cameron, both 43, are emerging as energetic and very good debaters. Clegg uses Obamesque lines like “Something really exciting is beginning to happen. People are beginning to believe, beginning to hope”. But political pollster Andrew Hawkins noted that “many of Clegg’s enthusiastic new supporters know little about his party’s centre-left policies, raising questions of sustainability.” Interesting reminiscence of the last year and a half in US politics.

The Goldman thing has given me a new idea for post retirement income. I’m going to bundle all of the credit card bills of my neighbors, slice and dice them into mini securitized packages, set up a lemon-ade style stand in front of a local brokerage and hawk them to greedy investors. “One to a customer” will really suck them in.

The big difference between the US Debt/GDP ratio and that of EU debt bound nations is that the US can print it’s own money if necessary. Not good, but possible. The EU nations in trouble like the US – Greece, Italy, Ireland, Spain, France – are tied to the Euro and thus not in charge of their own money supply, making their debt more binding. But, not a pretty picture for the US or EU bad boys.

The Answer:
It appears that sensibility and necessity is winning out over irrational exuberance. 30% are paying down debt, 28% are saving it. 26% are paying for energy and food. 7% splurged and went on vacation. 9% aren’t sure or don’t know.

Green Ending:
Celtics In seven!

Where exactly has truth gone.

Today's Tids Issue 2,117
Opening Stuff:

The Media could actually be helpful again if they didn’t continually try to misreport and confuse the facts with their own personal emotions. In their latest slight of hand trick last night they misrepresented the opposition by focusing the cameras on a handful of sign carrying protesters of the Arizona “Illegal’s” (As in criminal) law while failing to mention that 60% of Americans and 70% of Arizonans are for the law.

Meanwhile up in Santa Barbara a bunch suffocating health nuts got a law passed that would ban giving toys to kids along with meals at fast food restaurants. The object being that the removal of an incentive will have kids demanding fewer visits to chicken nugget palaces. (Of course gravy man here thinks it is deplorable when the gov starts spooning food onto your plates.) But in their fanatical stupidly, they failed to understand the ramifications of a law they got passed that only affects 7 stores in the entire county. Putting those stores at an extreme competitive disadvantage. In other words what they have accomplished in there irrational zeal is the possibility of destroying seven businesses and the incomes for the families that own them and work there.

The American Idol Gives back show last week raised a whopping $45 Million for charity. I thought the show was also coming into focus on the talent side too, but last night there were a few positive surprises and no bombs! The strongest four last night were Lee, Siobhan, Casey and surprise! -- Aaron. I was ready to give the Kelly Kid the boot as I thought he had been struggling lately. And someone has to go. But… BoSox was good but not great. Mike was very good too. BoSox, Lee, and Siobhan will remain the top three. Casey moves up. Did Aaron save himself and put Mike at risk? Oh… Shania Twain was a great mentor. Nice eyes too.

The Question:
Pop music is praised on a daily basis. As is country, rock and the incomprehensible yet rhythmic hip-hop. But much of the top music, tunes we tend to hum without thinking, comes from Broadway musicals. Name the All Time Top Ten Broadway Musicals.

The Headlines:
--Northern New England, NY Get’s Foot Of Fluffy, White, Exhilarating Snow; Southern New England Gets Crisp, Cool, Invigorating Air.
--Senate Financial Panel Gets Two feet Of Grayish Snow.
--Stock Futures Point To Higher Opening.
--Shell Earns $5.5 Billion In Q1.
--Coast Guard Considering Lighting Fire As Oil Slick Closes In On Fragile Marshy Coastal Islands.
--New AP Poll Says That Dogs Listen Better Than Husbands; Being sent To Doghouse Now Considered A Promotion.
--Sandra Bullock Files For Divorce; Will Adopt Boy.

Back to More Stuff:

If you like celebrating Mexican holidays, here’s an easy recipe trick that would enable you to enjoy a Mole style steak on our annual Illegal Immigrant national holiday, Cinque de maio. Buy a good looking rib eye for each celebrant and about an hour before grilling rub with blended mixture of 1 tbs cocoa powder, 1 tbs Ancla Chili powder, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tbs sea salt.

Headline of the Week Department:
An eagle eyed reader picked up this nugget, “Mexican Government issues travel alert to its citizens about travel to AZ.” The small print must read, “if you want your free money and benefits enter through New Mexico, Texas or California.”

Another reader commenting on the above as part of her overall befuddlement of the world around her that is wearing her down says, “Morals and ‘rules of society’ don’t seem to mean much any more. She worries about the world ahead for today’s children.

Along those lines, I didn’t think that Goldman execs looked “Saddened and humbled” (Their words). Especially “humbled”.

But I did have to chuckle listening to Senators bring up the subject, absence of “ethics”!

If the National Asparagus Growers Association is looking for a spokesperson, they may want to try the now available Ben Roethlisberger. Apparently asparagus historically is a well known aphrodisiac and has just been found to be an excellent hang-over remedy.

Speaking of athletes, there was a time in the 1920’s when Babe Ruth was considered a most invite-able guest for many of the NYC society parties. While seated among the diamond studded super rich at a Vanderbilt town house dining room table, the slugger refused the offer of an asparagus salad announcing for all at the table: “No thank you, it makes my urine smell bad.” Word was spread that the player was particularly proud that he remember to say “no thank you” first.

So, what are we to do with the passing of Elizabeth Post, the granddaughter of and successor to Emily Post’s campaign for better manners? Does anybody care about manners any more? Can any body still spell manners?

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 68 continues. –I was looking forward to uninterrupted time in my lab today. A luxury I haven’t enjoyed in weeks. There is a lot going on there. But now, I have to play the casual citizen game and wander into Henry’s office on the way to work to keep tabs on his conversations with Sarah. The next time I see her I’ll try to get her to make opinions on the caper before her mind wanders to my bedroom.
“Hi Henry, Sarah,” I said casually as I walked into that little interrogation room at the police station. They both looked surprised and a little annoyed at my appearance.
“Good morning Kent”. Sarah was the first to reply. Henry quickly asked me to take a seat and asked if I’d like coffee or a Diet Coke. I waved him off, eager for them to get back to their conversation. But they didn’t.
“What brings you here Deputy Middleton. I thought you would have been well at work over at BiEm.” I told him that I slept late. I didn’t see any reaction from Sarah. Not a flutter of a lid or clenching of a jaw.
“I was intrigued about your question about Laura the last time I was here. We never talked about it any more, as your schedule seemed to close in. But, since then a couple of days ago, I have to tell you that the girl was recommended to me as a housekeeper, and I just had her over for an interview. She didn’t seem so bad, so I hired her.” Now I saw a reaction both their eyes.’ That is all I needed to see.

The scary thing about the near bankruptcy of Greece and Portugal is that these two are only slightly worse off than Ireland, Spain and Italy. While you are pondering this potential mess, remember that it was the use of Goldman style instruments that enabled Greece to “Legally lie” on their application for membership to the EU.

The scariest thing about the Goldman session yesterday was that the smartest people in the world were trying to tell us that they didn’t know what was going on in the housing markets! That means they are either lying or we are in bigger trouble than we imagined when the people who guide our financial society don’t know what is going on.

The Answer:
An excellent Top hundred list, http://forums.nutsie.com/viewtopic.php?t=14242 picks the best based on overall popularity and contributions to improvements in the genre. The Top Ten all time are My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma, A Chorus Line, Phantom, Hair, West Side Story, 42nd Street, Gypsy and Porgy & Bess. The next five are rent, Annie, The sound of Music, Follies and Guys and Dolls. The biggest surprise for me was that Les Miz didn’t appear until #25!

The End:
You had to love the various Goldman underlings continually relying on the Nuremburg defense.

Congress and state legislatures should take two years off. We have way more laws than any society could ever need.

Nobody ever sees the heroes.

Today's Tids Issue 2,117
Opening Stuff:

I awoke upon a cotton candy cloud. I floated through ginger ale skies. Slipping off my sugary cloud, I slid down peppermint sticks into butterscotch ponds. I walked through chocolate flower fields. Finding sweetness in a sour world. While trying to stay on my diet. One serving of this sickly sweet Tid is well beyond our daily carbohydrate requirement of 300 grams. But, it feels great!

I was bothered this morning about the report of the homeless person who was stabbed trying to save a woman from a knife wielding assailant. The unknown man fell to the ground and lay there for over an hour before medical help arrived. During that time street cameras showed many people walk by, glance and move on, while blood streamed from his gut. A Good Samaritan with nothing on this earth, trying to give another a better life than his. A hero that nobody could see.

It will be entertaining TV today as unctuous lawmakers take center stage in an effort to belittle Financial execs. Ever the cowards, these Pols feel that Americans are so against the Wall Street barons that they can sink to lows never before known even to congress people. It should be a juicy afternoon. Would any of these faceoff a knife wielding savage?

And, in about 4 months or so these same self righteous hypocrites will be standing in line on Wall Street looking for campaign handouts from the bonus babies.

The Question:
Portugal was one of the richest countries of all during the era of the great Portuguese explorers. I as a kid was always fascinated by their accomplishments. Name the most famous.

The Headlines:
--Ford Posts $2.1 Million Profit On Strong Sales.
--Oil Company And Authorities Race To Control Slick That Threatens Four States.
--Procedural Vote Slows Passage Of financial regulatory Package; Dems Now Looking At Changes To “Bailout” Component; GOP Sys This Bill Will Pass And Be Stringer In Fight Against Bad Behavior On Wall Street.
--Congress Prepares For Embarrassment Of WS Execs.
--Calif Tech Police Raid Home Of Gizmodo Editor; May Be In reaction To Story Broken About New iPhone.
--Strong majority Of Americans Agree With Arizona Anti-Illegal Law.
--Porsche’s Highly Touted Just Released Panamera In total recall; Could Be Black Mark Against Company Out To Take Share from Maserati Quattroporte and Mercedes Benz CLS.

Back to More Stuff:

Do you get the sense that the medical drama “House” is turning into “Desperate Doctors”?

24-um: --President Logan was at his evil best. Is eye movements are among the best ever on TV. –And how about the weasel of the moment, President Allison. Frankly, I never liked the President. She made me feel irritable when she appeared. –I’m liking Chloe in her role. –But it is Dana, the woman who kept us all guessing, who has become the emerging centerpiece of this last great episode of the greatest program in TV history.

One of the things Dems like to do in the aftermath of the Health Care debacle is recall the Government run plans of SS and Medicare…and or several laws that apparently changed human inequities. Of course it is an irrelevant argument because absolutely nobody knows if we would or would not be better off without the two black hole programs which are not working very well financially at all. Or if natural evolution could change human garbage without a legal mandate. The Dems fail to take into consideration the indomitable spirit of American people and their resourcefulness in finding solutions without the assistance of big Government. They fail to understand that the heart of good people can always overcome. It is totally conceivable that without SS and Med we would have been a stronger than ever nation today.

What honest Wall Streeter wouldn’t want some regulations that keep the dishonest under control? An industry based on trust must rid itself of the untrustworthy.

I was a little disturbed about that stripe running down one side of Sergio Garcia’s trousers at the Zurich Open this past weekend. Worried that the athletic gear makers were plotting to infect the golf clothes industry with abominations I see on grown men walking in public. I was envisioning silky golf pants flopping in the breeze. Basketball style shirts with players names across the back. Where is Payne Stewart when you need him?

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 68. –After my Sarah/Maggie left, I went back up to my room and bathroom. Nothing appeared disturbed. I wondered if she had seen Laura’s jeans in the closet. If she had, she would easily have connected them to my wife who was known by almost everybody in town to drop in from time to time. And he thought, if Sarah still was as under my control as she appeared she would definitely assume that. That’s the real question, isn’t it? What was she like last night? She certainly wasn’t reticent. In fact, she overwhelmed me for a change. She couldn’t get enough she attacked and attacked. She wore down these aging bones. I must have been out solid when she went up stairs. She showed no shame being there. She wasn’t look for me the wit, the intellectual, the shy appearing man who made her smile and feel comfortable. She was look for me the lust machine.
But, when she left me standing there in the bath room. She seemed different. Did she look guilty? Scared? Evasive?
My cell phone rang. Oh no, it was Laura. I hope she isn’t coming over. “Hi Laur!” I answered smilingly.
“I just saw your aging girl friend going down to the Sherriff’s office.”
“Don’t worry about her”, said matter-of-factly. One thing I don’t need is a hysterical Laura. Laura is very cool but capable of extreme weirdness when agitated.
“Don’t worry. I’ll stay cool. I’m coming over to clean your house. What do you want for dinner?”

Overkill Department:
I think almost everybody agrees that Blind Side was a fine movie and probably a very good book. But do we need any more of Michael Oher? He, an excellent human being, is about to publish his version of his story. And right after that, Liegh Ann Touhy and hubby Sean will bring forth their own memoir. Once again, the commerce watering down value.

From five to ten years ago during my time with a manufacturing industry magazine we were writing quite regularly about the need for the US machine shop industry to transform themselves from the commodity style product to the complex, super quality product. Software and amazing machines allowed these small companies to take on and accomplish formidable new challenges. Among the most visible of new opportunities was the arise of the medical component industry. Last Friday CBS News did a piece on a southern machine shop that beat the odds by moving from the traditional but now very fragile auto parts manufacturing to medical. Maybe a new Web news site that writes to consumers about coming economic changes in the world of industry would help prepare them for events heralded by the consumer media five-eight years later.

The Answer:
I’ve been to the fort and sailing academy of Prince Henry the Navigator which is at the most southwestern point of land in that narrow country. When standing n the cliffs looking westward you have a real sense of foreboding, about falling off the end of the earth. Your mind while staring into the depth of a black ocean pounding on the rocks far below marvels at the bravery of the history book titans - Ferdinand Magellan, Bartolemeu Dias and Vasca de Gama. There were 69 15-16th century Portuguese explorers, many with well known Rhode Island names like Andrade, Cunha, Escobar and Teixeira. Let’s hear it for the glory days of Portugal.

The End:
When I was in my late teens I mentioned proudly to my father (a son of a politician) that I was thinking of politics as a career. He then proceeded with a rant against the occupation with a torrent of four letter words that would make Wanda Sykes blush. So, I went into advertising, a nice honest occupation.

What will happen to the world as we know it when “24” fails to appear next year?

State's Rights or Bust.

Today's Tids Issue 2,116
Opening Stuff:

And how about The Great Mocker Friday dumping on States rights by calling the Arizona illegal immigrant action “misguided”, primarily because the Feds can’t figure out how to get it together without losing votes. See, that is just one more reason why lots of things should stay at state levels. The state has a problem and it knows its own problem. And lawmakers there are not trying to appease national voting and ideological blocs. They are just trying to get the job done, so they can live in their own community. How refreshing do those words sound – Get the job done.

The Constitution grants to the federal government the exclusive powers of Printing money, Declaring war, Establishing army and navy, entering into treaties with foreign Govs, regulating commerce between states, international trade, establishing post offices and making laws necessary to enforce constitution. All other powers are either the province of states (Provide for public health/safety, ratify amendments, intrastate commerce) or shared (Setting up courts, building roads, chartering banks and corps), See http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/federalism.htm The separation of powers so necessary for the protection of average citizens is not just in the Judicial, Legislative or Executive branches, but between states and feds too. This is another reason why it is dangerous for the SC to “write” “national” laws based on local cases, instead on merely deciding on constitutionality.

One thing that the Founding Fathers didn’t seem to consider was the growth in power of Nationalized groups that represent state’s rights responsibilities like education, public safety or social laws like right to life.

Abby Sunderland has decided to call it quits on her single-handed around the world sailing adventure. The courageous 16 year old had lost some of her key electronics, namely the auto-pilot, and she correctly decided the trip should be abandoned upon her arrival at Cape Town Africa. Her blog is down, so I can’t provide any more insights. I can only say Bravo! Follow those dreams no matter how treacherous the waters. Think Abby the next time procrastination rears its forbidding head..

New Yorkers are clichés.

The Question:
Music is gold. Last year Simon Cowell of Idol fame made $61.5 Million on just the Susan Boyle big hit record adding to his total worth of 165 million pounds ($300 Million). He was eleventh among British “Music Millionaires”. Name the rest of the top twenty.

The Headlines:
--Tornados Ravage Southern Towns.
--US Treasury set to sell 1.5 Billion Shares Of Citi Group.
--Obama Trying To Rally His 2008 Voting Coalition To Forestall Dem Losses In November.
--Groups In Favor Of Illegal Occupants Of US Territory And Unobstructed Access To US Citizens Wallets Oppose Arizona Law.
--Legal Barring Of Some Iraqi Candidates May Change Vote; Action Could Lead To Instability.
--Strong Caterpillar Earnings Will Push Stocks Higher At Opening.
--Hertz To Buy Dollar/Thrifty For $1.3 Billion.
--Toyota Reports Global Sales Increase In March Of 26.3%.

Back to More Stuff:

If you want to get a good idea about how big government would run things, talk to a commercial fisherman about how unnecessary regulations are sinking the industry…fast.

The admin is walking that tightrope where they want to portray Wall Street as both evil and good. They want them hated so they can ram through the new banking regulation bills on emotion. And they want them to look brilliant and necessary so they can make their bailout bucks look like a wise investment decision.

Lost in all of this Financial ogre-izing is the fact that derivatives are a necessary instrument, and have been for centuries, for the practical application of many mundane financing solutions. As in any business or social community, there are thieves among the good. The government is well known for tossing out babies with the bathwater. See commercial fishermen above.

Part of the beauty of what the USA used to be was being able to get things done in your own community.

First we had to scratch our heads wondering what teen boys saw as good about dressing like ex-cons. Now the teen girls are looking to the sleazy Jersey Shore rompers for The Look! Is there any hope for our youth?

Florida politician Charles Crisp looks like a classic weasel to me.

I just don't get this whole mania thing over Pandas. Other than subjects for cute and cuddly Nightly News closings, what good are they.

The RI State legislature, scoundrels all, is poised to pass a comprehensive bill on Climate Change which moved to the top of the list at the urging of Brown U students. I have two questions. Why are they spending RI taxpayer money to appease a bunch of temporary residents who haven't grown up enough to understand the realities of day to living beyond mom and dad’s wallet. And two, if they are so interested in climate change, how about some action on the climate of in their own State House where they are beholden to a couple of union controlled power groups. Nothing any more is about the people.

Has al Sadr all of a sudden become the most powerful man in Iraq?

For many many years I have rued the flight from cities to unnecessary suburban development. Today, rebuilding cities is more critical to better overall future living standards than ever. The big problem is that the economics of city rebuilding favors either for the rich because e they can afford it or the poor because of subsidies. We need a way for developer/builders to feel financially comfortable to build for the vital middle class. Hey, we could bundle mortgages!

Detroit existed and grew because of a lot of advantages it had that were necessary to the past, and by a now troubled industry that was over exploited by unions. This once proud city has lots of land available for reuse. But, they need an economy first.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 67. --I lay awake the morning after my breakdown. I’m worrying about how I face the people who love me. They are worrying about the person they love. I heard the door rattle and I immediately shut my eyes, feigning sleep. I heard footsteps. Little, cautious footsteps. “Hi mom.” It was Jax. I slowly opened my eyes and saw two sad eyes looking for hope in mine. I snaked my arm out form beneath the covers. And around his waist. With a lug pulled him over and up so he was now cradled by my neck, one leg on and one off the bed. How secure his presence felt to me.
“Don’t be scared my warrior!” I said and that got him smiling a little. “I needed a little tear draining last night. Think of me like a big pond of emotion and the dam wouldn’t let the water out. And all of that heavy water was starting to eat away at the dam. Well some smart person would come along and cut a slot in the top to let the water rush out and save the dam. So last night when I looked at you and Jill, it was my time to let the extra emotion out of my brain – the business and the worry about bad guys, and my love for you and Jill.”
“And, dad too?” right mom.
I turned and looked him in the eye. “And dad too”. And his arm reached around and hugged me hard. “By the way, where is dad?” I need to talk to him.
“Oh, he had to go out. He said he had some business.”

Is it stupidity or arrogance that continually drives politicians into using campaign credit cards for personal expenses. Don't they understand that foes spend thousands trying to dig up dirt. And a name on a credit card is about as good as any place to start.

And how about Gordon Brown who has hired an Elvis impersonator to juice up his campaign. A fake image of the famed glitzy dressed, overweight, pill poppin USA country boy to juice up a British campaign. Is that what politics has come down to?

The Answer:
From the London Sunday Times we have Edgar Bronfman (1.6 Bill pounds) Clive Calder (1.3), Andrew Lloyd Weber, Cameron Mackintosh, Paul McCartney, Simon Fuller (Cowell’s boss on Idol.), Mick Jagger, Elton John, Sting, Keith Richards, Cowell, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Jamie Palumbo, The Beckhams, Tim Rice, Ringo Starr, Tom Jones, Eric Clapton, Roger Ames and Roger & Barry Gibb (110 Mil pounds). I thought it was an interesting list. Incase you didn’t know Bronfman (From the Seagram‘s booze family) is Chairman of Warner Music Group and was the leading proponent against music piracy. Clive Calder, the #2 rich music man started the Zomba string of record labels (Battery, Jive, Silvertone et al) which gave the world pop stars N’ Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and R. Kelly among others..

Closing Advice:
If you meet an alien from outer space, don’t try to make conversation...they could be dangerous to your health. The brainy Stephen Hawking says that aliens are probably out there and most likely quite a bit more advanced than we. And if they come here, they aren’t coming for hugs. Rather they will look to colonize Earth, probably violently, to compensate for declines on their planet. So I guess this means there will be no National Take an Alien to Work Day.

Solve it locally.

Today's Tids Issue 2,115
Opening Stuff:

I’m moving fast this morn…so this may be an entirely inadequate version of the Tids.

Well, now that it isn’t under the Congressional blanket, the real truth about Health Care Lolla-Pelosi is emerging. First it will be far more expensive than projected. The report says it basically accomplishes very little in controlling health care costs. In fact, basically all it does is add 35 million to the rolls (Note: Tids said all along that was the only objective.) The high cost of health care may be even worse as the major cost cutting achieved in the Medicare area is “Unrealistic and unsustainable”. The report is from the Medicare Office of the Actuary. The admin will probably reject the report as too truthful.

The Prez knows how to rile old states righters like me. We know that the power of the Fed comes from the states. But our leader said yestrerday in a brief speech that could signal the beginning of yet another power grab by Big G: "If we continue to fail to action (Illegal Immigration Reform) at the federal level, we will continue to see misguided efforts at the state level." How disgusting is that? The good news is that two hours after being ridiculed by the Great Mocker, the Governor of Arizona Jan Brewer signed into law the states get tough with illegals law. Communists in Cambridge are on a rampage.
The Question:
What are the most popular free iPad Apps?

Today’s Headlines:
--Overall, New Orders For Big Ticket Items Drop Sharply; t, After Large Transportation Items, Orders Were Up Smartly For All Other Categories..
--QB Sam Bradford #1 NFL Pick; Tebow Surprises By Being Taken In First Round By Denver ; Pats Get Corner McCourtney.
--GOP Says SEC Watchdogs Were Searching Porn Sites Rather Than Monitoring X-Rated Trading Activity.
-- Greece Asks EU-IMF For Bailout.
--Bomb Kills 14 In Iraqi Cleric’s Office; Is It Dissatisfaction With Vote Recount Or Revenge For al-Qaida Killings..

Back to More Stuff:

Save you’re your old rounded brim baseball hats.

Sarah Palin Department:
--The scurrilous Joy Behar snidely asked The View guest VP Biden “What is the appeal of Sarah Palin, exactly?” She was surprised when Biden quickly answered: “After you meet her, she is a charming person. It’s hard not to like her. I say this and people look at me like I’m kidding. I like her.” --I see where Scott Brown has come out saying that he thinks Sarah Brown could be President.

When you write the headlines every day, you start to realize how little news there really is.

After reading about the new NCAA deal with CBS worth $2 Billion, try to tell me that it is all about “Student” athletes!

Since Maggie Durham needs another day in which to recover from her dramatic breakdown, there will be no “Through the Same Eyes” today.

For A good example of how PR drives the news, you doon't have to look any further than last night’s NFL draft reports. Tim Tebow was considered by most “experts” to be a marginal pro at best. Yet his pick in the first round was the major story of the night. Bigger than the first choice. Bigger than the slippage of some highly regarded prospects.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:
--The Back-up Plan is the latest in predictable romantic comedies. It will probably be important to you if you like stars Jennifer Lopez and Alex McLaughlin who play today’s cool type couple he a goat cheese maker and her a dog whisperer. Already I could care less. It is a planned parenthood jaunt that has too much weird grossness for me.
--The losers. It think the title is your first clue in this latest highly promoted formula film.

The Answer:
#1 is iBook. Then we have ABC Player, Netflix , USA Today, Weatherbug Elite, Weather Channel Max, NYT Editors Choice, NPR, The Wall Street Journal and Shazam.

The Bitter End:

I have to agree with you. This Tids sucked.

Small annoyances.

Today"s Tids Issue 2,114
Opening Stuff:

Whatever happened to Americans singing “My Country This of Thee”? I can remember when it was one of the most popular of patriotic songs. “My country, tis of thee / Sweet land of liberty. / of thee I sing. / Land where my father’s died, / Land of the Pilgrims’’ pride, / From every mountainside, let freedom ring.” What’s wrong with that? Oh, wait a minute…I see it now. God is mentioned twice in the final verse. What’s wrong with that?

This economy is having a problem getting kick-started for pretty much the same reason Supermarket profits are made or lost depending upon vegetable spoilage – Dead beets.

The Question:
An online newspaper “The Daily Beast” just released a list of the Ten Craziest Cities. What do you think they are?

The Headlines:
--Pressure On To Finish Financial regs Bill.
--Ash Still Limiting Flights In Norway And Sweden.
--Muslim Group Issues Death Threats To “South Park” Creators.
--McAfee Anti Virus Program Trips Up Computers Around The World.
--Greek Crisis Once Again Has Markets Anxious; Debt Up to 13.9% Of GDP, Ireland Higher At 14.3%. Sweden Lowest At 0.5%.
--Tim Urban Finally Ousted From Idol; Chrystal, Lee, Siobhan Look Like Three Best Of The Remaining. Casey Can Be very Good. Aaron Now Inherits Cuteness Vote.

Back to More Stuff:

What happens if stored sperm gets freezer burn?

If raccoons are supposed to be so intelligent and adaptable, how come I find so many dead ones lying in the road.

Rothlisberger, a premeditated serial rapist, couldn’t get enough suspensions if you want my opinion.

Another of my pet peeves is cross streets without street name signs.

One of the worst decisions ever made buy a Supreme Court was allowing Governments to take private property by eminent domain for the use by developers.

I’m hearing that older woman are buying the new jeans brand called “Looks like Your Skin”. I’m trying to envision wrinkled fabric.

I was surprised to see that the SC decided 8-1 in favor of nixing a law against videos showing cruelty to animals. Not that they nixed it, but that it was 8 10 1…with Bush conservative Alito being the “1”.

I woke up this morning realizing how smart I was when I replaced my McAfee Program With another package. EeeeeeHah!

Through the same Eyes: Chapter 67 continues. –“I think Jax is right. You are doing much too much considering your battle in the hospital. That stress is catching up with you. Even as magnificent as you are, you can’t do it all.”
Why does Paul love me so much? Can’t he sense anything?
I stood and walked over as six caring eyes saw me safely to my chair. I know in my heart now that something has changed with Kent. But I don’t know what to do.
“Thanks guys,” I tried to look happy. I certainly was grateful. Which only added to this immense wave of guilt that spreading over me. Rendering me practically useless. “Can I just sit here alone for a minute or so, guys? I managed. Two little heads nodded obediently. One smiled comfortingly.
I have to rebuild their confidence in me. I have never let them down.
“I have never seen you like that,” Paul stammered.
“My mind is too full of too many things.” I just couldn’t find any more words.
Maybe I should just go up to bed. And sleep. Just get away. There’s too much love in this house, and not enough from me.

I my observation of people on the left in casual non-political/ideological meetings, is that they are quite concerned about the growth and activities of the Tea Party.

I think I’m ready to understand youth’s gravitation towards drug use. It is probably the only way they can put up with some of the music of the day. I guess it depends upon which kind of insanity they are looking for.

The Answer:
You have to go to your psychoanalyst to help you understand why Cincinnati was named “Craziest City in America. Maybe they meant “Haziest” which is often the result of early morning Ohio River mist. Anyhow, the rest in order are San Fran, Providence RI, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Philly, NYC, Tucson, San Antonio and New Orleans. The “Sanest” is Salt lake City. The main ingredients determining the Craziness Scale are Alcohol, psychiatrist, stress and eccentricity.

A Small Ending:
If you are thinking that Aaron Kelley is the most likely next American Idol bootee…I have two words for you: David Archeletta. Things are never as they seem.

Honorable fraud?

Today's Tids Issue 2,113
Opening Stuff:

Attention Theo! Catching is a defensive position too!

You can call me Sulee. You can call me Nadya. But don’t call me Octomom. How about “Scotts” for fertilizer Queen? The prolific producer was on the Big O show yesterday and took major issue with the media created name Octomom. It turned into a love affair with the host and guest enabling each other. But, I have to say, that if she was being honest, Nadya Sulemon seems to have a reasonable grasp on what’s honest and good about life, (Aside from her frozen egg addiction). She seems to believe in perfect mother/child love, personal responsibility and is not out for money at the cost of loss of dignity. In other words she won’t be joining wannabees on Dancing with the Stars or Celebrity Apprentice real soon. Or taking free money from the Feds.

The real frauds may be residing on Wall Street. Lately, several knowledgeable sources are crawling out of the woodwork to say that the entire post Dot.Com bubble high growth economy of the past 10 years was based solely on fraud. Yup fraud. That’s the word they used…Fraud with a capital “F”. But, it was clever, creative, ingenious, brainiac fraud. The average con-man could not have achieved the levels of deceit perpetrated by those financial engineers. Think about the stability we could achieve for the average investor if those giant cerebrums were used for what people think they are there for in the first place?

Wandering out early in the crisp morning air, looking up to crystalline clear skies can only be described as blue-tiful.

The Question:
We watch the volcanic action in awe, but do we really know what is happening. For starters, tell me how many major layers make up the earth from center to surface. Name them.

The Headlines:
--11 Dead In Oil Rig explosion Off Coast of Louisiana; 126 Workers Appear To have Escaped; Authorities Unable To predict When Fires Will Stop.
--Chrysler Reports 4Q Loss of #3.8Bil.
--Airlines Toss $1.7 Billion Into Ashcan; Airports Opening.
--Yahoo! Reports Outstanding First Q Revenue And Earnings.
--0-Man Reaching Out To Dem/GOP Leadership As He Begins Selection Process For Supreme Court Nominee.
--Iceland Scientists Warning Of Bigger Blast from Second Volcano.
--Newly Released Poll Taken At Height Of Toyota Problem Days Says 38% Of Americans Prefer US Cars Versus 33% For Asian.

Back to More Stuff:

If you noticed a general lull settling in over the land yesterday, it wasn’t because Congress and the Prez went home. It was National Grass Day or National Take a Weed to Lunch Day or Get High with your Friends Day. Yup. It was light-up time in the marijuana patch. 420 day. I wonder if you can get paid unused sick day money for all of those 4/20’s you missed during your career.

Remember ashcans?

As you drive through upscale neighborhoods looking at architectural designed homes, it is easy to see where the home owner had much too much influence!

From what I hear, Gosselin’s axing from Dancing makes viewers happy.

Which brings me to American Idol. I started calling Chrystal “BoSox” in honor of my Boston Beloveds, but after watching the Sox versus the excellence of Bowersox, I’ll be looking for a new moniker – Perfection, hearts-a-flutter, or magnificent. I’ll just call her Maggie. That’s it! If you didn’t melt during her song’s end, then I probably don’t want to know you. Lee was again the other outstanding performer. I personally thought Siobhan was very good and particularly liked her softness at the end and would rank her #3. Big Mike was serviceable, as was Casey. Which brings us to the cute guys. Tim has some kind of magic with the voters, but was really almost artificial last night. If Aaron could start like he finishes, he might be consistently among the top 3-4. He could be the one to go tonight.

Do you know what I hate? I get mad when Spell-Check says I spelled a word correctly but they don’t know what it means, as indicated by the “No Suggestions” response in the synonym box.

This is the time when orchestras around the globe begin rehearsing one of my favorite rousers – Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 67. –For the first time since seeing Kent, I felt guilty walking into my home. My skin was tingly. When the kids ran up I hugged them like always, because kids need hugs. As I reached around and pulled as hard as I could, I heard, “Wow, mom what was that all about. Followed by a couple of exaggerated oofs! I never looked at them. Maybe that’s why kept them buried into my chest, and another woman’s bra, so I wouldn’t have to look into their eyes. I was saved by the voice of Paul coming into the room. I rose, still not looking. Their little arms went around my waist and thigh. Do they sense something?
Paul lifted my chin as he arrived and kissed me, lightly and tenderly on the lips. The way I liked it.
Then I started crying. Just balling like a war widow who had lost everything perfect in her life; everything she had ever wanted. I sank to my knees. My shoulders heaving. Nobody said a word. How could they. Maggie the magnificent was too strong to feel. Wasn’t she?
Paul and the kids, all blurs, were at my level now. Rubbing, consoling, holding. Total silence except for my gasping. My breathless sobbing.
“I think you have been working too much since the hospital, Mom.” I turned my head and looked into the consoling eyes of Jax. Caring, innocent, giving, naïve eyes. Of course there had to be an explanation for Jax. His mom would never cry.

24-um: --Lots of things put into motion. --How about Chloe now faced now being Jacks adversary, well sort of. I think she will handle it well. –But, I still wish they would bring back Edgar. --And the president looking like she was having a meltdown in her zeal to get peace at any cost. Ethan, Jack and Chloe seemed to think she was a little nutty. -- Glad they spent a little time in the beginning paying a modest tribute to Renee. --Who woulda known that Dana was the key person. --And, don't you think that other little CTU computer guy is up to something. They keep showing him with funny eye movements.

I think it is quite appropriate that the friendly Feds step in and take away our salt. You know they have actually been doing that for years…don’t you? You see, the word salary has it’s origins in the word salt. In Roman Empire days, Salt was a primary means of payment for soldiers work. Salary comes from the Latin “Salarium” – “Salt Money”.

The Answer:
There are four major layers of the Earth – Crust (Where we Live), mantle, outer core (liquid) and inner core which is at the center.

The End: 
Too many people these days seem to have boiling magma in their stomach ready to erupt. But who says eruptions have to spew fire. How about erupting into a song, or hopping on the back of grocery cart and racing through the parking lot. Use your energy well and be positive. Act like a fool and be proud of it.

Bikinis and Quakes.

Today's Tids Issue 2,112
Opening Stuff:

“Peace in the Middle East? Hah!” Department:
In the latest example of seriously brain dead leaders in the volatile Iran, a leading cleric yesterday posited that promiscuous woman cause earthquakes. His actual words -- really, honest -- were: “…many women who do not dress modestly…lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which consequently increases earthquakes.” Has Pat Robertson moved to Iran?

Of course then you have the panicky Malicki calling for a vote recount after he had lost his election bid to Allawi. If that vote is overturned, expect more mayhem of the worst kind. Peace? Hah!


Wall Street seems less worried about Goldman than about which other Bankers may be on the Fed hit list. As one stock analyst said: “There’s never just one cockroach”.

The Question:
In light of the Vatican shenanigans lately, I’m reminded of a Mark Twain quote: “The church is always trying to get other people to reform; it might not be a bad idea to reform itself a little, by way of example.” In honor of the 11th Anniversary of the great author’s de books.ath, name five of his best

The Headlines:
--Arizona Passes Tough Law That Ramp Up States Ability To Curtail Illegal Immigrant Activity.
--North Winds Blowing Volcanic Ash Back Over Britain.
--Goldman Reports $3.3 Billion First Quarter Earnings; Dem Senators Using Goldman Case To reinforce Their Drive For Passage Of Tough Walls Street Regs.
-- Strong Showing for First Quarter Earnings Reports; Market Expecting Health Jolt From Rosy Reports.
--Iraqi Authorities Verify The Killing Of Two al-Qaida Leaders.

Back to More Stuff:

Outrageous Headline of the Day Department:
“Are school lunches a national security threat?” This was based on some military officers observations that it’s harder to train overweight young people.

I was sitting in a parking lot waiting and watching people. I noticed a bunch of teens going into TJ Maxx; the boys following the girls and looking very bored. And trying to look tough and cool. Which must be hard to do these days having chosen to dress like dorks.

Speaking of male dress, the new word on 34th street is “Retrosexual”. And, believe it or not it is a movement back to fashion that makes men look like men. With men’s hair cuts from barbers instead of stylists. With suits and shoes form the late fifties. I’d better check my closet. Get ready to look decent again. Must be a Tea Party thing.

We read about the brave men who climb Everest. We weep with horror at the tragedies of those who were left to die. But, always, the Sherpa guides are there with these adventurers, just doing their job helping them up and getting them down. And now the Nepalese government is asking the Sherpa guides to clean up the mountain – remove the 300 bodies left there; pick up the tons of trash marring the mountain top. Like…Oh say…sending a team of maintenance workers out each evening to clean up Disneyland!

How come most all of the so-called “cradles of humankind” have barely progressed much beyond their cultures of 3-4,000 years ago?

Schubert’s 9th Symphony is often labeled by knowledgeable experts as “Schubert’s Great 9th.” Frankly, this absolute neophyte has to disagree. It is almost great. But I have always felt that the ending just doesn’t live up to the accolade. It has the potential to get there. It’s an emotional thing for me. And my fantasy is to know more about music to help a symphony get there some day.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 66 continues. –After what seemed like a minute but really only seconds, he looked at me and smiled, “Showers make you look more beautiful than a morning sunrise.” Then he hugged me. But this moment even after a most intense sexual romp, it didn’t feel like a loving hug. Not like it had always felt before. Something new has been inserted in between. Now in this embrace even as I feel the warmth between us growing, I wasn’t thinking of the purity of my guiltless feelings for him. I am not disregarding as I have for months my innocent family – Paul, Jax, Jill – loving me, truly without reservations. Loving me for the entire world to see. If I hadn’t come to this bathroom, would I have ever been able to break the bonds of my captivity? I released my arms from around him and pushed my hands up between our chests. “I have to go home now.” I said quietly. I could barely hear myself.
“If you must,” He countered with a tender appearing smile. Now looking into his eyes I was unsure of what I was seeing. I walked down to the living room, He held my hand as he followed. We didn’t speak. Now I wondered what he was thinking. I saw my clothes strewn upon the furniture and floor. And I momentarily remembered the feelings of it all. The wonderful exciting feelings.
“Wow” I heard him exaggerate, “We must have been crazy in love!” I turned and smiled. And I actually felt my body responding. Could I ever break away from his control? .

Not that I’m a cynic or anything, but that Fed prosecution of Goldman announcement just had to be timed to aid passage of the Wall Street Reg bill. The best regulation is to take away any and all bailout cushions.

Never known to miss a chance to attach his name to a consumer controversy and insert big government into our lives, Slick Charles Schumer has proposed the passage of a bill that would ban airlines from charging for carry-on luggage. Hey Charlie, did you ever hear about the American free enterprise economy that progressed very well with out enacted laws. Have you ever heard of the law of competitive equalization?

The Answer:
Five of his best known novels were written while he lived in Hartford Ct: Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court. You would also be “write” if you thought of A Tramp Abroad, Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven, Roughing It and The Tragedy of Puddinhead Wilson. Personally, I thought Will Rogers was funnier

A Modest Ending:

Every time I read about a climber summiting Everest, I always think if the faceless Sherpa who helped him and several before him to the top.

Where have you gone Brian Davis?

Today's Tids Issue 2,111
Opening Stuff:

You will probably be physically healthier if…you start to believe that nothing is as bad as it seems; understand that the more you take control the luckier you get; Love, enjoy and revel in little things of honesty…like flowers…like when a grocery clerk you don’t know says “Have Nice Day”; Enjoy what you have at the moment like seeing the crispy cold days of Winter as being equal to those hot sunny days of Summer or even rainy days as pleasant respites; and meet those tough personal situations head on. As the old song goes, “leave your angst on the door step and walk on the sunny side of the street.

While the Prez seems to delight in continuing his juvenile shtick of ridiculing Tea Party members*, many others on the left are beginning to honestly appraise the group for what it really is. Even leftie Barbara Boxer told Dems that they should grasp on to the type of enthusiasm expressed by Tea Party Members if they want to hold the House and Senate. Columnists are actually going out and talking to rally members, finding that they are exactly what they have always been said to be, just people who are totally fed up with the lack of honest representation in DC. This may be an example of where the truth will win out over media manipulation.

*A brand new Pew Research Center poll of US citizens says that 80% of the people don’t trust Washington, “….similar to the Tea Party”. Commentary on the poll says it is this anger that is fueling the Tea Party Movement. As one interviewee said, “The government has been lying to us for years”.

Where is Brian Davis when you Need Him Department:
With the precipitous decline in trust in leadership, wasn’t it refreshing to watch golfer Brian Davis yesterday call a two-shot penalty on himself? It only cost him his first PGA championship! Most of society these days is about you can get a way with it if nobody is looking…and that includes the Vatican. And why isn’t this act of honesty the number headline of the day?

The Question:
Remember all of the events that used to be just simple family and friends get-togethers to celebrate. Now spurred on by a service based economy focused on unnecessary want over need and the success of the out-of-control overly inexpensive wedding industry, many other events are starting to get into the too expensive to afford category. Name five.

The Headlines:
--Americans Say “Who Are They Trying To Kid” To Reports Of Recession Ending; New Poll Says Only 25% Believe Economy Is Getting Better.
--World Stock Markets Fall On Concerns About Goldman; Britain’s Brown Calls Company “Morally Bankrupt” Paving Way For Further Actions Against GS And Other European Banks.
--China Takes Steps To Curtail Emergence Of Its Own Housing Bubble.
--Iraqi Official Says Baghdad Votes To be Recounted.
--Britain To Send Warships To rescue Stranded Travelers.
--Pope Meets With Abused And Families; Through Teary Eyes, Pontiff Vows Safety fro Children; Prosecution Of Offenders.
--Kerry Underwood Wins Country Music Entertainer Of The Year.
--Toyota Set To Agree To record Fine.

Back to More Stuff:

News stories that bother me Department:
A church in Cumberland RI discovered over the weekend that somebody had stolen their six bells. These weren’t ordinary bells, but cherished bells that represent the 102 year history of the church. Bells loveingly donated by varied people including Queen Mary of England. The largest weighed 1,500 pounds. I guess I’m not surprised that some brain dead, slimeball thief would take them to melt down history and memories in to nothingness for money. What bothers me is that this is so symbolic of the I don’t care attitudes that seems so pervasive in society today – from litterers to unethical financiers, insensitive developers to ridiculing presidents, I got mine unions to sexual predator athletes.. All for me. Period. Where is Brian Davis when you need him?

The Great Mocker was out there Friday ridiculing concerned Americans in the Tea Party movement causing party enthusiasts to say that he still doesn’t get it. Oh, he get’s it. It’s just not what he wants to hear. He’s just one more god damn politician.

Goldman was simply providing the mechanism that became the means for the lefty loonies in Congress to get what they wanted – A misguided notion that anybody regardless of their ability to pay can own a home.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 66 continues. –All of sudden my languishing in perfect satisfaction came to an abrupt end. I knew Kent hadn’t taken to wearing bras. I stopped and listened for any sounds from downstairs. It was perfectly quiet. I decided to poke around. Now I reflected on some of those little differences I have noticed about Kent lately. Most noticeably was his question asking. Probing me. For what? I looked in the medicine cabinet and saw little. unusual except a bottle of Midol. I knew Kent’s wife would appear from time to time, but it was Kent who got the pain. It was definitely odd though. I quickly ran barefooted into his bedroom. It looked neat like always. In the closet I saw Kent’s compulsively hung neat slacks arranged by color tones from dark to light. I smiled at this. It was just like it should be. The second closet I opened was different. Next to the equally anal hanging of shirts were two pairs of small sized, well worn jeans. Had I seen these before?
Was that a noise? I decided it was time to get out of there. I closed both doors and scurrying quietly back to the bathroom. I took the bra and stuffed it into my robe pocket. It would not be good for him to find it hanging there knowing that I would have seen it. Better to be cautious until I find out what is actually happening here.
After a great shower, I dried vigorously, combed back my hair and opened the door. Kent was standing there. He looked past me.

I received an email full of late night comedian’s jokes about Obama, Pelosi et. al. The one I hadn’t seen read: “What is the most positive result of the “Cash for Clunkers” program? I took 90% of the Obama bumper stickers off the road.” --DL

16 year old Abby Sunderland is in the 86th day of her solo sail around the world. Her boat is in good shape in the South Atlantic approaching the midpoint between Cape Horn SA and The Cape of Good Hope Africa. She says it is very foggy and rainy, but the important news is that she is heading in the right direction! “But much too slowly!” she confides. Getting warmer and she’s happy to be back in T-Shirt and shorts. The bad news is that her Kindle broke down and she was in the middle of a good book!!

I write about a lot of disheartening crap going on in the world. But I worry most about when the Stop & Shop brand cinnamon waffles will be back in the freezer department. Life goes on in our own little ways.

I see where only 54% of weather forecasters think that Global Warming is a serious problem. In fact, over a ¼ think it is one big scam. The big news of course isn’t in the absolute numbers of today, but in the diminishment of the numbers from yesterday. Skeptics are now all of a sudden approaching mainstream status.

Do you stop to pause for second like I do when reading an Obit for doctor. Like, “Doctors get sick?...and die?” I guess it isn’t much different than “Priests abuse?” “Bankers are greedy?” or Politicians lie?” Oh wait a second on that last one.

You have to love the Dennis the Menace comic strip this morning. We see Dennis looking at one of his favorite toy cars saying, “This must be old. It says ‘Made in USA’.”

The Answer:
How about 25th and 50th Wedding Anniversaries, post funeral receptions, proms, religious events like First Communions and Bar Mitzvahs, milestone birthdays and graduations.
Some of these bills are as much as a year in college. Well, maybe not that high.

The Big Ending:

I guess the great news today is learning that 80% of Americans don’t like being fooled by the rascals in Washington. One of three things will happen: 1. They Will Change their ways. 2. They will be voted out. 3. They will find new ways to lie.

Lest we forget.

Saturday Shorts.
The Stuff:

Congress has to love the announcement about the SEC fraud persecution of Goldman. It takes the spotlight off of the real perpetrators of the mess, Congress people who inserted government into the Free Enterprise economic system extorting Banks to approve homes regardless if they could pay. But, that doesn’t make the financial community any less the idiots or irresponsible.

I’d say it is way overdo for congress to start investigating Congress on its own role in this economic catastrophe. But, all we would get is more lies and diversions. Just vote them all out, and the problem will be solved.

Think about this for a moment. How much better would Wall Street be if ethics were truly a driving force coexisting with shrewd financial dealings.

The Goldman thing and the mention of the Paulson Company made me think of the panicked Henry Paulson (No relative) during the first days of the meltdown. Remember his insecure, maniacal appearance as he rushed to the White House mikes, sweat pouting down is face. You knew just by watching him that his concern had nothing to do with the American people. He looked like a man ready to leap off the tower at 200 West Street if the ship went down. At least that is what I saw...a weak little guy without a clue.

You have to love the Dennis the Menace comic strip this morning. We see Dennis looking at one of his favorite toy cars saying, “This must be old. It says ‘Made in USA’.”

16 year old Abby Sunderland is in the 84th day of her solo sail around the world. Her boat is in good shape in the South Atlantic approaching the midpoint between Cape Horn SA and The Cape of Good Hope Africa. She says it is very foggy and rainy, but the important news is that she is heading in the right direction! The bad news is that her Kindle broke down and she was in the middle of a good book!!

One of many things thing that bothers me about critics is this. When a play, for instance, is very good, uncomplicated and thoroughly entertaining, they worry that they can’t find some deep seated, moral message in it. Get a life, you creeps.

A fanatical cult was born 44 years ago today. That was the day the Ford Mustang was introduced to the world.

“The Great Mocker” was out there Friday ridiculing concerned Americans in the Tea Party movement. Party enthusiasts took that to indicate that he still doesn’t get it. Oh, Obama get’s it. It’s just not what he wants to hear.

With all of these State legislatures running to pass anti bullying laws, you would have to expect that Obama would be the first to go.

Goodwin Liu, the University of California - Berkley legal scholar nominated for the always suspect 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, looks like a real weasel to me. Anybody when before congress who says don’t believe my writings; that isn’t the real me, is not to be trusted.

It is going to be icky today, but the TV screen will be bright!

Blowing out my mind.

Today's Tids Issue 2,110
Opening Stuff:

Somehow this Tids got away from me. It is not light and airy as fluffy sheets drying in a April sea breeze. Somehow the travesties of today’s society – Roethlisberger, ass-holes in general and the out of control spending in Washington – got the best to me. I guess every once in a while I just have to be deadly serious.

If beef tenderloin is used in a cheese steak sandwich, is it called Phillie Mignon?

“This Just In” Department:
Federal Prosecutors have charged Goldman Sachs with civil fraud over sub-prime mortgages. Earliest reports say: “The SEC's suit strikes at a practice that was one of the main causes of the financial crisis: the creation of poisonous investments derived from home loans made to borrowers who couldn't afford the houses they were buying. The suit also drags into a legal maelstrom Paulson & Co., the firm of legendary hedge fund manager John Paulson, who made billions of dollars by betting against the housing market in the years before it went bust. He and his firm have not been accused of wrongdoing.“ Lots more to come on this one. Stay tuned.

The Question:
Name five movies based on comic book heroes.

The Headlines:
--Black Cloud From Iceland Continues To Smother Air Ops In Europe.
--0-Man Says Hospitals Receiving Medicare Or Medicaid Payments Can No Longer Deny Visitation Or Power Of Attorney Rights To LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bi-Sexuals, Transgenders)
--Stocks Pull Back After Google Profits Fail To Impress.
--Israel Bans Import Of iPads; Authorities Say Strong Wireless Signal May Be Security Problem.
--DNC To Pour $50 Million Into Fall Races.
--March Shows Gain For Multi-Family Housing Starts.
--4.8 Quake Hits Utah.

Back to More Stuff:

The decline of all great civilizations like Rome and England can eerily traced to these common evolutions: --The move from the individual to the collective. –A move away from personal responsibility to reliance on state. –A move towards more government control and less individual liberty. –Higher taxes and higher debt. --A move away from education and the arts towards military and war.

Outrage Department:
The just released police info on the most recent Roethlisberger travesty shows this giant football player to be more of a monster than the DA’s reluctant refusal to prosecute might indicate. In fact the info indicates a pattern for a well-oiled pimping operation. Apparently, the slimeball and his strong arms enter a bar and set up a base of operations in one section. Big Ben eyeballs the kids, in this case underage girls drinking, and sends the boys out to round up a handful to join them. They are the force fed shots all in the guise of good bar fun! Yippee. Apparently, at least in this case, the wobbliest is dragged to the men’s room soon to be joined by Ben. Shouts of “No!” don’t count. And Michael Vick gets 3 years for dog fighting!

I walked into a rest room at a fairly decent restaurant last night and noticed that the sink faucet was running full Blast. And it got me thinking about how much money businesses have to spend to protect themselves from the ass-holes of the world. And the irony of it all is that when something goes wrong as it invariably does when ass-holes are involved, it’s the ass-hole who gets the media sympathy. And maybe even a reality show!

And, I would never watch the Trump “You’re Fired” show simply because he enabled Blago. Who’s he going to have on next…Roethlisberger?

Providence Journal editorial this morning commenting on lavish public employee benefits, salary and extras like enormous unused sick day payouts, said: “And, it’s no wonder that Rhode Island’s state and local governments are in financial trouble. Practices that would have bankrupted private businesses continue in the public sector as if money were no object.” “As if money were no object.” That’s the attitude in Greece and one increasingly more pervasive in this US of entitlement.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 66 continues. –I looked over my shoulder as I ran into Kent’s house just behind him. My emotions were entirely out of control. Maggie was melting fast. Before we had taken a step inside the back door, I grabbed his arm and pulled him around so he was facing me. I looked up into his stony face. I wrapped my arms around him. He didn’t know what hit him as I kissed him hard. My tongue seeking his flitting in and out. My knees were weak with anticipations. I felt him coming alive. I ground into him. Lifted me up and practically flung me down to the massive sofa. At once we were savages. Out of control. Seeking. Grabbing. Satisfying.
I lay there gazing at the ceiling. I was so much one with the soft pillows beneath my partially nude body. My heart had finally slowed. I wanted to fall into a deep sleep, but my body wouldn’t let me. I turned over to caress Kent. But he didn’t respond. He was far away in the sleep of wonderful exhaustion.
I rose up upon my elbows and looked down the erotic scene, my legs askew, my skirt rumpled up. I smiled and remembered again. I finally sat on the edge of the sofa, smoothing down my skirt and neatening my blouse. Now I was achingly thirsty. One of Kent’s Diet Cokes even sounded good. As I entered the kitchen, I noticed something seemed different. Maybe he has a new cleaning woman I thought. I popped a can, and walked to the upstairs’ bathroom to clean up. Maybe I’ll take a shower I thought. I closed the door. I saw a bra hanging there on that hook at the top.

Isn’t ironic that European banks who basically scammed the people of Iceland and were expecting payback, got a black cloud instead…similar to the one under which they placed the financial security of good people who never knew what hit them.

For all of you concerned about the recent rash of giant earthquakes and the possibility that the entirety of the earth crusts are shifting, don’t. We had they same amount of big quakes in 2005. 5 and above quakes aren’t that unusual, they are just reported more now, and occur in centers of greater populations.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:
--Keeping up with the Jones looks like a winner to me. Demi and David (Moore and Duchovny) star as actors planted along with actor perfect teen children in a gated community neighborhood by marketers. The movie is one wonderful satire of over wrought consumerism. This “Perfect Family” buys everything and does every thing and soon the neighboring wanabees are aching to catch up or even surpass. It is viral marketing at its cleverest. I’m looking forward to it.
--Kick-Ass looks like a winner for followers of comic book based movies. This son of classics like Spiderman and Batman features a pint sized, foul mouthed (I can do without foul mouth preteens, thank you) preteen girl schooled in the art of weaponry and a hapless, scrawny high schooler suspected of being gay by the girl he desires. He, with absolutely no skills or superpowers decides to go into the superhero business hoping to impress said dream gal. He is soon joined by foul-mouth girl and her dad an ex cop out for vengeance against drug dealers. It works because the director plays it for what it is, sarcasm. Go, Nicholas Cage is in it and he needs the money for his foreclosed string of mansions.
--Death at a Funeral looks like a winner for those who like farcical slapstick as played by Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence and Tracy Morgan. This is actually a remake of a still-alive on DVD British film of the same name. It’s really about the outrageous mishaps of an extended family getting together at the funeral of the family patriarch. Frankly, it looks so-so to me judging by the promo trailers. But, should do well at the box office.

That announcement by 0-Man about LGBT hospital rights says it all. The Government doesn’t need the Public Option to orchestrate health care. They just need to keep making Medicare and Medicaid payments to control the activities of all in the Health Care biz. My dad always said never take anything form the Government. On second thought though, since we the people are supply all of the money for the twin “M’s”, maybe we the people should have the greater say in the operations of health care. Makes sense to me.

I see where 0-Man is playing the JFK card again…announcing a trip to Mars by 2025, or some date far enough away from his reign that he will never be held accountable for it. One noted expert, Social Scientist Martin Gross, after hearing that says that he has determined that Obama must have some form of ADHD (He also blames Bush’s financial naïveté for the looming deficit catastrophe.). He notes that while the Americans continue their despondency over joblessness and declining value of assets among other economic goblins, The President is jumping into fantasy land with a mars mission. He notes that Obama has always shown little focus and is an opportunistic flitter. Gross has testified numerous times before Congress on “government inefficiency” and is a NYT’s best Selling Author – “National Suicide: How Washington is destroying the National Dream A to Z”, “The Political Racket”, “The Conspiracy of Ignorance” and “The End of Sanity”. Gross saves his harshest words for the piling up of the deficit saying “that if we can’t stop this worst administration in history the debt now at $11 trillion will balloon even beyond Obama’s own scary estimates of $21 Trillion by 2020. And, he says that there is no way to stop it short of citizen’s revolt and the dissolution of both parties.

A new scientific study says the brain can only really handle effectively two situations or tasks at a time.

The Answer:
The movies that came quickest to me were Superman, Batman and Spiderman. Then there is Ironman, The Green Lantern, The Lone Ranger, Daredevil, Hulk, Blade, Hellboy and Phantom. What ever happened to Captain Marvel. Shazam!

Off to the Weekend:

Doesn’t anybody get mad any more? Woods will go back to making another billion or so. Roethlisberger will continue to throw game winning passes to the cheers of fawning fans. Blago will receive sympathy from the enabling reality show audiences. And Congress will continue to screw us. Other than that, have a great weekend.

What would Abe think?

Today's Tids Issue 2,109
Opening Stuff:

Is there anything better than smelling super clean sheets hung out to dry on a crisp, sunny, breezy April day! That’s the way I felt yesterday and long into the night after spending a few hours walking upon rolling, greening hills above a white capped churning sea. Like a clean sheet. Like my body was cleansed of 4 months of winter’s indoor air.

If I lived in one of those neighborhoods that banned outdoor clothes lines, I’d move!

Abraham Lincoln died 145 years ago today. It got me thinking…what is a Republican supposed to be anyhow? Or a Democrat for that matter. After all, the spinners and media experts have muddled the meaning and Raison d'être for both parties. The reason it seems confusing today is because it has always been confusing. Today the Dems say they are the party of Jefferson. Yet, it was the Jefferson Democratic-Republican party that served as the basis for the Republican party. It was the originally the Jeff D-R’s against the Hamilton Federalists. Around the time of Monroe many federalists broke away to join Republicans (Called Whigs) in a unified party that coalesced against a formalized Andrew Jackson Democrat party. Today, the parties are more defined by their extreme Liberal and Conservative sides. The official GOP was founded in 1854 and focused against slavery. They became a combination of Northeast evangelicals and northwest agriculturalists. The three influences on the party were: 1.The change from the Calvinist view of predestination to individualism -- people finding there own salvation. 2. The Whigs brought a view of industry protectionism. 3. The third most important influence was “Nativism” – the concern about an influx of paupers with ties to the Vatican and out of control immigration to work in the more industrialized urban areas.

John McPhereson informs us that the one thing a woman doesn’t want to hear from her blind date while walking hand in hand down Main Street. “Hey, I made that license plate.”

TheQuestion:
Now we know that Abe died 145 years ago today. What famous atheist existentialist died 30 years ago today? What is paradoxical about him?

The Headlines:
--Volcanic Ash From Iceland Shuts Down London’s Heathrow; US Flights Put On Hold.
--Unemployment Claims Rise Unexpectedly For Second Straight Week; Market Drifting.
--Battles Waging In Congress Over New Wall Street Regs.
--Russia Suspends All Adoptions To US Families.
--6,000* Tea Partiers Join Sarah On Boston Common Footsteps Away From Original Tea Dumping.
--Tea Party Marks Taxation Without Representation Day With Big Rally In The Town they Love To Hate.
--New AP-GfK Poll** Have Obama Favorability Lower And Higher resistance TO New Health care.
*Boston Globe Estimate.
**The AP Poll Above At 49% is also the average for 8 polls. Fox News Poll, the earliest in the latest average segment 4/5 to Present, has “0’s” lowest numbers at 43. Note: The Fox number is similar to CBS-NYT in previous poll segment at 44% taken just prior to the Fox poll. CBS is now at 50%.

Back to More Stuff:

Speaking of Poll numbers, if I were the GOP, I would not get overly excited about touting the bad economy as their main message for a hopeful November takeover. There are signs that it could backfire in the 6 months remaining. Better issues are the mounting debt, one sided Government, declining American value system and the end of the Bush tax cuts.

Talk about gold rushes…you ain’t seen nothing like what you are going to see in the coming months on Wall Street. The banks are starting to hire again, and the word is a out that bonus promises will be near astronomical as the big players try to woo back “Masters of the Universe”

Bumper Sticker: “Except for ending slavery, Facism, Nazism and Communism, war has never solved anything.”

Poor Katie. I could see it coming, because it appears that the voters like the so called cute guys. (Or as one reader replied yesterday to my “Too cute to go” comment with – “As in Too big to fail?”) You just have to hope that Siobhan and BoSox are in the top 2 or 3. Just for some variety over the increasingly annoying drone of all the men. While have I always liked Katie for her bright and upbeat aura, and certainly for the voice, I had this sense that she wasn’t as natural while performing. At times her emotions exhibited a staged appearance.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 66 continues. –Kent didn’t look as friendly as he tried to sound. But I was answering his questions. Why shouldn’t, I thought. Then I realized what I had just said to myself. Before I would never have thought anything even remotely negative about what Kent said or did. But, at this moment I was wondering. I even noticed a flicker of out of character concern when I mentioned Henry and my thoughts about Laura, the niece.
Out of the nowhere he burst out, “I met Laura once at a restaurant while she was there with her uncle. I even thought of having her over to interview as my cleaning person. I guess it was a good idea that I didn’t. What do you think?”
Why did he tell me that? “It appears that you used your brilliant mind well and made your usual sound judgment,” I answered in a joshing manner. His foot crept further up my thigh and I shuddered. Strangely though, it didn’t stop me thinking about new reservations.
I continued to question, now spurned on with this new information. “What kind of person is she when she isn’t acting the churlish teen?”
“Oh, she is almost pleasant at times.” He said very quickly. And then again abruptly, “Almost finished with that sandwich?” He looked deeply into my eyes. And I felt that incredible yearning, even as he removed his foot.”

Why is it easy for me to believe that the union dominated Admin is behind all of this negative Publicity about Japanese cars. Like how much PR did you see about the recently proclaimed “Worst built car in America” – The Cadillac Escalade.

In reviewing Tea Party affairs newspapers invariably used the expression the “Conservative Tea Party Movement”, hoping obviously to lump them in the extreme or radical categories. It would be more accurate ( Accuracy is probably too much to ask from today’s’ highly agenda-ized “journalist”) if they said citizens for a return to common sense in America.

Every Census commercial I see just makes me madder and madder. They represent to me much of what is wrong with America. In your face assaults on American values and principles. For instance the most recent TV travesty showed what first to be a segment of our people in a city happily going about their chores and a daily activities. But, as the Camera pulled back the glimpse of a white grandmother type was soon overwhelmed by a total black populous with the announcer saying, “be sure to fill out your census or your Government won’t give you money.”

The Answer:
The famous French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre died April 15, 1980. He became a Marxist, but rejected much of communism especially with regard to its restrictions on the individuality of people. He was an avowed atheist yet he “Claimed that religion remained with him as an emotional commitment. He used religious writings and tended to regard religion in a positive light.” Three of his more famous quotes are; --“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.” –“Hell is other people.” –“Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you.”

The End:
I wonder what Sartre would have thought about the Census commercials?