"Walk Away Renee"

Today's Tids Issue 2,107
Opening Stuff:

24-um: Noooooooooooooooo! Not Renee. One of my favorite characters (With excellent acting by Annie Wersching BTW), wiped out in seconds. I was looking forward to she and Jack taking care of each other at series end. Walking hand in hand into the sunset. But no, she gets a slug in the gut. And, our favorite bewildered computer analyst gets a promotion. Must be a union seniority thing. Disgraced President Logan came back, and while he made a compelling case for his desire for rehab (Ala Woods and Rothlisberger) he just has to have some sleazy plan in his mind. Last night was gripping. Just six episodes to go. What do I do next year?

In a remarkable cultural turn-about, it was announced yesterday that President Barack Obama of the USA did not win a Pulitzer Prize. He immediately cancelled the remaining sessions of the Nuke Summit.

The Question:
Tell me everything you know about Pierre de Coubertin. Or at least one thing!

The Headlines:
--China Shows Signs Of Joining Sanctions Against Iran.
--Admin Provides More Positive Outlook For Deficit.
--February Trade Deficit Widens Unexpectedly To $39.7 Billion.
--London’s FTSE 100 Up; US Market Futures Lower.
--Twitter To Roll Out Advertising Revenue Generating Model Today.
--Consumer Reports Labels Lexus GX460 “Unsafe”; Higher Priced SUV Susceptible To Rollovers.
--Recession Economic Reports: Recession Still Not Over; Hardest Hot Areas Improving.

Back to More Stuff:

In other Pulitzer news, I was particularly happy to see Kathleen Parker win for the “Commentary” category. And, for the first time ever a couple of On-Line operations won. I think I’ll send in the Tids for Next Year’s awards. You never know.

Is The US destined to be the Next Greece Department:
Here’s a small example from the RI state legislature that could become pervasive across our land…and it’s all about the growth and arrogance of labor under the 0-Man admin…just like Greece. Last Friday afternoon at 4:30 the budget had an element which have the state workers contributing 15% against their benefit’s costs. When it was announced at 8:30 to the public that clause had vanished. According to sources, apparently a major national AFL-CIO honcho stopped by to remind our leaders of the fate of Jimmy Hoffa. Why do state workers in the US and Greece somehow feel they live on another planet not governed by the rules of economics.

I keep trying to get interested in Dancing with the Stars, but honestly, I just can’t get through the glitz. Just too much make-up, dyed hair and giddiness for this simple minded observer. All I can say is that it appears there will be no stopping the ice skater – Evan Lysacek. But then, why wouldn’t a figure skater know how to put on a great choreographed performance with good technique.

Old time actor Victor Mature once said: “Hollywood is a place where the stars twinkle until they wrinkle”!

The Tids economic/financial advisor continues to remind me that the recession was caused primarily by people buying houses far beyond their ability to pay, money hungry banks letting them get away with it and financial geniuses creating products that gave the bankers an appearance of safety. And it all started with someone telling people who couldn’t afford it that the American Dream can be yours for a song. And that was the Birth of the Blues!

Most observers feel that the Georgia prosecutor Bright was dying to bring down Rothlisberger. Now it is up to the NFL to come down hard on the latest amoral sports thug. Closer to home, two Providence College young sport’s thugs (PC Basketball Freshman Basketball players) decided a couple of nights ago that it would be loads of fun to go out on the street, stop the first person they saw and beat the crap put of him or her. They did just that. For absolutely no reason, they just grabbed this unsuspecting student and pummeled him.

Here’s why Africa probably doesn’t stand a chance despite how many celebs travel there for photo-ops (Although some with sincere desires to contribute.) the Sudan had an election yesterday and the result was the a win for the President Omar al-Bishar currently under indictment for war crimes in Dafar that took over 2,000,000 lives. This election was to have had some promise for peace in the region. But intimidation and and elimination of candidates in various regions turned the so-called “Free Election” into just one more dictator led farce. And the point is, that this kind of intimidation goes on throughout the Dark Continent.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 66. –I was apprehensive like a school girl as I anticipated my “date” with Kent. Most of the time up til now we have just fallen into these little rendezvous. But this time he asked to meet me and I had to arrange my day to do it. Also, things have changed a lot since my accident. I have seen another side of Paul, the side I always hoped was there but had never seen. Or perhaps, had never consciously felt the need to look for it. I had -- even before our marriage -- been easily carried along by life’s flow. And there had been nary a dam along the way or even a water fall. Just a fast moving stream. Two beautiful, wonderful children. A terrific boss and a career that exploded. And a wonderfully witty husband who felt as comfortable as my favorite jeans. But Kent, made me different. He forced me look at my life from many new angles. Even though at the time I didn’t realize was doing it. I am not confused, but confused about why I am not. I wrap my arms around Paul as perfectly natural event and never think that there may have been something wrong about my previous two hours in Kent’s bed. So, here I am. Standing and feeling smaller as I look at Marie’s.
Kent was reading as I walked inertly towards his table. He looked up as I started to sit, “Why, hello Sarah/Maggie.” He smiled and looked into my soul. And I felt his glance awaken my body just as it had always done before.

Is there a bigger crock, a bigger boondoggle in this universe than “Unused Sick Days” that demand payouts in the multiple thousands…for what? Doing what all healthy people do, come to work and earn a paycheck. This is the kind of stuff that had Greece on the edge of bankruptcy.

The Answer:
Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the modern day Olympics and the first president of the IOC. Pierre was a French aristocrat interested in education. He was an extremely bright young student and had many career paths open to him. But he chose a path of Intellectual Curiosity and Education. It was education that drove him to the Olympics. On tours of better schools in Europe and England he noticed the contributions planned physical activities and sports to a student’s moral and social strength. He observed that while the French education was superior from an intellectual point of view, it was totally devoid of of any physical activity. As a history major he also was concerned that France was not physically up to the armies of Germany and England and other adversaries. He became addicted to the possibilities of athletic achievement in society. Out of this came the Olympics we enjoy today.

End Stuff and a Song for Renee:

You would have to wonder what Coubertin would think of the current rash of sports thuggery?

Just a little warning. After May 17, my vacuum will become your vacuum. The Tids will shut down for a short while in honor of the passing of “24”.

"Walk away Renee"


And when I see the sign that
points one way
The lot we used to pass by
every day

(Chorus):

Just walk away Renee,
You won't see me follow you back home
The empty sidewalks on my
block are not the same
You're not to blame

From deep inside the tears that
I'm forced to cry
From deep inside the pain I
I chose to hide

Now as the rain beats down
upon my weary eyes
For me it cries

Your name and mine inside
a heart upon a wall
Still finds a way to haunt me,
though they're so small