Just do it...right.

Today's Tids Issue 2,177
Opening Stuff:

I was gong to start this Tids with an imaginary fantasy -- calling up icy winds from Canada North to cut though the suffocating Summer heat. I wanted to herald the joy of a sensible Fall that begot an early Winter. A time for the rejuvenation of sagging bodies and new stimulation for sluggish brain cells depressed by unyielding heat and humidity. But then I thought, this wouldn’t be fare to vacationers and all of those businesses that rely on oppressive heat and burning sun for economic survival. Wait one minute, do we want an economy based on weather?

If the US government was run by Netflix, everybody would probably be pretty happy. The company is efficient, understanding, flexible, creative and tough where it has to be. In fact if the phone companies, cable networks and Wall Street were also as good as Netflix, the entire country would be in pretty good shape.

Year after year, The British Open is one of the best sporting events. It savors tradition while maximizing competition with an undercurrent of civility. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could capture the same levels of honesty, responsibility, ambition, perfection, determination and understanding in the general society?

Conspiracy Theory Department:
It was pretty obvious that 0-Man, The Great Mocker, delighted in using Goldman Sachs as his punching bag as he made a case for the Financial Reform bill. The day that the Bill passed and became ready for his signature, the Justice Department came down with a slap on the wrist fine for the financial giant – a fine that would easily be paid with the funds from two days trading. No fraud charges. No jail time for scammers. No new restrictions on bad behavior. Yes Goldman, the second largest contributor to 0-Man, came out of a mess that left average people struggling, stronger and richer than ever. And the new law…a big joke. It doesn’t even mention the thieves at Freddie and Fannie. There is nothing in it that the “Too Big’s” won’t be able to circumvent after a few hours, or at least days of studying. Meanwhile the average American will find it tougher to get credit while facing increased bank fees. Yup, it pays to contribute to this administration…this congress.

The Question:
In 1960, 50 years ago, Good jobs across the demographic spectrum were plentiful and well paying. Name the Fortune 500 top 10 then.

The Headlines:
--Economist Says Slow Recovery Continues.
--Abortion Foes Win Big One In Health care Overhaul; 0-Admin Grumbling Over Loss Of Funding For Murder In Insurance Pools for Needy.
--BP Says $ Billion Spent To Date.
--Overseas Stocks Down After Friday Debacle In US Markets.
--Tid’s Corporate Pension Plan Strategy fails For 457th Consecutive Week As Powerball Selection Falls Flat.

Back to More Stuff:

Hank Cochran, one of the great songwriters of America, died Friday night after The Tids went to press. He wrote #1 hits for Eddie Arnold, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, George Straight…well…all of the greats of Country Music. He never used the “F” word, advocated shooting cops or beating up yo woman. He wrote about the heartbreaks of love and the joy of living. He made you cry. He made you smile. He kept you humming. It was music that all of the family could enjoy.

It Has been 41 years since a young woman named Mary Jo Kopechne died tragically in an unfortunate act of gross negligence where nobody was ever brought to justice for her death.

I see where 0-Man is loving his cocoanut ice cream up on the Maine coast during his vacation. It must be an Indonesia thing. It’s tough to rid your self of things learned as a child.

BTW, the media types are lauding the Prez for the relatively small amount of vacation days he has taken since being in office. I think it is because he can’t stand to be away from potential face time on TV.

I have no trouble blaming the entire Gulf oil spill on a Government that forced oil companies to operate in areas a mile or more below the surface of the ocean.

I wasn’t surprised at all with the 250+ drop in the Dow Friday, July 16. It happens just about every July 17th when there is uncertainty or instability in the Market. And always after things are looking positive in recent weeks. Check it out.

Pelosi (For about 30 minutes) was the main attraction at a $1,000/plate dinner at the Jamestown RI seaside home of the CEO of the Princeton review. A crowd gathered with many signs like “Wait Til November”, “Poster Child for Out of Control Government” and “Next year you’ll be Flying Commercial.” But, it was a guy with a megaphone in a boat that said it best : “Was a half an hour worth $1,000? (She apparently didn’t hang.) If that doesn’t describe the overspending government, I don’t know what does. Of course many of us would have spent $2,000 to have her not show.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 83 continues. –“What’s the word of the day. Henry” I said cheerfully as I walked in. I looked in the back room facing the from door as I passed by and saw that Murph sitting there, not looking very brave at all. Not the fearsome Murphy I heard about from Richie Holden and his friends.
In answer to my owning query. Henry’s eyes flicked towards the sad looking Sam Murphy. “I’m about to let him go. I brought him in to talk more about Laura.” He smiled a knowing smile. “It seems he didn’t know this Laura well. She had never gone to school with him or any of the kids. She just showed up one day at their local hangout and went for him. He told me, “She sure knew a lot more about sex than the girls in school. Like she was older or something.” He smiled a lot when he said that.
“Henry, you do a bad imitation of a teen.” I laughed and he turned a little red. Any how, this kid has a lot more information now that he is out from under the spell of Laura. He remembers seeing her a couple of times with an older, “A smart looking guy” he said.
“Well, we know that was her uncle Bromski.”
“No it wasn’t, Henry continued. “He said he knew her Uncle and this guy wasn’t him. He said he looked like a guy who might be working at the same place as her uncle.”
Kent? I thought. No, it wouldn’t be Kent.

Remind me to cancel my subscription to the Princeton Review.

Criminal charges against BP would be a travesty, especially in light of the Gov allowing G-S to get off scott-free (Believe me $550 Mil is scott-free to that money machine) with no hint of criminal fraud charges.

The Vatican is looking dumber than Congress these days as they tie a new doctrine against child predator priests with a ban on women in the priesthood. Why can’t “august governing bodies just do things right. What bothers me most here is that the "V" apparently didn't have enough support to vote for a regualtrion that would ban monster priests. They had to compromise.

Don’t you just love the modern America, watching dads walking the dog with their young daughters and sons…teaching them how to pick up poop with plastic bags! What a great future!

The Answer:
Today, Wal-Mart is number one. In 1960 it was GM, Standard Oil, Ford, GE, US Steel, Mobil, Gulf Oil, Texaco, Chrysler, Swift & Company, AT&T, Dupont, Bethlehem Steel, Amoco, Westinghouse Electric, Armour, General Dynamics, Shell, Boeing and General Foods.

It was a pleasure watching the calm and cool of British Open Champ Wusthazen… Orsthizen… Ousthuzer… Usthosen… Oosthuizen – Louis Oosthuizen. Congratulaions champ.