Behind the fluff.

Today's Tids  (#2552)
Opening Stuff:


Every morning I enjoy listening to interviews of European financial analysts. (Yeah, I know, borrrring). But we get so much news about everything filtered through media, it's informative to listen to what the people on the scene say. Cutting thorough all of the ups and downs of the daily news, Europe is coming down to this. Greece is still the tip of a titanic like ice berg. And Greece will get worse as its main source of jobs, the Government, is forced to make cuts to meet the demands of lenders. Portugal is looking like Greece, but Spain may be the real problem being too big for a bailout. European financial analysts are now reluctantly resorting to the American phrase, "Kicking the can down the road" as the best way to describe the reality of the progress. The up shots: The healthy countries are talking to each other about getting the losers out of the Euro. The Euro will continue to fall against the dollar; resulting in a run up of the US trade deficit as exports from Germany get cheaper. And like a seasonal, allergy it will continue to irritate Wall Street.

As far as I can see, the New IPad is basically a figment of the Eye-magination. The IPad 2 is perfectly acceptable for the majority of people. The HI Rez of the "New" does not make the "2" look bad at all. Most people can't do anything more on the new one than they are already doing on the 2. It's like my watching the big HD TV screen and then going to another room to watch on the 25 year old Sony -- no significant satisfaction change to me. It's like buying a house on the ocean for the view, and then a year later often not noticing that the ocean is there.

Congrats to the Brown U Women's Ski Team for winning the NCAA Slalom championship and for second place in the Giant. Come to Providence and watch them practice on College Hill...avoiding buses and tourists. Excuse me, I like to cheer the locals. It's part of my DNA.

One of those things that has haunted me over the years is Francis or Frances?

The Question:

Quickie "Q" Plus:1. One of my favorite acting performances ever was by a newcomer to me playing a car dealer in the frozen north-land. Who was the actor and co-star and what was the movie? 2. One of the most prolific songwriters was Neil Sedaka. Name five tunes.

The Headlines:

--Retail Sales Up; Market waiting For Godot -- I Mean Bernanke; S&P 500 At 4 Year High.
--Political Eyes On Alabama And Mississippi.
--Arab League Accuses Syria Of Crimes Against Humanity.
--NYC Police Chief High In Polls After Muslim Flap.
--US Drone Attacks Kill 16 Alleged Militants In Pakistan.
--Iraqi Death Squads Target Gays And Emos (Men Who Dress In Distinctive Western Influenced Style)
--Former World News Editor Rebekah Brooks Re-Arrested.

I read a column this morn that doesn't surprise me at all. In fact, it verifies much of what The Tids has observed the past several years that so much of the news is publicity driven. The proliferation of news outlets combined with tighter reins on Newspaper personnel leaves the door wide open for other people generating and writing the "news". And the other people are Public Relations people hired by governments, groups and businesses who want to control what is read and seen. Check out these facts: In 1980 there were about 45 PR workers per 100,000 and 36 journalists. In 2008 it was 90 PR to 26 journalists. And that doesn't take into consideration the slews of amateurs hammering stuff out to the Net. Be careful about what you believe.

Where there's smoke there's Fire, Department:
The White House slipped out a report from one of their Economists late last week that issued a warning of slow growth going forward. They indicated that it would be slower than what the US has enjoyed for decades. I happen to agree, and we have talked often the past several years about paradigm change going on with middle class wage opportunities. We've noted how globalization eventually tends to level all waters. So, this admission is quite significant, and probably very accurate considering that bad news in an election year is not good for candidates. But, the WH economists see the truth and the Politicos are getting out the forecast preemptively, probably to reset the bar lower. I'm thinking this is maybe the Department of Education running the campaign now -- You know, lower the standards and everybody starts looking pretty great.

After the outburst by American Airlines nutty flight attendant, there was the typical knee jerk reaction for new laws that would require mental testing of Airline employees. I suggest they test Youth League Sports coaches first. And, for that, matter, kids parents.

I have a lot of fun during the year poking fun at experts..mainly in sports, politics, finance. Now there is a new website called Pundit Tracker. It will track the predictions of the political talking heads, as well as people like Jim Cramer and even Oscar prognosticators. Could be fun, and even informative. The site may be a little lightweight, but it's a good idea.

This could be the year of US City bankruptcies. And that's exactly what kicking the financial can down the road will get you every time. Often, band-ades can't hold back the blood.

As I was watching Tiger Woods packing up and leaving the golf course Sunday, I'm thinking he got a text on the 12th hole; "Your playing like crap. Use the old ankle injure ruse and come over for an exciting afternoon. You'll like what I'm wearing" Now we know why he was limping.

I can't think of anything more that I would want to do less than this supposed new exercise fad,"Stationary Bike Racing". All work and no scenery. Help me.

According to a very knowledgeable source, Iran's game plan for nuclear development appears based on the North Korea playbook. This is the combined opinions of both NK and Iran watchers -- Agree. Buy time. Renege. And then do it all over again. Iran is also considered buy close observers to be saner than it appears. There threat gives them a degree of control but the reality is that they recognize that launching --and launching is the operative word here -- The Bomb is pressing the button that result in their own annihilation. This is not their objective. The nuclear deterrent strategy lives.

The Answer:

1. I loved William Macy in Fargo. And was there a better co-star than Frances McDourmand? 2. Sedaka was kind of a happy but goofy little singer but he could write songs. He has written or co-written (Mainly with Boyhood pal and lyricist Howard Greenfield) over 500 songs! Yikes! Some of Sedaka's (He was Edye Gorme's cousin) best that he sang were were Oh Delilah, Stairway to heaven, Calendar Girl, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Bad Girl and Next Door to an Angel. He also wrote, Who's Sorry Now, Where the Boys Are, Love Will Keep us Together, Laughter in The Rain and That's When the Music takes Me. Enough.

I have a little bit of the White House within me. That's why I'm tucking my Final 4 picks down here: Baylor, Wisconsin, Michigan State And Kansas.

Thanks to Hyat Alvi, Ed Fitzpatrick and assorted London analysts.