Today's Tids Issue 2,750
Opening Stuff:
 
I walk the docks of Winter. Icy waters lapping at pilings. A lonely mooring appearing to drift with the incoming tide. I walk the empty piers hoping to see the head of a seal pop through the glassy surface. A smiling face with big eyes, happily looking for breakfast neath our quiet harbor's rippling wavelets. Now staring wide-eyed at me. A quick splash that surprises me. Just as I surprise this stranger by looking back. There is a sense of recognition, curiosity, as two of God's creatures meet for a precious moment. The chill disappears into the warmth of friendliness.

Prediction Department:
The worst lawmaking always occurs under the clouds of hysteria following an emotional event: The Feds will be quietly burying Exec orders and NY will be redacting their new gun law in two years. if not sooner.

The Question:
Double "Q" day -- 1. Who was Conrad Bain? What happened to the rest of the people he was associated with in his most notable role? 2. Where was Kieth Urban born?

The Headlines:
--Brokers Seeing Sunshine Today; Stocks Up Solidly.
--Citi Reports Big Earnings Miss.
--New Analysis Show Emerging Economies Out Performing US; Investors Getting Mixed Signals About US Growth.
--Pakistan Worries Of "Soft" Coup By Activist Cleric.
--Nations Confounded Over Proper Strategy To Respond To Algerian Raid; al-Qaida related Group Says Raid In Response To French Mali Attacks.
--Notre Dame's Manti Te'o Is Latest Sports Prevaricator; Some Deem Former Heisman Candidate Most Creative.

So, what will "O" do about the 7 Americas being held hostage in Algeria? Wait for the French, the french of all people, to act?

Conference Championship Picks, Department:
Baltimore or New England. New England or Baltimore. God, is my churning stomach in pain again. Baltimore has the Pats number. Especially in Playoff games. Baltimore is mad about last year's AFC Championship loss. Baltimore is playing really well right now. Flaco is a winner with a strong arm. The Pats will win, because I am a homer. In addition, Brady is focused. NE has a terrific Offensive Line. The defense is much better than last year and earlier in this year when the Ravens beat the Pats. I feel it in my bones. Now Atlanta-SF is another story. Frankly I just can't get a feel for Atlanta. SF with another Harbaugh leading the way, is the glamor team with the cool running QB who can also throw rockets. Atlanta is at home like the Pats. Turner is a tough runner for the Falcons, and Ryan surprised everybody with his cool under pressure comeback last week. And the winner is just not popping out of my brain. I gotta pick SF. So far this Playoff Picks Season, the Mighty Tids Sports Department is 4W, 4L.

There are 132,656 (+/-) K-12 schools in the USA. There have been in the last several decades, what...3 or 4 mass in-school shootings? Add a policeman, 132,656 policemen, and what do you get? Thousands and thousands of policemen playing Free Cell from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. An Ohio school decided to arm janitors. Think about that statement for a while -- "Armed Janitors". Most of the solutions to big problems these days are ones that circumvent the real solutions, solutions that may infringe on Taboo subjects -- like reorienting mental healthcare. Any body who doesn't agree that the Newtown tragedy was the result of one disturbed person is basically mindless. Unfortunately laws designed to protect mentally ill patients do not protect the innocent. But, if I was issuing executive orders, I'd be issuing them to Health and Human Services.

American Idol debuted for the 12th year last night, and I think they could be in trouble with two divas who spend most of their time on screen hating each other. Randy Jackson will not be able to get a word in edgewise, and because the new Judge threesome, Manaj, Carey and Urban are being paid a combined $38 Million!!, you know the cameras will be mostly on their antics. Hopefully they will show some good performances along the way. It will be tedious to watch. And I have enjoyed Idol for several years now. The easy to imagine the producers replacing Ryan Seacrest with Jerry Springer.

There's a warning creeping around the Internet about the Cheesecake Factory entree -- yummy batter sauteed shrimp over linguini in a cream sauce -- which weighs in at 3,120 calories. Sounds about right to me.

It seems that all wars in the future will be more political than military, which means nothing will ever be accomplished.

Men might just as well go back to Hunting and protecting the homestead. In a new report on Hedge Funds, women are outperforming men by a wide margin. Last year, Hedge Funds run by women produced a 8.95% return while all funds world-wide delivered a comparatively anemic 2.69% Yikes.

Live by the IPhone; Die by the IPhone. The Apple dilemma.

A reader suggests that we have a new majority in the US -- a majority of fools. Like, for instance, people in who continually elect officials who have systematically destroyed governmental entities like, say, Illinois and Rhode Island. And who's ignorance is spreading like the Flu in January. Can America be vaccinated against the infection of human ineptitude. If you know the facts, you may have to think while voting.

The Answer:
1. Conrad Bain died yesterday at the age of 89. He was Dad -- Phillip Drummand -- on Different Strokes. the glue that held together Todd Bridges, Dana Plato and Gary Coleman...until they went out on their own. Dane had a tragic life after Strokes dying of an overdose. 47 year old Todd Bridges, who regarded Bain as his real father during the show's run, moved into drugs and lawbreaking until hit bottom around 1997. he became a Christian and turned his life around. Gary Coleman as you know was easily the most famous of the "Kids", made and lost $18 Million. He never attained anything approaching his Strokes fame. he had a serious kidney ailment, and was best known for a serious of surreal activities until he died at 42. Ah, child stardom! 2. Kieth urban is from new Zealand.

Hey, how about poor Jamie Dimon, the smartest banker of all, they say. His bosses, the board of J.P. Morgan have cut his salary from $23 Mil to about $11.5 Mil. It's tough at the top. Now he'll have to learn to struggle like the rest of us. 

See you tomorrow. Oh yeah, while sitting around waiting for the next Tids tomorrow, let me know what you like. What would you like more of? Less of? What would you like to see go away completely?