Open air.

Today's Tids Issue 2,7801
Opening Stuff:

Some days you just feel a closeness to everyone you know even though they are miles away. It's like the world has let down all the barriers and memories flow freely. Some days you sense if you reached out, an old friend would be there to shake your hand. Give a hug. Say, "How you doin' old friend."

Left leaning columnist Juan Williams cut through the crap about guns and murder in his WSJ piece yesterday; A well thought out column that focused on race. His opening was that whites are more against gun control than blacks because whites just don't get murdered enough. But he didn't stop there. He said the real problem isn't guns at all but the lack of family continuity in the black community. Among other things, he traced the growth of out of wedlock births since the civil rights movement, showing a modest increase among whites during those changing times, a slightly larger increase for Hispanics and among blacks an explosion to 74%! He noted than when black leaders, including President Obama, point out this very real problem in places like Chicago, they are threatened by the old black controllers like Jesse Jackson. 54% of all gun killings are among 13% of the population, blacks. Why he asks do young people in the black community consider gun ownership a right of passage, going to jail a badge of honor. Why, he answers, because there is no family unit. That is the issue. That is the problem, he says.

Fireman bring the dalmatians along in their trucks to help them find hydrants

The Question:
Who was a Mortician Beautician before becoming a famous comedian, TV and Film personality? Bonus: What famous British author drown herself outside her Sussex Home. Hint: Her name is in the title of an oft performed play.

The Headlines:
--4th Q GDP Growth Sluggish At 0.4 Annual Rate; Misses Estimates; Business Capital Investment At 13.2% Stronger Than Expected.
--Dow Up; S&P Breaks Record.
--US Sends Stealth Bombers To SK AS NK threats Escalate.
--Madoff Says Banks In On Scheme; JP Morgan On Hook With Congress About Missing Documents And Madoff Ties; Arch Criminal Names Mellon, HSBC and Citi As Scam Partners..
--Boston's Mayor Manino To Step Down After More Than Two Decades.
--Italy's Bersani Makes Another "Last Ditch" Appeal.
--Bombs Continue To Kill Throughout Middle East; 15 Dead In Damascus U. Mortar Attack.
--Putin Showing Off Military Might In Black Sea Exercises.

American Idol:
Fortunately the men are still bad enough to make a mediocre performance by Angie look decent. Once again, Lasaro proved he doesn't belong on that stage. But why muck around in the slop when I should lauding, standing and applauding all of the good things that happened and especially a great performance by Janelle; A late bloomer who just continues to get better. Candice seemed below par last night, but she is still one of the best, as is Kree who just stands up their in her coolness and mesmerizes. Again I liked Amber. To me, Devin is the most consistent of the men. Now Burnelle is a mystery, mainly becasue the judges love him so much and I am always left quite unimpressed. The bottom three should be Angie, Burnelle and....Lasaro, who should go. Alas, last week he was a piece of crap, and he didn't even make the bottom three. An Internet poll has it Janelle, Amber, Candice, Kree, Devin, Burnelle Angie and the man who makes excuses.

We could argue for decades, but same sex marriage will be legal everywhere within a year or two. It's just the way things work.

I was looking at a can of Bumble Bee Tuna yesterday and thinking, what do Bumble Bees have to do with fish? Nothing. Many of the great, top of mind brands we seek would never be with today's advanced marketing technology. A brand name suggestion would be tweaked, pinched, squeezed, bent, punched, stretched and hammered until the perfect name appeared, like "Contuity". What the hell does that mean? I like the old brand names which may have been named after a daughter or a pastime or place lived, and caught on because the product it represented was great! As best as can be determined Bumble Bee was the name of one of the sailing fishing vessels in 1899 when the company began.

Ever since it stormed on the scene, Nike as a brand has rubbed me the wrong way for some inexplicable reason. Maybe it's been their commercials, or maybe just the irritable appearing, to me, "Swoooosh". It was inexpiable, until last Monday when they pushed out over Twitter an ad showing Tiger Woods and the line "Winning Takes Care Of Everything". So, that's about it, right. Do anything but in the end, make sure you win.

If you are out there loving your calamari, there's  a good chance it came from New England and most likely Rhode Island. Of the 12,963,000 pounds caught in NE, 7 Million pounds are caught in these local waters. So while Florida and the Caribbean have swim with Dolphins, we can counter with swim with squid. How great is that!

Some kids go though their early years thinking they're 4-6 years old, because that's what it says in their underwear. Me, I'm medium.

I think that 13.2% increase in business capital investment including new facility construction is one of the better numbers to come along in years. The release of funds by companies could signify their collective more positive outlook for future. As they always say in the executive bathrooms...Something has to happen before something happens.

Stepping on Christians has become the national pastime in some sectors of this free society. Making fun of sacred beliefs is the fodder of playwrights and comedians; crass artists. But, earlier in this holy week, a Florida Atlantic U. Prof. took it literally, asking students to write in large block letters on a piece of paper -- "Jesus". They were then to place the paper on the floor and step on it! The intent, says the school, was to provoke discussion. But you know some intolerant person or persons thought it hilarious.

Here's some more actual headlines from real newspapers with College educated journalists: "Marijuana Issue Sent To Joint Committee"; "Republicans Turned Off By Size of Obama Package"; "Study Shows That Frequent Sex Enhances Pregnancy Chances."; "Seventeen Remain Dead In Morgue Shooting Spree.".

Have you noticed how hard it is to read foreign film subtitles on certain backgrounds. The current new favorite color seems to be yellow, and it does not help at all. I should think that with all of the available computer technology, a program could be written that monitors changing backgrounds and alters word colors appropriately.

The Conscience: Chapter 17 continues.
"Much is a good word," I answered. I was in an inured state. 
Angelica just stared at me for a few seconds, cool as ever. "You are right. These are things that are not normal. The explosion bothers me a lot. Even though it appears to make my bargaining position stronger, it is an intrusion in the way we like to operate. It feels like somebody else is interested what we are doing. I am a very suspicious woman. I have suspicions about what you may be trying to get from me. I have suspicions about what competitors do. I have suspicions of what my employees are doing when I'm not looking. I have suspicions about my parents who own this company."
   Now it was my time to pause. What does she really think of me? "So, you are a cautious person." I smiled, and she laughed at that, at her own frailty.
    Surprisingly, Mr. Morgan, I am beginning to trust you even after I caught you sneaking around my company. Why did you go to that building last night?"
   I told her of my run-in with Mr. Mean, and that it aroused my curiosity, like Area 51.
   "Area 51?"
   I explained Area 51, and she replied, "O so now we are aliens!" She laughed at her own remarks.
   While she was laughing I stupidly said, "You are not an alien, but you are out of this world!"

The Answer:
1. Whoopie Goldberg started life as a Mortician Beautician. She was nervous in this new job until a day or two after starting when she heard a creaking sound and turned to see one of the body storage drawers opening. When completely out, she saw a body rise and wave at her. Before dying from fright, her boss jumped off the table and said, "That is the worst thing that can happen here and it won't, so there is nothing to be scared of." She was cool with the job after that.  Bonus: Virginia Wolfe was the woeful soul who drown herself in the cooling waters of a lake near her home. That's why nobody is afraid of her.

As you travel around life's road bend, he most pleasant sight is an oncoming friend.

Have a great Holy Thursday everybody.