Caressed by the soothing fingers of morning fog.

Today's Tids Issue 2,833

Opening Stuff:

 

So, we're off to the end of the week. It's kind of amazing how the human clock reacts to weekends even when retired. Maybe we're governed by the way TV and radio stations broadcast or newspapers write, and have no control over our lives at all. Or that the Tids made a decision years ago not to intrude on precious weekends. Maybe that's what freedom, nirvana is really all about. No Tids!

The Red Sox are becoming what we always thought they would be. Average. At least they haven't become the Chicago Cubs...yet.

Too many people spend too much time looking to shift blame rather than solve problems.

The Question:

Ok, every year now somebody puts out the top baby names (I have noticed that while the media reports one list, you can find many different top ten lists from several sources.) How can that be.. Ok, what do you think were the top boys and girls names for the year 1910?

The Headlines:

--Stocks Pause As Bernanke Starts Talking About Risk And over Valuations; Gold Delcine Accelerates As Dollar Continues Rally Against Jap Yen.

--Movie Style Cyber-Bank Heist Nets Crooks $45 Mil; Computer Coordinated Theft Hits 27 Countries In An Hour.

--Carl Icahn Puts In Bid For Dell.

--Americas Cup Sailor Dies In Training Accident. All Other's Rescued After Swedish Boat Capsizes.

--Capping Of World Trade Center Spire Symbolizes American Comeback-Ability.

-- Candice Glover And Kree Harrison Idol Finalists.

--Prince Harry Dazzles White House Fems In US Visit.

--Explosions Hit Two Police Stations In Benghazi.

So, the new favorite baby names according to the Social Security Admin are out and the winner for girls is Sofia and boys Jacob. I guess the country is turning to biblical names because the Gov is trying to get rid of the influence of the Ten Commandments faster than you can say Judas Iscariot. Really, is there a better symbol for the Supreme Court than the Ten Commandments which in fact reflect the essence of all lawmaking. Add to that the eleventh commandment, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you", and you have just about covered everything. It's surprising the more lawyers aren't priests!

Why are you smiling? I'm thinking about my art, Department:

I have always had mental block about the concept of stolen art. A $30 million Degas is only worth $30 mil if somebody buys it. So that must mean that art collectors who buy obvious stolen art are crooks too. So now what do they do, hide it a special locked gallery in their mansion, and think about it being there? When guests come for diner do they say, "I'd show you my art collection, but I'd have to kill you."? It's a conundrum alright. I'll never understand the high cost of looking at stolen art.

The group that most embodies the new sense of entitlement are pedestrians.

On yeah, the rest of the top ten names for each sex are...hey wait a minute, are we still allowed to differentiate names by sex? I think the world is muddling my mind. Anyhow, here they are: Girls -- Emma, Isabella, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Mia, Madison and Elizabeth. For boys it's Mason, Ethan Noah, William, Liam, Jayden, Michael, Alexander and Aiden. Remember these are SS Admin Names. The top tens from private enterprises like CNN Living, Parenting Mag and Huff Post are entirely different.

Talk about a new fetish, a London Zoo ad says, "Seeks Female Mate for Extinct Fish." Yikes.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels and the Toronto Jays prove once again that overpaying to sign big stars does not a championship ensure.

My bulk mass Email of the week award goes to the pic of Obama in his new golf cap emblazoned with the word "EnTitleist"

Fannymae just reported a profit of $58.7 Billion. It's a good thing the US quasi government agency  isn't in Exxon territory, or OWS would be screaming and burning buildings. O, Exxon was only $40 Bil. Yikes! Actually Exxon paid the Gov $59 Billion in taxes.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--This Friday, it's all about the star studded cast in Stutz Bearcats. The Great Gatsby is back again and the director went for mega-Glitz  (And hip-Hop music?) to tell the story through the eyes of a Midwestern born writer come to NY, caught up on the 1920's era of jazz, bootleg and soaring stock prices. And giant mansions in the Hamptons, none bigger than Gatsbys, a glittering perosnoa who made millions on the seamy side of business, living a life far from his impoverished roots. It's longish wild ride, and should entertain. Not high on my list, but a possible rental.

--Peeples appears to be another movie I won't see, and coincidentally is another about class distinction in The Hamptons. An over the top predictable comedy, probably designed to make fun of the rich.

The Conscience: Chapter 20

   Milton Washington saw heads turn as he walked into the bright and airy dining room of Restaurant Porto Antico, a beautiful place overlooking the busy Genoa port. He spied his lunch partner at the best table in the house, now rising slowly to greet the black man who made all people gape. Antonio Biglietta liked Milton, and relied on him and his partner he never met. 

   "Antonio, you look ready to sail around the world this morning."

   Antonio's eyes lit up as he reached out his hand, "Sei una bella bullshitter." They both laughed. The Bigliettos and and Smith/Washington Investment had been doing business for years, but lately the intensity had ratcheted up with the Bernard deal in the horizon. Milton Washington, was not sure of this deal, and for the first time Jim wasn't saying much.

   The waiter came, bringing a bottle of wine, going through the flourishes of an opening ceremony that would certainly increase the cost per glass. Milton ignored him much to the waiter's displeasure and began talking to his friend and client. "This bombing of Bernard is very odd. It seems favorable to you, but Jim and I know you are far above such thinking."

   Antonio bent his head and talked in a low tone, which was not unusual for him. He liked to make people work to listen, even his friends. "I was very surprised, very surprised. It is very sad, and I have started sending out word to see what it draws back". At that moment Milton sensed motion behind him. He looked to see Antonio's son and wife walking in, Ernesto guiding Sanna has he would always do. They sat at a table, also with a beautiful view but far away in the room. Neither Sanna nor Ernesto glanced their way.

   "Looks like a family party."

   Antonio smiled. Oh, it will get bigger as I expect Angelia and her new lawyer friend will be joining them shortly.

   "Ah, the lawyer, here to complicate our lives. I have not heard much good about him."

   Antonio looked up, "O? I found him interesting and quite pleasant. Angelica likes him."

  Milton took a quick glance at the other table, but of course Jeff wasn't there yet.

A new Readers Digest sponsored study asking Americans who they trust most listed Jimmy Carter as number one President, but, he was only 24th on the list. The current Prez was 65, while Michelle was the top Washingtonian (Other than Denzel) at 19. Hell, Judge Judy was ahead of the entire Supreme Court. The top three were Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and Denzel Washington. Merryl Streep was 4 followed by Maya Angelo, Stephen Spielberg, Bill Gates, Alex Trebek, Malinda Gate and Julia Roberts made tenth. The next ten were Nobel Prize chemist Robert Lefkowitz, Robin Roberts, Clint East wood, 13a - Eastwood's Chair, Another Nobel Chemist Brian Kobilka, Nobel Economist Lloyd Shapely, Dr. Oz, Sanjay Gupta, Ellen DeGeneres, Michelle O and at 20 MIT Linguistics Professor Noam Chomsky. I don't think I would have any chance of envisioning that list. I probably would have said Pat Sajak and Vanna White. What, no Pope? Maya Angelo? Alex Trebek?

This Cyber Crime thing is deeper than the Mariana trench; dark mysterious and out of reach. The dangers are two fold: Criminals you can't see who may be anywhere. And, police organizations which are becoming desperate and will be asking for authorizations to invade suspected personal computers innocently caught in the web of crime. Nothing is far away any longer as the tentacles of internet communication creep across oceans and boundaries. As a Cyber person once told me, turn off your computer at night or when not using, and don't answer nothing you didn't ask for. We live in that world now, and it isn't going away. The bogeyman is not under the bed any more.

The Answer:

In 1910, The Top 10 Girls names were Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Margaret, Ruth, Mildred, Anne, Elizabeth, Francis and Virginia. For the Boys it was John, William, James, Robert, Joseph, George, Charles, Edward, Frank and Thomas.

How many times do we forget that we can do much more than we think we can?

Have an utterly fantastic weekend. It must be a weekend because I have no notes for tomorrow's Tids!