New, Fair, Raw.

Today's Tids  Issue 2,853
Politicians seem to spend more time making excuses for presidents, and of course themselves, than representing the views of their people, which, I have been told, is the essence of what the US is supposed to be. When not making excuses or assigning blame, they have a little time remaining where they continue to build a giant central goverment we don't need, which is basically an instrument pols employ to pay off bribes offered to voters.  So basically, I'm going to stop with the politics already. Politicians don't deserve to be discussed, and we deserve better. Happy Monday, anyhow.

According to substantive analysis, the global population will consume as much food in the next decade as it has in the previous 10,000 years. Thats kind of thought provoking, isn't it?

I was a bit disturbed last night while watching a fawning interview of SCJ Sotomayor on 60 mins. When asked, "How would you like to be known," she answered, "Sonya from the Bronx". Excuse me, Justice, when you attain a position on the Supreme Court you automatically become Sonja of America. New Yorkers have always been particularly myopic, the whole world revolves around us thing. So, while you may be proud of your home town, the rest of the prairies and mountains and lands by the sea isn't the Bronx. Thank God. Isn't a good SC Justice supposed to weigh the effects of lawmaking on all of the the country? I think you seem like a decent person, maybe a little too much of NY braggadocio in you, but Ok. So wake up and see your people beyond the Hudson and Harlem rivers.

There's no truth to the rumor that Obama is meeting with Xi to learn his professional tricks for keeping tabs on citizens through email hacking and phone call monitoring.

The Question:

Double Q Day. 1. Quick now, give me the first names of the last 7 First Ladies.  2. In 1943 yesterday, the Congress approved a government encroachment bill that allowed what intrusion in into private matters.

The Headlines:
--NSA Leaker Edward Snowden In Hong Kong; Says He Fears For Life After Revealing Surveillance Techniques He Felt Were Anti Constitutional.

--Santa Monica Victims Recall Maniacal Eyes Of Rampaging Shooter.
--Nikkei Soars 4.9% At Close; Poor China Data Has European Markets Sinking;
--Taliban Fighters Launch Attack Against NATO HQ's In Kabul Airport.
--Mandela In Serious Condition; Journalists Preparing Massive Commemoration Extravaganza.
--Apple Ready To Launch Ios7.

I was always told to respect my elders, and now all of a sudden I have nobody to respect.

The Smoking Gun Department:
Here's my take on the current scandal package 1. Benghazi was definitely a concerted effort to deny and hide facts for political gain, and certainly authorized by someone deeply involved in retaining the Presidency...or running for President in the future. 2. The IRS targeting was not the work of a couple of rogue wannabees, but the actions of a chain of command emboldened by an environment established at the top. 3. The targeting of news media and in particular Fox's Rosen was a mean spirited assault on opposing journalists. 4. The acquisition of citizen's phone numbers and actual email messages and photos was an egregious overreach of the intent of the Patriot Act. 5. Hillary knew all about Benghazi. 6. President Barak Obama knew of or was involved in all of the above.

I have little rules that guide my observations and one of them is: If the NEA hates someone, then that someone must be doing something really good, awfully well.

One noticeable change in our traditional culture may be signaled from dogs, whose actions indicate a dissatisfaction with the absorbancy of today's newspapers.

I see by the headline yesterday "Xi and Obama looking for new ties", that there may be an immovable conflict thwarting future relationships as Xi affirms, "bow ties are definitely out of the question".

I'm thinking that all of these new Internet inventions like SnapChat and Instagram, that produce millionaires, have absolutely no useful purpose other than giving teens new ways to ignore parents. Then an IPO will be launched to finance a company that will only make teen rudeness more sophisticated.

Now, I don't have anything against immigrants, but my view is that the more immigrants you get, the greater percentage of our population will be dominated by more who have lived under suffocating governments and are more ready to acquiesce to Government largess as being normal. People born in an environment will always find it hard to escape the essence of their environment no matter how much new they have experienced.

A sixteen year old girl told me the other day that she thinks there is something significantly contradictory in the US when a doctor can't reveal anything about a patient to anybody, but the Government already knows everything about everybody.

The Conscience: Chapter 23.

    I was anxiously looking forward to this morning's appointment to get my mind off of those eyes staring me down all night long; those knowing eyes looking out from that alley in Mobile 30 years ago. I over used the mini bar way too much, and am looking for the calming presence of Angelica to soothe my aching head. It was only the martinis that got me through that lunch meeting after that brief visit with Mobile Milton. I managed to survive the lunch and even take a few points away for my team, whoever that was. When they left and we smilingly shook hands, and Angelica's squeezed mine  a little differently than others, my heart raced back to that lakeside in Mobile. "I got my thrill on Blueberry hill."

   I think I was humming thhat now haunting tune as I was brought into Angelica's office. My heart was pumping a little louder when I walked in, but was immediately deflated as I glanced around and saw an empty desk and no beautiful figure standing coolly by the big window. "Just sit here a minute, Mr. Morgan. They'll be right back." They'll? I thought to myself. I was thinking of running to the little bar by the window, when the secret panel door opened and in stepped Sanna. She moved quickly with that now noticeable little awkward gate of hers to Angelica's chair. 

   "Ah Jeffery, you look red faced and ready to do some boring paperwork today. It's nice to be glib and friendly, but we lawyers always have to get to the serious reading of interminable documentation. I hope all of this foreplay has properly stimulated your senses, and that today will end with a climax worthy of your expectations." I was taken back a step. Where'd this exuberance come from? Sanna appeared to be a different person, more coy, playful, her eyes said a lot even as she talked about deadly legal grunt work.

   "So you are a lawyer too." I watched her now closely. I always watch other lawyers closely. But this one, she was different, yet somehow familiar.

The Answer:
1. I thought I could do this in a twinkling but I had trouble with one myself: Going backwards we have Michelle, Laura, Hillary, Barbara, Nancy and Betty. The one missing I could see clearly her face, but her name, Rosalynn, escaped me. 2. 70 years ago yesterday teh congress passed a bill that allowed payroll deductions. The Hands-in-the-Pocket bill was one of those little incremental steps governments always take to soften the next bigger intrusion.

Kind of a grouchy Monday morning. I think to be fair to myself, I shoudl take a respite from Politics. The absurdity of it all has ceased to make sense.

I think the Tony's are generally pretty good entertainment as opposed to the other Give-a-medal-to-a-Star shows. I mean the recipients are as giddy and over the top, but the entertainment inbetween is much better. They kind of make  you want to sing with a Bronx accent, maybe even click your heels together, and rid your aching mind of the woes in Washington.

Speaking of Good...how great is the Bruins-Blackhawks Stanley Cup playoff going to be. Now, if you can only find the games on TV.