Flatulation aggravation.

Today's Tids 

Opening Stuff:

For some reason today feels like a Spring day! That may mean that spring really is not about hot or cold, or flowers popping through the ground, but about something marvelous in the air.

Could future terrorist organizations employ the Bovine factor? Well, if they saw the news out of Rasdorf Germany, and could convince the world that the cows seen walking along on Wall Street were just attracted to the Bulls, we might see the surprise attack of all time. The Islamic Mooo-vement could be udderly unstoppable. It appears that the 90 or so cows in the German barn last week generated a huge explosions when methane released by the animals was ignited by an electrical charge.  The methane is manufactured by a unique chewing system and the intake of grasses and grains. Hey, wait a minute -- those are health foods. Did you ever see a cow explode after eating Cheetos'? Of course, there would always be Orange patties in the green, green fields of Vermont.

I’m picking Seattle over Denver.

There’s something wrong with yahoo Mail. They’ve gone to great lengths it appears to improve it, but it was better before. Now they lose my words and I have lately had to retype Tids from memory…after I thought it was done and ready to send!. The memory does not accurately recreate the spur of the moment thoughts of the original, so that a lot was lost in the translation. I think they have made the system so complex that it confuses itself. I’ve gone to typing in “Word” and pasting it into emails. Of course most people don’t care much about the process, just the results.

The Question:
Which states employ the most people in the movie industry?

The Headlines:

--Markets Bouncing Back From Yesterday’s Disaster; New Jobless Claims Surprise Economists, Up 19K; End Of Year Quarter Gives Us Second Straight Q Of Rapid Economic Growth.

--Harry Reid Defies President's SoU Economic Promise; Harry Says Bad Idea To Fast Track New Free Trade Policy Agreements.
--Italian Gun maker Baretta To Build New State of The Art Gun Plant In Nashville Area; Company Shuns Union Ravaged Northeast, Traditional Gun Manufacturing Area In US.

--Amanda Knox Awaiting Latest Verdict From Italian Courts Due Today.

--Justin Bieber Charged With Assault In Toronto.

--China’s Lenova Buys Motorola Unit From Google; Google Retains Major Patents.

PPP (Public Policy Polling), a Democrat leaning survey company has just announced results in a poll about the best Republican candidates. Hunckabee, after his comments about American women being stronger and more self reliant than as portrayed by Dems, surprisingly shot to the top with 16% of the votes spread between nine GOP possibilities. People said they liked his honesty, and felt he was correct despite misleading reporting by the media. He was followed by Jeb Bush (14%), Christie (13), Rand Paul 11), and then at 8% Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Oaul Ryan. The last two were Scott Walker and Bobby Jindal.

The same Democrat leaning Poll also produced a likability rating for Republican Politicians, with Sarah Palin on top with 70%. She was followed by Huckabee, Ryan, Paul, Bush, Cruz and Christie. 

One of the great things about the North in Winter is that the tourist town restaurants have great prices. I'd list the best, but then they'd get too crowded.

When entities in America get successful, the crazies come out of the woodwork. We have a NYT's supposed intelligent writer Steve Almond imploring the people not to watch the Superbowl game because it is immoral. (Note: the myopic liberal writer left Boston College because the diverse university invited Condoleezza Rice to speak at the commencement.) Out in Illinois a former UCLA football player Ramogi Humi is leading a drive to organize the Northwestern Football Team for the United Steelworkers. Are they employees or students paying for an education through their sport? That will be the question as this goes before the NLRB. Unions like the idea, because unions like any idea that will produce dues for the declining union industry. But like most things that show signs of success and move into the center of the spotlight, the sins become too visible. And the original intent fades to black.

 

Did you see where ex-NFL bad boy Warren Sapp is making $45K per month as a less than great member of The NFL Network expert panel? The only problem is that he is committed to $65K per week in alimony and for the care of children he has fathered around the country=side. Of course that doesn’t include his giant mansion mortgage and all the lawyers he needs to keep the wolves away. This is just one example of money wasted where it could be doing so much good. Let’s hear it for the athletes who get it!

I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down.

The market went down yesterday about 199 points after the Fed cut their bank welfare program to $65 Billion. Now here's my problem --the Fed has been signaling this for a year or so, so how come the financial geniuses were so surprised yesterday? The answer, they weren't surprised. In fact they had already factored in the inevitable pruning of the handout, taking losses 6 months ago. It's just the game they play. They take a loss when they see things in the future and in these changing times, they take the same loss when they get to what they saw. It's just a big excuse machine for moving money.

Tim Thomas, former Vezina Trophy winning ex-Bruin Goalie answered last night after being whacked by his old team when asked how he liked his return to Boston, "I would have enjoyed watching the Obama Speech more." Tim Thomas was the Bruin player who refused to go to the Obama White House after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.

The Conscience: Chapter 35 continues.

    The silence seemed to go on forever. Evvy just sat here, and I thought it best to to leave her to her thoughts. My sniveling and groveling was not what she needed. James had left, probably to make a call. I just sipped my scotch, now less anxiously, and walked to the window. I looked out at the manicured lawn and the purity of the manufactured scenery that they gave this place such a peaceful appearance. It was an enormous contrast from grimy Alabama, and the ugliness I have never forgotten.

    “I still love you, Jeff. I just have to digest this mess. But I’ve done it before.”

    “I was scared, Evvy.” I was about to go on, but James barged in.

    “Let’s get back to today. I know what you two are probably going through, but we have a problem with this woman now. We’ve backed her into a corner. She knows that somebody knows something. But she doesn’t know who.

     “She might start looking at Angelica.” Now my feelings went to her safety. Was it a guilty reaction when I looked over at Evvy, who now looked alert, watching the scene, absorbing everything as best she could. Her eyes seemed to say, I won’t stand in your way. I understand the danger.

    “I agree, Jeff. Everybody but Bruno and probably Earnest are in danger. I'm warning Melvin to stay clear. She is a heartless woman.”

The Answer:

With 120,127 movie industry employees, Cal is the giant. However, there as been a drop of 12% there over the decade as new areas offer many different opportunities at lower costs. Next is New York up 46%... followed by Florida, a second state showing a decline. 4 and 5 are the fastest growing states in the Movie biz, Pennsylvania and Louisiana. Texas with a large 27% decline is 6 followed  by Tennessee which declined by 7%. New Jersey, Georgia and Illinois round out the top Ten. Georgia is another fast rising sate, up 53%. It is expected that a new movie, “Ice Storm: The Sequel” will be shot there shortly.

 

There ain’t no flowers,

And the grass is brown.

But, there’s something out there,

That’s thrilling this clown.

 

The world is what you make it.

Have fun!