Today's Tids Issue 3,022
Opening Stuff:

"Ready to Learn". I was looking at comments on a grandchild's report card, and I had a small thrill run down my spine as I read the word, "Learn"! Learn, what a great word, a word often buried in people's educational objectives. from kindergarten to college. Good teachers love it, because imparting knowledge that kids absorb for life and the general nourishment of brains is the essence of educating. Every good that comes from education comes from pure unadulterated learning. Unfortunately though, Intellectual curiosity has been superseded by an "Why do I have to know this" attitude. Learning for learning sake is actually something kids do all of the time, except all too often, to teachers dismay, in school. They learn how to play electronic games, twerk and use social networking for good and evil. In school though, learning sometimes get lost for any number of reasons.
 
Because of email limitations, I have to send out the Tids in waves. Often the Morning Mess improves as I go along, discovering typos and better conclusions. This is a case where first-in is not so hot. Maybe I'll start reversing the waves.

The RI Dem candidates for Governor are all rolling out the same Obama boilerplate issues, none of which having anything to do with the problems of RI. It's just feel good pap from on high, basically transforming once promising leaders into lemmings. It's sad how RI PE unions suck the life out of potential game-changers, people who could reinvent the RI as insried by “The Independent Man” atop the Capitol Dome. Rhode Island: The Hypocrisy State”.

The Question:
The new Consumer Reports "Car Brand Perception Survey" which defines "The leading brands in consumers minds". What do you think are the ten highest and lowest?

The Headlines:
--Arrivals At Socchi Like Grandeur Of What They See; Some Problems Remain In Hotel Construction.
--Nearly A million Without Power In Philly Area; Power Outages Also Widespread In Maryland.
--Stocks Up In Fantasyland As Disney Is Magical; New Jobless Claims Drop More Than Expected.
--Even As New IRS Chief Apologizes, New Evidence Says That Lerner Conspired To Draft New 501 Regs To Restrict Activity Of Conservative Groups In A Way that Would Not be Disclosed Publicly.

I'm looking a the near one Trillion dollar Farm Bill, and I’m wondering what are our tillers of the soil getting out of this mega give-away -- a tractor in every barn; candles to soothe the cows when the bull walks in; free citizenship cards for migrant workers? No it's just the Gov naming something what it isn't. 80% is for food stamps, and that's a cutback! It also covers school lunch programs. It does some good for farmers, but it is basically more an insidious government activity with the prime objective of getting me and us to change our eating requirements. It is paying for food production that the Big guy in DC wants us to eat. Really, that is the Huzzahs part of the bill, probably the reason 0-Man will sign it despite the Food Stamp cut. One more move of sneaky Government intrusion into our freedom of choice. 
 
Everybody is raving about the new players now enjoying the largess of the Ya-Ya-Ya…(WYKWIM)…treasury. Yes that team from the Bronx has some cool new players including my favorite, Jacoby. What people are missing though is that the man who saved many a game for them, helped them win championships, Manny Rivera, won’t be coming out of that Bull Pen anymore.

Marketing execs spend to much time changing things that are perfect. It must be an MBO thing.
 
The Wall Street "Gloom & Doom" Report is now thinking of a 20-30% decline for stocks. When you think about it, that's not too hard to believe considering that the Fed has been artificially keeping stocks high with an 85 Billion/Month donation. There is one economic certainty and that is that Pipers must be paid.

Congrats to Joe Castig for his entry into the Red Sox Hall of Fame. For 31 years this "Voice of Summer" has helped me enjoy my chores. There are three great sound of RI, the halyards clinking on masts in breezy harbors, the ocean pounding on the shore with pebbles shuffling, and Joe Castiglione, announcing Red Sox games.

The new America, Department:
CVS announced to much hoopla that they will stop selling cigarettes. It's probably to make room for Pot after the inevitable legalization of marijuana.
 
While walking the aisles of a Drug store you may have noticed that Tums and Rolaids, and other purveyors of Ant-acids, are changing over to fruit flavors from the traditional zingy and delicious  mint flavors. Is this also part of the government worming its way into our lives to help Michelle change the taste buds of Americans?

I'm thinking that there is little in life more annoying than a kinky hose.

There is little more useless on the tube than a debate between paid operatives of political parties.
 
Great things about cold winters: Home made chicken soup!

The most expensive places to buy health insurance are Colorado Ski Resort Counties, SW Georgia, Rural Nevada, Western Wisconsin, South Georgia, Most of Wyoming sans Natrona and Laramie counties, SE Miss, all of Vermont, Fairfield County CT and all of Alaska.
 
The NFL just announced that CBS will be broadcasting their Thursday night games. Better news would have been,, NFL is abandoning Thursday night foot ball because it causes too many injuries to players; because players haven’t had the chance to recover from the previous Sunday. The games are lack luster because the players just can’t perform as sharply with such a short recuperation time. Because coaches don’t have the time to analyze and fully insert proper offences and defenses.

Who do higher minimum wages help most? The investment management of Union Dues treasure chests.

The Conscience: Chapter 36
    My mind was racing as we left behind the huge wooden front door of James magnificent estate. Evvy was clutching my hand, steely eyed, looking forward. I knew she wanted to talk this through, probably for the rest of the night. I was ready.
    That last scotch I had told me clearly that I still was a true alkie, even knowing that I had looked into those eyes that have haunted me for 30 years and I came out cleansed…well maybe half clean. But, I could see that I could have a chance to crawl out of the god dammed bottle.
   James eyes that had followed me through all of those years had been a reminder of my cowardice, To him though, those eyes that dominated the black alley had been imploring, begging me to find him, so he could tell me the whole story. He could have liberated me from my guilt, but not my weakness. All I wanted that day to was to get out of that awful south, hide my act, not look for the truth.
   Now I know that James eyes are looking for revenge, and are in a battle with Sanna who is after the same. James had set out to destroy my friend Jason, and the woman who was Sally, to him symbols of all that was bad about the environment that raised him. He had made it out, so his revenge was for all who didn’t, all who were suppressed by the kind of ugliness he saw inside families like the Montgomery’s and Southfield’s. Revenge was the plotline I had entered from stage left.
     It was no accident that I was in the midst of the Biglietto mystery. Sanna had produced, directed and written the play where I would be the tragic hero, She had no idea that James Smith was the boy who had started it all, a little black kid she despised at the moment, only because of his color. She now respected him, feared his power, because of what he had achieved.
   My mind was shifting from subject to subject. There were so many pieces. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the nip. Evvy looked over briefly at the action, but said nothing.
    Yes, Sanna was in control of what she knew. But now, I knew more. I now can understand that weird little screwing she gave me in a dark restaurant. It was all about her gaining control over me, to do what she wanted with my body, and my mind. To make me more pliable. For what?
    I looked over at Evvy, and felt more disgusted as I  relived for a second the image of Sanna thrusting her hungry body against my lap. My phone rang. I felt Evvy’s hand grasp me firmer. She knew it was Angelica, too.

The Answer:
Toyota is once again perceived as the top brand with a 14 score. Ford is #2 with 120 and then Honda with 109. The rest of the highest 10 are Chevrolet, Tesla, Subaru, Mercedes, Volvo, Cadillac and BMW. The lowest score, 4, went to Land Rover. Next were Maserati, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Scion, Ram, Mini, Mitsubishi, Infiniti and Jeep. The new Jeep Cherokee's are getting rave reviews and it will be interesting to see where they move to next year. However, Jaguar made substantial improvements this year and are still on bottom. Telsa must be considered a PR success, since there are few on the road and there are few consumers who can actually afford them.
 
Love song of the Day, leading up to the 14th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYtrGjJOMpEhttp://

The great Patsy Cline was ready with a sequel just before her tragic death, "I'm crazy about reading the Tids." I think it would have been a winner.

Love your day, everybody.