Layng quietly in fields

Layng quietly in fields
Glstening lights

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Shut up before you speak.

Today's Tids Issue 3,090
Opening Stuff:
 
The warm spring arrived, sun bright and glistening, penetrating the bones long chilled by winter’s anger, and with it cars…the God damned cars. Clogging the streets and highways. People roaming aimlessly, looking for the bounties from warmth. Where has my peace and solitude gone? Only 138 days until the contentment. Until the first frost drives them back into their caves.
 
“Make elephant abuse illegal in Rhode Island.” Say what? We have an elephant problem? Of course, that headline in the big newspaper is just the opinion of an animal lover angry at the circus. But, it is just the latest example of our government for one, in action.  Hey, we have bigger fish to fry here in RI, like abuse of calamari, slimy little sea animals well on the way to canonization in this state with no jobs. They already have a miracle in their favor – that somebody would look at them wriggling in the belly of a boat and think, “They look good enough to eat”. But, I digress, from the distress of the poor struggling elephants here in RI. The next time you see an elephant in your neighborhood, give it a peanut and stroke its trunk. It will love you.
 
It’s about your Soul, Department:
The big dilemma in in RI is whether or not to to pay back the $75 Million moral obligation bond secured by the state in behalf of a new company. The questions arising about to or not to pay concern the effect on the State’s bond rating. On whether non-payment will hurt the bond rating, some are saying yes, drastically, perhaps to “Junk” status for years, Other knowledgeable sources say, Wall street will recognize it’s a “One Off” – not indicative of regular payment habits. But lost in it all is something I just don’t understand, the morality of paying back money. Is this really what big finance is all about – getting away with screwing lenders. Is this why enteritis take risks -- because there are no ramifications if you sufficiently hide your morals, your ethics. Something’s just don’t compute for me. I guess it’s the way I’m wired.
 
Eating at an expensive Steak House restaurant is a rare treat.
 
The Question:
Donavan and Cat Stevens (AKA Yusuf Islam) were two of the quirkiest among the 70’s array of singers. Name five of their songs.
 
The Headlines:
--As Techs And S,Mall caps Stocks Slide, M&A Activity Could Rise Dramatically
--Assad Gaining strength As the Election Nears; Rebels Leave Homs.
--Russian Loyalists Vote For Independent Government In Eastern Ukraine.
--Popular Pope Francis Endorses UN Policiy Of Economic redistribution.
--South Korea Says NK Must Go.
--Sterling Apologizes To NBA; Says Wife As No Rights To Basketball Team.
 
I love little guy beats big guy stories and one of the best occurred yesterday, when Bryant University went up to the big Dome in Syracuse and beat the #2 rated Big Orange in NCAA Lacrosse. Bryant of Smithfield RI has been building ever since the insightful President there reached out to embattled coach Mike Pressler. You remember Pressler don’t you. He was the coach of Duke’s number one team when the sanctimonious overreached in one of those bogus race eruptions and killed the reputation of great guy and fantastic coach. Now, he is loyal to little Bryant, who may not be little much longer. Oh yeah, Little Bryant this spring had woman’s lacrosse, softball and tennis teams going to the NCAA’s. NCAA championship play has become habitual now at the beautiful little school in the hills of north east RI.
 
Hunter Hayes is just the last young Country music star who has proven that you don’t have to be a knucklehead to get publicity. His little 24 hour Max Performance tour raised millions for hungry kids. He didn’t punch any cops of get pinched. He just went out and did something positive. There are millions of teens who do great things, all of the time, but are often overshadowed by the slimeballs.
 
Are you ready? You asked for it, and now The Tids renown Nutrition Center, after months of painstaking research and field testing, is ready to announce the best “Puffy” cheese Curls and facsimiles of curl shapes. The criterion was to open a bag of cheese puffs and eat until the flavor became boring. The Winner and Champion Cheese Curl for 2014 is the Utz Baked! Rated bad for dietary objectives as the flavor never ends, and bags are near impossible to close and stow for another day. Cheetos puffy were second, good for flavor, but inconsistent and leaving too much gunk on teeth. A possible future Puff winner were Chester’s (Magnetic and available at Wal-Mart). Jax, after several repeated attempts failed to meet the high Standards of the Tids Taste Longevity test. Cheese Doodles from Wise have a strange flavor which may be beautiful in the eyes of other beholders. Trader Joes, while favored by the hip and upwardly mobile, were tasteless to our discerning nutritionists, like many of the touted TJ products. The Tids Labs were unable to test enough of brands Pirates Booty, Gibble’s, Garden of Eatin’ or 365 Everyday Value Cheese Puffs to adequately fairly rate them. But, they will be a new challenge for 2015.
 
The best way to lose a friend fast is to suggest that they look like some famous person.
 
Speaking of kids who can do it positively, I watched an interview with a young first generation Columbian boy on his way to Harvard. His mom doesn’t speak English, and his High School was discredited a couple of years ago. But in this tiny, mostly Columbian Town of Central Falls of empty factories with all of the drug problems and poverty that would bring people down, there is intense spirit; desire to strive, to fight their way up. The town was saved the town in bankruptcy and the School system energized, the focus for the hope of their youth. The young man going to Harvard to the amazement of his family said this about his accomplishment he said, “Work and you can do anything.”
 
America is the land of opportunity. Some people just look in the wrong places. It is always in your heart.
 
Maybe the boy can convince some at Harvard U that victory lies in the hearts of good people, and not in the bureaucracies of gorged governments.
 
You can be sure that somebody will probably write a column about rampant homophobia as the reason why Gay football player Michael Sam was taken in the final round. The reason he dropped is because he performed miserably at the NFL tryout combine. But then, try to apply logic to rampant irrationalism.
 
 
Target is all bright and colorful, a favorite of young families, but it is Sears that delivers. Target may have something of each, but Sears has broad selection of each. And I would go there any time over any of the general purpose department stores. But, the fact remains that when you use your mojo, people won’t go. Too many people still associate Sears with catalogue tear-out sheets for the outhouse.
 
We need 23 Marine 1 Helicopters at $400,000,000 each? That’s what has just been approved by the DoD – One presidential helicopter and $88 Billion worth of backups. The US government knows redundancy.
 
Over the weekend I got a message from Skype about being a nice boy and calling Mom. Technology can do  a lot more these days, but my mother died 6 years ago. I wonder?
 
If you search beneath the surface of Delibes, you discover a trove of beautiful music.
 
I seem to have a unique ability to annoy people with my impulsiveness.
 
If college professors are so smart, how come so many chose to be so liberal?
 
As one reader told me that the new answer to “ why the Chicken crossed the road?”, is --  “It’s Bush’s fault and you’re a racist.”
 
The Answer:
Donavan always seemed a bit weird to me but he had some big songs I enjoyed, Hurdy Gurdy Man, Mellow Yellow, Sunshine Superman, Jennifer Juniper, Catch the Wind, Colours and Wear your love like Heaven. Cat Stevens first big one was Morning has Broken. He also scroed with peace Train, Wild World, hardheaded Woman, Moonshadow, Oh very Young and Father and Son.
 
For some strange reason the name of one of my favorite singers – Harry Chapin – popped into my head. He was killed in an accident way too early. The epitaph on his grave stone said: “Oh if a man tried To take his time on earth, And prove before he died what one man’s life could be worth, I wonder what would happen to this world.” A little chapin music to start the week:
 
 

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