If there are two ends, there has to be a middle somewhere.

Today's Tids Issue 3,119

Opening Stuff:

 

What do you call a Mini-Cooper with dual exhausts? A wheelbarrow.

 

Ears Closed and eyes glazed over society, Department:

I just gotta figure that more and  more people are being turned off by all of the redundancy in political talk shows, sports talk shows and cooking shows, and any number of other repetitive reality type shows on TV and radio. It’s not really the fault of the people on the programs, it’s just that there is a lot of time to fill, and only one or two significant events related to each category in a week, or in some cases a mont. Thus, everything necessarily gets watered down. Everything takes on an appearance of sameness. And in an effort to achieve uniqueness, systematic weirdness is often introduced adding to the insanity.. Or, maybe it’s just that the Red Sox suck and I’m tired of sports talk, or that politicians are really only in it for themselves or some hidden agenda somewhere. So what does it all mean anyway? And as to cooking, if it’s not about gravy or Cheetos, I’m not interested.

 

There’s no truth to the rumor that the recent resurgence in manufacturing and capital expenditure for machine tools was due to the demand for new GM ignition systems.

 

It was irksome to hear our revered Prez talk about us wanting to be like France and do something about family leave. Does this guy have any idea about how many people in this world want to be like America. Does he have any clue about exactly what the US stands for? The more I listen to him the more I think he never experienced the real USA. France – Pretty place, but why do we have to be like them,

 

The Question:

Name five of the characters on the old always funny “Hogans Heroes” TV show. And for bonus points, the actors who played them.

 

The Headlines:

--Marjket Chigging Along Even As Many Look For End OF Bears And Period Of Stagnation.

--Putin Looking Like Peace Maker; West Puts Hold On Sanctions.

--Head Of National Archives Said IRS Did Not Follow Law In Learner Case.

--Senate Vet Cochran Beats Back Tea Party Candidate In Miss.

 

Is there a bigger enigma in this country than coal? Think about it for a minute. I do, believe it or not, quite often. Like so many industries that built the middle class, government arbitrary action and world competition have established standards that ran many of the big businesses out of town – steel to name another that created robust, contributing societies. Big Gov. has its sights squarely set on coal, and the end result could be devastating to the big coal producing Regions of the USA. Coal miners work hard in tough conditions, but they make pretty good money too, like about $80 K. How does the middle class of all of those towns in middle America survive when another high paying industry vanishes from the face of the earth that produced it. Of course, the other, dark side of the coal coin is the health of the miners and the absolutely terrible black lung disease. It is about as horrible as it gets. Actually, I’m surprised that with all of the technology around that there isn’t a means to eliminate or greatly reduce the threat of this physical scourge. So the point here is that there should be a balance when considering eliminating traditional productive businesses for change sake. But then, when it becomes political, common sense goes gets shafted! I feel for coal people in so many ways. Too bad Tidlets aren’t longer. Maybe Coal Miners need a TV program like the Deadliest catch.

 

You haven’t heard much about what Israel is thinking as the region around them seems to be crumbling. They did themselves no favors when they bombed parts of Syria Monday. 

 

There will people who will shun (Ex Mayor of Providence RI and former convict now running for old job) Vincent Cianci because of what he did, and many who will vote for him because of what he could do for a Providence stuck in idle.

 

When you think about it, it took two years before the rest of the media got interested in what the Washington Post was finding on Richard Nixon. If you think of game changing scandals in those terms, the look into the iRS mess has just begun.

 

Often when looking for information you find a source that wants you to look at a clip of somebody talking about it. I much prefer the written news items where your eyes can get to the meat faster.

 

There seems to be a restaurant worker labor movement that would get rid of Tips in favor of restaurants paying a living wage. Of course it isn’t the good waiters and waitresses who would back this because they make plenty and more on tips. It is just the way organized labor typically wants to downgrade winners to bring up losers. The tip system is the American way – if you’re good, you get it.

 

Diane Sawyer is stepping down. Actually I tuned in when she first sat in the big chair, but soon found that she was a little too icky, or is that called smarmy. Bill Muir is taking over for Diane, but, frankly, I have grown to like Scott Pelley even after thinking he was a liberal, close minded communist on 60 Mins. See, you should always give somebody a chance to be their real self. You never know what you will find neath a misconception.

 

The Answer:

Of course Hogan was played by the moderate degenerate Bob Crane. Two of the funniest, Col. Clink and Sgt Hans George Schultz were played by Werner Klemperer and John Banner. The guys in the barracks were Robert Clary as Cpl. LeBeau, Richard Dawson as Cpl Newkirk, Larry Hovis as Sgt. Carter and Ivan Dixon as “Kinch”. Now that show kept me laughing for years, and never seemed repetitive at all. “I know nothing”.

 

Happy hump day, Everybody.