Huffing and Puffing

Today's Tids Issue 3,242

Opening Stuff:

 

I’ve got to find a way to exercise more, without committing myself to anything definitive or strenuous. My finely tuned machine is showing some rust, missing the summer routines and natural stresses that aid in conditioning of a body. Winter is tough, where the activity options tend to cost money and take on a form of a controlled regimen, not unlike being controlled by a smothering central government. That’s why I like snow regularly – so I can shovel it.

 

So, did you hear about the guy who had to pay a scalper for tickets to the sold-out Broadway show, “Custers Last Stand”?

 

Nobody is more excited than me about being able to forego home equity loans to buy gas. But, what goes down on one side and will go up on the other. The decline of oil stokes the distinct possibility of widespread deflation, which would spawn the decline of the markets and savings. So smiling at the pump may bring frowns as the nest egg cracks. As the US consumer index powers up, the world economies are weakening, signaling the possibilities of recessions or even depressions. But, I’m getting ahead of reality. Serious pressure is building against OPEC, and that may produce relief from the free-fall—maybe at the cost of US oil production. Of course, Gold people are happy as the rise of the shiny metal generally signals falling socks. It’s a good time to buy energy stocks, but not so much for alternative energy related companies who need high priced oil to make their products competitive. So, as confident consumers lick their chops, they may need large napkins when lower oil starts sucking away jobs. What are you getting out of this exercise in confusion – exactly that confusion, hesitation, bewilderment.   When the globe produces a combination of positive and negative forces, it is always anybody’s guess. My guess is that somebody will smarten up. But be prepared to pay more at the pump.

 

The Question:

Dionne Warwick had beautiful string of great hits in the 70’s. Name five.

 

The Headlines:

--General Markets Falling More Than 200 Mainly On Oil Fears; Techs Holding Up.

--House Narrowly Passes Pending Bill; Obama Looks Like Winner.

--Brennen Defends CIA; Thug Regimes Pile On USA After Feinstein Releases Report.

--Acid Throwing Palestinian Injures Five Israelis; Individual Attacks Escalate;  ISIS Beheads 4 Kids Who Won’t Denounce Jesus.

--Paul Revere, Sam Adams Time Capsule Unearthed At Boston State Capital Building.

--43 Yo. Fox News Reporter Dominic De-Natale Kills Self; Fearless Globetrotting Newsman Suffered From Serious Health Issues.

 

The Government in its wisdom thinks that since gambling casinos didn’t do much for Indian reservation economies, that the tribes should be able to grow and sell marijuana. So, in the eyes of USA economists, Las-America is Sin Country. What goes on in America stays in America, except CIA interrogation reports. What a mess. Why not use Indian lands for “Native American Universities” and develop high tech industrial regions. (I was going to say “Redskin Universties” but I’m still Mr. PC.)

 

We have this RI plan for economic growth designed upon an academic platform which omits a simple solution to the one reason the state economy remains clogged in the toilet – the ownership of the state legislature by large local and national Union forces. People who decry the plan because of concerns about the trampling of property ownership rights, and who urge citizens to beware of any giant white paper Funded by predator agencies like HUD, are called racists. The Government only gives you back your money with strings to own you; money from this shady admin is not to be trusted. Racists, for crissake. How small minded are these people who support this plan with the imprimatur of former farrier Lincoln C.

 

And you could hear in the night as Santa left the Golf Club, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all, good ball flight!”

 

I guess the insanity of our Twitter/FaceBook, tell everybody all mentality has taken another step up the lunacy scale with the release of the CIA EIT data.

 

With all of the hoopla surrounding the 50^th anniversary of Rudolf’s popular TV show, Dasher and Prancer are developing a new reality show on Animal Planet.

 

The way I’ve been limping around lately, I’m going to have to cut my handicap enormously if expect to finish 18 holes.

 

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

There is only one for today, and it is heralded as career defining for Chris Rock who stars in the film he wrote and directed. So if Chirs is your rock, you can’t miss with Top Five which is about the five things it takes to get to get to the top, presumably if you are black. It is funny and romantic with well known cast including Mr. Kardashian, and Jay-Z, covering what’s beneath the surface of show business, politics, rap, and the “exigencies of being black and famous today”. ?

 

The Answer:

Dionne Warwick comes from good musical stock as her Mother’s sister was the mother of Whitney Houston, and all of her aunts and uncles were part of a singing group. Dionne was tops in her era (Between 1962 and 1998 69 of her singles made the Billboard Hot 100), as she shot to the top with hits  like “Walk on By” and “Do you know the way to San Jose”. Her relationship with Bacharach/David continued to produce winners – Alfie, The Beginning of loneliness, I say a Little Prayer, This Girl’s In Love with You, I’ll never Fall In Love Again, Then Came You, I’ll never Love this way Again, That’s What Friends are For. Unfortunately, in 2013 the IRS called to collect $7,000,000. She declared bankruptcy. Rats. What’s with these management companies anyhow? Are you humming yet?

 

Of course, one of my favorites for Dionne is “The First time ever I saw your face”, but then that was by Roberta Flack. But, what do I know.

 

Maybe exercise will help me get up earlier so I can get this mess out while readers are still stimulated by morning coffee.

 

Thanks to “Shoe” today.

 

Happy Weekend, E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!