Today's Tids Issue 3,375
Opening Stuff:
People are already talking about “Dog days of summer”. Isn’t that usually in Mid-August? The urgency to complain is a growing national pastime and it isn’t pretty.
Everybody
is saying that today’s digital children are entirely
different from kids of the past. Yet, I was sitting on the beach yesterday and
saw little boys racing form the ocean lugging big pails of water, pouring it
into holes they had dug, and wondering, as I did and my dad did, where the
water went. I saw brothers and sisters building castles and digging tunnels, exactly
as had been done for eons. Dads and Moms carried smiling, laughing kids into
the surf; moms performed magical youthful ballets on the hard packed low tide
sand to the delight of children; dads winced as they tried to kit a ball to an
eager child. Waves smacked down kids, and parents laughed as the children got
up, determined, and went back for more. Just as had been done, ages and ages
before.
I
was playing golf with a good friend yesterday morning,
a retired army officer. He turned and said, “Tomorrow will be 43 years.” My brow
furrowed. “Forty three years ago tomorrow I lost my first three men in battle.
I think of them every day. Today his dreadful memories are intensified. “I try
to get to the ‘Wall’ in Washington as often as I can,” he said quietly. I don’t
know about you, but I’m saying a little prayer for all of those not remembered like
the three forever in my friends mind.
The
Question:
Double
Q Day! 1.
Ringo Starr, it is said by more and more, was the glue that made the Beatles
sound work. He also sang solo insome of their biggest hits of the Sixties. The
man in the background had a couple of hit songs of his own in the seventies.
Name those where he was lead singer in both eras. 2. One of America’s great authors of America is Robert McCullough. Name
three of his books.
The
Headlines:
--US markets May Open Stronger As they See Greek
Summit On the Horizon.
--Greeks Vote To Continue On The Dole. “No Vote, Called
No Vote At All”.
--Formerly Sealed Court Documents Show Cosby Admitting
To Drugging Women For Sex.
--Over 26 Million Watched USA Women Win It All.
--Hillary Camp Worried About Bernie Sanders
Momentum In Iowa.
--USA Asks The Question: Are Sanctuary Cities”
Liable For Acts Of Murdering Illegal Immigrants?
--Wedding Cake Bakers Still Angered Over Ruling
That “Infringes On Religeous Freedom”.
--US Jets Scrambled On July 4th To
Intercept Russian Bombers Off Coast Of Alaska.
--CDC Official Dealing With Illegal Immigrants,
George Roark, Calls President Worst Ever And Marxist. He And Agency Public
Health Advisor William Adams Agree That No Responsible Country Would Act In the
Manner Of Obama’s Edicts.
The
people of Greece have basically voted to keep a
failing culture alive. That’s the problem with smothering central government
where politicians gain votes by giving away more that the economy can afford.
It’s even more prevalent in the USA. Grants entitlements public works projects and
more are “presented to the voters” as gifts from kindly elected officials, and the
people suck it up. Of course, all it is the tax money of the voters now compounded,
encumbered by extensive inefficient Federal agency costs and the huge cost of
borrowed money to build up the “Gifts”. It is possible that if the money were
left in the states, and the states could actually find good money managers, and
people only got what they could actually afford, then federal debt could be
non-existent. It’s just a giant Pavlov’s dogs trick, which has citizens
salivating for more, thinking that the Feds have some unexplained golden egg in
a vault somewhere. That’s what happened to Greece and what could easily happen here
– if you just look at how your state is struggling to pay off promises that
should never have been made.
Brock
Holt (Of the Boston Red Sox) is a great
enthusiastic guy, a hustle guy, a talented player, and I am literally thrilled
to see him selected for the All Star game.
Brock
Holt is an interesting reflection on USA Society at large.
The reason Brock doesn’t play as much as he should is because he isn’t paid
enough. The management has to play often lesser players with bloated contracts.
It’s like many aspects of our modern world where money is too big. One hit
authors get big contracts and we have to see mediocre books flooding the market.
Actors look good once, get the long term big money, and they become little more
than a billboard name with meager other substance. In business a man with a title
is ofttn looked at for answers he cannot deliver, or credited for mediocrity,
which is why he or she has aids. I could go on, but you get the picture. I just
look at the person and forget the accoutrements.
I
ate for the first time at a Providence RI restaurant
called Rue De L’Espoir about 37 years ago, about a year and a half after it
opened. I always found it inventive even if they often were too focused on
vegetables and other weird looking stuff. It was a comfortable place, but in a
month it will be a fond memory. It’s sad to see the institutions go. But they
always do. The Rue was ahead of its time.
While
I’m patting that Providence East Side giant on the back,
I have to say that I still think Benefit Street in that capitol town is one of
the most beautiful stretches of meaningful architectural history in the
Country. Saying this, I’m thinking I should pick out cities around the country,
your cities, and extol there singular virtues. If you have something you feel special
about your town or area, let me know. I’ll gussy it up and send it along to
Tidsville.
“Zoo”
may be pretty accurate after all. Animals could be taking
over the world. Over the weekend a
couple was seen behind my house walking their giant Afghan dog. Upon arriving
at their giant Suburban SUV, the man opened the door, and pulled out a metal
ramp. The dog trotted on up, the ramp was re-stowed, and the pet was spared the
grief of climbing in.
The
Parking Lot. Chapter 3
I was feeling contented as I moved my car down the
street to a small strip mall, the only sign of general shopping in the tiny town.
Well, my taste buds and stomach were satisfied, but my mind was still craving
satisfaction. I looked out at the six stores, in a relatively better than
average looking strip, less hastily built than many. Of course there was the
convenience store, but clerks in there are usually from out of town and always profess
knowing nothing. I’m looking for somebody local and smart like my new favorite
waitress, who knows a lot but isn’t as reluctant. There was a tailor shop,
branch of a Providence exterminator, bait shop, Liquor store and a fish market.
I decided
to start with the Liquor store. My mystery woman looked like she could have
used a drink after that night behind my place. I’m always telling myself stupid
jokes. Better than boring other people I figure.
The store
was small and typical, somewhat disheveled with a Vodka special display just inside
the front door. I would only buy Vodka on special. There was kid in the corner
stocking shelves but no one at the counter. Probably sneaking a drink out back,
I accused. I walked over to the kid, gaunt, messy looking hair, but his eyes
saying, I’m more intelligent than I look. “The owner in, “ I asked.
“He’s out
back doin’ somethin’.”
“Somethin’,
I replied. The kid smiled and stood up tall, instantly shrinking my stature.
The kid looked eager so I figured I’d ask him about the sketch while waiting
for the owner to finish doin’ somethin’. “ I pulled out the sketch. “Ever see
this woman around here?”
“You a cop?”
Then a gray shield slid down covering his eyes as if he was finished talking.
“Is that a
yes or a no?”
“I got a keep
on working.” He turned and squatted back down to his box of bottles. I felt
taller instantly, but now quite empty. What is going on here?
The
Answer:
1.
You all probably remember that Ringo sang Yellow Submarine. His other “Beatles “
singles were Don’t Pass Me By, With a
Little Help From My Friends, What Goes On, Act Naturally, Good Night, Octopus’s
Garden, I Wanna be Your Man, Boys and Honey Don’t. The number one “Post Sixties”
Ringo solo was “It Don’t Come Easy” then rest down to Ten are Back Off,
Boogaloo, The Photograph, Blindman, Goodnight Vienna, The No-No Song, I Am The
Greatest, Snookeroo, Early 1970 and Devil Woman. 2. David McCullough is a truly wonderful writer and is abut to give
us i=his new one The Wright Borthers. John Adams is considered won of the great
biographies. 1776 was riveting. He also wrote Truman (Not Capote), The Johnston
Flood, The Great Bridge, The well rewarded Path Between the Seas, Mornings On
Horseback and Brave Companions. Of course, I keep thinking that McCullough wrote
Nathanial Philbrick’s Mayflower.
Hope
you
are loving your day!
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