A dud; we got mud.

Today's Tids Issue 3,819

For Thinking Twice:

Some professions just set themselves up for criticism…like weather forecasters. One big miss and they get the dis. Is it fair? Even though they were off by a lot yesterday, they have been particularly accurate over the past several years. And they had a pretty good excuse yesterday as they were at the mercy of two converging storms where a 20 to 30 mile shift produces a 180 degrees of alteration. It’s easier than ever to snipe at people and institutions. Incidents are transformed into lifetimes. Grumbling today can reverberate around the world in seconds and regular old people trying to do a decent job can be crucified. Personally, I don’t think communications technology has improved my life enough to overcome all of the associated negatives, like character assassination, mass bullying and geopolitical disruption.

And think about it yourself. Without these advanced communications, you would have pleasant sunny mornings without the Tids disrupting your quiet thoughtful breakfast times.  

The Butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work

A bad start on health care could easily damage efforts for all future admin programs. My guess is that Trump will find a way to negotiate the plan towards a more amicable coverage status, if his advisors let him.

The Question:

Who was assassinated 2,061 years ago, today? Bonus: What classic Broadway musical is based on Shaw’s Pygmalion?  Extra Bonus: Who were the actors who played the three main characters of the TV show, “3’s Company”? Extra points: Who played the nosy neighbor?

The Headlines:

--Oil Rebounds, And So Do Stocks; Retail Sales Tail Off; Awaiting Yellen Talk On Economic Futures.

--Tillerson Off To Asia; Korean Tension Major Concern; SoS Leaves Press Behind..

--Biden Says, “Give Trump A Chance To Govern.”

--Dutch Voters In Election That Could Set Tone On Immigration For All Of Europe.

--Trump Admin Irate After Illegal Release Of 12 Year Old Tax return; Trump Paid $38 Million In taxes.

--30 Killed In Damascus Syria Suicide Bombing.

--GOP Expected To Alter Health Plan.

--Federal Government Plans To Charge Yahoo, Russia Hackers.

If it is true that we are here to help others, then what are others here for?

The best segment of The Voice begins next week with the “Battle Rounds” which I call the Duets, and which are generally the most entertaining segments of the long show. After that we begin to see the competition shaping up. In these later rounds of the “Blinds” it is hard to find standout performances, because you have seen so many that appear so close. But, there actually were a few stand-outs this week mainly yesterday. In particular, I thought the two who went to Alicia Keys were excellent – Vanessa Ferguson and Chris Blue. Vanessa has the poise, personality and sense of humor – and of course voice -- to take her far, maybe all the way. I also liked Sheena Brook, who joins a host of better-than-average country singers this year. So, the four coaches have their teams, but I just can’t get my arms around 48 singers enough to sort them out. I know there were at least four country singers I could love and assorted other genre singers along the way, like the two above. Just get ready to enjoy next week for pure singing, when we start paring down to 24.

If you strangle a Smurf, what color does its face turn?

I always liked West Virginia bred Jennifer Gardner. This morning I learned she is sticking by her man and giving all the support Ben Affleck needs as he completes rehab for Alcohol addiction. Love and support, support and love; this is the best remedy for helping to overcome the debilitating evils of booze that can grab your heart, cloud you mind, squish your brains, corrode your judgement, destroy lives around you, that is if it doesn’t kill you first. Ben has a great chance, because he has a great family and loving wife that will lift him up. He will know it now, because he should see it clearly.

They say everybody has secrets somewhere. Now Alexa, Siri and your fridge ice cube maker knows them.

Is there a “Deep State” as espoused by Gingrich and other Trump Advocates? It sounds ominous, fiction novel thriller-like. But, it is quite possible that there are many Obama supporters hanging around, grumbling and worse. There was an expression, and unwritten code in business years ago, “The mice have sharp teeth.” In other words, be nice to everybody at every level for you know whence that knife in the back comes. A “Deep State” is essentially a consequence of human nature, and not nearly a conspiracy theory. Don’t laugh, or of you are a liberal -- chortle.

Whatever happened to Preparation A though G?

Murderers are stupid too, Department:

This past weekend, an owner of a carjacked car was murdered in front of his family because the thieves couldn’t figure out how to operate a stick shift car. I don’t know where to begin. Maybe a prayer would be a good start.     

Amy Schumer is just one of those comedians who doesn’t make me laugh. But maybe I’m not alone. Last week was the premiere of her long-awaited Netflix Standup special – “Amy Schumer: The Leather Special”. It received 1,200 user reviews and had an average 1.5 stars out of five rating which clearly means, “Take it off the air, it sucks.” As one reviewer said, “The only laugh I had was at how bad it was”.  And that is the tame comment.

Actually, Chuck Schumer is funnier. Makes me laugh all of the time.

The Trump admin has basically the same internal problem as the Obama admin. “O” said he had a mandate and implied it was his way or the highway. “T’” gang think they have the support of the people to ram through everything without tempering.

What this country needs is a good sense of humor.

If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the others drown too?

The Parking Lot: Chapter 83 continues…

   Alex continued moving up towards the house, now a glowing beacon through the woods on a dark night. He couldn’t be sure that there was anybody still there. He was hoping to see Modessa walking by the windows. But there was that feeling that said to him it was empty or a trap. He opted for empty, because that’s all he had.

    He stopped to turn back to look around at where his car had been, and if he could see those two men who were looking for his body. He saw and heard nothing. If they didn’t find him, they would be coming back to this house, he thought. He needed to get to a phone. Man, this intrigue stuff, he thought, was killing him. Going into that brightly lit building was like a bad idea, but doing nothing seemed much worse.

   He ran now into the shadows behind the house. He was breathing hard, more form nerves than exertion. What would Nancy do. She’d slow down and get herself under control; she’d plan the best entry and fastest escape. She’d turn out lights when she got in there. Would they notice? If they saw the lights dim immediately it would  take at least three minutes to get there. That might be enough.

   He sucked it up and squeezed himself through the back door, looked around the kitchen for a phone, saw it, and flicked off the lights.

   He took three leaping steps to the phone pulled it off the stand and dialed Nancy’s Cell.

    Nancy‘s voice answerd almost immediately. “Hel…”

    “He interrupted, “This is Alex, they almost Killed me. I’m inside Modessa’s home, they took him, but there are two guys in the woods looking for my body.” He was blurting now. “They could be here in a minute I have to go.” But before he could hang up her heard.

    “We are almost there. Stay calm and well hidden, and we’ll be careful. Don’t worry.“

    “I’ll take this phone with me,” Alex responded now sounding a little more responsible. “and hope it has enough power to stay connected to the inside receiver. They hung up. And he ran back up the hill.

The Answer:

Yes today, March 15, these are those Ides of March we hear so much about. Be more careful than Julius Caesar. Bonus: My Fair Lady, which never fails to move me and get me singing was the musical version of Pygmalion. Extra Bonus: John Ritter, Lived with Suzanne Sommers and Joyce DeWitt. Don Knots always dropped in when he wasn’t wanted. Note: My Fair Lady hit the stage exactly 2,000 years after Caesar hit the marble forum floor. So, I guess the Ides aren’t all bad.

If toast always lands butter side down, and cats always land on their feet, what would happen if you strapped butter side up toast on a cat’s back and dropped it?