Today's Tids Issue
4,005
For Sense:
The
Christmas song words “I Wonder as I Wander…” speaks beautifully
of one of the world’s great and joyful mysteries. Yet, the melody with words
taking on a new meaning haunt me as I look across a world in conflict, which I
find hard to understand; when all humans are the progenies of love.
On
Friday evening, the cacophony of ship’s horns echoing across
the harbor reminded us all here that Santa was sailing into town. It was a beautiful
sound.
Here’s
a thought for you: What is the biggest problem in our
colleges – filling up football stadiums or finding ways to pay for the severely
rising cost of the education? Musing more about the huge amount of money owed
on unfulfilled contract for failing, fired coaches, I’m thinking why aren’t
contracts written to say to coaches that if you are fired for non-performance,
the remainder of the unpaid salary on your contract will be placed in a pool to
help “Students” with out-of-control tuition and interminable loans. Maybe the
coaches could write it off as a tax deduction. Hell, we give tax deductions for
everything else, why not for the high cost of education.
I
think it is pretty cool how the Chinese created a language
entirely out of tattoos.
When
will NFL teams learn that just because a thug can play good
football, it doesn’t mean that he is good for a team. Thuggery will over time
produce more losses than wins, and start to make fans turn away.
The
Question:
In 1789, George Washington Set Aside a National Day
of Thanksgiving. What was the reason for it? Bonus: How many people in TV’s Mayberry were married?
The
Headlines:
--Cyber Sales Up 18%; Brick And Mortar Sales Down 4%[
Dow Should Open Higher On Cyber Monday.
--100K Evacuated In Bali As Lava Pools Up In Crater.
--Saudi Crown Prince Stepping Up As Middle East
Leader On Human Rights And Anti ISIS Efforts.
--Battle Looming Between Trump And Ex-Consumer
Watchdog Cordray Over Future Leadership Of Consumer Financial Regulation Group.
--Conyers Step Down As Leader Of Dems In Judiciary
Post; Franken Says It Is Biz As Usual; Comedian Says He Doesn’t Know If More
Accusers Will Come Forward (?).
--Prince Harry Is Engaged To Meghan Markle; Markle
Is America Actress Of Black Mother and White Father.
--Time Inc. Sold To Meredith For $2.8Bil; Backed By
Koch Brothers.
Could
George Gershwin have been listening to the opening sounds
of Ottorino Respighi’s Pina Di Roma when he started writing American in Paris?
Another
sign of the way our traditional world is changing
– the Generation “Z” (I guess that is the current youngest group) is more
interested in DIY stars. Those are the amateurs who make it big on public
forums like You Tube. They are saying, “We have our own”, and don’t seem to
care as much about the industry grind em’ out, packaged and promoted stars.
The
other day a very bright younger person asked me how I would solve
the huge problem of declining average wages. Well, I scratched my head and
hemmed and hawed and finally said. “I have no idea”. This is an endemic problem
which is mainly the result of global equilibrium. All manufacturers who are moving
forward are basically global, and the lowest common denominator of wages is driving
location decisions. One of the keys, we both agreed on, is skill. And, we are
talking high skills that require intense education. Companies that are growing,
and more importantly staying in America are creating non-commodity products
that require advanced employee skill sets. They will get paid. Basically, for
the future, we are saying that learning in school beginning in the first grade
and intensifying throughout high school will mean the difference between
getting paid properly or being displaced by robots. I have to say, though, real
economic wage growth (As opposed to forced minimum wage increases) is a
significant conundrum. which will affect future generations. More heads than
this old gray one will be scratched.
The
police authorities have named the group of older women robbing
banks -- the Grandmafia. (Thanks to MacNelly and Brookins).
Shopping
is overrated. I guess that makes me an unfrenzied,
anti-American.
As
I look around, that new “Cold Shoulder” look is proving
to me once again that there are a lot of people who should just simply avoid
designer trendiness for designer trendiness sake.
The
college bowl game picture just got fuzzier. Clemson, Last
year’s national champ, with solid win over super rival South Carolina put themselves
back atop the bowl picture. They should beat Miami in the ACC championship
game. (Miami’s undefeated season was interrupted Friday by Pitt.) Wisconsin
looked great in winning and staying undefeated. They must beat Ohio State next
weekend to make the top four, or else be overlooked by OSU sycophants on the
selection committee. Oklahoma is also looking more like a lock. Then we have
Auburn who in the past three weeks have beaten the two Number one’s at the time
– Georgia and Alabama. Auburn plays Georgia next week for the SEC championship.
Wow, what a Saturday next week will be – Auburn-Georgia, Clemson-Miami and OSU
and Wisconsin. And then out of nowhere, the Sooners will be upset by TCU, and
open the door for another committee favorite.
Now
I know one solid reason why Bitcoin still exists,
and why it is up over 900%!. It is the main currency medium used by Corporations
to pay off cyber thieves, extortionist hackers and data kidnappers.
Um-Pah,
Department:
Saturday at Boston’s Faneuil Hall, 150 Tuba players
put on a Christmas Music concert. How cool is that!
Tesla
and Uber seem to have this business premise that some basic
rules of decency don’t apply to them. Tesla, which is doing some cool stuff is
going through their cash at the rate of $480,000/Hour! Last week they signed an
agreement to build cars in China, while laying off 700 American workers for
underperformance – with no advanced warning. Uber continues to surprise legal
authorities with disingenuous tactics like the latest of not warning about the
hacking of some data from 57 Million people
NBA’s
Oklahoma City Thunder is the latest example of where the
assemblage of a bunch of superstars does not make the result a “team”.
Something
wrong with this Picture, Department:
Jeff Bezos wealth went up $36 billion to $100 Bil in
just one day. Amazon’s appearance of revenue zoomed on Friday, and a couple of
keystrokes at the emotionally driven Nasdaq added to his enormous wealth. This
for his company that barely has plans for making profits. BTW, Bezos passed
Bill Gates who now is second with a mere $86 billion. But, analysts say that
Gates, unlike Bezos, contributes billions to world charities. They add that if
you were to factor in Gates charitable contributions, his worth would be about
$150 Billion! There’s more to life than one-day spurts.
I
think I’m already getting tired of the promotions and
publicity for the return of Tiger Woods.
About
one or two years ago Applebee’s must have gotten caught up
in the health food frenzy as all of their ads featured greenery upon greenery.
I have a feeling it didn’t sit well with their core audiences because they are now
heavily back to promoting food that the majority of people would actually like to
eat -- steaks with great toppings and creative potato dishes. The market always
speaks, and smart companies follow their needs.
I
don’t think of myself as overweight, just easier to see.
The
Answer:
Washington wanted to give Thanks for the adoption of
the US Constitution. Bonus: Only
one, Otis, the town drunk, was married. The rest of the happy crew -- Andy,
Barney, Aunt Bee, Floyd, Howard, Gomer, Goober, Sam, Earnest T. Bass, Helen,
Clara, Thelma and, of course, Opie were single.
One
of the nicest sensations of this time of year is walking
through a Christmas tree displays and inhaling the wonderful aromas of fresh
cut Pine. Exhilarating!
Makes me feel like this finale to Respighi’s Pines
of Rome:
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