It should be perfect, but…

Today's Tids Issue 4,004

For thinking of those I do not know:

What a week. It began with the excitement of the 4,000^th Tids, and ended ever so beautifully with a comfortable and loving Thanksgiving Day. In fact, my mind has become so thoroughly mollified, that I may not be able to rise above some bad puns. Well, it’s better than left-over cranberry sauce. Read the Tids. Take your chances.

Why don’t some couples go to the gym? Because, some relationships don’t work out.

It looks like Zimbabwe is in good hands following the resignation of tyrannical dictator Mugabe. Yeah, sure -- the wizened leaders of the economically deteriorating country have anointed Emmerson Mnangagwa as their new President. He is known as “The Crocodile”. Yikes! In fact, he was the all-powerful enforcer, the right-hand man for Mugabe; in charge of spying and Chief Security Official when mass murders and unimaginable atrocities occurred during the post take-over period. God help the Zimbabweans.

The Question:

Who are these people: Billy Connolly, Denise Kirby, Garret Dillahunt, Scott, Krinsky and Stephen Merchant?

The Headlines:

--Over 200 Killed, 140 Wounded In Islamic Attack On Egypt Mosque.

--Signs Say Former NSA Chief Flynn May be Talking To Mueller About Deal For Info.

--Black Friday Sales Off To Brisk Start; Online Up Again, Amazon Crushing It; 2,500 In Line At Mall Of America; Stock Markets Looking Good In Early Trading.

--South Africa Court Doubles Pistorius Sentence.

--US Ceases Search For 3 Missing Sailors In Philippines Seas; Explosion Heard Near Where Argentine Sub Disappeared May Indicate End.

--Saudi Crown Prince Says Iran Supreme Leader The New Hitler.

--Uber’s New CEO said To Have Known Of Data Breach 32 Months Before Telling Public; CEO Says Investigation Needed Before Explaining To Public.

A dollar isn’t a dollar anymore, Department:

College football observers say there is a good chance that the coaches of UCLA (Already gone), Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas A&M, North Carolina, Texas Tach, Arizona State and Kansas will probably dismiss their football coaches. The coaches of those 8 schools will be owed $62.6 Million on their unfulfilled contracts! The universities will be paying tons of dough for nothing…on top of contracts for new coaches, which will surely be also out of sight. AD’s must not have taken a course on judicial fiscal management. This is more wasteful than most governments.

Did you hear about the shoemaker’s apprentice who gave his awl?

A reader, an historically “Laissez- faire” guy, writes to tell me that he believes that “the change to net neutrality will not show effects immediately, but over time we will feel restrictions on what we can see and what we pay to see anything. The big providers will direct our searching and viewing, and limit us to what they choose to offer.” It sounds to me like big government is allowing big business to smother the consumer. But, let’s face it, the Internet today is really just another huge advertising medium and retail outlet. People already are directed and controlled to spend inordinate amounts of time and money doing basically nothing. Some psychologists are saying that the internet as it is today is the biggest cause for the growing depression in people worldwide. Convenience is obliterating chances for social interaction.

And, we haven’t even gotten to what could be the next national degenerating mania – on-line gambling and sports betting. The “Mo” is building and it is just one Supreme Court decision away from becoming the new American pastime.

Yesterday, I asked a younger guy, an Artificial Intelligence, Computer science whiz bang, what he thought of Net Neutrality. He answered, that it confused the hell out of him and thinking about it gives him headaches.

A so-called impartial Washington Post reporter, Janell Ross, was an active participant in a meeting of the” largest contributors, most liberal influencers” of the left wing of the Democrat party – “The Democracy Alliance”. Featured among many wealthy donors, some congress people and info contributors like Ross, was George Soros who outlined the future of the progressive agenda. What makes Ross interesting is not only did an “Unbiased” journalist cross the line participating in a political effort, but she hid it from her Washington Post employers. The meeting was originally designed to be a secret, but a Washington newspaper, The Beacon, uncovered the list of attendees and contributors. Further examination of Ross, who bills herself as fair and middle of the road ethical journalist, found that her past writings are significantly anti right.

The flip side of a contagious gum disease is an infectious smile.

But maybe the threat of a select few giants creating a monopoly that would govern and control our internet habits is not so dangerous after all. In the package delivery business, three giants control it all – UPS, FedEx and USPS. This week, UPS announced that they will apply surcharges to deliveries just before Christmas and round Back Friday. Guess what, some of the biggest eCommerce giants said, Forget about UPS, I’m giving all my business to USPS and FedEx. Competition does still work for the benefit of consumers.

In addition to Alabama-Auburn tomorrow, you can watch high paid caches in action as Clemson plays South Carolina in what looks like a key, meaningful match-up too. Many will also watch Notre dame-Stanford, but it doesn’t mean much as far as the Playoff picture goes. And then there is the huge Midwest battle featuring the Ohio Sates Buckeyes and against the Michigan Wolverines. This could actually be a pretty good game. But, I still go with Michigan, because the marching song just can’t be beat.

Colin Kapernick is no Jackie Robinson.

The sports world awaits the ESPN announcement expected momentarily about the release of perhaps more than 100 personalities, many of whom were associated with the network’s former top ranked Sports Center”. The CEO of the big Disney unit may be holding back on destroying the careers of these employees because he is in the midst of signing a giant contract for himself. You can’t make this greed stuff up.

The Answer:

Ok, here we go: Billy Connolly is a very good British comedic Actor originally given a boost as a lead-in to Elton John concerts and then scored big playing with Monte Python. He has been in many movies but was best noted for is role as John Brown in the Judi Dench film Mrs. Brown, for which won a SAG award for best supporting actor; If you are familiar with Charlotte’s Web, then you know Denise Kirby; Garret Dillahunt is another of those classic character actors you see in many films and TV shows. He was big and scary as Ty Walker in the 6th season of the wonderful “Justified” series, and very well known as Burt Chance on Raising Hope; I was one of those big fans of “Chuck”, and Scott Krinsky kept the laughs going with his antics; Stephen Merchant has long been a partner with Ricky Gervais, jointly co-hosting their show with RG’s name? He co-wrote and co-produced the BBC comedy, “The Office. It was brought to the USA and he and Gervais accepted the Golden Globe for Best Television Series.

If there is one thing I have learned from being a member of this open to all newly connected world global community, it is that what I and others are doing has little relationship to what maybe happening to billions of other good honest humans. For instance, this morning I’m just enjoying simplicity, blue skies and a nice nip in the air; pounding my head on the desk looking for an idea. And across the Atlantic ocean,100’s were murdered while praying hopefully in a Mosque. Just wants make you sob, doesn’t it?

Have a good weekend, E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!!