Not Central to the Argument.

Today's Tids Issue 4,147

For Clarity in a Disjointed World:

It’s one of those mornings where I feel,

My mind drifting, towards lands surreal.

The goosebumps, the racing heart;

Out of thin air, a romantical start.

S’not the bright dawning lifting me aloft.

Tis the lilting strains of Rachmaninoff!

I was moved Friday evening by what will be the final words ever written by Charles Krauthammer. I was driven to reach back into his literary treasures. He was a master of getting to the point, dismissing the side shows and manipulations. He like many other very smart people, is able to discern beyond the deafening rhetoric. To see and explain the truth, even to those who try to bar it from their opinions. To those who never listen -- to pause, to think. When I grow up, I want to be Charles Krauthammer.

There is a lot of importance happening the world over, and yet too many get caught up in sensationalized irrelevance.

And Patriotic irreverence – like last night when spoiled children at the Tony Awards erupted in riotous applause and laughter after an aging movie star uttered the “F” word against the President of the United States of America, who just happens to be as we speak in Singapore on a mission that could help bring a new peace to the world. Contrast the yahoos at the Tonys with the 50,000 people at the RI Air Show who fervently sang our national anthem as the Navy Jump Team unfurled the American flag on their way to a safe landing on the vast tarmac. They say there are two Americas these days. I’ll take the second one.

The Question:

We all know and take for granted that a week consists of S-M-T-W-T-F-S. But, how were these seven days named?

The Headlines:

--Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump Meet In Singapore; Possibility Of A New Relationship Could Add Peace To A Tattered World.

--Markets Keep Close Eye On Summit And Tarde Insults; Later In Week Fed Action Could Have Effect.

--Oil Prices Drop As Russia Reserves Grow; Arabia To Up Production.

--Justify Looks Like Real Champion In Cruising To Triple Crown  At Rrigorous Belmont.

--IHOP Changes Name To IHOB – “B” As IN Burgers.

--CEO Of Twitter Savaged By The Intolerant For Eating At Chick-fil-A; He Meekly Agrees He Forgot And Shouldn’t Have Enjoyed Sandwich.

--Body Of South Florida Woman Believed To Have Been Attacked By Alligator Found Nearby Her Home; Neighbor Hood Alert had Issue Wild Animal Warning Earlier In The Day.

I believe one reason that many Americans don’t see truth is because side arguments are so cacophonous.

What the hell just happened up in Canada?

Or, Perhaps I am achieving calm,

Listening to chorales from Brahms.

I have to tell you that ever since June 1 when new controls over things Internet went into effect, my Tids Web site visits are down a bit. I have to hope the decline is because of the “Cookies” warning that Google plops up front and not that the Tids have lost their ability to inform and entertain. There are days when I sit here and wonder if I’ve gone stale. I much prefer rye humor to stale bread.

When the buck deer took over diaper duty at home, it was considered a big game changer.

How about that Google company succumbing to anxious employees who for some reason don’t want to contribute to the betterment of national defense? Remember, like when most companies thought it was an honor to contribute to the protection of neighbors. Google’s rejection of a Military drone contract was based on some kind of a supposed employee revolt, which on the face of it seems rather ironic. They may abhor the thought of war, or maybe they just won’t support anything associated with Trump regardless if it is good for all. Obviously, the employees don’t understand that the threat of war will always be a black cloud that hangs over the globe, and that drone warfare is much more targeted than broadly destructive missiles and other weapons of the past. Why wouldn’t they want to contribute to a warfare instrument significantly more humane, that could in some future instance protect so many fellow citizens in this country that gives so much.

Below is the Google Employee letter to management that was signed by 3100 employees: “Dear Sundar (CEO of Google),

We believe that Google should not be in the business of war. Therefore, we ask that Project Maven (Advanced Drone Technology) be cancelled and that Google draft, publicize, and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology.” Yikes! Rosie the riveter, where have you gone?

I’m trying to give up snacks, but I think my body is rejecting me.

When I think of reverie, I see me walking hand in hand on a moon lit beach. I feel cool waters creeping up, sifting between my toes. I hear Chopin’s 2^nd movement of his first piano concerto somehow drifting upon breezes in darkened skies.

You may have noticed over the years that I have though Cyber security technology should be at the forefront of our defense efforts. Last Friday it was revealed that China has hacked into our super-secret plans for future submarine and weapon technology (BTW -- Right here in a Newport Underwater Defenses Company). We can build all possible mighty weapons of steel, but what good are they if their operation can be subverted from afar. If I’m a congress person, I’m voting for increased defense spending. I’m prioritizing high technology, regardless of what Google employees think.

I may have to find a new browser…and search engine…and Android operating system…and blogging system. Hey wait a minute – Google is already a tyrannical dictator.

Just in case you thought the US might be losing its edge, we just reclaimed the Super Computer title from China.

When I watch a movie lately, I have this strange feeling that all of the actors up there on the screen don’t really like me.

In Oregon, marijuana retail sellers have grown much too fast for the marketplace, forcing a reduction in prices and opening the door to big companies buying up smaller operations. Reality of business is seeping in through the clouds. 20 or so years from now class action lawyers will be employing the same tactics as they did with the big Ciggy-butt companies to bring down pot.

There is no truth to the rumor that NYC’s latest street scape problem is the growth of seeing eye dogs for pedestrians with heads buried in smart phones.

Have the Dems had it with Progressives? The DNC has just adopted new rules that would bar independents like Bernie from getting the Dem nomination. So, basically, the Dems have just helped create a potentially powerful socialist Party in the US. How fracturing would a three-way race become? Interesting set of possibilities developing here for politics addicts.

What in hell are we doing, Department:

The Salem Witch trials could be considered the bridge between medieval times and a growing sense of enlightenment -- Reasonable people rebelling against the irrationality of madding crowds. I’m glad we of modern society have gotten past ideological anger overwhelming common sense.

The Answer:

The seven days were originally named after the classical planets in Hellenistic astrology – Sun Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. While these designated planets were described by many different languages over many centuries, what we have today are Basie to Germanic Old English. This replaced the Latin (Roman) Latin words for the planets and is loosely tied to them through German and Norse gods. Yeah, right, it’s really confusing, yet we live with it, not questioning, every single day. Sunday is from Sunnandaeg meaning Suns day. Monandaeg is for the Moons day. Tiwestag after Norse one handed god Tiw, is Tuesday. Wodnesdaeg relates to the German God Wodin, the Norse god Odin and also is somewhat related to the Latin dies Mercurii. Modern English (T)unresdaeg is Thor or Thunder which is often written in as German Donnerstag or Scadinavian Torstag which corresponds ot Latin dies lovis – Day of Jupiter. Friggs star was Venus and Old English was Frigedaeg. Lastly, we Anglo-Saxonized the roman god Saturn, to give us Saeturnesdaeg -- Saturday.  There is no truth the rumor that Lincoln Chafee of RI will run for President on a platform that would return us to the Latin days of the week.

The things we accept as Gospel without knowing what things really mean: I always thought that day’s names were Latin for: Sunday meant go to church; Monday, do the wash. Of course, Tuesday was iron the clothes and Wednesday was mending clothes day; Thursday was upstairs cleaning day and Friday was for baking.  Saturday was for downstairs cleaning, and not sitting down with beer and a bag of Cheetos and watch the Red Sox day.