Today's Tids Issue
4,277
Nostalgia is Reassuring:
Every
lad
has had his dreams,
Of Christmas presents grand.
And little girls imagined scenes,
Holding Prince Charming’s hand.
But thoughts of those B-B Guns
Have been summarily banned,
And girls as little princesses,
Don’t fit in a world unmanned.
Don’t
worry about the world coming to an end today, It is
already tomorrow in Australia.
Last
night I enjoyed attending a rather large gathering of elderly
“scholars”. One thing that stood out was that just about everybody greeted each
other with the phrase, “Merry Christmas!”. How unique.
I
lived in the business world of visual presentation,
and I was taught early on that most of your big decisions were made with your
stomach, not your mind. Most often it was paramount that you adjust away from
preconceived solutions, which frequently would grind away at your stomach. That’s
when you knew you might have something. One reason for the stultification of growth
is that too many observers are thinking with their brains.
Retained
revenue for big measuring stick retail companies is
looking pretty good, but the “Street” is taking a closer look at margins in this
new world of heavy discounting retail. And they are not too happy. You always
have adjust your yard sticks in ever changing economies.
Cohen
is talking, and it doesn’t appear that what he is
and will be saying is what the President wants in his stocking hung by the
fireplace with care.
The
Question:
Who was the female star of “Close Encounters of the Third
Kind” and what else did she do in her career? Bonus: Who was Abbe Lane’s Husband?
The
Headlines:
--Newtown Connecticut Remembers Their Children.
--New Signs Of China’s Weakening Economy Should Shoot
Down Hopes For Good Day On Wall Street; J&J Shares Plunge After New Report Alleges
Company New Of Asbestos In Baby Powder.
--In First Interview Since Sentencing, Michael Cohen
Says To ABC’s Stephanopoulos: “First Of All, Nothing At The Trump Organization Was
Ever Done Unless It Was Run Through Mister Trump.”; Kushner Said To Have
Replaced Cohen As National Enquirer Connection; Legal Experts Disagree On Legal
Implications From Payments To Lady Pals.
--Teresa May Brexit Deal In Peril.
--Russia And China Strengthening Trade Positions In
Africa.
--Trump Inaugural Funding Being Scrutinized For
Illegal Foreign Donations.
--Christie And Kushner Seem To Be In Finals For Chief
Of Staff Job.
How
would you like to date the woman who was the first
female leader of an American Indian tribe? Yes, the first chief of the Cherokee
Nation was Wilma Mankiller. Yikes! Get me outta there.
If
you liked Dirty Harry movies, then you grew to look forward
to Sandra Locke playing opposite Clint Eastwood. Regardless of the failure of their
personal relationship, there was great chemistry on the screen. She died last night
fro m a heart problem relating to a battle with cancer she had been fighting for
a while. Yup, there was something about Sandra Locke.
By
the way, Sandra Locke received rave reviews and an Academy
Award nomination for her first move, “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter”, costarring
with Alan Arkin
When
I want change to healthy eating, I switch from potato chips
to Bugles. I tell my doctor I eat a lot of non-sugary cereal.
We
get a lot of inane made up controversies these days, but the harangue
over “Baby its cold outside” is as dumb as it gets.
One
of the big new concerns about our future world is not
having enough diversity in our Artificial Intelligence Machines. Yes,
it appears there are way too many men teaching them their habits.
Regardless
of truth or not truth, Cohen will sound very credible to people
who want nothing more than to get Trump out of the White House. And a lot of those
people own microphones and printing presses.
A
guy named Bradley Tusk was a political advisor to many politicians
including NY’s mayor Michael Bloomberg. He says Bloomberg would be a refreshing
candidate as he abhors the politics in decision making. In other words, Bloomberg
acts on his belief in what is right and not polls. (Of course, what he believes
in is pretty important, too) But, the reason I’m writing about Tusk is because of
some of his observations on politicians in general. “Most people run for office
because they are insecure and the need to be validated, so they essentially put
themselves through the miserable insane process to get it. In another observation
he says, “Like if you took Chuck Schumer’s attention away, he would shrivel up and
die.” He added, “That notion is true of most politicians.
Reading
Between the Lines Movie Reviews:
Yet
again today there is another flurry of pre-Christmas Movie releases. I’ll pick
a smattering of them.
--I was looking forward to The Mule with Eastwood. So,
if you read the critics reviews you might be discouraged, but audiences are overwhelmingly
in enjoying this flick about this old guy living alone and running out of money
who takes a job offer to “Simply Drive”. Sounds easy and the pay is good, too
good. But, he wasn’t told about the Mexican Cartel drugs in the trunk he was transporting.
Of course Government agents take notice of his increase in wealth and, the cartel
becomes wary of his changing habits. Besides that, he has issues from his past,
and it all comes to a head. Can Clint handle it? I’ll go.
--Spiderman: Into the Spider Verse is an animated
version of most people’s favorite mutated hero, and it is a fun adventure with plenty
of heart. It is good for all.
--The Second Time Around is a nice romantic tale about
a man and a woman in a retirement home. She is reluctant and he is grumpy, and the
neighbors are nosy. But through it all their love of music bids them though their
struggles. In the end, they set out on an adventure to visit the opera in Milan
Italy.
--The House That Jack Built brings movie goers into the
organized clutter of a serial killer’s mind played by Matt Dillon. It tends towards
surrealism and is full of black comedy but the deaths are real and vicious. If
you like this genre, this isn’t bad. Good cast.
Probably confusing.
Among some suspect losers are other films like the
special effects mess called “Mortal Engines”, a SiFi vehicle for Sandra Bullock
called “Bird Box” (People have to be blindfolded so not to have eye contact with
a mysterious monster that would destroy them) and “Once Upon a Deadpool”. One that
may be a sleeper is “If Beale Street Could talk”.
The
Answer:
Melinda Dillon was the woman who starred in Close Encounters.
I thought she was pretty good and memorable. But I haven’t heard much about her.
She was born in Hope Arkansan, but thank God didn’t know Bill. She was nominated
for a Tony for her debut role in the original Broadway “Who’s Afraid Of Virginia
Woolf”. She received an Oscar Nomination for her Close Encounters role and also
for “Absence of Malice”. So, she was no slouch in the business of acting. You may
also remember her for her success in Bound for Glory, Harry and the Henderson’s,
The Prince of Tides and Magnolia. And you may also have enjoyed her most as the
patient mom and wife in the delightful classic movie called “A Christmas Story”.
Bonus: Abbe Lane was a nice Jewish
Girl form Brooklyn who gained fame as a sexy latin singer with her husband
Xavior Cugot’s band. She was well known for her suggestive comments like: “Jayne
Mansfield may turn boys into men, but I take them from there.” She was quite the
sensation in her day.
I
think I have a week before my computer pops up a message, “Time
to begin Christmas Shopping.” It’s been fun thinking about it, but now I have to
open my wallet…painfully. Ouch.
A
woman who I don’t know but I guess who is well known in
our nation said the other day that’s she didn’t mourn GHWB because she had more
important things to mourn, like the murdered children at Newtown Connecticut.
That’s nice, but it is too bad some people feel they have to make choices about
who they should mourn, and miss the bigger picture. Yes, picking sides is one
of our problems.
Have
a beautiful weekend, E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!!
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