Snowballs and garbage cans.

Today's Tids Issue 4,279

Was it better, or am I just dreaming:

The US Government budget office is becoming concerned over the high cost of ink supplies for the Mueller investigation. Apparently, they hadn’t budgeted for the ink draining effect of multiple blackened redactions.

Despite the unrepeatable curses of my father, there was nothing better than a good snowstorm in those wonderful days of yore. It was glories hen roads weren’t plowed and sleds could glide, while autos rested in garages with empty batteries; of snowball fights and garbage can lid shields. Sledding until the gloves were icy cakes, and your nose was a half a degree from frostbite. When you were 3 to 4-foot kids, 12 inches of snow was a third of your height and the local hill looked lie Mont Blanc. When they wrote songs about snowflakes glistening, they were seeing the reflections in kids eyes.

An adult who loves puns is a groan-up.

A local observer of human misunderstanding calls this, “The Golden Age of American Ignorance”. Sound bites do not an encyclopedia make. Too many people search the web for facts that support their misconceptions. And, too many other accept them without first checking.

I don’t know why so many USA mayors are against their police departments aiding US immigration legal authorities. Afterall, “Ice” is in their name.

I see where they are bringing back a beloved memory from my childhood, Dumbo! How could anybody not like a baby flying elephant?

The Question:

Some people are beginning to talk about Best Picture at the Oscars…if they can find host to announce it without prejudice. A new poll of average people is out with picks for best pic. Name the top five?

The Headlines:

--Trump Tries To Lobby The Fed Before Interest Rate Vote; Stocks Open Higher.

--Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Appoints Repub Martha McSally To Replace Outgoing Senator John Kyl; Kyl Had replaced McCain.

--Trump Foundation To Dissolve After Alleged Accusations Of Illegal Conduct.

--Weather Forecasters Tell Northern USA To Get Ready For Super Freezing In A Week As Polar Vortex Hangs Over North Pole.

--Hungary Government Wrestling With Growing Protests; UK Parliament Preparing Country, Business For Brexit Without EU Deal; Cease Fire Takes Place In Yemen Port.

--Kroger Debuts Driverless Delivery Trucks In Arizona.

--Flynn To Face Sentencing Today; Tells Judge He Will Continue To Plead Guilty Despite News Headlines.

--Texas Mom Who Partied While Kids Died In Hot Car Sentenced To 49 Years.

What’s wrong with this picture? The state of Rhode Island is facing a huge budget shortfall. One of the major cost contributors, and definitely the largest, is the immense, fast growing Medicaid obligations.  The state is looking at two solutions: The expansion of sports betting and gambling, and the rapid passage of a bill legalizing retail marijuana sales. Am I losing my mind?

Correction: Yesterday, instead of typing, “RI should become a “sanctuary” state for business, I wrote “Sanctity” state. Regardless of the typo, it is still a lot better objective than a future of gambling and smoking pot,

The Voice final last night was a pretty enjoyable night of singing. Up front, I will tell you that I like Chris Kroeze, and think highly of Chevel Shepherd. And, I also think that Kennedy Holmes is a brilliant young entertainer. The favorite from early on, Kirk Jay, has never been one of mine. Now Chris K is not mister personality on the stage, but he is cool and concentrated, and sings to my liking. And last night he played some fantastic Guitar. Chevel had some magical moments, but was not overwhelming. Kennedy, incredibly mature for a 14 year old, knows how to put on a big show and her voice pretty good. She took over the stage several times last night. (Today’s pop singers are lauded more for how they take over the stage rather than for the tune they sing.). Kirk Jay did what he alwsys does and it might be just enough. Of the duets, I really enjoyed Blake and Chris, although they were just a beat ahead of JHud and Kennedy. Last night, I think the studio audiences went most berserk over Kennedy and perhaps Chris as number two.

Now, iTunes sales may tell a different story. #1 for the night was “Broken Hearts” by Chevel Shepherd followed by Kirk singing “Defenseless” at #2 and at #3 Chris singing “Human (Which I enjoyed). #4 was the Blake-Kirk duet followed by #5 Kirk sinning “I Won’t Let Go” and # 9 the duet between Kelly and Chevel. Kennedy Holmes finally shows up at #11 with “Confident” and again at #13 with “Love is Free”. The rest on the Top 100 are #14 Chevel, #22 Chevel (“Blue” from a couple of weeks ago), #23 Chris with “Sweet Home Alabama”, #24 Kennedy and JHud Duet and #28 Blake and Chris duet. AT #29, 37 and 46 we have Kirk Jay. At #54 and 64 Chevel comes back in. Kennedy hits it at #65 and the last in the top 100 is Chevel again at #91. This shows mostly that country music people, buy music!  I think that despite the overall excellence of Kennedy last night, Kirk will eke out the young singer. But then, Chevel has always surprised us; so has Chris.

I think the better prefix for understanding cryptocurrency is “chryptic.

Everybody is concerned that the housing market will be stalled because mortgage rates are so high. High is definitely relative. The average 30-year mortgage rate today is about 4.3%. People who have lived as long as I think that is like “Free”, compared to some mortgages I have seen over the years. But, alas the immense inflation of home prices in the recent era will be easily more impacted by mini rate increases. But, the interest rate is still tiny. It shouldn’t stall home buying, but they could induce lowering of home prices

Lame Duck Repubs look more like inert iguanas, more interested in packing up to go home than working to get the most out of their last days I charge.

The Answer:

Ok, Number Ten is “If Beale Street Could talk”. #9 is Steve Carell in “Welcome to Marwen” followed at #8 by “Black Panther”, #7 is Mary Queen of Scots” and at #6 another female British historic monarchy film “The Favorite”. #5 is BlacKkKlansman”, followed by #4 “Green Book”, #3 “Bohemian Rhapsody”, and #2, of all films, one about Dick Cheney, “Veep”. So what is missing, what could#1be? Of course, it is the popular musical remake, “A Star is Born”.

I live on street that rarely get plowed. But, the ruts remind me of days long ago, horse drawn sleds slid across the snow. In days when we let nature rule. And burned less carbon-based fuel. Yes, I love visions of Christmas past, when the brashest sounds were happy laughs. And the jingle bells ringing loud across my street left unplowed.