Winters are never cold when you are in love.

Today's Tids Issue 4,282

Little Things:

Can you feel summer? The days are getting longer now, so it is just around the corner. Happy Winter everybody. Enjoy it. It’s more than cold and snow, or northeast slush. It’s a season of crispy invigoration and pure white beauty. Of crystalline seas. Of blue skies broad and clear. And lovers who will keep you warm.

James Norman Mattis for President.

When I’m sitting on the john next to Tids Central, I’m always reading framed cross-stitch sayings hanging on the wall. “Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home”; “All the wealth of the world could not buy a friend”; Dear House, you’re really very small, Just big enough for love, that’s all”; A pleasant smile makes life worthwhile”; Houses are built of Bricks and Stone, but homes are of but Love alone”; “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal”.  I’m thinking, as I read, maybe, maybe that is the essence of Christmas. Friendship, the comfort of a feeling family and forgiving home. Maybe simple daily love and appreciation of people and of basic accomplishments is what culminates on Christmas day. Christmas, the day built upon goodness.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.

The Question:

50 experts from the UK and US picked their 25 Best Christmas Carols. Guess.

The Headlines:

--Threat Of Extended Shutdown Confusing Investors; Economic Data Comes In Strong; Dow and S&P Turn Positive In Morn; Nasdaq Officially In Bear Market Territory; Christmas Rebound Surprise Doubtful.

--Trump Vows Shutdown For Sure, And Say It Could Be very Long.

--Mnuchin Says Street Reaction To Rate Hike Entirely Overblown.

--Toys For Tots Needs Help; Closing of Toy r’ Us Creates Void In Collections.

--Former Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn Arrested; Authorities Say In 2008 He Shifted $16.6 Million Personal Losses To Nissan.

--Pope Urges Priests Guilty Of Abuse To turn Themselves In.

I’m thinking that there could be really long lines of cars waiting for elevators to get down to Musk’s tunnels. Now, I’m not an acknowledged genius, but that’s what I’m seeing. Waiting.

They told me I had Type A blood, but it was a typo.

Phil Donahue and Jane Fonda were born on the same day. Makes sense.

For the first half of this year, Apple received from world governments 32,342 demands for personal user data. Roll that around in your brain for a moment.

Hooked by a trailer hitch, Department:

Pick-up trucks may be the cool transportation of the moment, but they definitely don’t fit into parking spaces.

This is a week of musts for several NFL teams. Games that look meaningless on the surface could have ramifications on the playoff lives many teams. Last week was a disaster for the crazed Pickin’ Tids team. Now at 134-87-2 (60%) we will be struggling to stay about 60%, much less reaching up into the mid- seventies of halcyon days. Who needs parity anyhow? There are two important games on Saturday. Both teams in the Tenn/Skins game must win to stay alive. Tenn is just healthier and should win. In the other, the Chargers, a team some now think is the best in the NFL wants the #1 seed. But Balt, who has been tough is still alive for a spot. LAC Pulls it out. The NE Pats and Minn Vikes also must win and should against so-called easier opponents -- Detroit and Buffalo. Unfortunately for the better teams, the Bills and Lions have been very tough despite their records. I’ll go Lions and Pats. In a similar matchup, Dallas must beat the Bucs. This is another that could go either way. But I’ll say Cowboys. The Colts must have a win against the Giants and I’ll say they will make it. The LA Rams and Chicago Bears have clinched. LAR should waltz past Arizona and they actually need it to rebound a bit. If Chi let’s down after clinching San Fran who has been pretty good lately, could sneak by. Nagy won’t let that happen. I pick Chi and LAR.

That leaves three immense games where both teams are active in the pursuit. Pittsburgh will face a better D in New Orleans than last week against The Beloved Pats. NO needs to regain Mo. I pick NO. KC needs a win to stay with LAC and a potential #1 seed. Seattle I a mystery week to week. I’ll go KC. The really big game is the Eagles against the Texans. The Texans are now the #2 seed, and the Eagles have a shot at the NFC east. Wentz is out, but Nick Foules has been a proven winner (Just ask any NE Pats fan). I’m going with Philly. BTW, way a Texas loss puts the Pats back into the #2 slot, if they don’t continue to mess up.

The rest of games could really mess up the pickin’, because you just don’t what kind of team is going to show up. In the Cleveland-Cinn game I love The Browns to continue rolling this time over the Brown owned team. I like Miami over Jax (There’s still hope for Miami if the Pats lose). A little. Carolina is sitting stars and Atlanta should win this one. They need it. The Jets are out to prove that they don’t suck all of the time and Green Bay looks ripe for picking. Jets win it. I thought the Broncos were putting it together. But! Now I think the Raiders are gelling…well, a little. I pick Oakland. By next week, we should know a lot more about who’s playing whom in the playoffs.

Misspelling of a name by a mortician could be a grave mistake.

There is a block of people in the US who will never receive Social Security, about 3% of those between 60 and 89. It is all about people not paying into the system to accumulate enough for distributions, mainly two groups -- immigrants arriving after their age of 50 and occasional interim working Americans. And of course, those who die before eligibility. Also, several states have selected state retirement programs over the Fed program. Now if somebody lobbies to have the SS include all despite the lack of contributions, then the program will become an  entitlement instead of the earned retirement package.

My mother made the best butter cookies ever. The good news is that my kids can make them too. Christmas is about little things not forgotten.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--Aquaman is one of my favorite old heroes of comic books yore. It’s a great adventure story of the man who is half human and half Atlantean. It follows his discovery of who he is what he was destined to be -- the King.

--The critics favorite of the week is the transformer film Bumblebee. A young woman the age of 18 discovered a battered old VW bug i n a junk yard and soon learns it is not what it appears. A lot of ScFi fun.

The other big promoted piece (“An Oscar winner”, they shout) is not that hot. The problem with sequels to great pics is that everybody compares. And in this version, you will be waiting for the great music of the original Mary Poppins. And, waiting. The banks children are gown and Michael is suffering a personal loss. Enter Mary and assorted characters to boost his outlook on life. It’s a little above average, and will probably be enjoyable. Just lower your expectations.  

---Another highly promoted film, Welcome to Marwen just doesn’t seem make it. Maybe it is too complex, takes too much imagination stretching. After being severely beaten in a street attack, main character played by Steve Carell creates a small town filled with characters which he can control and heal. He finds that he is the person being healed.

--Second Act with J-Lo is only fair, It is a predictable story about a woman with no formal education showing the powerful and educated that her street wisdom  can beat hem all in an advertising agency.

The Answer:

The Top Ten are “In The Bleak Midwinter”, “In Dulci Jubilo”,  “A Spotless Rose”, “Bethlehem Down”, “Lully, Lulla”, “Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day”, “There is no Rose”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Of the Fathers Heart Begotten” and #10 “What Sweeter Music”. Some of your more familiar favorites: “Sussex Carol #12, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” #14, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” #22 and at #25 “Silent Night”.

One of my favorite Christmas carol CD’s is “Christmas is Coming” by the New York Choral Society. It has many familiar tunes and many not so well known but incredible listening none the less. In fact, I found that several are on the list above. But many which are unique and unusual are not. Is there anything better than discovery?

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