Hermits don’t like New Years Eve.

Today's Tids Issue 4,555

Done!

Twas good a year as it could ever be,

As long as you turned off the TV.

If you just enjoyed people you know

And gave back what you could bestow.

Enjoyed simplicity, flowers that grow,

Wading in waters; shushing through snow.

Oh yeah, Wall Street made lots of dough!

When you loved your best gal or beau.

In good times; when the harsh winds blow.

Yes, I’d say it was good in two oh one nine,

The way my heart’s swelling, it was just fine.

Here’s to all the people who don’t think drinking yourself to death is a good way to celebrate the end of the year.

What’s the problem with jogging on New Years Eve? The ice falls out of your drink.

While driving around New England I could always tell from the gigantic smile on the face of another driver that he or she was listening to Imus. Yes, the old curmudgeon could make you laugh. He and his very funny cronies skewered everybody, and everybody thought it was an honor to be skewered on his show. His faithful sidekick of over 30 years, Charles McCord, had to put up with the funnyman’s trips to utter lows and temper his flights to the top of the entertainment heap. Imus could make non-PC’ers blush, and PC’ers crawl into holes. Yeah, he was controversial, he was crass and he could be downright ugly, but he made you laugh, and he made many a trip to work the best hour of your day

The Question:

What were the three biggest food trends for 2019? Bonus: It really is hard now-a-days to tell what Bowl games are where and even remember what names they are calling themselves year in and year out. But once upon a time their were four major bowls that featured all the best teams. What were those four original big bowls and where were they.

The Headlines:

--Most Americans By Pass News For Celebration Plans; Despite Congress, 2019 Was A Very Good Year!

--Slow Half Day On Wall Street Expected To Produce Drifting Stocks.

--Protesters Break Into US Embassy In Baghdad; Trump Holds Iran Responsible For Attack.

--US Judge Tosses White House Aide Charles Kupperman’s Lawsuit Over His Impeachment Testimony.

--Biden Says He Would Accept A Repub As A Running Mate; Ohio’s John Kasich Is Mentioned; Biden Holds Edge Over Trump In Florida Polls.

--Ford’s All Electric Mustang Crossover Reservation List is Sold Out; It Took $500 To Reserve A Spot On The Wait List For The Mach-E.

--Uber And Others Suing California Over “Gig” Law.

Happy New Ears day, local corn lovers.

Watch out for barrage of “20/20 vision” jokes. The Tids Had a headline for that a week or so ago. I thought it was quite clever at the time. I’m finished with them.

This morning I spent considerable time cleaning up mouse droppings, and I’m thinking, is this the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020.

I was going to quit all my bad habits for the new year. Then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter.

Two of my addictions are winter jackets and antique tables. I guess I could have worse problems.

Rhode Island has a big problem. It is on target to lose a congressperson. And, it appears that the only way to fix it is to import 15-20 thousand illegal immigrants from the Southwest Border. And the really scary thing is that some in RI think that’s a great idea.

The year 2020 is going to be filled with so many puns about 20/20 vision. I can’t wait to see them all.

Oops! Well, that is the last one for sure.

The worst decision you can make on New Year’s Eve is a pour one.

I wonder how large a mountain I could create if I were to pile up all of the Cheetos I’ve eaten in a lifetime?

Question of the day: Does the decade end tomorrow or at the end of 2020?

The Answer:

Number one was Fake Meat, politely called alternative proteins. Beyond Meat’s IPO produced a lot of publicity. Next was Popeye’s Chicken sandwich. And, third biggest Food Fad of 2019 was Hard Seltzer like White Claw, which ran out of product due to enormous demand. Bonus: The four big bowls that all college teams played for were big daddy -- The Rose Bowl (1902) of Pasadena Cal, Orange Bowl (1935) of Miami, Sugar Bowl (1935) of New Orleans and Cotton Bowl (1937 of Dallas. The Sun Bowl also arrived in 1935, but didn’t have the status of the other four bigs. After Sun we had Gator (1945) and Citrus (1946. The Liberty Bowl arrived in 1959. The peach came in 1968, and the Fiesta which is now billed as one of the bigs, didn’t arrive until 1971.

I think it is tomorrow.

As hard as scientists have tried, thy can’t get Pandas to eat synthetic food because they won’t be bamboozled.

Go crazy! Or, stay at home, holding hands, gazing into deep and loving eyes. No matter how you bring the new year, tomorrow is a just another first day of 365. You, me and everybody can make all of them great. And forget the past year, unless you learned something good from it.

36 Hours, 58 minutes 10 seconds and counting.

Today's Tids Issue 4,554

So, what's with all of the excitement:

My children would know it was time to put me away on that day when I said, “Hey Kids, let’s go down to Times Square and watch the ball drop!”.

Here is one of the ongoing oddities in the human disconnection. Let’s say I write about some major dem hypocrites. A Dem will write back pointing out Repub conflicted truth-sayers. And sooner or later we would be in a near fist fight about who owns the bigger hypocrite! But, wouldn’t be better if the Dem and the Repub said in unison, yeah, hypocrites are really bad for trust in America, yours and mine equally. Why don’t we just vote them out get a new batch. Less tainted.

When asked by a publisher when his short story would be ready, the author answered, “It won’t be long.”

Hey…we’re changing a decade! Whatever that means. I guess it’s important to writers who review decades.

The Question:

Who is Yvonne Elliman?

The Headlines:

--Drop Drops Near 190 Points At Opening; Still At 190 At 11:00AM; Trade Deficit Best In Three Years

--US Ups Mideast Tension Anti With Successful Strikes Against Iran Groups In Syria And Iraq’ Oil Process Rise After Attacks.

-- Texas Carry Law Saves Many Lives As Church Goer Kills Mass Shooter In Fort Worth Church.

--NK Signaling Escalation.

--Dems And Repubs Offer Support After Announcement Of John Lewis Cancer.

--Patriots Fans Jumping Off Local Bridges After Team Blows Chance For Playoff Bye; Giant’s Schumer and Cleveland’s Kitchen Fired At Season’s End.

--Record One Billion Dollar Haul Of Cocaine Seized In Uruguay.

--Fox Entertainment Networks (2.01) Wins Key 25-49 Demographic Ratings Race For First Time In A Decade; NBC (1.81), ABC (1.10) and CBS (1.10) Follow; NBC (8.1) Leads On Total Viewership With CBS (7.84) Fox (7.32) And ABC (5.42) And CBS Looking Up

When I grow up, I want to be a graphics package designer for a Tech Products company.

I have often wondered why some say that voter ID cards disadvantage blacks and Hispanics but not whites.

When all cars go to plug-in electric, it won’t diminish state’s hunger for the taxes derived from gasoline purchases. Progress may be continually made to achieve angelic objectives, but the Governments thirst for money never ends.

Could it be that “moderate” darling, soothing sounding Pete Buttigieg is the most draconian progressive of them all?

Some students pour over their lessons while others just give them a preflunktory glance.

The Local big newspaper “The Providence Journal” is reaffirming it’s a original slogan of nearly 200 years ago: “Faithful reporting of Passing news.” They acknowledge that spinning the news has become an acceptable trend among many journalists. and they don’t like being a part of it. I’ve noticed their shift back to reality myself. And they say, they have noticed their concerted shift too since now they receive hate mail from both sides. Smaller big city newspapers can’t afford to divorce half of their potential subscribers, and I think they have seen that. But I’ll get letters, like, “Why are you supporting that rag?” For the comics, of course.

If you watched the semifinals of the NCAA Football playoffs, you enjoyed two sensational efforts by the QB’s of LSU and Clemson  -- Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. Heisman winner Burrows only threw for 7 TD’s and ran for one more. Clemson beat a favored OSU when Lawrence drove his team with an all-Pro style drive of four bullet passes, 96 yards in under 2 minutes. Lawrence also ran 67 yards for another TD. LSU will be favored, But Lawrence has never lost a college game. Could be one of the best, and I’m picking Clemson. Of course, the world could end by the time they get to it.

Ironically, yesterday was the anniversary of the 1978 Gator Bowl between Ohio State and Clemson. Remember that one. It was when Emperor of Ohio Woody Hayes punched out a Clemson Back, Charlie Bowman, after he intercepted an OSU Pass. Maybe yesterday was the “Get Woody” Bowl for Clemson.

I hear that the San Fran City Council held an emergency meeting to change the San Andreas fault to – Trump’s Fault. Do you think that is true?

The Answer:

Well, I remember Yvonne Elliman for her roll as Mary Magdalene in the original Cast of Jesus Christ Superstar. And of course, her haunting hit, “I don’t know how to love him.”. She went on to make many albums and had another huge hit with a song originally written for the Bee Gees “If I can’t have you”. As a young performer she got into drugs because she admired Grace Slick. Her last big claim to fame was being arrested with her husband at a Hawaii Airport for carrying in Drugs and Paraphernalia.

I have no idea why I asked a question about Yvonne Elliman. But, I did like that song of hers.

So, today is the beginning of the last funky week of the decade. Will people get serious about going back to work Thursday, Jan 2, with a weekend just 2 days away?

The Hypocritic Oath

Today's Tids Issue 4,553

Truth wins:

This is wind down day. You know getting beyond the relaxation of two days of Christmas enjoyment to prepare for another body inert period over the weekend. Only to wake up Monday morning wondering if you got your party hat for Tuesday night. Actually, today is probably a good day for a blood pressure test to impress your doctor.

Stores have these gigantic post-Christmas sales with huge discounts. That is good, except for one thing. There is little left that is worth buying even at give-away prices.

Do you get the impression that lawyers are writing menus these days, especially for chain restaurants?

Yesterday the Tids had a headline: “China, Russia and Iran in joint naval drills”. It was generally buried by the press. One reader writes to say, “that scares me”.  May be the journalistic warriors should get out from under the frivolity of some of today’s pollical maneuvering. Iran, Russia and China, together! Noodle that one for second or two. The drills are being held today in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman “amid heightened tension the region between The United States and Iran” (Reuters). That doesn’t sound too good to me. Russia and China ae showing support for Iran in a dangerous region.

Two big College football games are on tap tomorrow -- LSU and Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl and, probably the most intriguing, Clemson versus Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. I’m interested in the latter because it is an intersectional game. The Big Ten is vaunted, but have not shown that well in post season. Clemson is last year’s National Champ but plays in a less that superb league. I’ll be watching. I also like the K-State Navy game mainly because the Navy’s QB Malcom Perry is much fun to watch.

The Question:

According to The Guardian, what have been the worst fads of the past decade?

The Headlines:

--Worldwide Stocks Higher; China Industrial Profits Rebound Nicely; Nasdaq Retreats Slightly form Highs; Will Securing Profits Take Markets Lower In New Year?

--Hawaii Tourist helicopter With 7 On Board Goes Missing.

--Avalanche Hits Popular Swiss Ski Resort Burying many.

--FBI Investigating Epstein Pal Ghislaine Maxwell.

--Netanyahu Romps In Likud Primary; Now Must Win And Put Together Government In Order Not to be Prosecuted.

Hippocratic Oath: The age-old promise held sacred by physicians to treat the sick to the highest of their ability, preserve patient privacy and non-maleficence. Adhere to the highest of ethical principles.

Hypocritic Oath: A principle held by politicians to create illusions of high standards while adroitly contradicting noble beliefs in a manner that clouds understanding.

As result, we find doctors in the new generation treating a near epidemic rolling eye syndrome.

The national media are signing up for OSU-Clemson game tickets because the think it is the “Impeach” bowl. And, the Fiesta Bowl isn’t doing bad for the fourth estate either, as they see it as protest Trump on Immigration bowl.

The ole’ picklers did well last week bringing our record to 161-76-1 (68%). (Next year – 75% or bust). This week we have games that mean a lot, games that may mean a lot and games that mean nothing at all but contracts for players. Of the games that mean nothing but pride I like the Colts over the Jags, Arizona to upset the Rams, The Browns over the Bengals in the big not so great Ohio interstate rivalry and Atlanta over TB. The could be important games are Oakland-Denver, New Orleans-Carolina, Pitt-Balt, KC-LAC, GB-Detroit, Chi-Minn, Oakland is barely in the neighborhood chance of a wild card opportunity but will beat Denver and pray. Pitt definitely can get in if Houston beats the Titans. But can they beat Balt? No. KC has a chine to keep the Bye week alive if they beat the chargers, and they will. Minn is playing for positioning and will take the bears in a slug fest. The Pack will drop the Lions, in a close one.

Now there are some very important games. The Pats, though in, want that bye must beat woeful Mami to get it. Last year Miami surprised them in December. Not this year. The Titans control their own destiny, but must beat their division rival Texans to do get the Wildcard, and they will. SF gets a bye if they take Seattle, and they won’t. Buffalo is in a tough match with an improving Jets, and will win it to preserve their standing for the playoffs. Dallas needs to beat The Skins to stay alive for a payoff shot, and they will win.  The other big game of the day is Philly against the so far Hapless Giants. A Philly win gives them the title and knocks out Dallas. It is – an all the marbles game. They will find a way up in Giants stadium.

.

I’ll be giving the new Netflix series “Messiah” a shot.

BTW, I quickly tuned off the highly rated new Netflix series “The Marriage Story”. Tedious.

Anther new restaurant menu trend is this guilt addition to menu items where restaurants try to tell you how close you are to death if you order certain items. That does not make for a fun evening out.

I’ve weathered many a fashion trend sticking to my somewhat classical conservative dress, but these days I feel I’m falling behind a bit in footwear. Maybe not.

I wonder if NFL sideline coaches talk to their wives with sheets of paper in front of their mouths?

Schumer, 1999: “The Senate is not like a jury box, and is susceptible to whims of politics.”

Reading Between the Lines Movie reviews:

--Little Women is the biggie and the reviews are all around raves. I think it will do well. It has a good cast and the author, Louisa May Alcott. of the original novel they say was pretty decent. I always worry about critics raves when they are in love with the director, like they are with Greta Gerwig. But, in this case, I think she delivers.

--I had been looking forward to “Uncut Gems” starring Adam Sandler, and the critic are giving it “Little Women” style raves. But, the people who go to movies are saying so-so. It’s another “Love the Director” film for critics. What caught my eye was “Crime Thriller”. It is one of those high wire acts where Sandler is always on the edge being pursued by many out to bring him down.

--Now, “1917” may be the best one for me. Set in WWI, it’s a race to stop a slaughter. Two soldiers need to race tough enemy territory to deliver a message to stop an attack that would surely end in tragedy for the British, and one of the soldier’s brothers.

I hadn’t thought of the difference between Hippocratic and hypocritic oaths until I heard Charles Schumer speaking, well maybe it was Gerry Nadler. Anyhow, that’s why I wrote it. It’s like when a doctor comes in and says I think you are going to die, more than likely you are on to die. And when politician says you are going to live and be rich, ,you start to worry.

The Answer:

#1 is “Astrology” (Mercury being in retrograde is not an excuse for being late to work). The next one is “Twitter Pile-Ons” Ruinous to people and self-explanatory) followed by “At Home DNA Tests” (Wide exposure of DNA make it difficult to find a job if you are a serial Killer), “Ugly Shoes” (See Above), “Smart Homes” (Trading privacy for Marginal benefits.), “Instant Pot” (No, not that pot. Not any faster or easier to use than old Pressure Cookers long gone to the back pantry shelf), “Atheleisure” (Or, how to make yoga really expensive with clothes you really don’t need), “Clean Eating” Climbing mountains, traipsing jungles to find the perfect virtuous food, while  eliminating food you actually like.), “Insta Filters” (Looking for ways to disguise your blemishes in selfies, or trying ot make your kids look cuter.), “TV Reboots” (Rafiki—“It doesn’t matter. It’s in the past.”) and “Virtual Tourism”. Some others are Social Media Challenges and Seltzer Water. I think the group who put this together could write the Tids.  

Ideas for New years resolutions. See above.

Bad fad of the past century: News Years Resolutions.

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