Social community, live.

Today's Tids Issue 4,332

Hi Neighbor:

Everybody wants to be a writer, until they find out how much work is involved. How empty, blank pages look. For much too long.

I could never stop writing about small towns. In fact, it is quite urgent that I and others do, as they are disappearing with each second I sit idly by. The ultimate of all-seers, the proverbial “they”, tell us that communities will be on the internet from now on. Certainly, not in small towns, and not even the sprawling malls who ate the green rolling hills. I walked through a small town a few days ago. (That’s more than likely why I’m writing this today.) A perfect little place, by a flowing river. With buildings of many eras all in a row. With an ice cream shop and white steeples rising above. And a lumber yard that isn’t Home Depot. I just don’t think that an amorphous social network is better than this. Where people stop by to talk, and look you in the eye. Call me nostalgic, behind the times. Call me happy.

Cartoonist Dave Granlund suggests this as Nike’s new slogan: “Just glue it!”

You have to wonder who one day while walking through a quiet glade surrounded by maple trees decided, “I think I’ll hammer a tube in that trunk there and get some sweet maple syrup.” Just spew it.

Popular expression that is beginning to annoy me: “Lit up the internet.”

The Question:

What was the first big movie for Dakota Fanning? Bonus: How much Ice Cream does the average North American eat in a year? Super Bonus: Who attended George Washington’s first cabinet meeting, the first ever in the US?

The Headlines:

--President Trump Off To Meet Kim In Hanoi; WH Writing Down Expectations.

--Trump Says He Will Delay Tariff Increases; China And US Stocks Jump.

--President Obama Speaks To Young Men About Negative Influences Of Hip-Hop Music.

--May Delays Key Vote On Brexit.

--China’s Huawei Beats Apple And Samsung With Announcement Of Foldable Screen, 5G Phone.

--RI”s Peter Farrelly’s Green Book Wins Best Pic; Spike Says Yikes, Turns Back; Olivia Colman Is Favorite Upsetting Glenn Close For Best Female Trophy; Rami Malek Wins Best Actor For Portrayal Of Freddie M; Regina King (Beale Street) and Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Win Best Supporting; Afonso Cuaron Gets Best Director For Putting Audience To Sleep In Roma; Good Music Instead Of Lame Jokes From Hosts Keeps Show Upbeat (Sort of).

--Buffett Says He Will Support Bloomberg If He Runs In 2020 Race.

--Chicago Police Say They Have Even More Evidence That Smollett Stages Hysterical Moment.

--Federal Judge Rules All Male Military Draft Unconstitutional; Opens The Door For Drafting Equal Women.

When did Hollywood get the idea it was the referendum on America? It is a small town, but with barriers, restrictions on who can share in the thinking.

The police catch “Johns” all of the time. And then, they catch Johns named Robert Kraft. This is an interesting “between-a-rock-and-hard-place situation for the NFL powers. They have a strict moral integrity rule which they have often applied to the misdeeds of players and coaches. But, now they are faced with imposing that same rigid rule upon one of the leaders of the league. Can you spell U-g-l-y? They will probably ban him from his private box at Gillette Stadium for 6 months. His girl fried may ban him for 12 months.

Things I don’t get: TV Post Oscar Shows called, “Highlights of Red Carpet Interviews”. Highlights?

I am not I favor of the pitch clock, now being introduced during spring training. Instant replay, batters adjusting gloves and an increase in the number of foul balls are more of a time problem, tha the couple of extra seconds pitchers may take before delivery. Pitching with a clock is an intrinsic interruption to a natural function of the game.

We could put The Tids on the clock, but it would just increase the number of typos.

In the wake of the bad call that sent LA Rams to the SB, I see that today the NFL competitive committee will be looking at instant replay.  I have been told that the discussion will not include massage parlor videos.

Personally, I think how to handle transgender high school athletes is an incredibly difficult call. It centers around the old argument about genetic birth versus gender identity, and which should set precedent for life activities But, in serving the emotional needs of gender identity it puts genetic females at a distinct disadvantage when genetic males who identify as female are allowed to compete in the same sporting events. On one hand it is fair to the chosen identity, but on the other hand it makes the sporting side of the event imbalanced. Believe me, this is far too complex for a Tidlet, but I guarantee that as we see that second and third looks are being taken nationally to review earlier decisions based more on emotion than the reality of competitive sports.

There’s a chance Gillette could take their name off the Patriot’s stadium. The current new slogan for this historic “man’s” company is “The Best that men can be”. Huh? But, it is about what men shouldn’t do and thus condemns bullying, sexism, sexual assault, and the pop phrase, “toxic masculinity”.  

Udder Confusion Revolutions, Department:

Rightfully so, Dairy farmers wants the FDA to cease with their anything goes mentality in the marketplace when it comes to the definition of milk. Of course, Plant Associations who gain a priceless marketing advantage by calling Nut juice, Soy juice and other derivative juices -- “Milk”, respond by saying. “Dairy objections are much ado about nothing”. How arrogant is that. Everything in marketing is about branding, and protecting trademarks. And Even generic descriptions of products classes. I’m with the dairy people on this one. The plant people sound like every other entitlement group – I don’t have to play by the rules.

Did you see where the Kraft stock plummeted on Friday? They weren’t talking about Bob. Yes, the other Kraft, Kraft-Heinz, is also in deep trouble, due to accounting decisions to seriously manipulate costs. This corporate giant maybe wishing they only had Bob’s problem.

People will go anywhere for a festival, regardless of torrential rain or steaming heat.

The inner satisfaction industry just keeps on growing. That’s what I call entertainment, tourism and eating out. All it takes for this industry to prosper is lots of discretionary funds and plenty of extra time. So basically, this is an industry built upon excess.

It appears that there are more and more multi crash car accidents than ever before. It either means that today cars run at too high speeds too close to each other with bad drivers, or there are more ways to communicate local incidents which have been going on for years.

The Answer:

Dakota was one of those child stars who actually made it. Her fist big movie was “I am Sam”. Bonus: The average North American eats from14-15 quarts of ice cream a year. Since there are a lot of diabetics are at the barely eat ice cream end of the scale, the rest of the people must be eating a lot more than 14 or 15 qts. But I won’t tell. Super Bonus: GW’s 1^st cabinet meeting included Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox One of his favorite generals who was best buddies with General Nathanial Greene) and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.

There are now generations of people who have never experienced the comfort and friendliness of small towns or downtowns. Maybe we should have small town tours for teens. No phones allowed.

See you tomorrow.