The circular circus.

Today's Tids Issue 4,577

WV Day:

Many of yesterday’s Tidlets were way too long. When I get tired writing them, I can imagine your eyes drooping reading them,

Leading up to V-Day, you might enjoy reading real stores of great love. One of them is from the wife of the great Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Anna Grigoryevna Snitkina. It’s called, “Dostoyevsky Reminiscences”. It’s about a great man in his darkest Moments -- gambling debts, impossible deadlines. It’s about a young woman who came into his life. It’s about mutual respect and understanding. What else is there.

They could have used Alex Trebek yesterday in the Senate. What a yawner for the national Jeopardy show.

I’m certainly not into the Hollywood culture, but I just realized that we’ll probably never see another good Gene Hackman movie.

You have to wonder what Justice Roberts is thinking as he listens to what’s going on around him. How he would rule if he could? That could be a book worth reading.

The Question:

How many lawyers are there in Washington DC?

The Headlines:

--Coronavirus Has Markets Ailing Again; Q4 US GDP At 2.1% Grows Better Than Expected; Consumer Consumption Slows Dramatically Versus Q3; Altria Takes $4.1 Billion Write-Down On Juul Negativity.

--Russia Closes China Border; Many Countries Developing Anti-Contagion Safety Rules; Mere Airlines Cancelling Flights From/To China; Americans From Wuhan Arrive In Cal And Will be Quarantined.

--UK To Exit EU Tomorrow,

--Trump Joins USMCA Ceremony To Sign Deal.

--Portion Of New Border Wall Blows Over Into Mexico During High Wind Storm.

--Bernie Continues To Raise Lots Of Dough; Dem Establishment Continues To Ramp Up Attack Ads Aimed At Emerging Frontrunner With Strongest base.

--Palestinians Submit To UN Resolution Against Trump Plan. Arab Leaders Support Trump Plan.

I have to say that I never understood the love affair with Rolex watches. Must be my Quaker ancestors.

You have to wonder why criminals get tattoos. It just makes it easier to identify them.

Freezing rain hurts like hail!

You have to figure that everybody is waiting for “The Vote” later today. It will determine whether the trial ends tomorrow or stumbles along until the elections.

I’m hearing whispers about Chinese kids in US prep schools and colleges being barred from going home during Spring Break. Adopt a China child for week! Improve dinner conversations.

In 1971 Richard Nixon proposed healthcare for all at an affordable price. What will they be selling us in another 50 years?

After yesterday’s Tidlet about the “Gomorrah of the South” – Newport Kentucky, I received a fact-filled email from a great longtime reader pal living in Cincinnati. Newport arose to Sin status during the Civil war when it garrisoned Union Troops – with nothing to do, but be “entertained”! This reader has a friend who managed restaurant in in the cleaned-up city called The Syndicate. It was the former notorious Glenn Schmidt’s Casino. They found memorabilia the basement which was sold profitably on eBay.

Guess who feels like he died and went to heaven on earth? Nayel Nassar. Who! Navel, that Egyptian equestrian who is marrying Bill and Malinda Gates Daughter, Jennifer. He said “I feel like the luckiest and happiest man in the world”.

Small typo in Apple Tidlet yesterday: I mistakenly typed PV when I meant P/E. Yesterday Powell said current P/E’s are high. The current ratio is 18.6 versus the five-year average of 16.7 and ten year of 14.9. Yellen and Powell both agreed, though, that the low interest rates can support higher valuations. Meaning, everything is relative to what is at the moment.

There’s a rumble bouncing along around DC about how Repubs are seriously worrying about how they would campaign against Sanders.

People wonder how Bloomberg can sustain spending a Billion Dollars on this presidential campaign. That “Bil” is what’s called Pocket change to guys and gals like him. He gets an annual return of about $2.4 Billion on his $52-54 Billion pot.

The Answer:

Commonly, people around the most expensive area in America like to throw out the number of 80,000 lawyers.  But the DC Bar, which includes all of Maryland and Virginia down to Quantico, says that it’s 91,685. So two writers for the Washingtonian, Erin Delmore and Marisa Kashino, decided it needed further investigation.  0f the 91.6K, 48,638 are practicing in the Washington area. There are also, the two found, about 31,797 Lawyers working in in DC for the government who don’t necessarily have to be bar members. The bar said 11,596 of those are bar members. which brings the net total in DC to 68, 839. Further though, our duo found there are about 17,168 who work on the outskirts of DC itself but for inside DC activities who should be counted. That makes the new total 89,447. The average between that and 68+K becomes 79,133, about the number of 80K, which is how this all started. Thus, the lesson: Avoid fender benders in Washington DC!

Thursday is anticipation day. It could be a worse day.