Bring back sanity

 

Today's Tids Issue 4,829

PT Barnum:

 

“A wise man once said, nothing.”

 

Joe Biden’s early moves to unity are telling me he hasn’t a clue about what’s on the minds of the people he says he’s trying to unify. Unless, he is only trying to unify the extreme left with the so-called rest of the moderate Dems.

 

This just in. “Democrat leadership in the Senate with the full support of all Dem Senators have reinstated Trump as President! This is part of a move to make the impeachment trial constitutional.” Trump immediately reversed all of Biden’s executive orders. You just never know these days. Anything is possible. (Thanks to eagle-eyed Tids-Reader on-the-spot reporter for picking up this news Tidbit.)

 

Have you ever noticed how much more beautiful sentences sound when written and pronounced in French?

 

“L’éditeur de ce gâchis fait souvent des fautes d’orthographe et de grammaire.”  (The editor of this mess often makes spelling and grammar errors.) If I added music to it, it could be a magnificent aria in an opera.  That’s why fashion designers make money.

 

The Question:

What have been voted as the Ten Best Foods named after places? (i.e. #1 is Belgian Waffle)

 

The Headlines:

--Stocks Expected To End The Week Lower; Reddit Side Show Showed Some Resilience After Early Sell-Off Thursday; Economy Considered Stronger And Hopeful; Pockets Of Bubble Stocks Mat

--China Warns Taiwan That Declaring Independence Means War; US Support Pledge Puts Us In Middle Of Conflict.

--Johnson & Johnson “One Shot” Vaccine Ready To Add More Doses To World Reservoir; Not As Effective (72% in US) Against Moderate-Severe Symptoms, But Works Well 85%) Against Most Serious Effects.

--News Out Of Davos Says Trust In Governments Worldwide Since Pandemic Start As “Ebbed Profoundly”, Leaving Businesses More Trusted Than Authorities.”

--Biden’s Proposed Corporate Tax Hike Could Drive Business Offshore; Yellen Assures No Tax Hikes Until Post Pandemic.

--World Stops Spinning In Tracks: Ted Cruz And AOC Agree!; Two Opposites On Board With Retail Investors, Slam Robinhood, Wall Street.

--Mexico Passes India To Become Third Highest In Covid-19 Death Toll.

--Susan Collins And Other Repubs Say Biden Should Tot Take Eye Off Of Reconciliation Ball As Dems Begin Feeling Oats In Senate.

--China Executes Lai Xiaomin, Former Head of Giant Asset Management Firm, For Taking Bribes; Punishment Seems Harsh.

 

This just in: The House Judiciary Committee has dropped all charges against former president Trump after learning he had not been read his Miranda rights.

 

The first time Mary Tyler Moore walk into my TV tube, I knew in an instant that her smile would always be welcome, and would always bring brightness into my home. There are some smiles that just say so much more.

 

Having two weeks off before the Super Bowl is a way of weaning crazed fanatics like me off the game, before my world drops like with a thud after the confetti stops flowing.

 

While it may be nice for some supporting the working-class day trader investors battling the Hedge Fund bigs, driving up prices of basically mediocre companies to extreme overvaluations is not the idea of an orderly market and co consumer confidence in it.. Why not just move the exchanges to Las Vegas and call it what it is.

 

I’ve been growing lettuce in my little office. I’m using one of those cool Aero-Garden rather intricate growing machines. Now I’m worried about the cold getting to those little leaves just starting to flourish. I may have to sit up all night with little blankets.

 

Late Buyers of retail traded mediocre company stock run-ups will lose a lot of money.

Politicians will never stop talking out of any side of any mouth they can find. Actually, that statement is an injustice to all of those earnest men and women who thoughts are rarely picked up by the media.

 

Politicians like nothing better than piling on chaotic situations, like the GameStop mess. They crave hysteria.

 

The Answer:

 Well, you already know #1. #2 is Hamburgers followed by Yorkshire Pudding (A favorite of mine), Philly Cheese Steak, Buffalo Wings, Boston Cream Pie, Frankfurter, Bavarian Cream, Gruyere Cheese, and #10 Neapolitan Ice Cream. The next fifteen are Hollandaise Sauce, Boston Baked Beans, Monterey Jack Cheese, Anaheim Pepper, Key Lime Pie, California Roll, Worcestershire Sauce, Doner Kebab, Peking Duck, Fig Newton (Newton MA), Canadian Bacon, Baked Alaska, Welsh Rarebit, Florentine Steak and at #25 Nanaimo Bars. The rest are Bologna, Chicken Kiev, Tabasco Sauce and Brunswick Stew.

 

I have to stop ending the Tids with food. I get hungry way too early before lunch.

 

It is icy cold up here in the Northeast – minus 10 -15 windchills. this morn. So what always keeps everybody warm, a little love going into the weekend.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+Love+is+all+around+us&view=detail&mid=EBF577106A631B0BBF1AEBF577106A631B0BBF1A&FORM=VIRE

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

Hole in the wall?

 

Today's Tids Issue 4,828

How revolting:

 

Massive computer programs have been playing games on Wall Street for a number of years now, and maybe yesterday’s abnormal trading events have proven that the Games must stop!

 

I think one of the best slogans for life is, “You can’t tell a book by its cover.” That’s the problem with a sound bite society, and the mass instant communications that go along with it – there are just too may covers parading around, and too many covers left behind.

 

“I have no fear, I only have Love.”  --Stevie Nicks.

 

I lost my job at the bank on my very first day. A woman asked me to check her balance, so I pushed her over.

 

The Question:

What are considered the favorite Ice Cream toppings. Note to grammarians: I always capitalize Ice Cream.

 

The Headlines:

--Markets Surging On 67K Lower New Jobless Claims; Apple Shares Lower After Strong Earnings, As CEO Cook Warms Of Reduced Q2 Expectations On Wearables And Services.

--House Repub Leader Kevin McCarthy Warms fellow Repubs To Stop Bickering, Y To Stop Eating Their Own, To Unify Or They Will Win Nothing In 2022.

--Speaking At Davos World Economic Forum, Putin Warns, “Big Tech Is Driving US Social Divisions.

--Russian Authorities Target Navalny’s Associates, Wife In Raids

 

A truly great friend and Viet Nam veteran who had seen it all reminds me of today, momentous in history -- This day in 1973 when the “Cease Fire” went into effect, signed by South Viet Nam and North Viet Nam. The US was to guarantee the safety of South Vietnam. My friend was in Hue. Later, he tells me, the South Korean Officers provided Champagne and toasted us – “We are happy you will go home… we will die.” Later in 1973, 75,000 NV troops entered SVN through Laos” (“South Vietnam lacked the means to cope with that flagrant breach of the agreement, and although the United States was concerned, U.S. reconnaissance over the corridor was greatly reduced and what remained did not reveal the destination of some major NVA reinforcements moving south in late 1974 and early 1975.

 

It's sad to think of the lives lost there in VN, and all the bodies wracked until this day, and not feel the pain of those where so much of the sacrifice was in vain.

 

I called to make an appointment with a psychic, but she told me I don’t show up.

 

Newspapers are thinner now because in the past they used to publish both sides of the story.

 

Yesterday’s GameStop rampage made instant billionaires out of several people who in the days preceding were running a company that was on the road to bankruptcy, as most gamers will be downloading the games directly from the manufacturers.

 

The GameStop saga is described as the “Proletariat versus the Bourgeoisie. WSB (Reddit’s Wall Street Bets), feels like it is the working class versus the hedge funds, and that is probably correct. A lot of it is the result of day trader pent up aggravation over big Wall Street causing the 2007 crash 13 years ago; the “K” shaped recovery which benefits the wealthy. The tipping point may have been the COVID-19 recovery and the Trillions of dollars injected into the Stock market, “While normal regular people were no longer allowed to work, and went bankrupt” (“Youtuber” Louis Rossman). It is a revolution in a manner of speaking. And we are reminded today that apparently there are 4 million WSB’ers and only 10,000 hedge funds. And there are computer programs.

 

This isn’t EF Hutton’s stock market anymore.

 

Although I have to repeat myself several times for my children to listen, I take great comfort knowing that one day nothing will annoy them more than me repeating myself.

 

Of course, a lot of the big institutional investor population so distasteful to WSB’ers are making money for pensions and other retirees with no other sources of income.

 

People actually read some of the dumb Tid’ jokes. This morning I got a funny reply forma reader in response to yesterday’s joke, “After kissing my girl on her sofa, she said, “Let’s take this upstairs.” “OK,” I said, “You Grab one end and I‘ll grab the other.” The reader’s reply: “How do you kiss a girl on her sofa?  Badda bing!”

 

In the current generational, ideological war culture, we just got to start looking for balance. Balance is the answer. Right now in this beautiful nation of ours there still too much me versus you. And, we can all unify if you listen to me.

 

The Answer:

Ok, number one is Oreo’s. Next is Brownie Bits followed by Chocolate Syrup, Cookie Dough, Whipped Cream, M&M’s, Caramel Syrup. Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Chips, Strawberries, Waffle Cone Pieces, Twix, Melted Chocolate, Cookies, Hershey Pieces, Reece’s Pieces, Magic Shell, Fruit, Nutella, Fudge, Cheesecake Bites, Salted Caramel, Bananas and at #25 Marshmallows. My favorite is Butterscotch which is at #27. I also like crumbled Short bread, which isn’t on the list.

 

Scientist: "My findings are meaningless if taken out of context."

Media: Scientist claims "Findings are meaningless."

Do not enter.

 

Today's Tids Issue 4,827

Sleep Time, Zzzzzzz:

 

One of the things that bothers me about the new society is that for some reason some people think it is ok to hack into other people’s digital devices and hang out, and read private stuff. Often, just because they know how to do it. In the past everything of importance was saved in our brains, but now the most precious of memories are just a hair away from being public".

 

“Honeymoon salad”: Lettuce alone!  Badda Bing!

 

Most people I know can reflect back many, many years and pull up beautiful nuggets of happiness from the past, right out of their brains. Will the new generations have to turn on their devices to find a moment gone by? If cyber space hasn’t eaten it.

 

Why call someone when you can just decide where you want to meet by exchange 73 text messages?

 

I was listening to our Governor Gina being interviewed in the senate for Secretary of Commerce. She made a statement that clearly defined the difference between Repubs and Dems. When asked a question about why RI is the worst state for business, she offered a slight of hand response and ended with, “I will use all tools possible for create jobs for the American worker”. A good Repub would have said “I will do everything possible to help make American companies highly competitive on the world economic stage.” Companies create jobs. That’s why companies don’t move to Democratic RI -- the focus is on the worker to the detriment of the job creators.  

 

The Question:

What well know late night comedian always said “I kid you not”?

 

The Headlines:

--Awaited Fed Decisions A Non-M Event, “Economy Moderated”, No  Interest Rate Increase In Foreseeable Future; Markets Tank Anyhow; S&P Falls 1.5% Form All Time High; Dow Fails To Take Off After Bad News Boeing Earnings, Down 1%; Nasdaq  Down Despite Good News Form Microsoft And Others: Looking Forward to Apple Earnings Tonight; Vacillating Stimulus Hopes Weigh On Markets.

--China Opens Door For Ant Stock Group Debut; GameStop Quashes Hedge Fund Short Squeeze.

--Senate Vote On Constitutionality Of Impeachment Trial Process Indicates That Trump Wil Never Be Convicted.

--US Consideration Mandatory Covid Tests For Domestic Flyers.

--Midwest And Northeast Preparing For Another Big Snowstorm.

 

My grandma always said, “Slow and steady wins the race.” She died in a fire. Covid is making me nasty. Or at least my humor.

 

It’s interesting that the last telegram sent by Western Union was four years to the day that Steve Jobs introduced the IPad Tablet. Well kind of philosophically interesting. You know, like in amazing technologies don’t last forever.

 

Help stamp out eliminate and abolish redundancy.

 

In case you are interested, Biden executive orders on are “The most aggressive moves on Climate Change of any president.” He’s not sounding terribly moderate lately.

 

I like boxy shaped cars.

 

My Tids brain seems bogged down, today.

 

The Answer:

It was Jack Paar who said “I kid you not.” It’s one of those expressions still tucked away in my brain. Jack is probably the guy who gave us the late-night format of today. Hie predecessor Steve Allen was very creative, clever but put on a different kind of show. Before that, Jerry Lester and Dagmar were a phase onto itself. And Ernie Kovacs was on another planet.

 

It’s time to start searching for tomorrow’s Tids I certainly didn’t find it today.

 

After kissing my girl on her sofa, she said, “Let’s take this upstairs.” “OK,” I said, “You Grab one end and I‘ll grab the other.” Badda Bing!!