World View: etc!: Hang on, we’re almost there, Mary.

Today's Tids Issue 5,326

Lights, lots of colorful lights:

Well, here we are. It is time to start Christmas shopping. Time to get in on the last-minute deals. Think of the people you'll meet out there in consumerville as desperate as you are. Think of sharing in the misery. Yes, the true Christmas spirit at last...sharing.

I am not a hater by any stretch of the imagination, but I do truly hate the Cloud!

A lot of people may applaud the release of Trumps Tax returns. But is that what we want America to become.. -- releasing citizens private information publicly to get even. It could happen to anybody. That’s why we have laws protecting people, even scoundrels.

Which actress is always ready for her cereal? Reese with her spoon! Don’t shoot me, shoot the guy who sent that groaner in.

The Question:

Americans voted on their favorite sports teams names. What do you think are the top ten?

The Headlines:

--Markets Not Finding Stable-ity on Days Before Christmas; Global Markest Fared Well Earlier, But US Didn’t Get the hint; New Jobless Claims Tick Up a Smidge to 216K

--FTX Co-Founder Gary Wang and FTX Associated Company Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison Plead Guilty to Fraud Charges Associated with FTX Failure.

--Bitter Cold Sweeping Northern Midwest.

--Zelensky Triumphant in Congress Speech; Gets the Dough He Needs.

--USA Life Expectancy Average Continues to Fall.

--India On Alert for New Waves of Covid Variants from China.

--Kremlin Warns of Long War After Biden Offers More Aide to Ukraine.

--YouTube TV Pays Big to Win NFL Sunday Ticket.

There is no music with more feeling than a piano concerto except perhaps for a violin concerto when the violinist is squeezing out all the love’s emotions and romance in the world into one perfect strain, one final note of intense sensation.

The TidsPickers produced a lot of sweaty palms last week. My beloveds really did me in with the dumbest play in NFL history, as did the upset of Dallas. 11-5 brings us to 148-77 (66%). Ok, we are entering another strange week with most of the games on Saturday. The three on Christmas day are on NFL Network which I don’t get, unless they give me a present. So here is some of the weirdness. TB leads the awful NFC South at 6-8. Right behind are Carolina, New Orleans and Atlanta all at 5-9. So, they are all playing for their lives, but are any of them good enough? TB plays Arizona and should win it. That means the others have to win ot keep the light burning. Atlanta plays Balt, another team that must win. I’ll take Balt. I also think that the Brawns will beat the Saints and the tough new lions will take Carolina. This means TB could somehow show up in the playoffs even with a losing record. Tonight, is another real toss-up. The Jets have a very good D, but scoring is an enigma. The Jags are putting it together and Trevor Lawrence is beginning to live up to his clippings. I’ll take the Jags. The Bills are playing for the Bye week and will beat an improving Bears and I have no faith at all that my Pats can beat Joe Burrow and his Bengals. Tennessee must win, Period. But all of a sudden, Houston looks like a spoiler. I’ll give the titans one more shot.

Continuing on, we have the Giants who are still in it against the Vikes who may be self-satisfied. Yet, I’m picking the Vikings. KC has not looked like the greatest team of the century, and Seattle needs this one, But Mahomes will find a way. Wash really needs a win and SF has clinched. But coach Shannahan won’t let his team go to sleep. The Eagles and Dallas affair was much anticipated but te Cowboys are flailing and the Eagle are sailing, I’ll stay with Phlly. The LA Chargers are definitely in it now and playing better, They will take down a demoralized Indy. The LA Rams looked really bad against GB which surprisingly makes Denver my fave this week. Both Pitt and LV are playing for the last remnants of respect. This is a toss-up for me, but I like the Steelers. Lastly, Green Bay is awakening, and Miami is not as magical as they had been. Green Bay will love rampaging the warmth of Florida.

I didn’t notice Nancy tearing up Zelensky's speech.

Wednesday’s stock rally just looks now like a way for big traders to cash in on some loot before Christmas

It appears that Lithium miners are going to have the same problem with narrow minded environmentalists that oil companies do. There are people who love the environment and will do what it takes to allow it to thrive naturally without the in-your-face hysteria. And then there are those who use the environment as an instrument of release for their incessant inner anger.

I have always said that if you live in Rhode Island a state with more water and cool wetlands than land, and you aren’t an environmentalist, you are a fool.

Celebs keep ascribing superlatives to the HBO series White Lotus, and I just don’t get it.

BTW, Jack Ryan is back on Prime. It was a good series that took a longer than I wanted hiatus. But it came back yesterday for another 8 episodes, and I’m psyched.

The big international security question is: Is Putin just saber rattling or is he now serious about tactical nuke warfare.

The Answer:

The Minnesota Vikings came in first. Hmm. Next are the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Florida Gators, Houstin Oilers, Texas Longhorns, Colorado Avalanche, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. The next bunch are Arizona Diamondbacks, Richmond Flying Squirrels, Milwaukee Bucks, San Fran 48ers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Dodgers, Toledo Mud Hens, Las Vegas Raiders and at #20, San Jose Sharks. The Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots are #’s 54 and 55. The iconic Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 23. The Alabama Crimson Tide are # 69! Tell that to a “Tide” fan.