Tears over Fenway.

Today's Tids Issue #2,583
Opening Stuff:

I have rarely been as emotionally drained as I was Friday afternoon at the end of the celebration of 100 years of Fenway Park. 216 baseball players who I had lived and died with for over sixty years walked out of the center field door as if from corn Fields on an Iowa farm. Each, no matter how big a star or small, recall a moment that's part of your base ball soul. With all of the highlights and all of the cheers, nothing gets to my rear reservoir than Yaz walkin' across the field. God, how I loved watching that guy play. Anybody who has ever loved the game of baseball would have found their heart beating a little faster between 2:00 and 3:00 last Friday.

I see where Sarah Palin was being "Checked out" by some Secret Service guy. And it was suggested that maybe they are checkin' out Michelle O too. So here's an idea. Let's do it the Roman way -- Eunuchs! If it was good enough for the Roman Emperor's watchdogs. it's good enough for us. Besides, like Rome we're declining and falling!

Or maybe we should just get rid of FaceBook and YouTube. Then the antics will be safe from sensationalizer's eyes.

The great Treasurer of RI Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, has been called by many "A Conservative." I think her response was excellent: "No, I'm a realist," she countered. Many branded conservatives are really just basically honest, rational people trying to do what's right. Unfortunately to too many thees days, what's right and correct is considered eerie, scary and threatening.

The Question:

 Hundred's of Airlines over the years have faded from existence. Name ten big ones.

The Headlines: 

--Growing Anxiety Over EuroFinances Will Weaken Market openengs.
--Sarkozy Loses First Round In French Election;
--East Coast gets Much needed Rain.
--SC Weighing Arizona Anti Criminal Trespassing Act
--Zimmerman Out Of Jail On Bail; In Hiding. --Fox Guarding Hen House in RI; Gov. and Lt. Gov. Out Of town.
--Sunday Rain-out Saves Red Sox From More Embarrassment.

As promised, this august morning opinionated mess will continue to remind the world of one Obama statement that should put everybody on High alert: "This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility." I'm placing bets that this is not the only time he has used this hedge to key international and local power groups like his own liberal base... that in closed rooms he has said to his left supporters, "I'll never get elected if I espouse what you want, so be patient." Are the Iranians and North Koreans now expecting a similar about face." Basically he is saying, "If you want to learn the truth that lies in my heart, vote for me."

You can tell a lot about people by the way they put away shopping carts or how they behave at 4-Way Stop signs.

Nothing symbolizes better the growing division in America than the awful Caruola Act in RI. This is a State Legislative action that allows school boards to sue fellow citizens for more money.

I see where Tom Brady and Giselle were at the Fenway 100th. At least Tom didn't wear a NYY cap. No, he wore a Fop hat instead. Giselle has got to stop dressing him.

The Stooges hit the films in the 1930's They were revised in the early days of TV when I was your basic, stupid irresponsible young teenager, But, I have to tell you, I really didn't watch them very much. Frankly, after the first few times with their antics, i foumd them kind of monotonous. Instead I was enthralled with high brow humor like Abbot and Costello. The Bowery Boys, Our Gang and Laurel and Hardy. Stuff with meaning. The real second coming of the Stooges was in the 70's and 80's when revivals of the clowns caught on with the teens and twenty somethings. Maybe they needed inane after all of the seriousness of the protest era.

Do you find it curious that Eric Holder not going after States with Voter ID laws like RI which is in the Dem pocket, but only those large toss-up states like Texas, with lots of illegals, potentially criminal voters. Doesn't sound like a "fair" policy. I wonder if 0-Man knows?

One of the greatest threats to our future is the "International Left", a large and growing silent group that is manipulating behind the scenes to promote international courts and across the border laws that infringe upon the sovereignty of national constitutions.

The Answer: 

Some bug names have bit teh dust over the years. Remember Eastern. And Pan American. Then you have Allegheny, Capitol, Braniff, Frontier, Mohawk, National, Northeast, Northwest, Ozark, Piedmont, Republic, Continental (Part of United), Western and TWA! And now maybe American!

Of course the real tears over, under and around Fenway came Saturday afternoon, when the Sox blew a 9-1 lead. I went to a Tavern Sat night and when I walked in I asked, "Why is the Sox game still on TV?" He said, "Because it is 9-8." Aaaaaaaaaaarg!

Sign found in front of McDonald's Store: "Saying your kids are fat because of us, is like saying it's Hooter's fault that your husband likes big boobs."

I had to laugh at the headline about Gordon Fox being in charge of RI Government because Gov. and Lt. Gov were out of town. Speaker Fox and his predecessors have always been in charge of the RI Government.

It's going to be a good week. Enjoy it.

Christmas makes me Whacky.

Today's Tids Issue 2,493
Opening Stuff:

One of the great things about a cold Winter is jumping into a warm bed at night.

I figure if you still believe in Santa Clause, then you have a certain confidence in knowing that anything is possible.

There is a lot of talk floating around beneath the surface, under the Republican blanket that a late Spring surprise in the form of a Jeb Bush or Chris Christie announcement is still very much a possibility.

I am still utterly and totally awed by the voice of Jackie Evancho.

The Question:
I never considered Dallas Cowboys "Americas Team". In fact, I never ever got the idea that we needed something called America's Team. Anyhow, Dallas isn't it any more. The folks have spoken and they say Green Bay is their team now. Name the other NFL teams in the top 5. In the same poll, the favorite QB's were listed. Name them.

The Headlines:
--Deadly Blasts Rip Through Baghdad Neighborhoods In Coordinated Attacks That Killed 57.
--Unemployment Bennies Apps Fall To 364,000; Number Is Lowest Since 2008.
--Stocks Could Hiccup Up Today.
--Despite Repub Confusion, RNC Outpacing DNC In Money Race.
--Austerity Protests In Europe Bring Holiday Traffic To A lat.

Rhode Islanders, citizens of a state with an absolutely brilliant past, would be better served for the present and most certainly for the future, if their leaders were not Chafee, Reed and Whitehouse, but Gina Raimondo and Dorothy Gist.

The way teams were being upset last week, I thought the Tids Sport Department was going down 5-11. Yet the final 9-7 only appears decent because the reality was so bad. This is the time of year when you feel you have a handle on all the teams. But, nothing is ordinary this year. We're a discouraging 148-76 (66%). Onward! And, it does not get easier this week. Too many teams need to win badly, and several are playing each other. The tough games are Oak-KC, Jints-Jets, Ariz-Cinn, SD-Det, SF-Seattle, Dal-Phil and Atlanta-NO. I'm going KC, Giants, Arizona, Detroit city, San Fran, Philadelphia and New Orleans. The rest are NE, Houston (if they wake up after last weeks post championship hangover game), Tenn, Pitt, Denver, Balt, Carolina, Washington and GB.

As a followup to yesterday's Tid about the Lay-away Angels, I give you the woman crying over the generosity of an unknown person who paid for her children's gifts which would never have materialized because, as she said, she had no money -- this, as she pulled out her $250 smartphone with the $100+ monthly carrying charges. I wish I could afford a smartphone.

Dumbest research question I have read this Year, Department:
"Should Illegal aliens be allowed to vote?" Am I still on the same planet?

Well he did it. Eric Holder played the race card. He says people are out to get him and 0-Man because they are black! here we go again. How come Bush's AG Alberto Gonzales didn't play the race card when he was being persecuted by small minded Dems? Huh. Huh. Answer that!

Yup, it's Christmas alright. "Clapper" commercials are everywhere...like reindeer droppings.

The regulation mania in the 0-Man admin continues to hogtie business. Yesterday the egalitarian EPA came out with a set of regs so draconian that Utilities will be forced to spend $10 Billion per year to comply. I'm thinking, that this isn't really about clean air as they say, but a dastardly ploy to increase the costs of cheap electricity so the overly expensive "Green" alternatives are competitive.

One of the problems with corporate earnings improvement going forward is that many companies have already cut costs to the bone.

A Goldman exec and financial Prognosticator who first defined the economic power of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India China) says these four countries are still the world's growth engine. Jim O'Neill now adds that we should keep and eye on MIST -- Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey. These formerly developing countries are on the rise to economic powerhouse status. No longer emerging but here and now as "Growth" countries. This emergence is mainly because China realizes that they need a more diverse marketplace beyond the USA for their goods. This is why China will drive the world or the next decade. They consume buyers like I do Cheetos.

The Answer:
The Cowboys still come in high at #2. They are followed by da Bears, Giants and Steelers. Surprise -- Tim Tebow was voted favorite Quarterback. 2 and 3 were the Manning Bros, Eli and Peyton. The next three were tied -- Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rogers. At the bottom of the QB list were Dog Fighting man Michael Vick and Woman abuser Ben Rothlisberger. "America's Team"? I still don't get it.

No question though..."America's Audience" are the Tids readers.