I love the challenge of each new day.

Today's Tids Issue #2,584
Opening Stuff:

Snow flurried in swirls, lightly bouncing off new grass growth. Then dissolving into small droplets of water as flakes met the warm spring soil. The quiet of falling snow soothed the the air, muffled the confusion of a world waking. Slowly at first, the white started to stick to the green. Then as if a giant hand pushed a lever in the sky, the torrents of rushing snow blinded the skies, and covered the earth, this fine day of spring awakening. Small birds, newly returned from the south peeked from their nest, puffed up to insulate against the sudden cold. Two tiny heads turned to each other, "What the hell is going on here!" They shivered and squirmed back in against each other.

Have you noticed that two of the three worst teams in baseball so far this year were put together by boy genius Theo Epstein? Sorry, Cubbie fans.

A couple of old West Virginians looked at the news from Washington DC over at the other end of Route 50, shook their heads and were reminded of an old saying from their Pappy, "You cannot get the water to clear up, until you get the pigs outta the creek."

 

The Question:  

Regardless of her politics, and how bad she acted in several movies, I still think that Barbara Streisand was one of the greatest singers ever. What was her first big hit. Name 5 of her other big songs.

The Headlines: 

--NK About Ready For Third Nuclear Test.
--March New Home Sales Fall.
--Markets Edge Up Despite Continuing Conferences Over EuroDebt; Greek Recession Deepens. --Sarkozy Loss Could Bring Down EU; Merkl/Sarkozy Partnership Was Keeping Tattered Union Viable; French Leftist Hollande Would Abandon Effort.
--FaceBook Reveals Sliding Revenue, Profits Ahead Of Potential IPO; Is Amazing Growth Cooling? --New Wireless Subscribers AtAT&T Down Sharply.
--Jennifer Hudson Testimony Opens Trial Of Man Accused Of Murdering 3 members Of Her Family; Presence Moves Jurors.
--Newt Hints At Leaving Race; Most Think: "He's Still In It?
--Hugh Hefner Comes Out Against "Old Fashioned Viewpoints" Of Conservatives; Worries That Sex Might End Ruining His Empire.

You know what really bewilders me -- this fascination with one of the biggest con artists of all time, Al Sharpton; The man who rose to fame and started his career of emotional extortion with the gigantic Tawana Brawley Lie/scam, and nobody ever calls him out on anything. People just let him continue to oppress the people he purports to support. To shroud real progress in racist exaggerations.

You'll find yourself smiling a lot after watching "Salmon Fishing in Yemen".

Example 207,438,292 of how Government works badly: This little tale is about bringing home the bacon because voters want bacon whether they needed it or not. A host of Pols from Secretary LaHoud to RI's Governor Chafee-Lite gathered yesterday to dedicate a new railroad station in Wickford RI, hailing economic progress. Here's the deal: This is a commuter station to bring workers to where? Not to Providence or anywhere RI where there are disappearing jobs and vacant office towers. Pols live to build roads, and airports and railroad stations regardless of whether they are necessary. They like brand spanking new bricks and mortar because it looks like results, and more importantly obscures their inability to understand and/or attack the real problems -- in this case, companies not coming to RI becasue of one very obvious a factually supported dilemma -- it sucks to do business here. No, this station where trains will be run by the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) will bring RI'ers quickly and safely to Boston and it's environs. Rhode Island has become part of the Boston Subway System.

I am still trying to figure out why Barak Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Free carrots for Reindeer for a year? A railroad station? Something he will tell us after he is elected again? Weird, really weird.

The demise of the US culture began with the advent of the TV table.

Stupid Athlete Department: Alphonse Demond dreamed of it in Pee Wee Football, through four years in High School and then during four outstanding years at the University of Nebraska. And this week, his dreams will be fulfilled as potentially top pick at the NFL Draft. Or not! Over the week end, less than a week before the culmination of a dream, he assaulted a policeman. He's in jail. Hey, but all may not be lost. Criminals and character-less athletes are often prime sections. In fact, another high draft possibility has put himself in a position of dwarfing Antonio Cromarte's record of 10 children (Soon to be 12 w/twins on the way) with 8 women in six states. Yes, potential top pick Janoris Jenkins during his college years ash produced 4 kids by three women. He says "I am a great father," that is -- when he is not being arrested for bar fights and smoking pot.

Note to Tids Serialized Novel Readers: The Tids Fiction Writer's Department Is formulating a new, exciting plot with plenty of juicy characters.

Life is good: I just renewed my annual license for my Golf Yardage machine.

The Answer:

I first remember Barbra belting out "Happy Days are here Again" and "Strike Up the Band". And frankly I remember clearly shouting Wow! She was particularly adept at "rousers" like those and "There's no Business Like Show Business". Of course then there was "People", "The Way we Were", "Evergreen" and two duos -- "No More Tears" with Donna Summer and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore" with Neil Diamond. Only Elvis and the Beatles have sold more albums that Barbara Streisand.

The Red Sox are floundering, and callers to sports shows are worrying why the fans sing "Sweet Caroline" after the seventh inning. These fans must be the same people who look at the mess in RI and can't see the real problem of a union dominated State Legislature.

How many of you will be humming "People" all day long?

Donuts?

Today's Tids Issue #2,412
Opening Stuff:

Personally, I have been able to overcome the vicious rhetoric designed demonize to Dick Cheney. I like him. I like his sense of humor; His no nonsense approach to situations of all kinds. I like a little torture now and then. He knows how to cut through all of the BS. He is probably the only kind of guy who can right the ship. And no doubt, righting the ship of state will be torturous for many.

It now looks like towns full of Quadahfi supporters will be rebelling against the rebels. The MiddelEast beat goes on.

The Question:
Name five great violinists. Quick now...no Google.

Today's Headlines:

--Strong July Factory Gains Push Stocks Up Nicely.
--As Much As $60 Billion Has been Lost To Waste And Fraud In the Iraq War.
--Security Building Across Country In Advance Of 10 Years Celebrating The 911 Tragedy.
--Stocks Move Down, Bonds And Cash Up As %-ages Of Balanced Portfolios Preparing For Uncertain Markets.
--Qadhafi Son negotiates Surrender.
--New Data Says Economy Will Soften, Not recess.
--Vermonters Eying Long Cleanup; Main Roads Have Disappeared.

Back to the Cave Department:
A hurricane brings out the best and the worst in humans. The worst is kind of terrifying. Like having to bring in the national Guard becasue some of the dummies could figure the simple logic of passing orderly through intersections when traffic signals were out of order. Or fights in McDonald's over hamburgers and, get this, in Dunkin Donuts over donuts! "The Donut Wars". God help us.

The only thing sexy about Sarah Jessica Parker is the name of her movie.

The Justice Department of the USofA has filed suit against AT&T's $38Bil Buyout of T-Mobile, saying it would subtract a competitive power from the marketplace. Competitive power? COMPETITIVE POWER? This is the competitive power where you can't get service if you wander of off the main road a few incenses. And rarely on golf courses when you are trying to hide the fact that you are really not in the office. This the competitive power that did not work during the power outage when you needed it most . When all of the real competitive powers -- AT&T, Verizon and Sprint -- were working just fine. No, I think that the Merger is an absolute necessity for the country to get rid of T-Mobile. It is useless, as useless as tits on a bull, florists and assistant media buyers.

America's Got Talent: First I gotta say what stood out, amd that was Landon Swank. Swank has what it takes to go somewhere in the entertainment. Clever tricks and personal appeal to go with it. After that, the night was somewhat of a mystery. I like the "King" but I didn't get much out of his display. I was mad at Fatally Unique for stealing from West Springfield. This could be the end of the line for the getting tried routines of Gymkata (Like a high School Cheer review) Summerwind and Smage Brothers + Grammy (A little more hold-you-breath danger, though.). I didn't like Steven Retchless the first time he was on and I still don't (Can you say Retching) and Professor Splash did what he does. Courageous? Yes! But... Anna Graceman, Landau Murphy and Snap Boogie I have liked, but they weere a little less than in previous shows. Silloettes could be the multi person act to make it to the five. The rest of the five -- Swank, Boogie, Murphy and Graceman...and maybe Mr. Kinetic,

It's possible that the most pleasant days on earth for those of us who live near the ocean are those following two days after a hurricane or Nor'easter...when the infestation of surfer dudes have left the scene.

How come the Muslim holy month of Ramadan gets so much public excitement in the newspapers and and broadcast news, while more and more Easter goes unnoticed except for the candy and Bunny?

I understand the hardship, but I think habitual complainers love the opportunities afforded them by power outages to rant on the radio and write pithy little letters to the editor. How else could you explain their general lack of knowledge and understanding about the immensity of the task to deal with widespread damage to electrical wires that can kill instantly.

Almost Near: Chapter 36 continues. --Tucker watched the interaction between Dante and Samantha. It bothered him, but if they were to get anywhere with this Samantha caper, than these kind of comfortable moments for her were a must.
"Oh Tucker!". Samantha looked at him suddenly, a kind of condescending sympathy oozing from her eyes. "I have forgotten all about you."
"How fleeting is romance! How temporary is love" He smiled. Samantha frowned. Tucker got up and went over and kissed her. "I think it is good you and Dante are close and enjoying eachother."
She reached over her shoulder and squeezed his hand, then immediately turned back to Dante. Who, Tucker could see clearly, wanted the intimacy of their conversation to continue. "I'm going out for a little walk. It's good you two can talk alone. They barely noticed when he left.
Tucker smiled at the AA as he walked through the lobby and out the door. He was feeling jealous about the attraction to a man by a woman who had no idea who she was. By the woman he had loved who wasn't there anymore. Maybe that's why she left me years ago. maybe I was too plain, to dull for her fantasies. But, I don't think so he thought...even though she married a rogue like Rudy. No, he knew, Dante was just one more of her crutches. Just as his dream town he created for her has been for many years. What happened? he smiled now as he pulled his phne to call Audrey. She'll have some answers. He knew she would.

There is nobody worse for the Black community than Al Sharpton (And some of these other race baiting Black leaders in congress and elsewhere. But then, he's on the board of directors of the gigantic civil rights industry. What would you expect from a person who has to keep evil alive. When you win a revolution, and the CR movement was a revolution, you have to step aside and let the accomplishments of the future bury the ills of the past. And, it can be done.

The Answer: 
It's always nice when I think of a question that I find a better than average answer. #10 on the all-time greatest list ahead of Fritz Kreisleer, Mischa Elman, Giuseppe Tartini, Ole Bull, Jascha Heifetz, Angello Correlli, Antonio Vivaldi, Pablo de Sarasate and #1 Niccolo Paganini. Honorable Mentions go to Eugene Ysaye, Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Francesco Maria Veracici, Joseph Joachim, Nathan Milstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Anna-Sophie Mutter and Wolgang "The Kid" Mozart. What about Nigel Kennedy, Zino Francescatti, Sarah Chang, Hillary Hahn. Pinchas Zukerman or mark O'Conner. What about Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg?

Just think of the violence levels in the Middle East if here were Dunkin' Donut shops.

Oh no, not another northeast Hurricane prediction. I hate it when they come in two's.