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?

Nancy's Elves are into the Christmas Brandy.

Today's Tids Issue 2,247
Opening Stuff:

Nancy and her court voted party line to follow through with their class warfare threats by segregating the producers and job creators out of the tax break game. Now, December 15 looms large for everybody who has a stake in the US economy. Big investors are looking at that day for some kind of decision to forestall a sell-off that would take advantage of the current 15% capital gains tax and much lower tax on dividends. But, also heard down on the little lane of big money, "Expect a three year extension of all Bush cuts just in the nick of time." Meanwhile the fog continues, and it's not just in this fragile mind.

As I look out of my city view window, I'm seeing plenty of shoppers working earnestly at their December task.

Did you hear about the cook who got fired from I-Hop? He was a flip, flop.

The Prez just dropped in on the troops in Afghanistan. Thant's a good thing.

The Question:
You hear a lot of talk about marriage failure, but nobody ever gives you statistics. The state with the lowest divorce rate has 1.8 of 1000 in splitsville. Not too bad. Name five others on lowest rate list and the five states with the highest rates.

The Headlines:

--Unemployment Moves Up To 9.8%.
--Wall Street Sluggish.
--President Makes Secret trip Into Afghanistan.
--WikiLeaks Fights To Stay On Line.
--Drivers Slowly Freed After Over 24 Hours Trapped In Snow Clogged NY Thruway Near Buffalo.
--Deficit Cutting Plan Fails To Advance; Declared Positive First Step Towards Getting Potentially Catastrophic Deficit Under control.
--China Passenger Train Reaches Speed Of 300 MPH!

Back to More Stuff:
While sitting and lying around the last couple of days I have begun to fill in the details on my new theory "Gimmiemetrics versus Economics 101" where "want" has replaced "earn and value". It is pervasive from deep within the ghettos to the plush offices of financial empires, and it will bring America down. Unfortunately thinking about it makes my head hurt and I have to takes naps. I'll be back in a couple of days.

I'll also be back with the start of a new novel. I'm getting that urge.

Michelle Malkin is a tiger!

Another one of those "Little" $4.8 Billion bills just passed. This one good take over the eating habits of all children who go to public schools. It's Presdent Mom's wife's pet nutrition bill which essentially gives the feds total control over what kids eat during schools days. IN fact, it may go so far as to give Mr. Big Gov control of things like fund raising "bake sales".Think what they will do to us all when they strangle us with health care.

Every year I buy myself a new Christmas CD. This year I bought John Fahey solo Folk guitar. It is particularly good and headache free.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:
While waiting for Hollywood's big Christmas Season push in a week or so, here are couple that might not be too Bad.
--All Good Things starring Kirsten Dunst, Ryan Gosling, Frank Langella and Jeffery Dean Morgan id=s a romantic thriller about a scion of a large NYC Real Estate Firm who falls for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She disappears and a down and out detective tries to discover the truth.
--The Balck Sawn is an intense film about ruthless competition in the world of ballet. The cast is out standing starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Winona Rider, Barbara Hersey and Vincent Cassel. It is sexually powerful and emotionally disturbing as Nina the featured NY City Ballet finds Hersey locked in a deepening web in an intriguing battle witha newcomer. Good be a winner.

The Answer: 
Massachusetts has the lowest rate of divorce. DC is second primarily becasue Congress people live in Maryland and Virginia. The rest of the top ten are PA, Iowa, NY, North Dak, South carolina, Illinois, Maryland and Minn. The worst is Guess?...Nevada! (6.8/M). The next worse ten are Arkansas, Wyoming, Idaho, W.Va, Kty, Oklahoma, Alaska, Florida and beautiful Maine. Lobsterin's down.

The Weak End:
It's been a stormy week in Tidsland, but I appreciate the cards and letters. My fingers appear to be working a little better. But,,, then there is that mind.

Gin or chocolate.

Today's Tids Issue 2,194

Opening Stuff:

One of my favorite all time songs is “The Big Rock Candy Mountain.” Not only did put stars in the eyes of kid who loved sweets, but was a great country western tune. And I was then and am today a big fan of the pluckers and twangers.

I had to laugh when reading the bios of principals at a financial planner firm I saw that one of the younger people had come directly from the Mashantucket-Pequot Gambling Casino. How appropriate is that?

And this note from the Tids resident statistician: “If you stood next to a single file line of everyone in china, and they started to walk by you at a reasonable walking pace, the line would never end because of their rate of reproduction.” So you have to know that China is deadly serious about becoming the worlds largest economy.

The Question: Who was the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Name 5 other Chairmen. (Hint Harry S. named number one). Which two Presidents haven’t named any? How many each did the other 10 presidents since Harry name?

The Headlines:

--WWF’s Linda McMahon Leads Group Of Washington Outsiders Who Won Primaries Last Night.
--Stocks Retreating As Fed Goes Conservative On Growth Estimates; China Reports Smaller Manufacturing Gains.
--US Trade Deficit Widened By Huge 18.8% In June.
--11 Killed North Of Baghdad.
--Muslim Holy Time Of Ramadan Begins This Week.
--Ice Island ff Greenland Could Be Major Shipping Hazard.
--Fires In Russia And Mudslides In China Overwhelm Populations.
--Record Low Mortgage rates Have Little Effect On Home Sales.
--SB Champs Saints Practicing With Pats In Foxboro.

Back to More Stuff:

What all of these new government programs are proving fairly conclusively is that good companies that used to work very well are now looking very inefficient as they act as middlemen for government programs. Simply…Things used to work and now they don’t. And if things keep on going the weay they are, nothing will work.

OK, let’s call it what it really is. The “Jobs” bill is in reality the “Public Employee’s Union Bill. And, it is the latest in a series of moves where 0-Man and his congressional henchmen pay back the big campaign investment from the Unions. This presidency is all about the unions, pure and simple.

I saw a story in the newspaper expressing amazement at the new and rapidly expanding collection of spy, conspiracy shows and movies. Did these geniuses ever stop for a moment to think that there are millions of apoplectic, depressed ex-“24” fans huddled in dark corners hungering for a glimpse of anything that might resemble Jack and Chloe in action?

Are you starting to get the idea that Separation of Church and State is not operative when dealing with Muslims? I am.
,
Poetry Department:
You’ve got to love this from a 15 year old student in Arizona: Now I sit me down in school, Where praying is against the rule, For this great nation under God, Finds mention of Him very odd. // If scripture now the class recites, It violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow, Becomes a Federal matter now. // Our hair can be purple, orange, green, That’s no offense; it's a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. // For praying in a public hall Might offend someone with no faith at all.. In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state. // We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks... They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable. // We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King. It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong, We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.. // We can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.. But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, No word of God must reach this crowd. // It's scary here I must confess, When chaos reigns the school's a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Is Levi Johnson on track to become the next Kim Kardashian?

When making your favorite Quiche it is always a good idea to bake your crust before pouring in ingredients.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 89 continues. –I nodded to the security guy as I walked into the house where they were keeping Laura. “She’s upstairs”, he offered as he barely looked away from “The Price is Right”. Looking at a slug like that made me wonder what I had really gotten myself into.
I didn’t understand my feelings as I got involved in a scheme that I could rationalize scientifically, but not in terms of human life. And I knew Isabelle was driven, but not heartless.
Laura made me feel good, but I didn’t particularly like her. I opened the door and she sprang up from the bed where she was lying and stormed towards me. Her fist slammed my chest, and my arms came up to grasp her upper arms. “Where the hell have you been? Out with the old woman?”
“Laura, Laura, my love…”
“Don’t you give me that ‘Love Me’ crap”, she screamed. Just get me out of here.” And then surprisingly she laid her head on my chest and felt the heaving of sobs. I didn’t know what to say. I just lifted up her head and looked into her tearing eyes. Eyes that were reddened well beyond her current emotions. This stone hearted woman had something else in side her. I kissed her. And she responded.
After a few moments, I was getting aroused. She would be dragging me over to the bed.
“Not now”, I whispered reluctantly. Two times in the last two hours I’m saying not now. “Look, we have to get you out of here without calling attention to your absence.
“You’re getting me out of here?” She sounded like a little girl. Maybe form a childhood she never had. Was Laura always an adult? She hugged me harder, but it wasn’t sexual anymore. It was something she may have never experienced.

The new "jobs" bill is the latest bailout that will encourage bad budgeting and and general all around irrationality. Just as the first bailout ensures a continuation of destructive risk taking on Wall Street, this latest dole will justify inefficient management of government and education.

I loved that Big Rock Candy Mountain because I envisioned lakes of chocolate, lemonade streams and peppermint trees. In actuality, the composer Harry McClintock was writing about gin, cigarettes and how to get by on other people's money by avoiding work at all costs.

The Answer: 
 There has been 17 between Harry’s choice of Omar Bradley and today’s Adm. Michael Mullen. In between we have had Colin Powell, Maxwell Taylor, Nathan Twining, Earle Wheeler, Arthur Radford, Lyman Lemnitzer, Thomas Moorer, George Brown, David Jones, John Vessey, William Crowe, David Jeremiah, John Shalikashvili, Hugh Shelton, Richard Meyers and Peter Pace. Ford didn’t and 0-Man hasn’t named a Chair. Harry – 1, Ike – 3, JFK – 1, Big Spender Lynden – 1 Nixon – 2, Carter – 1, Reagan -- 2, GHWB – 1, Monica’s Pal – 3, GW – 3. There were 12 Generals and 5 Admirals…and Shalikashvili was the hardest to pronounce. Kind of a dumb question, wasn’t it.

The End:
Did you ever have one of those mornings when your computer just sat there and looked t you. It didn’t -do nothin’. Just an hour glass sitting there. It must be a humidity-in-the-sand thing.