Baaaahrrooooooo.

Today's Tids Issue #2,351
Opening Stuff:

What a great morning! The night quiet broken by the basso profundo tones of a tour de force foghorn performance across the mirror-like waters of our morning harbor to announce the arrival of the year's first cruise ship. Bahrrooooooooo.

Let's see, the nations Chief Politician has finally been backed into a campaign crimping hole where he actually has to take a stand on the rising gas prices. So what does this guy propose...Eliminate the tax breaks for oil companies. Good thinking! Add to the oil companies costs and expect prices to go down. Brilliant. Just brilliant. Government strategy at its best.

Talk about not knowing who your friends are in the Middle East. It looks like our buds in Pakistan have been talking to Karsai the past couple of weeks suggesting that he dump the US and join them and China for their future growth and security. Or else, this is a floated news item for use by Karsai extorting a couple of extra billion form our treasury..

The Question: 
Double Q Day -- 1. Which European Monarch has been to three British Royal Weddings? 2. All of the roadway critics are hailing Nina Arainda, who just opened in a funny revival of Born Yesterday, as the hot new star on the great white way. Who was the first hot new star in the original BY?

The Headlines:
--Markets Awaiting Bernanke.
--Afghan Officer Opens Fire Killing 9 US In Kabul Airport Meeting; Taliban says Officer Was One Of Theirs.
--Defense, Intelligence Shakeup: Panetta To Sec Defense; Petraeus To CIA Chief; Lt. Gen Allen Afghan Commander; Ryan Crocker US Ambassador To Afghan.
--New Durable Goods Factory Orders Better Than expected.
--BP, Conoco Report Disappointing Earnings.
--"O" Releases Birth Certificate. Trump Takes Credit; Birthers Say It's A forgery.
--Trump Changes Tactics Now Questioning "O's" Qualifications For College.
--RI's Repub Leader Watson Comes Across As Just Another Politician Who Got Caught.

Back to More Stuff:
The news about the Sony XBox hacking and the potential for massive identity loss is just the latest example of what in essence the Net is really all about for marketers...getting info about customer blocs and buying actions. Facebook, that happy place for people who love to lose their privacy is another marketers gold mine and in reality what Iternet marketers have been waiting for since the beginning of cyber sales management. The marketers want you to visit them at their Facebook page, not necessarily because it is easier for consumers, but because they can track more of how the folks buy and react. It has the potential to be everything that web sites cold never be. Marketers hated anonymity.

Doesn't Trumps tilting at the Obama windmill smack of Nero Fiddling While Rome Burned?

Let's see, the environmentalists have been halting oil drilling in the US for 15 or so years now, but I hear nary a word from these protectors of the earth when 0-Man give Brazil of "Rain Forest" fame $2 Billion to begin drilling in that country. With another $2 Billion for refining in another RF abutter, Colombia.

This department of Health and Human Services attempt to oust the CEO of Drug company Forest Laboratories Howard Solomon. is a little scary. Scary not becasue all drug Execs are angels and shouldn't be touched, but because there is a law within the Social Security Act that allows the governmental this kind of power of ever private enterprise. And someday somebody is going to abuse it really bad. You can count on it.

Almost Near: Chapter 17 continues. -- Audrey started to move towards the dazed Tucker, but Bounty Quimpieree tightened his grasp and stuck his angry face in hers. She saw hate in this mans eyes. They stared at each other. Audrey now trying not to back down. Then Bounty turned quickly and punched his sister in the chest, "Shut up." You're driving me crazy."
"What kind of guy are you," Audrey started to show some bravery. But immediately felt the power from this animal's arms.
"The kind of a guy who a minute would have you bent over that table with your dress up around your waist. The kind of a guy who can do anything to you he wants. And there is nothing you could do about it. That kind of guy." Audrey turned her head away from the sour boozy breath. He nodded towards Tucker, "Is that sissy down there the guy who's been asking around town about Rudy and says he knows Rudy's missing wife?"
"Yes," Audrey now decided to answer questions so the twosome would leave.
"Well, I want to find that woman too. Cause somethin strange happened here a year ago, and my family is real angry."
"He doesn't know much," Audrey couldn't help herself. He glared. "I think he knows more than the cops." All of a sudden he pushed Audrey down into a chair, knocking the beer on the floor. Bounty picked up the other beer, drank it down, and then went and yanked a woozy Tucker up by what turned out to be a very painful arm.
"You and I are gonna become friends." He pulled Tucker by the arm out of the cafe. "Common Fuzzy." The cackler followed.

The Answer:  
1. Michael I of Romania first traveled to London on 1947 for the marriage of Princess Elizabeth (Now QEII) to his cousin Prince Phillip. He also attended Charles and Diane's wedding before this. he was the Great, Great Grandson of Queen Victoria and first became King of Romania in 1927...when he was 6 years old. 2. The very funny Judy Holiday palyed the very smart dumb blond Billie Dawn in the first "BY".

The End:
I think that one of the things that bothers me most about our current era is the inconsistencies of protesters. Selective character assassination. Just think, if all of the groups were honest and felt an inner compulsion to slime a friendly group equally for each enemy dumping, castigation, ridicule, maybe the discourse would into constructive education.

I need to go out and find some funny stuff for tomorrow. Wait a minute, Trump is funny.

The world getting you down? Just relax. Baaahrroooo!
nov

The fog continues:

Today's Tids Issue #2,322
Opening Stuff:

I can't get the green out of my system after yesterday. Oh, wait a minute, there it goes now.

I got an email from Aunt Carries this morning. That's a shore side restaurant that's only open in the Summer, serving up fresh and tasty native seafood, and now good ice cream. It's one of the signals of change, like crocuses, the crack of bats and the lines at the Hilltop creamery.

The Question:
Name five things that baristas (Clerks in coffee shoppes) won't tell you

The Headlines:
--Oil Prices Drop After Daffy declares Cease Fire.
--Japanese Government Says It Was Overwhelmed By the Extent Of Disaster.
--Wall Street Bouncing Back; Fed Joins G7 In Yen Intervention.
--Japan Considering Burying Reactors.
--4 NY Times Journalists Found Safe In Libya; Had Been Held By Daffy Forces.
--"Supermoon" To Dazzle Romantics On Saturday; Tides Should be Higher.
--Chunk Of Cal's Coastal Highway Falls Into The Pacific.
--NASA First: Spacecraft Now Orbiting Mercury.

Back to more Stuff:
Reader Opinions of Repub Possibilities For 2012 Department:
I gained a sense from the smartest group of readers on the planet that election is still up for grabs. Interestingly Romney never made first place but was consistently a strong second. And similarly Huckabee in third. Huckabee connotes images of Huckleberry Finn and huckster. Romney is weighed down by some decisions while Governor. (It's like if we can't come up with something better I guess I could go there.) There is little question that in their hearts a large group would like to see Christie of NJ announce. (One woman said he would be number one if he lost 40 pounds). The inexperienced Mark Rubio is also highly regarded. Trump got a couple of solid "Ayes" but also some fierce negative comments. The best known names were considered retreads while the others with less name recognition were considered boring and unelectable. Well regarded Ron Paul also made the unelectable column. Palin rose to the top of a couple of lists, and did not receive ant strong negatives. I'd like to keep tabs on this, so keep sending in your opinions. The best I can say after this first effort is that it is still anybody's game. And that may not be good enough when there is sitting Prez a runnin'. There' no one in sight who really ignites.

One responder to the above tossed out these five Prez-Veep combos: Keyes-Condy Rice, Perot-Michelle Malkin, Coach K-Laura Ingraham, Anne Coulter-Ron Paul and Sarah Palin-Joe Miller. It is...anybody's game.

American Idol: I was sorry to see Karen bounced last night. I liked her. She seems like a nice person with decent talent. I can see this final seven coming down to five men and Pia and Lauren. Although I'm not sure that Lusk won't get tiresome along the way. Pia could wear thin too. I believe that Haley and Lauren are the two moist talented women. Although I sense a bit of un-likability in Haley, which may be the reason the has been in the bottom 3 the first two weeks.

I heard a well known physicist speaking yesterday about the big bang theory and how he and his crowd explain away what's on the other side of the end of the universe. He said that he and his pals are starting to believe that it is a different set of laws of physics! Anything not to admit the possibility of God.

Everything is Relative Department:
Remember in the Carter years when inflation pushed upwards of 13%. It is significantly lower today, but the pain may be as great or greater.The reason -- Income is lower and the hope for achieving higher incomes is diminished. Even SS recipients have gone two years with no Cola. Just be wary of reports that measure eras against eras. It really is changing in this US of A.

Almost Near: Chapter 12 continues. --A woman peeked in on Tucker just as he was reading something that looked useful "We close here in 15 minutes." she said. Tucker rubbed his eyes. Wow! five hours already.
He continued reading. "Samantha Wilcox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold J. Wilcox of New Castle New Hampshire was married to Rudy Quimpier son of Florence Quimpier of Houma Louisiana and Ronald Quimpier of Jackson Mississippi."
Quimpier. That's as good a lead as he could find, unless there's another Samantha Wilcox form New Castle.
He printed out the page and placed on a pile of some other pages he had printed. He shoved it all into his computer case and waked out to get his luggage at the receptionist. On the way he saw a reporter or columnist typing away for tomorrow's morning edition. "Hi I'm Tucker Loutitte." She didn't look up. He started to walk away, and heard "Sorry, I had it going and had to keep the feeling moving til the end." He smiled knowing totally what she was saying.
"I'm Tuck..."
"I heard you the first time. I'm Audrey Johnson."
"Well Audrey, I didn't mean to interrupt you." he explained quickly why he was there and asked if she had ever heard of anybody named Quimpier. He figured that if this trauma that Sam is facing was that deep that maybe something happened that went public.
"Rudy or Samantha Quimpier?" She wrinkled her brow and was cute doing so. "You know, there is something in the back of my mind telling me those names are meaningful. Let me check around. Are you staying in town?"
"I'll be at the Courtyard on President Clinton Avenue. Wow, his PR people really got that named fast." She smiled. "I don't know how long I'll be here. But appreciate the help."
She stood and shook my hand. She was a pleasant looking woman. Actually quite pretty, Tucker thought.

Reading between the Lines Movie Reviews:
--Good Cast in Lincoln Lawyer a tale about a defense lawyer who works out of the back of his Lincoln handling the cases of a variety of creeps. That is until he lands a defendant, a Beverly Hills playboy accused of rape and attempted murder. But there is a lot more to this story that becomes nightmare for the lawyer. I'll go.
--Limitless is another nightmare for our hero, this time a writer with block who takes new drug that is supposed to unlock his mind. Now he sis able to recall anythign he ahs eve read, learn any language and comprehend complex equations. He becomes the darling of Wall Street but also the target of many who want to get there hands on this mystery drug. Could be good.

The Answer:
Number 1, they won't tell you that drinking 2 shot vanilla22 oz lattes ais very bad for you. And, sometimes owners of small indy's substitute cheaper coffees; Believe me when I tell you I gave you decaf; When you aren't in Starbucks don't order like you are; Most of the time the line is long is because customers talk to much or only read menu when they are at the counter; Why don't people say please more often; Vegan cakes aren't any better for you than regular cakes; Yes, I went to school to become a barista; Just because the coffee is overpriced, it doesn't mean you shouldn't tip me.

The End:
See you next week. I'll spend the weekend hunting for great fodder.