What flew over the cuckoo's nest?

Today's Tids Issue 2,250
Opening Stuff:

Happy Hanukkah everybody!

A WikiLeaks item reveals that Arab people felt better about America because of "Desperate Housewives" and David Letterman. I don't know about you but I feel worse for America becasue of David Letterman and Desperate. Let's hope they don't think Jersey Shore is America. I really hate being defined abroad by US Television.

You have to wonder about the sincerity of the newly empowered Republicans when they name "The Prince of Pork", Kentucky Rep Hal Rogers, as Chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. He says that the people voted and I hear them! Yeah, sure! Lets hope the tax payers aren't getting barbecued...again.

The Question: 
A new poll this week had GW Bush approval ratings up to 47%, far above his exit ratings. The poll also rated all modern day Presidents starting with Kennedy. How do you think they rate?

The Headlines:

--Market Looks Up After Better Jobless Report.
--Democrats Reluctantly slogging Towards Obama Compromise Tax Plan That Serve All Americans.
--New Jobless Claims Fall Again.
--WikiLeaks Payment Processor To Sue Credit Card Companies For Their refusal To Process Donations To Company.
--Chasen Murder Mystery Apparently Solved; Lone Man On Bicycle Who Later Took Own Life Named As Killer; Police Say Not A Murder for Hire Conspiracy But Robbery Gone bad.
--Morgan-Stanley will Pay 10-25% Less In Bonuses This Year Due To Volatile Market Conditions.
--FBI Stings Averts Bombing Disaster At Maryland Recruitment Center

Back to More Stuff:
Now Obama knows what every recent President has learned. Peace in the Middle East is a nice idea, but love isn't the answer. Yesterday the US esentially thorough up their hands and walked away.

I thought the NFL season ended Monday night after the Pats firmly beat the Jets! But there's a quarter of the season left and it is meaningful to more teams than ever. And this week's picks are as tough as they get, and what makes them tougher are that many of the slightly favored teams are visiting teams. Like the Pat's at Chi, Denver/Ariz, TB/Wash, Phil/Dallas and Balt/Houst. I think home teams Buffalo, Pitt, Jax, NO, SF, NYJets and San Diego (KC's Cassel had an appendectomy last night) will win. As will Visitors, Indy, Giants, Atlanta and Green Bay. So now the tougher ones: I got to go with my heart and pick the Pats over "da Bears". Then I go Arizona, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Baltimore. Last week's 10-6 brought us to 128-63 (67%). I hate to think what next week looks like.

Among the many records achieved during Monday night's Pats-Jets game was the most arrests ever of intoxicated Pats fans after the game. What do you expect in 20 degree weather? It was all medicinal.

An insightful reader with consistently keen observations on Tid's remarks, yesterday sends this reply to a piece about Tea Party power gains: "Or. this means that the insiders are setting them up to get crushed by the system so they will be gone in four years...". Yes, you never know what's really happening in Washington...especially when they say they are being open and honest with you!

There's talk going around that points out that the US didn't really get serious about Wiki until it was revealed that the next big leak was to be about big banking and financial institution operations. We know where the real power lies.

I debated yesterday on whether or not to add to the Elizabeth Edwards onslaught. I decided that this pleasant women with nice children and relatives who will miss her dearly had had enough, and I couldn't add to it. I received several notes thanking me for not adding to the pile-on. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that her sleazebag husband would announce for the President in 2012 "Because Elizabeth would want that way". He is that low.

I actually had another Q for today, but I'll just use it as an informational piece for all of us who get confused at Dog Shows. The AKC divides all breeds into 8 groups. For instance, the big show in RI this weekend expects 5,000 dogs including 160 breeds. You have your Sporting dogs (Setters, Retrieves, Spaniels). You got the Hounds, the Terriers, the Toys. Then there are the Working dogs (Boxers, Dobermans, Huskies) and the Herding Dogs (Collies et. al.). A big catch-all category, Non-Sporting Dogs, includes poodles (Originally a hunter), Alaskan Eskimo, Dalmatians and French Boxers. The eigth group is called "Miscellaneous" and includes breeds that nobody understands like the ever popular Xoloitzcuinili! These dogs can compete in that category but do earn any Championship points. It is expected that they will be included in the new "Dream Act working its way through Congress. So...feel smarter?

Vegetarians will probably be dismayed knowing that animal products are widely available and indeed critical to many products they all use regularly. 1. Plastic shopping bags and in the future disposable diapers and hispital gowns. 2.Animal stearic acid help bicycle and car tires hold shape under surface friction. 3. Wood glue in instruments like violins and furniture. 4. BioFuels. Yes veggie people, it's not just corn and sugar cane. There's Beef bio-diesel and chicken bio-dieesl Yum. 5. Fireworks! (No hot dogs or firecrackers on the 4th! Gadzooks. 6. Fabric Softener. 7. Shampoo and Conditioner. Manufacturers have removed the word "animal" from ingredients lists to fool the vegans. 8. Toothpaste. 9; White and brown sugar. Wouldn't life as a vegetarian be an awful thing...always doubting what you touch or wear or eat. God, life is tough enough.

At this reading only Buffalo, Denver, Cincinnati, Carolina, Detroit and Arizona are dead in the NFL Playoff picture. 4-8 Dallas is near death, yet 4-8 San Fran has a decent chance in the NFC West. That's why picking games has been so tough this year. Anybody can win and that includes Buffalo and Cleveland who actually look quite strong at times. Unless the bottom drops out for some current leaders, the final 12 looks like the Pats, Jets. Pitt, Balt, KC, Jax and Indy. The next best to make it in the AFC are SD and Oakland. In the NFC I'm seeing the Giants, Eagles, St. Louis, Bears, Packers, Saints and Atlanta. Tampa Bay and Seattle are hanging around and Seattle has a real chance to get in. In the meantime there are four games left and they will be wars throughout the leagues.

Has there been a more threatening lame duck session of Congress than this one? This so called dream act just incentivizes illegal behavior. It says, "hey common' over. You can't lose." On the other hand, it is refreshing to see that the Supreme Court seems to be leaning in favor of Arizona's Law that would require employers to check documentation. Let's face we already have plenty of immigration laws fair to people throughout the world. Frankly I'm tired of being called an immigrant hater because I believe in laws.

The Answer:
JFK actually had relative low approval ratings while in office but his dramatic martyrdom combined with pleasant positive memories make him the Prez with the highest approval rating at 85%. Ronald is second at 74% followed by Clinton (69 - Way up from "most dishonest" after Monica), GHW Bush (64- With Clinton, Johnson, up the most since 2006 poll), Ford, (61), Carter (51 - Most and only down since last poll), Johnson (49), "W" (47) and Milhouse (Still a lowly 29).

The End:
Has Congress ever been nuttier? The left is typically illogical, but they get irrational when they lose. It must be the old cornered animal thing. Kum bye ya.

Forgetting the past.

Today's Tids Issue 2,070
Opening Stuff:

Happy Birthday George! You have always been an inspiration to me…even though you were a southerner.

Irony Department:
At the end of the revolutionary War, Rhode Island was the only one of the 13 not to ratify the new Constitution. The citizens of the smallest Colony said they fought the war “To shed a strong centralized Government bent on taxing their trade and they were in no mood to create another one.” Today, Rhode Island’s own government has practically taxed its entire economy out of the state! Historical Note: By not ratifying, RI essentially became a foreign country. On his 1989 Nationwide tour GW purposely snubbed RI. But after the Bill of Rights with all of the most important freedoms of which RI was a leading proponent, the 13th Colony did sign on. GW came to this state that has always loved him and his presence.

Have you ever noticed that people think their dog is so smart because he or she can find the closet that contains doggie treats? “Isn’t he cute?” Gag.

The Question:

What is the name of the German town that presents the famous Passion Play? How often is it presented, Why?

The Headlines:

--New credit Card Rules In effect Today; Credit Card Companies Had Plenty Of Tome To keep Revise Schemes And Keep Rates Onerous.
--Suicide Bomb In Eastern Afghanistan Kills Tora Bora Commander;; TB Leader Headed Efforts To Capture OBL.
--Pre-election Campaigning In Iraq Sees 8 Shiites Shot Or Beheaded.
--Security Regulators To Take Up Short Sale Restrictions This Week.
--Fewer People Falling Behind On Mortgages; China Retail Sales Soaring; Oil Back Over $80;
--As Congressional Hearings Begin, Toyota Mounts All Out Lobbying Assault Teams.
--4,000 Lufthansa Pilots Begin 4 Day Strike; Worldwide Travel Could Be Severely Disrupted.
--Daughter Of Austin Tax Protester Calls Dad Hero For All Americans; Says Suicide Flight “Inappropriate”.

Back To Stuff:

I love that word somebody coined to describe today’s Nightly News anchors as Emo-Journalists. How much pathos, angst, congenial emotion can they get into a smile, a frown an eye movement. Forget the news analysis. Look for the human drama. And now the anchors emotions are a part of the story.

How come sick people have to walk to the back of a drugstore to get medicine while healthy people can buy cigarettes up front? But then we call living units that are stuck together apartments. And home ports of safety conscious airlines, terminals! I guess we’ll never know these answers or why lemon juice is artificially flavored and dish washing liquid contains real lemon.

There is no truth to the rumor that some Hollywood entrepreneur is planning a “Best Celebrity Apology Awards Show” to take up the slack after the final sob on the Oscars leaves fans as empty as post NFL football or 25th hour “24” fans. Tiger Woods so far is the odds on favorite to take the annual Return To God award. Stay tuned.

Have you noticed that almost always classical record producers combine the Grieg and Schuman Concertos in A on one CD. You would think that they could be more creative than that.

You have to figure that there are a lot of knuckleheads running healthcare companies. How insane is it, with the dark clouds of Federal control looming everywhere, to announce an in-your-face 33% and higher rate increases for direct payers? It gives the Obama admin the trump card it needs to get the HCapallooza roaring again. Steps are already underway to give the Feds veto power over insurance company rate setting. The feds taking another step into states rights territory is the latest insult to what remains of the US constitutional concept. Watch carefully. This admin seems to look for any possible excuse to jump in and take over…anything.

The Novel:
Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 55 continues. –It was as though the hand of Maggie/Sarah was in control of the meeting. Both sides assumed that my Maggie, my Sarah had ordained the outcome, and they were there to fill in the blanks. Young Bill was up with an amazingly accurate and easy to understand financing procedure. Jack being there made sure that all questions were answered immediately. It wasn’t long before Jack Wiley and Isabelle Philips were shaking hands and a PR person had popped in to take photos for the big Press Release. They were all smiles when Wiley asked, “So, what’s going on with Bromsky?” Izzy looked at him, and became resolute. I don’t know much at all. I do know that Henry Boulder the Sherriff of Fosterville and two state trooper detectives are in his area now and have been since you arrived. I have no further word.” Jack looked interested and then asked, “But we do know that Bromsky made progress adding to the development of your products even though it was though a forbidding and despicable activity. Isn’t that right Mr. Middleton?” He turned his head quickly and was now staring at me. In my unflappable best I answered, “Exactly”. I could tell that Wiley was expecting me to elaborate, but I don’t elaborate. He was now searching for the right words as the noticeable silence dimmed the brightness of the room.

Back to More Stuff Again:

A new report hailed by Global Warming disciples says we will get fewer but stronger hurricanes. However, like much of their historical hysterical pronouncements they couch the forecasts with phrases like “There’s not enough evidence” or “doesn’t make clear”. The only thing for sure is that the media will run anything with the initials GW as important news even with the apparent hedge factors.

Isn’t it unfortunate that the Father of our country and the biggest scam in history have the same initials?

Republicans may be smiling today, but if the economy starts to nose upwards by June it could be a whole new ball game. And, I won’t be surprised if Obama backs the GOP into a corner in this week’s televised campfire chat. There could be a lot of ghost stories for the Republicans emerging later on. Be careful of what you wish for!

If you couldn’t get excited watching the USA-Canada hockey game last night you should check into an emergence ward immediately.

Harry Reid says that he isn’t worried that he is way down in the polls for his reelection to that Nevada Senate seat of his. More proof that he is brain dead.

The Answer:
I’m sure the little Bavarian town of Oberammergau is right on the tip of your tongue. This story of Jesus is the most “powerful" and "moving experience” of any. It should be, this town has been doing it every ten years since 1634. That is a year during the 30 Years War when the “Black Death” was sweeping across Europe. The town made a pact with God to spare them promising to put on this play once a decade. They have never been touched by the plague. 500,000 are expected to view this play where all of the parts are played honorably by locals, mostly farmers. The 5,000 residents of the town give their entire lives to the play. Hey…just like high school football in Texas.

The End:

Actually…I love dogs. I just think people are more important.