The Loving Eyes of Family.

Today's Tids Issue 2,241

Opening Stuff:

On this Eve of the Greatest Holiday of them all, I can only say to the extended Tids family, thanks for reading a word or two every once in a while. If you are in a big family gathering, enjoy every second of every person's presence. Even if mates or aunts or uncles or parents or kids or cousins or in-laws don't do things exactly the way you would like. And if for some reason you can't get to the big family feast this year, remember that you are always in the hearts of of your family and friends no matter where they go; no matter where you are.

Marie Antoinette Department:
My inkling says that most of these hot good-for-your-health food stories are generated by companies who can make big bucks when you change your life style. U Cal Berkley "Wellness Letter" issued this list of food myths: Myth 1: Carbs, mainly sugars are leading cause of obesity. (Eating more calories than you burn cause weight gain.) Myth 2: Sugar makes children more hyperactive. ("0", Nada, No evidence of this.) Myth 3. Sugar in fruit is good; Sugar in Candy is bad. (Fructose over Sucrose? It doesn't matter) Myth 4. Brown sugar and honey more healthful than table sugar. (There is no advantage.) I guess this makes most of that parental anguish and hysterical lawmaking fruitless.

Sign over the entrance to a Chiropractics School: "Welcome Back Students."

Let's hear it for all of the voters who got it right in the end and named Jennifer Gray the dancin' Champ! Sometimes we get it right.. 

The Question: 
A good reader writes to tell me to be thankful for what we have, because a lot of it won't be around in the not so distant future. Name five common, every day conveniences or institutions that will probably disappear fairly quickly.

The Headlines:

--Investors Selling Off Spain, Portugal Bonds As Ireland Infection Spreads.
--World Looks To China For Direction On North Korea.
--New Unemployment Claims Fall Sharply To 407K.
--Second Blast At NZ Mine Kills All 47 Miners.
--RI's Puppet Senator Jack Reed Calls For 60 MPH Limit By 2025; Senator Not Expected To Win Kennedy "Profile In Courage" Award.
--Madoff Trustee Sues UBS For $2Bil.
--Jury Says Germany's SAP Owes Oracle $1.3 Billion.

Back to More Stuff:
I'm a day early on the picks as tomorrow has three games starting a12:30. Interestingly, tomorrow's picks may be the easiest of the bunch, Unless New England doesn't show up against supposed weaker opponent. So, without further ado and before some serious head scratching, I'm picking NE over the pesky Lions, New Orleans which is reganing last years form over Dallas on a mini-roll and the easiest of the day, the resourceful Jets over a deflated Bengals. Some other relatively easy picks should be Pitt, Philly, Wash and Cleveland. that leaves The Disappointment Bowl: Tenn-Houst; Possible NFC champs, Atlanta-GB; The QB Bowl: SD-Indy. Then we have the consolation bracket with losers. SF-Ariz, and St.L-Denver. The other tough picks are Jax-NYG, TB-Balt, Miami-Oak and KC-Seattle. Your guess is as good as mine. OK...Houston, Atlanta, San Diego, SF, SL, NYG, Oak, Balt and KC. Last week's 13-3 brought the TSD to 105-54 (66%).

Strangest Headline of the Day Department:
"District in India bans cell phones for unmarried women." The question: How will they ever get married now?

Scariest Story of the Day Department:
A San Antonio priest hired a hit-man to kill a boy who was about to spill the beans to the authorities about sex abuse he suffered at the hands of the priest. I don't think there are too many people in this world more evil than that priest.

Excessive twittering could have the Supreme Court excluding "Stupid Speech" from the First Amendment protections.

The new slogan for TSA is, "Don't worry, my hands are still warm from the last guy."

Reading Between the Lines Mid Week Special Movie Review:
--Tangled, a new Disney flick based on the fairy tale Rapunzel is an out and out winner. And, not just by a hair. It is loaded with laughs and excitement, all beautifully energized with the best of Disney art. Adults will be first in line to take their kids to this one.

It's going to take a lot of T-Day hope get over this raft of headlines I saw this morning: "Pentagon says Afghan insurgency growing and The Taliban dominate more territory"; "NK attack dramatically escalating differences between countries"; "Fed Trading inquiry widens to largest Hedge and investment firms"; "Western Officials learn that insurgent leader partner in Afghan peace talks was an impostor"; "Euro down to $1.34 as Irish debt contageon increases". But, then I got to thinking...you can cancel out the bad taste of just about anything with the proper application of lots rich, creamy gravy. Even squash.

In case you haven't been following her, North Kingstown RI's super swimmer phenom Elizabeth Beisel now a freshman at U. Florida is tearing up the South East Conference. She was just named "Swimmer of the Week" there for the third consecutive week. It has never happened before. And on top of it all, she is a great person.

I'm wondering if RI Governor Elect Chaafee's inseistance on rescinding a logical E-Verify Executive Order is because he has lots of his own illegals running his stables.

A good Professional bronco rider will always get a few bucks.

A story today reported that a Massachusetts man killed 3: "His 6 months pregnant wife, his sister-in-law and then shot himself." As an after thought the last line reads, "...the fetus also died". I would have written the Headline: Man kills Four -- Wife, Wife's Sister, Unborn Child and Self.

The Answer:
Get ready to say Bye-Bye to The Post Office, Checks, The Newspaper, The Book, Landline Telephone, Network Television, Music and Privacy. Also your world may become so virtual that you may not own lots of stuff that you can feel and use, like photos or CD's or Books. Even if you download them, they will not reside on your computer hard drive to use at your descreiton, but they will reside in a "Cloud" for which you will have to pay a monthly rental storage charge. You will not own you photos! But, it is the loss of privacy that bothers me the most.

Enjoy!
One of my favorite little taste treats at Thanksgiving Day Dinner is cauliflower with cheese sauce. Hope you all enjoy your special treat too!

The more you talk, the more you tend to disagree with yourself.

Today's Tids Issue 2,233
Opening Stuff:

Is there anything more green appearing than a plant that is still thriving mightily in late Fall. Frankly, I just stand there in awe as it survives gloriously among deathly brown foliage.

I see where Dino DeLaurentis died. Is there anybody left who can explain to me exactly what was going on in "Blue Velvet"?

I was happy to see that the major AP report on the return of the stricken cruise liner dwelt on all of the positive things people did to help and keep their spirits up. Instead of reporting a long list of whines. Maybe the Chilean minor story had something to do with that.

The Question:
Surprise...Nadia Comaneci is 49 years old today. Yes that adorable little acrobatic imp of Olympic Gymnastics is just a couple of cartwheels away from menopause. In which Olympics ddi she first excel and who was the adorable little acrobatic imp that preceded her, and first mesmerized gymnastics viewers?

The Headlines:

--G-20 members Refuse To back US Push On China Currency.
--Bernanke Trying To Justify Value Of His Inflationary Move As Seniors See Stagnant SS Payments.
--0-Man Lauds Iraq Inclusive Government; Sunni Minority Applauds Exodus Of Their Iraqiya Member Reps Including Leader Allawi; Say New Government Lied To Them.
--William And Kate Expected o be next Royal Wedding.
--0-Man Continues In Denial On World Stage.
--White House Looks Confused Over Extending Bush Tax Breaks

Back to More Stuff:
A reader sends along this little analysis which probably says it all about the definition of the phrase "Bloated Bureaucracy": "The Lord's Prayer - 66 words; Archimedes Principle - 67 words; 10 Commandments - 179 words; Gettysburg Address - 286 words; Declaration of Independence - 1,300 words; US Government Regulations governing the Sale of Cabbage - 26,931 words.

In Russia the Government sends assassins after treasonous citizens. In the US they get book deals.

You may have noticed that Intel is on a track to have its best year in the glorious history of an incredibly innovative company. Yet, the stock doesn't move, floating around within a 17.60-24.37 52 week trading range.. maybe Wall Street will get the message if their CEO has an affair. You never know what it takes. Oh, Intel announced a 15% increase in its dividend.

Royal Weddings always make for great TV for me. Maybe it's becasue I like the way they sing "God Save the Queen".

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:
--Morning Glory is the big one this week that has all of the critics agog! It's probably predictable, but it works and entertains. A beleaguered TV show producer, Rachel Adams, battles an unraveling love life, Jeff Goldbloom, as she tries to resurrect the last place Morning Show starring a fading anchor, Diane Keaton. She Hire's an experienced newsman, harrison Ford, who will have none of the gossip, weather and other morning shit chat. the battles rage off and on screen.
--I suspect you have seen Unstoppable many times before. Lots of special effects as an out-of-control train roars to deadman-s curve just above a city. I'm not going .Lots of action, but nothing new.
--What's New is a pretty good Aliens-Destroying-the Earth-as-helpless-humans-flee. Even it resembles something you have seen, there is always that "Unknown" factor to keep you watching.

As far as I'm concerned, "Intent" should rule in the Alaska elections. This coming from Mr. Typo!

There have many instances of people doing or saying outrageous things hiding behind the First Amendment. But, Amazon with their latest offering on Kindle may have gone far beyond good sense: "The Pedophile's Guide To Love and Pleasure." It is available and Amazon is using the First to justify it. The Founding Fathers deplored Censorship for a number of reasons, but I doubt if they ever envisioned that people to stop using their brains.

The phone companies are justifying the elimination White Pages for all by saying that everything is on the internet, and the majority of those still Internet-less, probably can't read the small white pages print anyhow.

The Answer:
Nadia captivated people at the 1976 Olympics, But, before that in 1972 Russian mini teen Olga Korbit became a world sensation. And, I have to say they were both two of the more refreshing sports heroes of that century.

The End:
I have to tell you that Obama for all of his so-called brain power says some of the dumbest things. Think that is a natural occurence for people who just can't stop talking.

The Stockholm Syndrome State.

Today's Tids Issue 2,226
Opening Stuff:

Peaceful out there, isn’t it?

I’m depressed. Across America voters rejected the policies of Obama and a Government that doesn’t listen. But RI’ers seemed to have acquired a paradoxical psychological phenomenon, becoming hostages with expressed adulation and positive feelings towards their captors. Captors who have turned a once proud and dynamic state into Greece. A state on the verge of bankruptcy. A state where voters Ok a bond to build a new lab at the University but where the General Assembly chased out all of the businesses with good paying jobs for graduates. A state that chose their first “Independent” governor who was strongly endorsed by the unions that are destroying the state. A governor who has made noise about dismissing the only good thing about education here – Dorothy Gist (A thorn in the side of the teacher’s Union leaders). A state that elected for the most important corruption watchdog position of Attorney General a former majority whip of the Union owned General Assembly. (Talk about the old Fox and chicken coop thing.) A state that returned to the GA 95 of the 103 democrats who have brought this state to its knees. I’m moving. There is just isn’t enough beauty in the magnificent Bays, countryside and in the eyes of the good people of RI to overcome the ugliness in the government and the pain in your bank account.

My coffee probably tastes like mud because it was ground.

The Question:
What are the five freedoms enumerated in the 1st Amendment.

The Headlines:

--Republicans Take House With Record Turnaround; GOP Picks Up 6 Seats With Three Undecided..
--Boehner Vows To Shelve Health Care “Monstrosity”.
--Federal Reserve Expected To Buy More Billions In Government Bonds To Stimulate Economy.
--In California: Dope In; Dope Out.
--Indonesia’s Mount Merape Erupts In Biggest Blast Yet.
--al-Qaida Promising More Attacks On Christians In Iraq.
--Business Spending Up Strongly In September; New Private Sector Jobs Surprise; Stock Market Flat.

Back to More Stuff:
Of all the people who will be bashed between now and November 2012, Sarah Palin may get the most of the mud. Regardless of ho many times the opposition decries her mental capacity, the fact remains that they are afraid of her. And frankly the more the left and the elite insult her and Tea Party like organizations, the more the public in general resents the condescension. Whether or not you or I like the tea Party isn’t the point. The people in it represent the inner hopes and ideals of the majority of Americans.

They should have axed Pontiac 25 years ago.

If I ever got another dog, it would probably be an English Springer Spaniel. But I doubt if I ever will because of the leash laws.

Lobbyists are probably licking their chops at the prospects of all of that fresh new meat coming their way.

O great…now I have to learn how to spell B-o-e-h-n-e-r!

We could be looking at a hysterical lame duck session. The blood could flow freely as some of the holdover Dems will not acceded to the message sent and clutter the dockets’ with their pet projects. They won’t care. They’re not running for anything.

In an effort to bring Hawaii Five-O up to the present, they are ending it with “Kindle em’, Danno.”

With all of the hoopla over the Republican return to power in the house, nothing will change until the Dem and GOP party leadership stop thinking only about their need to retain power. I expect the Tea Party to get much stronger, even here in “The Masochist State”. The people have to keep up the pressure, because I still don’t trust any politician. We have been fooled too many times in the past...by both parties.

There are some who are saying that 0-Man will not move to the center as Clinton did after the ‘94 change, but will reaffirm his own vision of a Cuba like America and use lots of executive orders for the rest of the year.

The Answer:
Rhode Island, “The PT Barnum Sate” was actually the place where in colonial times where many of the freedoms that serve as the basis of the great US Constitution were nurtured by wise leaders and responsible citizens. The First Amendment was framed around many RI pacts and laws. The five freedoms are Religion, Speech, Press, Peaceful Assembly and the right to petition for a government redress of grievances. Thanks RI. I hope you are around for our future.

The End:
I’ve just got to stop thinking about politics.

I’m tired.

I’ve got to quit this racket.

I think I’ll open a U-Haul franchise. There’s going to be lots of RI’ers moving out.