Layng quietly in fields

Layng quietly in fields
Glstening lights
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Sunny Side of the Street.

Today's Tids Issue 2,158
Opening Stuff:

I’m keeping this Tids light this morning as I realize that many of you will be facing depression as the days get shorter starting today. It won’t be long until you are shoving leaves into big paper bags to keep our friendly environmentalists happy. You won’t be able to leave the office early and sneak in nine holes. Your heating bills will rise. Today is not a pretty day.

You begin to understand why American students score so low on global math tests when you realize that the Big 12 has 10 teams and the Big 10 has 12 teams.

When a Frenchman drops the “F-Bomb” on TV, does he say pardon my American?

The Question:
Judy Garland -- a young girl who captivated young boys hearts; a woman who always made adults hearts pound as she belt out songs through alcoholic hazes – died forty one years ago today. Name her five greatest hits.

The Headlines:
--McChrystal Summoned To White House (See Below).
--Stock Futures Expected To be Forced Lower On Concerns Of European Sovereign Debt.
--Times Square Bomber Promises More Attacks On Americans.
--White House Budget Chief Peter Orszag Stepping Down; First Of 0-Man Staff To Resign.
--New British Budget Makes Most Drastic Cuts In History To Public Spending
--Oil execs in London Criticize Obama Drilling Halt.
--Admin Flagship Program To Help People Save Homes Falling Flat; 436,000 Borrowers Have Dropped Out; Most Couldn’t Or Were Unwilling To Provide Proof Of Income; 0-Man has Promised Free Ride.

Back to More Stuff:

The more you learn about Elena Kagan, the more you realize that she is just a well educated, smart politician.

Are the people who give financial advice on TV and radio business shows our smartest and brightest, or just those with the biggest egos?

Blue Balls in Italy Department:
Ouch! That’s right; an epidemic of Blue Balls has Italians seeing red! And frustrated too. You see, those pearly while little balls of Mozzarella are turning blue and leaving gastronomes frustrated. It’s a sad tale. What did you think I was talking about?

It is without question that the professional sports leagues have contributed mightily to what is becoming the worst dressed generation in history. Cavemen in skins looked better than today’s sports garbed masses. And I’ll throw in medieval paupers in gunny sacks too. It’s ugly out there.

Sliders are …well…sliders. But White Castle’s are a gourmet treasure.

General McChrystal, an Obama voter, became quite disillusioned when finding during his first meeting at the White House that the Prez was totally unprepared. Writers of a new story in Rolling Stone saw while traveling with the General’s aides, constant mocking of Biden and the unctious Richard Holbrook. McChrystal looks at the Obama assigned Ambassador Karl Elkenbury as a self serving traitor to his campaign. McChrystal has thus taken control of the action by “never taking his eye off the real enemy, ‘The wimps in the White House’.”

And now we find that Prime Time has committed the biggest single error of all. In an effort to quell the wavering of the Aghans and soothe the troops, he sent in Holbrook wearing a Ya, Ya, Ya…Well You Know Who I Mean…Cap! Gadzooks! How unthinking is that. The symbol of American luxury and pamperization in the poor, rocky lands of Afghanistan. A Ya, Ya, Ya…Cap. Will it ever end?

As far as I’m concerned, if you like the food, it’s gourmet.

I used to watch on the TV news chaotic street mobs in South American and Middle Cast countries and thinking thank God that doesn’t happen here. But this weekend I see thugs burning cars in Los Angeles and read of 51 shootings in two days in Chicago. And wonder are we becoming them? And it is not a happy thought. Then I realize that this uptick in insanity coincides with the rise in popularity of Soccer.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 79 Continues: A pause. Maybe a little longer than normal. Or maybe I was looking too hard for inconsistencies.
“Oh, Henry,” She started. “I was there yesterday afternoon. I was driving home…” She looked relaxed. But then I know she can compartmentalize her emotions. “…and I just had this urge to see what was happening with our caper.” She interrupted herself. “Did you know that cleaning woman Laura was missing?”
“No, I didn’t,” I said hurriedly. Too fast. “What I meant is not before Henry mentioned it yesterday.” Now it was me who was off balance.
“How often did she take care of your house? Did she have a lot of other customers?” She said seriously. And then she smiled broadly. “Jeez, I sound like a persecutor, don’t I!” Then she laughed again. Louder this time. And I couldn’t help laughing along with her. I started to feel comfortable, and moved my foot up her leg. Her eyes bore into mine. But, there was something different.
She blurted, “I can’t be with you like I was.” Her eyelids dropped. And I saw a little tear form. She looked up. “You know I want to. I want to jump across this table right now and bring you to a place you have never been.”
I was at a loss for words. I felt my groin warm. I couldn’t talk.
“Kent, you know I have loved you. I have been addicted to your mind, your touch, the explosion of your body.” I thought she was going to break down. “I can’t handle it any more. When I look into the innocence in my children’s eyes, I can no longer tell a lie.”
I couldn’t talk. Marie was looking at us. She knows. We aren’t that good.

The Admin criticizes the Arizona Law on the basis that only the federal government is allowed to regulate and control immigration. But that is exactly where they are wrong. This isn’t an immigration issue at all. This is an illegal declaration of war on our southern borders. With criminal combatants storming the fences to raid the treasuries of our safety net institutions.

I finally figured out why the pitchers are so dominant this year – three* perfect games in two months. The batters are no longer juicing! I wonder if the Orange Growers Association knows this.

The Answer:
First and foremost has to be “Somewhere over a Rainbow”. Then my mind recalls, Easter Parade, The Trolley Song, For Me and My gal, and When you wore a Tulip. And I always enjoyed Look for the Silver Lining, Johnny One Note and Get Happy. There was always that conflict – watching and worrying about her while she sang with all of the fiber in her increasingly frail body to make you happy.

Thought for the Day:
In 1910, French writer and statesman Alexis De Tocqueville said: “the American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.”

Kind of makes you want to go back and se what else he said, doesn’t it?

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

I’m so happy, that I’m losing my mind.

Today's Tids Issue 2,133
Opening Stuff:

A new study reveals that people in their 50’s are happier. Happier than what…a prisoner at Abu Ghraib; a guy who stole from a Mexican drug cartel; A conservative Republican in Rhode Island?

And therefore, are people well past their fifties so happy that their constant state of deliriousness’ leads to the ultimate collapse of all mental comprehension?

Eric Holden Department:
The Attorney General seems to have trouble saying Islamic Extremist. I was thinking of this as I noted how many Terrorist bomb plans have been disrupted before the fact by many countries in the Middle East and Asia. So my multiple choice question of the day is:
Did they nab the potential bombers because:
A. They were lucky.
B. They targeted people who looked like Swedes.
C. They targeted people who looked like Mexicans.
D. They targeted people who looked like Middle Eastern Islamic Extremists.

The Question:
Name Ten Female Aviation Pioneers. Many were incredibly courageous, but footnotes of history. The Tids has always sought to elevate footnotes to headlines.

The Headlines:
--Primaries In Penn, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oregon May Indicate National Mood Of Voters.
--Taliban Suicide Bomber Kills 17 In Attack On NATO Convoy.
--EU Overrules UK And Tightens Hedge Fund Rules; New Restrictions Could Bar US Hedge Fund Activities In London Markets.
--New Study Says That People In Their 50’s Are Happier.
--Home Construction Up; New Building Permits Fall Sharply.
--Pfizer Lays off 6,000, Closes 8 Plants Worldwide.
--Stocks Climb In Early Trading.

Back to More Stuff:

My use of the term gravy is largely symbolic. An Icon for sanity. Protecting those who like things that taste good as opposed to just healthy eating. You can find a healthy eating site anywhere these days. But try to find a site tempts your inner cravings for fatty diets. Without a little gravy in your life, you too could become gaunt and despondent. Untrusting. A nagging mother-in-law to sensible living. What this world needs is a little more contentment. Wallowing in the sin of eating rich gravy, fried scallops or hot butterscotch Sundays. The Tids will always fight the battle for the dietary oppressed. Once they take away your gravy, what’s next? Scary, isn’t it?

I was going to write this Tid a week or so ago. I didn’t think at the time my personal observations were enough proof of what my eyes were concluding; There has been little or no damage to the shore and wildlife as a result of the oil spill. After all, headline after headline has been proclaiming the doom of mankind. The spreading of toxicity up and down the east coast after it finished ravaging the Gulf Coast. Yet I only saw a dark spot on the map floating off shore somewhere. And close up pictures didn’t show a contiguous mass, but merely disjointed streams. So last night on the ABC Nightly News of all places they said exactly what I and many had been seeing -- no damage to beaches; just seven wildlife creatures killed; and seafood havens still thriving; no overwhelming masses of thick oil. Moral: believe your eyes and not the press.

The same could be said about press reports against the Arizona law.

Head scratcher: Why did the annoying Press Secretary Gibbs say yesterday, “The President will be following the elections, but not closely.” “But not closely.” Why shouldn’t he watch them closely? That would seem natural. It reminds me of the self proclaimed intellectuals who announce triumphantly things like “I rarely watch TV.”

24-um: --The energy just keeps on coming. --How about Logan? He folded like a cheap suit. The ultimate gutless slimball. But. what agreat actor Itson is! --Lots of nice scenarios to be solved on next weeks don’t-miss-it finale of finale’s. They are saying you will see a surprise of surprises. --But Jack can’t die, cause they need him around for a movie. --Maybe a doctor will call saying “We were just foolin’ you Jack, Renee is alive.” And Jack will shoot himself in the head due to the guilt from his revenge trip. Then he will awaken from that deep slumber after sex with Renee. After all he hadn’t had sex in eight years and was probably really, really tired. (Remember the great “Dallas” cop out.) --Will Hassam’s daughter shoot President Allison? --Will Jack Marry Chole, or will Chloe stab Jack for leading her on all of these years.

I read somewhere yesterday that people now get paid to prove things that most people innately knew 20 years ago were true.

Speaking of Government waste, the esteemed Congress of the US of A says it will only take a few “tweaks” to fix Social Security. Then I read the tweaks that were mainly centered around raising the FICA Tax in one form or another or cutting benefits to seniors. But not once did I read, “Put a giant padlock on the SS Trust Fund so Congress can’t get their hands on it”.

Congress has been spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to regulate the misdeeds of Credit Card companies. How about enforcing usury laws that have been in existence pretty much since the beginning of time.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 72 continues. –“Well, hi there Mr. Durham. We don’t see you in here much!” Marie took a quick glance at me as she dropped menus on the table. I turned my eyes toward Paul in a soft and loving illusion. Marie seemed to relax. I didn’t. I ordered coffee. I almost said Diet Coke for Paul but he spoke up quickly and ordered Coffee and an éclair. And then chatted with Marie as though he was the happiest guy on the face of the earth.
“Do you come here often when in town?” He asked curiously, but non threatening when Marie had left. Why was I measuring ever word, every nuance.
“Often a bunch of us come down after one of our crime chaser meetings.” I answered casually.
“Ah yes, the vandalism caper.” He laughed a little.
“Hey, that turned out to be a big deal”, I protested! Then we both laughed.
“I think something is still going on.“ Now Paul got serious. “Nothing is adding up to me anymore. Especially Kent Middleton.” I didn’t show any emotion. “As I think back to my early days of proposing our solutions to BiEm, I never realized until just recently how odd…” he paused, “…well maybe odd is a bad word. Ambitious, yeah ambitious Middleton’s first requirements had been. Hey, I’m all for looking out beyond, but Kent was looking for technology that could never happen under the guidelines of legal development of embryo research.
“Maybe Ke…, Middleton is just smarter than the average researcher. Always looking several steps beyond. And you know, what’s legal today could change in a flash. It’s a new world.” He looked at me. Nodded as in “go on”. We looked deeply into BiEm before arranging the financial package. What we liked best wasn’t about where they were, but the built-in flexibility to go with ease where the winds might take them.”
“I’ll give you that, But that doesn’t change the way I see Middleton as a person now versus then.”

It is interesting how learned disciplines can interact to cause confusion. I have had a conflict ever since I took German for 7 years. And it all has to do with “ie” or “ei”. I always go by the relative clear-cut German rules which are often in opposition to the old “I before e…” In German, words that sound like “eee” are “ie and those that sound like “I” are ei.

Are umpires becoming worse at calling Balls and Strikes, or do we just have more technology now that can measure their inaccuracy? It’s the same for the instant replay in football. But think about this for a second or two. All of the technology monitors the officials. But, the players are still making human mistakes. Does that mean that in the future some people will figure out how to put chips in, for instance foot players, so that running backs will always make the perfect cut? Or maybe batters will wear video wrist bands that sow the umps error, and those arguments will be based on fact. How crappy would that be? On the other hand, maybe we should get rid of all the technical assistance in a game played by humans. Let the fans boo bad calls. And laugh inwardly when the ref makes an error in the home team’s favor.

The Answer:
Everybody knows about Amelia Earhart. But, do you know Bessie Coleman an extremely poor black southern girl who couldn’t find a teacher in the US and found a way to get to Paris for flying lessons. She became an inspiration to black men and women pilots and a very successful flying barnstormer. Neta Snook taught Amelia to fly. Also, Shiela Scott – First British person to fly round the world; Beryl Markham – 1st person to fly East to West across Atlantic; Jaqueline Cochran – 1st woman to break sound barrier; Harriet Quimby 1st women to get pilot’s license, fly across English channel. Other pioneers are Ruth Law, Katherine Stinson, Anna Low, Ruth Nichols, Elinor Smith and Florence Klingensmith. Anne Morrow Lindberg was the first womnan to get a glider’s license.

Happy Ending:
Happiness is having nothing to do that will keep you from rereading the Tids for typos. If you are a simple soul like me, it doesn’t take much.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Where have you gone Brian Davis?

Today's Tids Issue 2,111
Opening Stuff:

You will probably be physically healthier if…you start to believe that nothing is as bad as it seems; understand that the more you take control the luckier you get; Love, enjoy and revel in little things of honesty…like flowers…like when a grocery clerk you don’t know says “Have Nice Day”; Enjoy what you have at the moment like seeing the crispy cold days of Winter as being equal to those hot sunny days of Summer or even rainy days as pleasant respites; and meet those tough personal situations head on. As the old song goes, “leave your angst on the door step and walk on the sunny side of the street.

While the Prez seems to delight in continuing his juvenile shtick of ridiculing Tea Party members*, many others on the left are beginning to honestly appraise the group for what it really is. Even leftie Barbara Boxer told Dems that they should grasp on to the type of enthusiasm expressed by Tea Party Members if they want to hold the House and Senate. Columnists are actually going out and talking to rally members, finding that they are exactly what they have always been said to be, just people who are totally fed up with the lack of honest representation in DC. This may be an example of where the truth will win out over media manipulation.

*A brand new Pew Research Center poll of US citizens says that 80% of the people don’t trust Washington, “….similar to the Tea Party”. Commentary on the poll says it is this anger that is fueling the Tea Party Movement. As one interviewee said, “The government has been lying to us for years”.

Where is Brian Davis when you Need Him Department:
With the precipitous decline in trust in leadership, wasn’t it refreshing to watch golfer Brian Davis yesterday call a two-shot penalty on himself? It only cost him his first PGA championship! Most of society these days is about you can get a way with it if nobody is looking…and that includes the Vatican. And why isn’t this act of honesty the number headline of the day?

The Question:
Remember all of the events that used to be just simple family and friends get-togethers to celebrate. Now spurred on by a service based economy focused on unnecessary want over need and the success of the out-of-control overly inexpensive wedding industry, many other events are starting to get into the too expensive to afford category. Name five.

The Headlines:
--Americans Say “Who Are They Trying To Kid” To Reports Of Recession Ending; New Poll Says Only 25% Believe Economy Is Getting Better.
--World Stock Markets Fall On Concerns About Goldman; Britain’s Brown Calls Company “Morally Bankrupt” Paving Way For Further Actions Against GS And Other European Banks.
--China Takes Steps To Curtail Emergence Of Its Own Housing Bubble.
--Iraqi Official Says Baghdad Votes To be Recounted.
--Britain To Send Warships To rescue Stranded Travelers.
--Pope Meets With Abused And Families; Through Teary Eyes, Pontiff Vows Safety fro Children; Prosecution Of Offenders.
--Kerry Underwood Wins Country Music Entertainer Of The Year.
--Toyota Set To Agree To record Fine.

Back to More Stuff:

News stories that bother me Department:
A church in Cumberland RI discovered over the weekend that somebody had stolen their six bells. These weren’t ordinary bells, but cherished bells that represent the 102 year history of the church. Bells loveingly donated by varied people including Queen Mary of England. The largest weighed 1,500 pounds. I guess I’m not surprised that some brain dead, slimeball thief would take them to melt down history and memories in to nothingness for money. What bothers me is that this is so symbolic of the I don’t care attitudes that seems so pervasive in society today – from litterers to unethical financiers, insensitive developers to ridiculing presidents, I got mine unions to sexual predator athletes.. All for me. Period. Where is Brian Davis when you need him?

The Great Mocker was out there Friday ridiculing concerned Americans in the Tea Party movement causing party enthusiasts to say that he still doesn’t get it. Oh, he get’s it. It’s just not what he wants to hear. He’s just one more god damn politician.

Goldman was simply providing the mechanism that became the means for the lefty loonies in Congress to get what they wanted – A misguided notion that anybody regardless of their ability to pay can own a home.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 66 continues. –All of sudden my languishing in perfect satisfaction came to an abrupt end. I knew Kent hadn’t taken to wearing bras. I stopped and listened for any sounds from downstairs. It was perfectly quiet. I decided to poke around. Now I reflected on some of those little differences I have noticed about Kent lately. Most noticeably was his question asking. Probing me. For what? I looked in the medicine cabinet and saw little. unusual except a bottle of Midol. I knew Kent’s wife would appear from time to time, but it was Kent who got the pain. It was definitely odd though. I quickly ran barefooted into his bedroom. It looked neat like always. In the closet I saw Kent’s compulsively hung neat slacks arranged by color tones from dark to light. I smiled at this. It was just like it should be. The second closet I opened was different. Next to the equally anal hanging of shirts were two pairs of small sized, well worn jeans. Had I seen these before?
Was that a noise? I decided it was time to get out of there. I closed both doors and scurrying quietly back to the bathroom. I took the bra and stuffed it into my robe pocket. It would not be good for him to find it hanging there knowing that I would have seen it. Better to be cautious until I find out what is actually happening here.
After a great shower, I dried vigorously, combed back my hair and opened the door. Kent was standing there. He looked past me.

I received an email full of late night comedian’s jokes about Obama, Pelosi et. al. The one I hadn’t seen read: “What is the most positive result of the “Cash for Clunkers” program? I took 90% of the Obama bumper stickers off the road.” --DL

16 year old Abby Sunderland is in the 86th day of her solo sail around the world. Her boat is in good shape in the South Atlantic approaching the midpoint between Cape Horn SA and The Cape of Good Hope Africa. She says it is very foggy and rainy, but the important news is that she is heading in the right direction! “But much too slowly!” she confides. Getting warmer and she’s happy to be back in T-Shirt and shorts. The bad news is that her Kindle broke down and she was in the middle of a good book!!

I write about a lot of disheartening crap going on in the world. But I worry most about when the Stop & Shop brand cinnamon waffles will be back in the freezer department. Life goes on in our own little ways.

I see where only 54% of weather forecasters think that Global Warming is a serious problem. In fact, over a ¼ think it is one big scam. The big news of course isn’t in the absolute numbers of today, but in the diminishment of the numbers from yesterday. Skeptics are now all of a sudden approaching mainstream status.

Do you stop to pause for second like I do when reading an Obit for doctor. Like, “Doctors get sick?...and die?” I guess it isn’t much different than “Priests abuse?” “Bankers are greedy?” or Politicians lie?” Oh wait a second on that last one.

You have to love the Dennis the Menace comic strip this morning. We see Dennis looking at one of his favorite toy cars saying, “This must be old. It says ‘Made in USA’.”

The Answer:
How about 25th and 50th Wedding Anniversaries, post funeral receptions, proms, religious events like First Communions and Bar Mitzvahs, milestone birthdays and graduations.
Some of these bills are as much as a year in college. Well, maybe not that high.

The Big Ending:

I guess the great news today is learning that 80% of Americans don’t like being fooled by the rascals in Washington. One of three things will happen: 1. They Will Change their ways. 2. They will be voted out. 3. They will find new ways to lie.