Memoirs of a delusionist.

Today's Tids Issue 2,311
Opening Stuff:

A friend of mine tells me that the reason Warren Buffett didn't put The Tids on his 2011 investment list was because he only invests in things he understands.

I figured that Dunkin Donuts probably would sell me a plain biscuit. I love biscuits. So I asked that of the DD guy, nice guy, who said immediately, "Sure". After he determined how to price it and heated it up, he handed it to me saying, "You are the first person who ever bought a plain biscuit!" I told him, "I'll put that in my Obit." He laughed. It's tough to have to walk away from new friends.

You can always tell when you walk into the home of people who workout a lot by the number of mirrors on all the walls. Actually I have a lot of mirrors. On the floor. Bottom tilted out. Actually I always look fit that way, without the pain.

The Question:
Here's another of our "Who owns what" Q's. What restaurants come under the OSI Restaurant Partner's banner?

The Headlines:

--Stocks Could rebound As Oil Prices Lower.
--Islamic Jihadist Opens Fire In US Airforce Bus Killing 2 And Wounding Several.
--Supreme Court Rules That Freedom Of Speech Also Permits Irresponsible Hurtful Rhetoric.
--Armed Guards Save Dutch Sailing Couple From Somalian Pirates.
--New Unemployment Apps Fall To 368K; New Report Is 2-1/2 Year Low..
--Jobs Leaves Medical Leave To Intro New IPad.

Back to More Stuff:
I had to laugh at a Limbaugh harang I caught yesterday. He was saying that as opposed to Public Employee unions who when things get bad run immediately to government (Taxpayers) for funding to protect current wages, benefits and perks, private industry cuts back on travel and expenses, lays off employees and cancels bonuses and other perks. Um Rush baby...aren't Goldman-Sachs, Citi-Group, AIG, Morgan-Stanley and the rest of the criminals who helped create the instability of the US economy, private businesses? As I remember, several billion or so went to preserve some pretty substantial bonuses based on the shallow pretense that you need to pay to keep good help. Paying to maintain cluelessness and legal dishonesty.

I always wear red shirts when I shop in some of these gigantic new stores. In case I get lost, it will be easier to find me.

Whoops! I forgot that the men were on American Idol Tuesday. So no Tids incisive report on the performances, but a reviewer has the best 5 as Casey Abrams, Jacob Lusk, Scotty McCreery, James Durbin and Paul McDonald. He deems "awful" with no chance for advancement Brett and Jordan, "very bad" Tim and pretty bad Clint and Stefano. That makes Casey, Jacob, James and Scotty his automatics with Robbie and Jovany or paul snaking in for the fifth vited in person. If Robbie is out the Judges may make him their pick. I tend to agree with that.

Now...I did watch the women. My best five are Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhardt, Naima Adedapo, Kendra Chantelle and Lauren Alaina. Right behind are Thia Megia, Lauren Turner and Karen Rodriguez. Thia will probably be voted in leaving the tough judge choices as Turner versus Rodriguez (if left out in the voting). Frankly, I didn't connect well last night, and much of it may have been the song choices. In other words, I have no personal favorite yet.

Steve Jobs took another leap forward as wannabees still in the labs try to catch up with the first IPad. Well, that's what it appears. A closer look though reveals that it may have been necessary to announced to dull the initial efforts of the Dell Steak 7, HP Touchpad, LG G-Slate, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy and Rim Blackberry Playbook. The Dell, LG, Xoom and Samsung will employ the Google Android platform. So, here is the competitve deal. Apple is way ahead, and has and amazingly high share of mind peercentage. te others are catching up, but while they are well known entities, with 4 employing Android, Froid lovers could fragment the success of the four while Apple stands alone. And none of the so to be intro-ed pads will be as thin as the new IPad. Stay Tuned.

Almost Near: Chapter 10 continues. --Tucker sat at his kitchen table with a pile of his journals -- 12 years of his writing about and to Samantha -- in front of him. Where to start? Where to start?
  The first time she left him it was easy. Well, easier to find her than he expected now. After college, he had joined the local newspaper and had access to their investigative resources. In addition, almost everybody who knew Samantha, including her mother were disappointed in her abrubt disappearance. After all, Tucker had been her man for over 50% of his life, and hers.
   Eventually her friends dropped some clues and he located her in a little town outside Little Rock Arkansas. She had married, someone she knew from college. Tucker didn't recall the name.
   He tried to contact her mother for more information now that he knew somethign, but she told him never to call again. She was sorry. She said it again just as she did the day Samantha left. "I'm sorry, Tucker."
   Being a blossoming writer, Tucker decided to use his talent to get close. He started by writing little poems. Nothing demanding, just pleasant little escapist versus. It was a year before she ever responded.
 
Don't you think the UN "No Fly Zone" over Libya is a little bit of a feeble attempt to get away with not making big decisions about what to do. Like "Daffy, you can't take off in your planes and fly in your country. Or we'll tell your mother." Wimps.

As many of you know, the mighty Tids political department has been chronicling rising gas prices with respect to the differences in media coverage between GW and 0-Man. When the innately evil Nancy Pelosi said without knowledge "What do you expect with two oil men in the White House?" and after senate floor rails by Lauterburg and Nelson the media went crazy with unsubstantiated claims of oil cronyism. And so far nothing about 0-Man, even though equally unsubstantiated accusatory stances could be aimed at 0-Man for building a market for pals in the Alternative Energy biz. Now I have some new "bias" stats from the Media Research Center: In the 2008 period, major news outlets carried 62 versus 24 in the current period. In 2008 Bush was mentioned 15 times while currently Obama has one (1). Oh, BTW, when Bush left office the price was down to $1.85/gal. So far there has been nary a word from the admin about the evil speculators and greedy oilmen.

Already, I'm thinking that "Adjustment Bureau" will go to the top of my Must See Movie List. Stay tuned for tomorrow's review.

The PGA Tour moves to Florida this week. Within weeks it will be in Augusta for the Masters. The tour is a great harbinger of spring for the north people. Just like the budding of the trees moving Northward week by week.

The Answer:
OSI has a pretty great collection of reliable restaurants. They include the satisfying Outback Steakhouse, cost effective Bonefish Grill, the expensive Fleming's Steakhouse, Carrabbas Italian Grill plus Roy's, Lee Roy Selmon's, Blue Coral Seafood and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Pretty good line-up.

The End:
Have you heard of Rosa, the great western pun writer? You haven't heard of Pundarosa? Stolen form "Chit Chat".

In Japan people who can't find a job don't go for unemployment bennies. they kill themselves! Japan's suicide rate among te out of work is up 20% in a year.

The bats are cracking.

Today's Tids Issue 2,103
Opening Stuff:

Today is one of those relatively uncelebrated but essential days in US historical dietary lore. It is “1/2 Price Peeps” day. And fortunately for the first time in years the lines will be short as most people are standing in line for iPads. Peeps are better. Espcailly…those new chocolate covered little cluckers.

Did you hear about the burglar who got away with a big haul of jewelry with leaving any clues or evidence behind? It was known as a stainless steal.

How about that Abby Sunderlund! The able 16 year old sailor turned the corner on her challenging solo around the world sailing journey by going around the treacherous Cape Horn on Thursday. If you like bravery and courage mixed with superior sailing skills you have to tune in to this drama. Follow her at http://www.abbysunderland.com/ She is currently heading north and is just a bit southeast of the Falklands. Let’s hope the Brits and Gouchos don’t decide to start a little skirmish.

The Question:
Through the haze of alcohol, under clouds of homosexuality and stormy accusations of allegiances with communists, Eugene O’Neill still managed to write and become a beloved US playwright. Name five of his greatest plays.

Today’s Headlines:
--Red Sox Open 2010 Season With Dramatic Come From Behind Win Over Ya, Ya, Ya…(WYKWIM)…That Team With The New Expensive Overprice Stadium Where Only Hedge Fund Managers Can Afford Seats.
--7.9 Quake Kills In Mexico; Rattles In US.
--White House Warns Of Slow Jobs Rebound.
--Asia Markets Up On More Positive US Jobs Outlook
--Blasts In Pakistan Near US Embassy Kills 3.
--Latest NASA Launch Carries More Woman Than Ever Into Space; Discovery Expected Not To Get Lost.
--New Report Says That 6 Months Of Breastfeeding Would Save 900 Babies/Year; Billions In health Cost Dollars.
--Butler Everybody’s Darling For Tonight’s Matchup With the Blue Devils.
--Office Vacancies At 16 Year High.
--Chinese Coal Ship Rams Great Barrier Reef.

Back to More Stuff:

If you are looking for the movie reviews and other insights into the President’s mind, check out Saturday’s Shorts http://todaystids.blogspot.com/2010/04/civility-starts-at-top.html

By now you know that last night marked the opening day of baseball in Boston. Think about how dumb this is for a moment. Planning to open up with a night baseball game in New England…where early April nighttime temps are typically in the 40’s and even the 30’s. This is not for the fans but for the TV networks and the big money. This is just one more example of misguided leadership in America. Baseball isn’t played on sandlots any more.

John McPherson suggests that a good way to ameliorate the prison over crowding problem is to convict smaller criminals.

Does the phrase “Fair Share” in census commercials bother you as much as it does me? It says to me that the Government actually thinks it is their money they are distributing. Actually it’s our money, yours and mine plus a trillion or so in new debt that they are returning.

While we’re on the census lets talk a second about diversity and unification. I believe the positive effects of diversity improve when everybody is the same. As you may know the census contains a racial, ethnic check-off. The more we differentiate the more we disrupt the strength of diversity. The census is becoming a tool of divisiveness.

Licensing for salt water fishing just has to be unconstitutional…somehow. Isn’t the ultimate freedom walking to waters edge, wavelets lapping at your ankles, smelling the salt spray and throwing a lure 30-40 yards out into the ocean? Without worrying at what moment you will be brought down in a hail of bullets from an over-aggressive power mad government watch dog.

He who throws mud loses ground.

I have listened to all the reports and expert opinions and read many others about iPad, and I’ll be darned if I can see any reason at all to buy one. Call; me a Luddite…but a Luddite with $500+ still in his pocket.

You know you are getting old when friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you are in your bare feet. It’s a Florida thing.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 63 continues.
(Note, this episode picks up from last Wednesday. Thursday’s was a complete April Fool joke, but I have to admit, I have thought of going that route.)
--“What was your meeting like?” I continued to push, but gently.
Paul took his time. While blessed or cursed with unbounded energy (I’m not sure which), he had this ability to be very thoughtful. To slow his brain when needed. He was hard to catch off guard. Maybe we were too alike that way. “I’ll start at the beginning,” he began. “He kept me off balance all of the time. Not that he shook me, but he made me feel uncomfortable. And assured all those in the room that he was in charge. As I got to know him, especially in private, I found him easy to talk to and interested in mutual progress. Now that is either his nature, or was because he saw how much we could contribute. I started to realize that he needed what we had, which was the ability to provide technology that operated beyond where they were in the lab process at all times.”
“So…” I interrupted.
“Jeez…you sound just like him!” Paul laughingly editorialized. That stopped me a moment. Me like Kent. Hey, I’m bubbly and effervescent, aren’t I? “Well,” he smiled again at me, “the ‘so’ is that he wasn’t surprised at the acquisition of human test results as a result of the Bromsky affair. Sally, do you know Sally?” he continued without my answer, “Sally was amazed at how conforming my GenInst products were at the time of the introduction of overwhelming new, advanced data.
“But, you were already working with Bromsky?” I asked. “So that figures,” I surmised. “So what exactly are you telling me Paul?” I waited as he focused.
“I’m saying I think he is much more complicated than he appears. I’m saying that while there are apparent answers, something all of a sudden doesn’t feel quite as right about Mr. Middleton.”
I just looked at him. Maybe I should talk to Sally Orstein. How would I do that without alerting Kent.

I have a new nick name for the President – The great Mocker! Isn’t he sounding a bit juvenile these days as he ridicules the so-called opposition who just happen to be about 55-60% of loving Americans. It’s one thing to disagree, but to insult honest people when you are the leader and supposed unifier is unconscionable in a civilized country. It’s one thing to question. But it is unbecoming of a leader of free country to demean. Why would the nation want to come together under this man? Civility comes from the top.

The Prez wonders why so many are drifting away from him. His attempts at bi-partisanship have been superficial and blatantly self serving. The Great Mocker is just too political to be a leader.

All of a sudden Iraq is looking very unstable. That execution style mass assassination over the weekend allegedly groups sympathetic to al-Qaida are taking advantage of the wrangling by the two top vote getters. And by wearing Iraqi police and US Military uniforms, they are obviously try create doubt and resentment to what appeared to be nice progress in the country.

Did you hear about the young boy who kept calling out to his parents “Breaking News on CNN!” But when they arrived there was never anything to be seen. He became known as the boy who cried Wolf Blitzer.

The Answer:
Imagine the greatness of O’Neill despite the negatives. The Tids guy only has grammatical insubordination going against him. Eugene’s first published play was Beyond the Horizon which won the Pulitzer…and that wasn’t even one of his best known efforts. You have heard of Anna Christie, Desire Under the Elms, Strange Interlude, Morning Becomes Electra, Ah, Wilderness, The Iceman Cometh, Emperor Jones, A Long Days Journey into Night and A moon for the Misbegotten.

Final Thought:
Uranium casually being mined in Africa without oversight is a scary thing. Almost as scary as CVS being out of Peeps when you reach the front of the line. Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.