There is more than Debates.

Today's Tids Issue 2.505
OpeningStuff:

I think most people generally like Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto. If its playing in the background, people will tend to stop what they are doing and take a closer listen.

One of the crying hopes of Americans is that politics retreat from its angry extremes. The political strategists that be have preempted our process that assures freedom by forcing people to choose between extremes. Which most research shows to be against what's in the hearts of people. People who aren't political junkies are almost always somewhere in the middle with leanings one way or the other. So, maybe Romney and Huntsman are exactly the candidates that reflect wast most people want out of a leader -- smart guys who honestly see both sides of the picture. The vast majority of Americans are basically moderate even when they appear to be on the left or right.

The Question:

Double Bonus Monday: 1. Name five of Joan Baez best known songs. 2. Many people would agree that Beethoven actually wrote 6 Piano concertos. What is the name of the oft forgotten 6th.

The Headlines:

--European Debt Crisis Seen Spreading Across 17 Euro Based Countries; Merkel, Sarkozy Urge Stepped Up Action.
--US home Prices Fall For 4th straight Month.
--Market Opens Up After News Of Merkel/Sarkozy Call For Action.
--Repubs Making Last Minute Appeals In Advance of NH Primary; Romney Still Way Ahead; Huntsman Zooms Into Third Place
--Iran Sentences Former US Marine To Death.
--Repub Candidates Say Misuse Of food Stamps Is best Evidence Of Welfare State Gone Awry.
--Diplomatic Reports Confirm That Iran Has Begun Enriching Uranium At Underground Bunker.
--White House "Bans" Dallas Player Delonte West From Joining Teammates In Obama NBA Champs Celebration; West Had Several Weird Moments When Off of Psycho Meds; Patrick Kennedy Looking Into Travesty.

Back to More Stuff:

Good News! Department:
Good news for "24" fans anyhow-- "24: The Movie" will begin shooting this Spring, meaning we'll be getting flowers and Bauers as winter's chilling hours sour.

I eagerly anticipated last night's 2 hour premiere of NBC's new "The Firm". It had the appearance in the trailers as being a tense, conspiracy-filled, edgy drama. But, alas, it was a prolonged, draggy "Harry's Law Junior"; Featuring a you've-seen-it-all-before uninteresting, average legal case about two black teenagers fighting, with one dying from knife wounds. Ho-hum. In addiction to the flat story, the continuing story actors for the most part were drab. It spent a few minutes towards the end setting up what appeared to be an intriguing future. But after this over promised travesty, it will be hard to get me back into it. It was great background noise for a good game of Angry Birds.

Obama just issued another executive order which will make it easier for "Illegals" to make "Crime Pay." After four or five successive days of "0-Law", I get the distinct feeling I'm looking at the planks in the Dem platform for 2012 elections being made one day at a time in the Oval Office..

I actually like a lot about Huntsman. Except I would never vote for some who takes the "H" out Jo(h)n.

However, I totally disagree with the notion that Republicans shouldn't vote for him because he served under Obama as Ambassador to China. I consider that a huge plus.

Why the Old guys were Bigger Than Life Department:
Many movie Stars of yore were actually soldiers and sailors before the glittering lights of Holly-wood beckoned them to the silver screen. Maybe that's why some of the oldies are goodies, Actors who appeared to stand above as genuine heros. How about this "A" list: Humphrey Bogart, Navy; Ronald Reagan, Captain Army; Jimmy Stewart, Brigadier General Army; Clark Gable major Army Airforce; Henry Fonda, QM Navy; Paul Newman, Gunner Navy; Kirk Douglas, Lt. Navy; George Scott, Marines; Gene Hackman, Marines; Steve McQueen, Marines; Clint Eastwood, Army (Ok, so he was a swimming instructor); David Niven, Britain's Royal Navy; James Earl Jones, Lt. Army; Harvey Keitel, Marines; Elvis Presley, Army; Dennios Franz, Army Airborn; Lee Marvin, Marines (Would you mess with Lee Marvin?) Of course, then there was Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII. Oh yeah, little petite and delightful Audrey Hepburn was a member of the Dutch resistance in the face of the Nazi tyranny. They went to serve and didn't bring their publicist along with them.

What ever happened to Robert J. Lurtzema?

I hear that Obama is in love with Drones. Military experts are saying quietly among themselves that these unmanned missiles fit perfectly with the Prez new definition of war -- if American soldiers aren't exposed to being killed or wounded, "It isn't a war". The best example of this is the Libyan Non-War, where a totally "not involved" America sent in 175 drones to repeatedly attack Daffy strong holds. All the While the "Orator" stood above the fray muttering "Who me?, Who me?" Military experts say the biggest disadvantage of drones is that they can't tell the good guys from the bad guys; can't pick off the soldiers without getting the civilians too.

Newt Gingrich is still the master of the best sound bites.

World premium car buyers seem to be saying it's time for BMW to move aside for Audi. Audi is up in worldwide sales 19.2% versus rivals BMW - 12.8% and Mercedes 8%. Last year in world premium car sales the top three were BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. Just in case you're interested in spending a lot of money.

Today's machining and manufacturing technology probably assures car buyers that just about every car is of superior quality. It's really a matter of expensive other stuff and how you may want to look in the neighborhood.

Most people down here where I live walk outside, look at the bare brown ground, and then feeling the temps of spring, go back inside to put their skis back in storage. That's affecting the ski resort owners up north more than the minimal snow falls there. The fact is, several good mountains are using upgraded snow-making systems to produce an abundance of fluffy stuff. The best are Loon, Bretton Woods, old faithful Cranmore, Sunapee and yes even near-by Wachussett. Yagoo across the bay says they have 7 trails and 3 lifts operating. I'm ready. What you see may never be what is.

While the H-Wood glitterati are ready to anoint George Clooney and his average movie Descendants, The National Society of Film Critics has named the best Movie for 2011 as "Melancholia". Ever hear of it? It's about pondering the end of the world. The best actress nod goes to that films star Kirsten Dunst and Best Actor to Brad Pitt for Moneyball.

The Answer:

1. Joan Baez actually rose to fame as an unbilled performer at the Newport RI Folk Festival. Her politics aside, I think she has one great voice. Some songs associated with this legend are "The Night They drove Old Dixie Down", "Diamonds and Rust", Farewell, Angelina", "Love is just a four letter word" and "We shall overcome". Interestingly, Joan's dad was a mathematician/Physicist who invented the "X ray microscope. 2. The Choral Fantasy -- sort of Beethoven's Ninth meets Liszt -- is generally considered to be a sixth piano concerto. I enjoy it quite a bit.

I'm figuring that if there's a few of you who like that the Tids, then among the 300 million in the US there must be a lot of other masochists who would enjoy torture in the morning. Maybe I should send out a news release to the New York Times: "CIA reading The Tids to Islamists to break them down." That should be good for a couple of weeks of talk show appearances.

Well, I'm outta here. I think to day is the day I take a shower.

Don’t be Rhode Island.

Today's Tids Issue 2,219
Opening Stuff:

The Tids can be excruciatingly vocal, Or humble as a country yokel, But carefully picks the right focal, that all politics are local.

In Rhode Island, the latest poll has Indy Chafee leaping ahead of Dem Caprio (Chafee 37%, Caprio 28%, ® Roubitaille (25%), and Laughlin edging past Cicilini for the old Patches’ seat. These are fun races, but the real races that can effect real change in this beleaguered state (Beset by over 70 years of debilitating Dem/Union rule) is to replace all of the existing General Assembly reps and senators with anything else available. If the voters continue to put up with what they had, they can expect to flounder. Maybe we should replace the state animal Quahog with the Flounder. It seems to work.

Have you ever noticed that the TV commercials for the bigger chain restaurants like Applebees, Outback or Olive Garden never show tempting visuals featuring piles of vegetables? I wonder why? Because nobody would go there!

The problem in America is that media abetted politics focuses so heavily on the little accusations and personal idiosyncrasies, that it effectively clouds the potential for a broad base of the electorate understanding real problems and interpreting the good solutions. Some may call it good politics. I call it a disservice to the taxpayer.

One of the more inane political commercials and symptomatic of the above is one where RI Gubernatorial candidate Caprio pats himself on the back for refusing his official state car when he was first elected Treasurer. The cost of a car is meaningless in a state that is floundering into bankruptcy, With one of the highest unemployment percentages in the US of A. Where a “Greece-Like” general assembly bows down to economy busting special interests.

Is there a more arrogant appearing person than Yoko Ono? Oh yeah…him too.

How could I have done it! In providing the answer to Friday’s Q on popular TV families I forgot to suggest as left out of TV guide’s list one of my all time favorites…The Nelsons – Ozzie, Harriet, David and Ricky. And by all time favorite I mean Radio before TV! Thanks to my favorite Cleveland Punster for that one. And another Ohioan suggested Bonanza’s Cartwright’s, with Hop Sing standing in for Mom. And in today’s culture, Hop Sing for Mom is not so far fetched!

The Question:
Here are four quick Questions: 1. What does the “57” in Heinz 57 stand for? 2. What words do the letters ZIP in Zip code represent? 3. At any given moment, what percentage of the world’s population is drunk? 4. How many people throughout the world are have a birthday on the same days as you?

The Headlines:

--US Economy Still Expected To Grow In 2011; Economists Lower Expectations Of Pace of recovery.
--New AP/GfK Poll Says 1/3 Of Electorate Still May Switch Candidates; “Fed Up With Democrats “ Is Still Most Impactful Issue; Gay Voters Say They Are Angry With Dems..
--New Air Force Manual Warns Of Swift And Devastating Cyber-Attacks.
--RNC Steele’s “Fire Pelosi Bus Arrives This Morn In RI Just Ahead Of Scott Brown And 0-Man; Prez Not expected To Endorse Dem Caprio During Visit.
--Work Begins On 600 New Homes In West bank.
--Iran Restricts Social Services As “Too Western”.
--Afghans In Helmand Province Said To be Very Angry At Alleged US Bombing Of Mosque That Killed 25.
--Bedbugs Have Potential Tourists cancelling NYC Visit.

Back to More Stuff:
Last week was a bad one for talk radio. And you couldn’t even get away from repetitious politics by going to sports. The sports were pretty much 24/7 on head to head tackling. And the political was all about Juan Williams firing. It just goes on and on. This illustrates a problem with talk radio in general. Each new host/commentator really believes they have a brand new take on something. And there just isn’t any more to a 15 minute story.

I see where the 10 top woman icons who would inspire fashion are Cher, Diane Keaton, Anna Wintaur, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Di, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker and now, Lady Gaga. God help us all.

Reading too many Scripts Department:
Have you been following the saga of Randy and Eva Quaid? -- You know Randy, the lesser of the Quaids. Well it just got weirder. The twosome have been sought for several instances of serious trespassing and illegal squatting. They tried to escape to Canada and were nabbed on several warrants. They asked for protective asylum out of “fear for their lives”! Or as stated so eloquently by Eva: “Don’t force us to return. Our lives are in danger. Eight friends including David Carradine and Heath Ledger have been murdered under mysterious circumstances…”. I didn’t make this up. Keep them in Canada so they can’t vote for Democrats.

The headlines the past two days have been full of an hysterical warning of the extinction of tigers. So, I’m thinking, how would that affect me or the rest of the world. Well for sure, bunny rabbits and other cute little furry things would be happier. Princeton would need a new mascot. Siegfried and Roy would be out of work.

10 eastern ski areas were ranked among the top 50 in the world. #1 in the Eastern list was Mt. Tremblant – Quebec. The rest were Whiteface – NY, Stowe – VTY, Okemo – VT, Stratton – VT, Sugarloaf – ME, Sugarloaf – VT, Sunday River – ME, Smugglers Notch – VT and Loon – NH. Sunday River had lots of snow Thursday Morning and was the first in the nation this year to open for good skiing. Gentlemen, Ladies – Start your Shushing!

I remember when Okemo was considered a nice little Mountain laboring under the gigantic shadow of the very popular neighbor Mount Snow.

Who says Obama isn’t creating jobs. Why, right now as I speak, the biggest industry in Rhode Island is the preparation of the dinner for the 0-Man fund raiser at the East Side Providence residence of the Chace’s’. (The Chaces, BTW, are the family who owned Berkshire-Hathaway and sold it to you know who.) The $7,500 a plate affair easily tops the GOP $500/plate luncheon featuring Scott Brown earlier in the day. And the party of the rich is what?

The DOW just finished a third in a row “Up” week. But, it doesn’t seem to know where it is going. There is just a ton of money and enough fund managers looking for bonuses to keep it moving. But economic basics aren’t supporting a boom. Are we in for a January thaw?

Maybe the President “Not Endorsing” him is all Caprio needs to push him over the top. Scuttlebutt around the state is saying that several well known and respected Dems are not voting for Caprio.

The Answer:
1. The “57” stands for the 57 varieties of pickles the company used to offer. 2. ZIP stands for Zoning Improvement Plan which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with mail delivery. 3. At any given moment in the world, 0.7% of the people are drunk. 4. 9,000,000 others (+ -) share the same birthday as you.

The End:
By the way…Wooly mammouths have been extinct for 10,000 years. Has anybody noticed?

Thanks all of you from cities and towns afar for putting up with my Rhode Island observations today. But, just remember that the lunacy that prevails here could overtake your state too if you don’t vote smart.

In the liberal east, those who are close to moderate are considered extreme rightists. In the Midwest and Southwest those who merely conservative are considered socialists.

Never laugh at a beginner skier.

Today's Tids Issue 2,057

Opening Stuff:

One of the great things about riding a ski lift, other than wonderful solitude, is the opportunity to watch people taking care of people. I love watching the Moms and Dads teaching the smallest of children. Or, big sisters and brothers patiently, yes patiently, teaching their younger siblings. Or husbands teaching wives and wives teaching husbands. Girlfriends teaching boyfriends and vice-versa. Guys teaching their pals. And gals teaching theirs. The slopes is a place where people care. It always puts a smile on my face as I ride to the top.

Remember as you walk thought life that all con men are likable.

The Question:

Today’s is the anniversary of another day in US history that will “live in infamy”…the ratification of the Amendment that gave us the Income Tax. Name the year and the number of the Amendment. Name the amendments that followed the Bill of Rights up to the 2Oth.

The Headlines:

--Bomber Kills Three Children And Three US Troops In Pakistan.
--AIG Able To Pay Out $100 Million In Bonuses Because Of Taxpayer Support; Most Are Contractual.
--Mr. Bi-Partisan Ridicules Republicans At Latest Presidential Campaign Stop; Prez Expected To Play Kissy Face With Senate Republicans Today.
--GOP Kirk And Dem Giannoulis Win Illinois Primary Setting Up Battle For Obama Senate Seat; Kirk Way Ahead In Polls; Governor Primary Results In Dispute.
--More Americans Have Trouble Making Hard Choice Between Paying Down Credit Card Debt And making Mortgage Payment.
--Europe Remains Skeptical About Iran Nuke Plans.
--Toyota Hit By 100 Complaints About Prius Brakes.
--Stocks Slide As Growth of Services Industries Fall Short.

More Stuff:

Is the media’s infatuation with issues like gays in military and having ten instead of five films nominated for the Oscar an indicator of their inability to understand and discuss intelligently the complexities of some of the most serious issues in the history of the world? Or is it just that the reading public wants it light all of the time.

I love stories like that of Abby Sunderlund. In case you missed it, she is the 16 year old girl who has set out to sail around the world non-stop, single handed. She came up with a technical problem and will be sailing into to Cabo for repairs. But since she has not yet crossed the equator, legally she can call Cabo her start and end place and still qualify under the non-stop rules. Next to The Tids, following Abby on http://soloround.blogspot.com can be almost as exciting!

Cholesterol pill users are a lot like four-wheel drive car owners. Both groups think they don’t have to do anything different to help themselves.

One of the great little art museums in the country is the Richard M. Hunt designed Newport Art Museum in RI. For 83 years now, they have added to the fulfillment of members with a winter lecture series that is as versatile as it is venerable. This week after last weeks trip inside Mayan writing, a speaker Maury Klein will look into the “myth” of the Robber Barons”. This is quite the topical subject as it grew out of the 1930’s and the great depression. Just as today people are looking at Wall Street for goats, the pained people of that time sought to blame the captains of industry who created the world’s largest industrial economic force. It could be enlightening. Maybe those guys at Goldman Sachs aren’t so bad after all. Maybe Clueless Lane really does do something other than make my retirement portfolio decline.

Consumer Reports is now reporting what some of my friends have been saying for months – coffee sucks! In a new study of 37 blends and 13 decafs, no coffee made it to “Excellent” or “Very Good”. The best any coffee could do was a third place level of “Good”. Those best were Starbucks House Blend and Green Mountain Signature Nantucket Blend. The decaf high scorers, also at the third level “Good”, were Allegro organic, Peet’s, Caribou Daybreak and Bucks County. So, the good news is that it isn’t because your taste buds are getting old. The beans are.

Headline of the Week Department:
A headline in the Newspaper Food section highlighting cuisine for the new China year said “The Year of the Tiger Starts off with a Bang!”. Oops!

While we are into the vagaries of headlines and reporting, check out this gap between headlines and what really is happening. A business story about the year of XM/Serius Radio is headed by “Stock Price up 600%” and “Moody’s Upgrades Bond Rating”. Run don’t walk to your nearest broker, right? Wrong. The 600% increase was from 13 cents/share to 93 cents/share. This means that after a year the stock is still under $1.00 meaning that it could be delisted by NASDAQ and the shares would be worthless. The Moody’s rating was up to “Junk Bond” status. Look both ways before you run.

The Novel:

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 53. –I took a deep, pleasant breath and slowly exhaled after I hung up from Kent. He was telling me something important and all I was hearing was those pleasant tones that soothe coming from a heart and a mind that I love. Kent. Kent. Why did you come into my life? My life that was totally perfect. My life that could be unbelievably perfect again. With Paul and of course my Jax and my Jill. Why is true love so strong? Why does my heart ache now with lovely pain? Can I lead two lives for the rest of life? Am I strong enough to make a decision? Why am I stuck in this hospital bed with barely any voice and no strength, and so much to do? I pressed the buzzer fro my nurse as I tried to see what if anything I could do about what Kent was telling me about BiEm. The nurse came within seconds. I love her, I thought. I gave her a huge smile which is about all I can give anybody now. “You called”, she said jokingly. I gestured for her to bend in closely. “Call Jack Wiley for me. I have to talk to him. Do you think I can talk?” “Honey”, she said gesturing wildly, I believe you can do anything you want to do”. I wondered.

More Stuff:

The smartest person in the room is always the person in the room who talks the least. I got by using the mute button for years.

And...that brings us to “Prime Time”. Can you say Las Vegas?

One reader worries about the recent Fed’s statement “We’re not finished with Toyota yet.”. He can only wonder if the US Government and Labor Union ownership of the two failed American companies is driving this action with the net result being a weaker largest competitor of US government companies. You have to figure that the Detroit big labor groups have always harbored a little hatred in their hearts fro Toyota who by building plants in non union states helped drive down wages in general. There is also a rumor out of the Midwest that Honda is next in the sights of our federal protectors. Honda was the first Japanese company to build in America.

The Answer:

These “Q’s” are getting a little heavy. We’ll be back to superficial tomorrow. The Income Tax amendment was number 16. and it happened 96 years ago. Eleven was “Immunity of Sates from suits by outsiders; Twelve Revised Prez election process; Thirteen nixed Slavery; Fourteen was about post Civil war citizenship deals; Fifteen prohibited denial of suffrage by race, color or servitude; Seventeen was direct election of senators; Eighteen said no more drinky-poos; Nineteen said woman could vote; Twenty set term commencement for Congress and Prez; 21 repealed eighteen; 22 set two term limit for Presidents.

The End:

No matter how slight, there is nothing more pleasant than blanket of white cleaning the landscape in the morning.