Cooperation + Contradictions = Business as Usual.

Today's Tids Issue 2,284
Opening Stuff:

The Prez said a lot of the right things you might expect for a 2012 Campaign kick-off speech. But, he himself really didn't look interested in what he was saying. His dissing of the oil companies as an intro to his proposal for a Gov. run alternative energy program was not only mindful of his previous two year dislike of business, but missed the fact that the big Energy companies are investing heavily into the develop of potential alternatives. The rest sounded like every other SOU speech, but this time without much enthusiasm.

Interesting that SOU pronounced Sow, as in mom and her piglets at the taxpayer trough.

I am getting real tired of David Axelrod, a host of whimpering White House flunkies and Dems from all over Washington coming together and urging that we all got to cooperate; How we got to do it for Gabby; That Tucson has taught us that we have set a new tone. They're doing it because they got killed in the election! Plain and simple. They can no longer browbeat, demean, ridicule, slice, dice, ignore and slur Republicans as they have been for 4 years. Did I say "killed"? Oops!

The Question:
A company called Pollstar has announced the big concert tour gross dollar winners by category. Pick the winner in each of the following: Soft Rock - James Taylor vs. The Eagles; Old Timers -- Paul McCartney vs. Roger Waters; Drive Time Rock -- Bon Jovi vs. DMB; Teeny Boppers -- Lady Gaga vs. Black Eyed Peas; Pretty Boys -- Michael Buble vs. John Mayer.

The Headlines:

--Market Could Soar Over 12,000; Futures Strong After SOU.
--Finally. World Economic Forum (Davos Swiss) Says Global Economy Out Of Woods
--Antique Desk By Famed Newport Furniture maker Goes For$5.7 Million.
--RI Unemployment Still Among Five Worst In Nation; Other Lagging Economies Are Cal, Mich, Nevada And FLa; States with Lowest Unemployment Are Nebraska And North/South Dakota.
--Various And Sundry Uprisings Continue Around World.

Back to More Stuff:
Do you know why so many people complain about the cold? It's because weathermen and newscasts tell you you should feel cold and miserable. Just like they say something must be wrong because plowing budgets are overspent...which is exactly what they say almost every year about this time. Weather comes and weather goes. Live with it. It won't feel so bad.

BTW, Nancy Pelosi in a post-SOU interview with Greta Van Susteren never looked slimier than she did when trying to reinforce the latest democrat travesty that after Tucson we have to work together.

Almost near: Chapter 3 continues. --Samantha didn't sleep well that night. Her mind was so full of contradictions she wasn't sure that she was who she thought she was. Two days ago life could not have been more perfect. Now she was losing her mind. Gray was covering the sun. Her thoughts continually tuned to the man in the dory. She was positive she had never seen him before, but it appeared that he had more than a passing interest in her.
She was happy to finally see the dawn, not because it was a bright new day, but because she could leave that bed which was feeling more like a prison. She sat up and turned slowly to bring her legs over the side. She sat there, not eager to get up now because she was wary of what she might encounter.
Samantha, packed up her suitcase, expecting to check out right after another lonely breakfast at Lillie's counter and the old bat waitress.
Samantha said a less than enthusiastic Hi to Jimmy and walked out. She heard him start to say something about his Dad as the door closed behind her. It didn't matter. It wouldn't be good.
It was another nice day, so she thought that was better than being miserable under a cloudy sky. She smelled the bacon and coffee again, but this time she walked past it and down the dock. As if drawn there. She saw the stranger in the dory. he was sitting there writing something on a note pad.

Hoard incandescent light bulbs.

Last night 0-Man said that he will "freeze annual domestic spending for five years" while he proposed "we redouble these efforts (Transportation and road projects)." Go figure.

How about that poll that said 14% of pet owners would choose their pet over their mate. Boa Constrictors give good hugs.

Since the November elections, convoluted logic has become the new national eccentricity.

In a post-SOU focus panel analysis, "Flat" was the dominant word used to describe the event. The panel consisted of 13 Repubs and 13 Dems. In specific Q's about believability and future voting, only 4 of 13 Dems believed what 0-Man said and 5 of the 13 said they would not voted for him again (All 13 had voted for him in 2008).

I have to agree totally with Obama urging parents to create a better environment for learning in the home and instill in the kids greater respect for learning over extra-curricular activities and extraneous cultural demands. The essence of the learning problem has a lot to do with student priorities. And it doesn't cost a dime to change that inadequacy.

The Answer:
The Eagles beat Taylor $64.5 Mil to $50.7 Mil; Waters beat McCartney $89.5 to $61.8; Bon Jovi walloped DMB $108 to $72.9; Gaga edged Peas $51-50; Buble riffed Mayer $65.7 to $49.9.

The End:
Remember when GW decided to work together with Teddy, and 8 years later he was still trying to get that knife out of his back? Did I say Knife? Oops.

Judging from a report by a SOU Facts Checker, it looks like we needed a couple of "He lies" last night. Oops, Did I say that.

Now that the posturing is over, let's find out what's really going to happen. Just so long as they're noce to Nancy. That's all I care about.

He Lies!

Scary reality.

Today's Tids Issue 2083

Opening Stuff:

It may see like an odd analogy, but love is a lot like a dog whistle that only dogs can hear. Don't laugh. Lovers see in each other little things that only each of them can see, feel, enjoy. Yeah, I guess it is a stretch.

Running as the Vice-Presidential candidate in 1968, Air Force General Curtis LeMay said, "There are only two four-letter words that hippies don't know: Work and Soap."

I think 0-man's selection of Jeffery Immelt for Jobs Czar and his current new focus on jobs and big business is a very good political move. Let's face it, he made some cursory "Jobs" promises last year but promises he knew he could never keep.He never did anything to support the promises. If he had over promised in a sluggish economy that would give him no chance for success he would have looked the fool (Well, more foolish). So, maybe he was smart or maybe he is simply a big government guy who really thought that Gov can create jobs. But now, it's a different story. We are far enough along where the chance of the economy getting stronger during the next two years is very good. Frankly, he can probably do nothing and the job outlook would improve. Because a perfect economic storm of higher consumer confidence, business investment, more active lending and a world economy that just upped its yearly growth forecast to 4.5% is not only on the horizon, it is happening today. Tonight he will attach his name to business and jobs and an economy that is most definitely picking up steam. And he will take credit for everything that happens. And the people will forget about is inaction last year and the media will never report it. He will be praised. It's just the way it is. Think about that if you decide to watch the SoU Address.

Is remembering a club recruiting campaign?

The Question:  

One of the most competitive arenas in TV advertising lately is that for Property/Casualty Insurance. Name five companies you have seen regularly hawking their wares and which commercials do you like best and dislike most.

The Headlines:

--Toyota Remains As #1 Car Maker In World; GM Closing In Fast.
--House Prices Fall Again In December.
--Wall Street Analyzing Earnings Reports; Could Slow Today's Anticipated Surge To 12,000.
--"Kings Speech" Leads The Way With 12 Oscar Nominations; Most Of the Nominees Already Feted In Previous Barrage Of Awards Shows.
--Candidate Of Iranian Backed Hezbollah To Form New Lebanon Government.
--Rom Emanuel Mayor Bid Nixed By Court.
--Jesse Ventura Sues Dept. Of Homeland Securtiy Over X-Rays Ant Pat Downs; Says They Violate His Right To Be Free From Unreasonable Search And Seizure.

Back to More Stuff:
Cube Dwelling can be atrophic. I don't about you but I like to see our corporate cube dwellers as healthy, happy cave people. Here are some simple ways to keep the juices flowing while buried under mountains of paperwork. Keep a pair of 5 pound weights in your drawer and do 10 curls 2-3 times a day. Always look for opportunities to walk briskly up and down stairs. While waiting for coffee to brew, turn back to counter, grasp edge with hands, bend elbows and dip til thighs are parallel with floor. Do squats next to desk a couple of times a day. Walk during lunch time. If someone laughs at you, perform middle finger exercise. One. Two. Three.

The wheel was a revolutionary invention.

There's been a lot of talk the past few days about how if we could just get China to bend a little we could get manufacturing back. Yeah sure. Manufacturing started to disappear in earnest over 40 years ago when China was basically a third world style nation. It started when the "Conglomerate" fad came upon the biz scene. This led to accounting led companies buying successful manufacturing powers and milking them dry. Eventually the lack of research in new products and processes caught up with them, and outsourcing became a salvation. Couple the accounting led companies with the increasing demands of unions...and the lack of initiative for owners of some small manufacturers to get away from their WWII machines...and the demise of manufacturing is not that big a mystery. Bringing it back is a lot more than sharing Apple Pie and Ice Cream with Hu.

There are just too many countries who love the way manufacturing has improved their standard of living and hope for the future, to cede it back to the US. And the employees in those countries seem to have a winning attitude and love their new positions in life.

Almost There: Chapter 3 continues. --Samantha sank to the ground beneath the giant maple. She looked up as she heard that scratching of a squirrel climbing out upon a long limb. It turned and looked down at her. She wondered if this was her only friend in this town of contradictions.
Tommy Lambert. Somehow she remembers his love, but can't remember his face. But that memory is the strongest emotion she has felt since returning home.
Nobody knows me but a tree, she thought. This is exactly like it was, but nothing else is.
Samantha continued to sit, for an hour, maybe more. Her hunger had past, filled in by the nourishment of a love long gone.
Around four she stood and started back down towards town. Everything seemed a little more beautiful now. Maybe it was the evening shadows. Maybe it was the discovery that something about her town was as it should be. She apporached the Inn, and found herself once again turning to the end of the dock. To the littel dory. The stranger was there. He ws staring at her, but looked down as she began to stare back.

The Oddball TV Commercial Tid yesterday generated this response from a loyal reader. He suggests as the absolute worst and tasteless commercial the "Ladders" (Web Employment Site) ad where some basically unattractive people assume some grotesque seductive positions. I totally agree.

What is so unusual about Oprah finding a step sister?

Jack Lelane has proven that exercise allows you to die healthier.

Roe v. Wade Department:
How come it is not ok to make a choice to kill your next door neighbor?

The Answer:
Auto and Home Insurance ads are rampant throughout TV these days. I have seen commercials for Amica, Travelers, State Farm, Nationwide, Progressive, Geico, Farmers, Liberty Mutual and um...All State. Personally, I like the Travelers "Big Umbrella" ad, the Geico Psychiatrists couch and I used to like the campaign about unforseen disasters out of the blue (It may have been nationwide). The new nationwide "Best Salesman" is tedious and wearing thin to me. I find Progressive annoying. Amica is solid, but not terribly entertaining. All State has gone from the believable Dennis Hastert to a hard to believe character named "Mayhem". (AS will always have "In Good Hands" to save them no matter how off base their ad agency gets.) Actually a couple of them work but most are a stretch. Farmers trying to hard to be clever.

The End:
Oscar Nominations: You probably know pretty much everything that will be happening at the Oscars. But, here's the nomicnaitons in case you didn't hear. Bext Pic: Kings Speech, Inception, The Social Network, The Fighter, True Grit, Toy Story 3, Kids are all Right, Black Swan, Winter's Bone and 127 Hours. Actor: Firth, Eisenberg, Bardem, Bridges,and Franco. Actress: Bening, Portman, Kidman, Lawrence and Williams. Sup Actor: Bale, Rush, Hawkes, Renner, Ruffalo. Sup Actress: Leo, Adams, Bonham-Carter, Steinfield and Weaver.

I think I'm tired of watching Hollywood pat itself on the back. I love movies, but the celebrity of it all is getting out of hand.