полезный идиот

Today's Tids Issue 2,210
Opening Stuff:

There is a term sometimes attributed to western sympathizers of Lenin’s ideologies -- полезный идиот or “Useful Idiots. It has come to identify all those naïve or elite minds being manipulated by political movements, hostile governments and terrorists looking for support of suspect but emotional causes. It was recently mentioned to describe the reason for Obama’s latest college tour – rounding up the useful idiots.

Here’s a rule of life you can count on: “A pot roast on Sunday assures gravy for the rest of the week.”

When a snowstorm cancels all flights it is called a Winterruption!

The Question:
Who was the Guest Host on the first telecast of Saturday Night Live? Name three things for which he was known.

The Headlines:

--It’s Hold Your Breath time In Chile; Rescuers Ready To Haul Out Survivors.
--Seniors Expected To Cut Down On Spending After Learning Of SS Freeze.
--Transportation Unions Expected To Shut Down France In Response To Sarkozy Move To Raise Retirement Age By Two Years.
--New Study Says Too Much TV Harms Children; Bloomberg Mulling Banning Of TV IN NYC.
--Attentions Seeking Author Hurls Book At Obama; Prez Employs Full george Bush To Avoid Missile.
--Market Futures Pointing Down.
--Unemployed Lack New Skills Necessary For Available Jobs.

Back to More Stuff:
This Food Stamp thing in NYC is just the tip of an iceberg that could sink the good ship America. As the Big all encompassing government pays for more and more of the groceries they gain the right to tell you what groceries to buy. Be that wall street firms and banks, auto companies, energy companies, doctors, healthcare facilities, towns and cities. When you accept the government dough, you are in for plenty of woe. It’s just the way it works. And too many people these days want it to work that way.

All this talk about the yuan is a big yawn. But, in fact it should be a wake up call for the US Economy.

Politicians talk about bringing jobs back to America. Actually it is easy, but that is the one reason why they will never tell you how it can be done. Jobs will flow back if wages in America go down. All of this global talk is great for a select few. But remember, the oceans are global and they are all at the same level. That’s just economics 101.

Newspapers covered that national convention of litterbugs – you know the “The one nation working together rally” in response to the Glen Beck rally – with reverence. In fact a letter to a local newspaper points out that the photo of people peacefully holding innocuous signs accompanying an AP article, was far from the whole story. The writer said that other signs just out of sight were for groups that included “National Conference on Socialism”, “Socialistalternative.org”, “Socialism for the 21st Century”, “Ohio U. For Democratic Socialists”, “Capitalism is failing, Socialism is the alternative” and “Organizacion Marxista-Leninista de los Estados Unidos”. It’s a new world out there and there are plenty of Useless Idiots to support it.

Things are changing too fast for me. In fact, I think the vegans have taken over the ant-acid business. Do you realize how hard it is to find a Tums that isn’t fruit flavored? Another push into berry-ville? What’s that all about? Don’t they know that peppermint, wintergreen and spearmint are leaves. Are green leaves supposed to be good for you? It’s getting tough to live in this world.

The big news for 2012 isn’t going to be about which republican is going to run against “Prime Time” but whether or not 0-Man is there after The Hill challenges him for the Dem nomination. .

Seismologists are reporting that there actually no earthquakes in southern cal. It is an odd cultural occurrence that produces’ the simultaneous revving up high bases car radios in South Central LA that is rattling the buildings.

The Answer:
I rank George Carlin up there with the funniest of all time. First, George could be very funny while being clean. Although he was widely known for his 7 words you can’t say on TV and for a long list of names for a certain part of the female anatomy. Mostly, though he could comment humorously on simple acts or facts of daily life. Like “If the Cincinnati Reds were really the first major league baseball team, who did they play?” And, “A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.” Check out http://blogzarro.com/2007/05/100-greatest-george-carlin-quotes/ for a long list of Carlin Quotes.

And, Carlin has a good close for today’s start: “Think how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of them are stupider than that.”

And…voters know what?

Today's Tids Issue 2,215)
Opening Stuff:

As the voting season heats up, I’m reminded of a John Wayne quote: “Life is tough. It is especially tough when you’re stupid.”

Let’s have a big hand for the valiant comeback try by the Americans in the Ryder Cup. And polite applause for the gutsy work of Graham McDowell who was admittedly nervous beyond comprehension.

While searching for the meaning of life, I came across an equally perplexing conundrum. What would happen if Pat Sajek’s final spin landed on “bankrupt”?

If you have been reading the Tids for a while you probably have noticed that litterers are among the lowest form of human being in my mind. Irresponsible, uncaring, uncivilized are adjectives that quickly come to mind. So, how surprised was I to learn that litterers held their own convention in Washington DC this past weekend. Now I don’t like to draw any conclusions, but the rally of unions and just about every liberal organization in Washington at the behest of the always angry and often illogical CNN commentator Ed Schultz left an awful lot of crap behind in the Nations mall! And this was a crowd that came to support the current travesty in Washington, appeared to be less than a quarter of the recent Tea Party “Restoring America” event – when a huge group came, listened, went home…and left no trash…at all. (See reports of amazed journalists who searched high and low for just one piece of paper.) Do we really want a country run by litterers?

The Question:
Q1; There was a lot of press yesterday and this morning about the new Supreme Court and it’s three women. But another milestone occurred with the opening of the session. What was it? Q2: Name the five most eligible females according to a CBS 60Mins/Vanity fair Poll.

The Headlines:

--Wall Street Opens Higher After Positive Stimulus Moves By Japan Bank.
--French Trader Jerome Kerviel Of Societe’ Genrale Convicted Of Fraud; Must Repay $6.8 Billion After Jail Time; SG Spokes Person Gratified That Well Regarded Bank Will Get It’s Positive Image Back.
--Russian Scientists Win Physics Nobel For Technology That Will Speed Up Computing And Enhance Touch Screens.
--Raids Kill Five German Islamists Training In Pakistan.
--France Rounds Up 12 Islamic Extremists In Southern Part of Country.
--Moody’s Warns Of Ireland Debt Downgrade; Irish Officials Retreat To McCarthy’s Pub For Additional Stimulus..

Back to More Stuff:
Did you see where two of the top ten pop music songs are by the Cast of Glee?

Those who were patient were rewarded. Rubicon is coming together, and cool and lethargic appearing Will Travers is in deep, deep danger, and still doesn’t know who all of his enemies are. Only two more episodes left and I’m hooked.

And I have to say that “The Event” has a unique ability to suck you in too. Even when key pasts of the plot are way out there and apparently not part of our world.

How come at the end of commercials for medicines that treat all sorts of female annoyances, the woman in the message always winds up with a new hair-do? Powerful medicine indeed!

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 96 continues. –I pressed my body, my being, against his back. I felt his moistness, his warm seeping blood oozing through my blouse; on my chest. His life draining out upon me. I held him tightly as his weight started pulling me down. I strained to maintain comfort for him. I lowered my self to one knee still holding him hard and near.
“Call somebody…9111…I shouted!” but every body I now saw gaping were just too stunned. Paralyzed. “Wake up!” I shouted again. “This man needs help”. My lovely Kent is dying. Help me I said to myself.
He turned towards me. His eyes caressed my heart. My eyes started to drain. My chest heave. I lowered my mouth to his lips. And kissed him ever so tenderly, so gently. Drawing out all of the good I have known in him. Filling my body with a love I could never deny. That I know now will never leave.
He moved his head aside so his lips were at my ear.
“My beautiful Sarah/Maggie.” He whispered ardently, not as a man dying but as a man who has loved his love of me. “This is as it should be. I asked for more than you could give…”
“No, No Kent, you didn’t. I looked for every moment with you.” I whispered back. Almost violently. Don’t you understand? Don’t you understand? I thought. If he was to die, I wanted him have all of my love in his heart.
“I would never want to take you away from your family. That’s how much I loved you.” I could say nothing through the increasing beat of my sobs. “That I die, means you will always have my love as part of your life. You taught me how to have emotional meaning in my life that was always too pragmatic. Too logical. I have never had so much life in my being than I have had during these few months. And I am so content at this moment because you live. And, because all of my love that is in you will never falter after I’m gone. You will keep me alive as you love others.”
He started breathing rapidly.

Rahm Emanuel is behaving a lot like an Illegal Alien. He running for Mayor of Chicago Illegally, in that he has not satisfied residency requirement clearly defined in Chicago law. But like the border crossers, he is assuming the same “not for me” attitude as our southern border criminals. That legal exception that some say laws aren’t meant for the downtrodden. Wait a minute Emanuel isn’t downtrodden (He made $16.2 Million in his 2 year post Clinton banking stint.). I guess it’s the legal loophole that says, “not for the downtrodden and the privileged”.

I love the title of political satirist PJ O’Rourke’s new book: “Don’t Vote. It Just Encourages the Bastards.”

And whatever happened to PJ anyhow.

Let’s see…Paris Hilton (who should be sitting I jail like many would be without her financial resources) is about to start her new reality TV show. And this morning we hear that the lowly Eliot Spitzer is getting his own new TV show. This will certainly raise the intellectual standard for voters. Break the Law. Get famous. Make money. Nobody cares.

At the current rate, I expect that pretty soon there will be more physical therapists per person than Lawyers.

I see where bedbugs are starting to invade government offices in Washington. Maybe all of the workers there will quit.

How ironic is it that Public Employees Union superior health care packages will keep them living longer to collect superior pensions fund payments.

The Answer:
Q1: I thought it quite interesting that the supreme Court of a country founded by Protestants and ushered through its formative moments by Protestants was now comprised of 6 Catholics and 3 Jews. And no Protestants at all. And just think, as little as 50 years ago, many thought the JFK could never be elected. Do you think this is reflective of the decline of the famed “Protestant Work Ethic” in America? Q2: New SC Justice Elena Kagan (4%) is sixth on the most eligible women list. The list is topped by Jennifer Anniston (29%) and is followed by Haile Berry (21%), Elin Nordegrin (15%) Betty White (11%) and Lady Gaga (5%). Gentlemen…Start your engines.

The End:
How many times have I heard some one say that the future of American is dimmed because the majority of voters don’t know what they are voting for? That something that makes infinite sense doesn’t count because to many people won’t take the time or make the effort to understand what is really happening. “Just gimme what I want and leave me alone and I’ll be happily sitting around waiting for your next promise”.

The New England Patriots looked very exciting last n ight.

The Countdown to choices.

Today's Tids Issue 2,219
Opening Stuff:

I’m going to vote in the primary this morning just to show my concern. I’ll put a check against some of the Republicans because that’s where I have to vote. But, this year, the big mystery surrounds the Independents and the new Moderate Party nominee for Governor who I am beginning to believe is a pretty good person to receive serious consideration. But that action won’t happen until November. Today it’s all about who emerges on the crowded Dem side of the ticket.And building up the numbers of GOP and Indy voters.

In a non-scientific poll of diverse political observers, it was unanimous that the RI political commercial most likely to cause viewers to fall to the ground holding their sides in rapturous laughter is the one where former RI State Democrat Party Chairman Bill Lynch looks into the camera and says we should vote for him because he is an outsider

(Use this space to pause and laugh out loud)

In a new AP/CNBC Poll, 61% of investors say that wild gyrations on Wall Street (Not those in after work bars) have made them wary of using the stock market as part of their financial management tool box. In fact, and this is telling, 56% say that the “market is only fair to some investors”. Lets face it, the market today appears to many as mostly largely “Perception” with the accompanying public relations manipulation. The small investors who represent billions don’t like it and are pulling out of stocks mainly to go into more conservative venues. “Everyman” also doesn’t like computerized trading at all. Not only is the economy in a swampy mode, but confidence among smaller investors most likely to use Mutual Funds is waning fast. More reasons to be cautious.

I thought last night was particularly delicious when the Jets went down. There is nothing more pleasurable than watching the TV cameras scanning row after row of hangdog Jets fans.

Daily Question: Four presidents have been assassinated. Name them…and name their successors. Which two Presidents were rumored to have been assassinated probably by poison.

Today’s Headlines:
--Sarah Shourd Freed; News Reports Uncertain About bail And return For Trial.
--Big Primary Day: Key Fights In Delaware; New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Maryland, Mass and DC Expected To Illuminate Inclination Of Voters.
--Republicans Say They Will remain Firm On Back Tax Cuts For “All” (As In Every Person) Americans.
--Positive August Retail Data Has Stock Futures Gaining.
--Clinton, Mitchell Says Peace Talks Moving In right Direction; But No Evidence Of Progress Reported.
--Lady Gaga Holds Press Conference To declare “I Am Not A Piece Of Meat”; Majority Of Americans Respond “Who Cares”.
--Apparent “Miraculous” Healing Of Massachusetts Jack Sullivan Has Cardinal Newman On Fast track For Beatification.

I think all of these guys who shave their heads are loosing their individuality. When you see a group of them it is much like looking into the window of a newborn nursery at the hospital. All the baldies look pretty much the same. But cute.

Is the incessant chanting at Meadowlands of “J-E-T-S, J-E-T-S an attempt by New Yorkers to tell the rest of the world that they know how to spell?

A reader reports that Buckwheat of “Our Gang Comedy” fame has become a Muslim and changed his name to Kareem of Wheat.

Another reader reminds us that “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed those who are dumber.”

The stat of the Day Department:
Yesterday was the first time since the season of 1915 when two New York baseball teams finished the 9 innings on the same day scoreless.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 93 continues. –I saw eyes peering at our somber march into Jack Wiley’s office. If Izzy was trying to be inconspicuous, it wasn’t working. I noticed Sarah/Maggie’s number one man Bill Claxton looking up from a phone conversation in surprise. And then speaking quickly into the receiver. Was he talking to her.? I felt a little pang at the thought. At the end of elegant corridor the oversized, hand carved wooden door opened. (I thought only government buildings could afford doors like that.) Jack Wiley, an imposing Jack Wiley but not the smiling Jack Wiley stood in the opening. Isabelle went up to him and gave him a small hug. And yet, it wasn’t a business hug. Jack spent a little too long kissing her cheek in return, and then looked up and came to me…very much the businessman. “Hi Kent.” Shook my hand and ushered the three of us quickly into his office. An older looking guy dressed like a prep school graduate was sitting in a leather chair at the corner of a very expensive rug just to the right of the large Chippendale style desk. Or, maybe it was real. Jack turned to Jason and me and introduced Jeff Symington. It was obvious that Izzy already knew him. Izzy has been busier than I ever would imagine, I thought.
“Kent,” started Jack mechanically, “This isn’t going well.” Your incredibly convoluted plan apparently created questions in the minds of observers. And, you haven’t been able to control them. Now,” he looked over at Jason, “we have to take an action I never would have wanted to take. We have to get rid of observers.” I stayed silent. He’s talking of Sarah. Maybe Henry, Sally. Paul Durham. His head lowered as he said, “I really liked Maggie Durham.”

Of course you have to wonder about people who come up with the stats that more and more support actions by organizations and government. A new fact says that Americans are washing their hands more in public restrooms – 85% today versus 77% last year – and that only 7% of women don’t wash as compared to 23% for men. But, who is standing in public wash rooms watching you? That’s the eerie part of this stat. it will really become weird if the next survey says that men only use two squares of toilet paper compared to the women’s three. Big brother is everywhere these days.

It didn’t tale media long to begin scaring the public about gas lines that might be under their sub-divisions. It’s not that natural gas safety isn’t critically important, it’s just that media should take a couple of breaths before they go berserk with scare headlines and news clips. Just another reason to believe that for every news producer there is a brother-in-law lawyer somewhere ready to file a suit.

Quiz Answer: Everybody should know that Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and Jack Kennedy were assassinated. But did you know right away that Andrew Johnson, Chester a Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson were their successors? The two rumored assassinations were Zachary Taylor and Warren Harding.

When Boehner made his tax compromise comments Sunday, all I could think of was the wishy-washy republican congress of the mid 2000’s. Everybody was looking for real change and all they did was jump into bed with the Dems. Political incest produces some deformed bills.