Context speaks louder than words.

Today's Tids Issue 4,079

For Finding Real Meanings:

Did you awaken an hour later yesterday morning, or did Russia hack into your clocks? Oooo-Weeeee-Oooooo. Will we ever be really sure of anything in the future?

Over the years, one of the things I have noticed from replies to this morning mess, is that sometimes people respond to selected words rather than full thoughts. That’s probably part of the problem in national communications –people only see want they want to see to support internal arguments. And, I guarantee that previous sentence also will be interpreted as deeper than it is.

The changing of boy’s haircuts and girls curls generally represents shifting attitudes and growing maturity. Right now I don’t exactly know what my hair style means other than I keep forgetting to go to the barber.

I think what is most injurious to my health system are the incessant rants of Health food preachers. Blood pressure rising, no salt necessary.

Sid Crosby may be the best athlete in American sports today. He is certainly in that tiny group of most respected by his peers.

The Question:

Who are These people – is a favorite Tids “Q” where I am as surprised as you may be by the revelations about what I consider obscure celebrities: Susan Richardson, Tricia O’Neill, Matt Mead, Wallace Langham, Thora Birch and David Anders. Bonus: Poland has voted to make Sunday a day of rest, a no shopping day. Name two other Euro Countries who let the workers rest of Sunday?

The Headlines:

--Major Nor’easter To Blast NE Coast, Again; Could be Biggest Of Recent Triumvirate.

--Stock Markets Open Stronger For Week.

--Five Killed In NYC East River Helicopter Crash; Tour Helicopter Had Been Chartered For Phot Session; 40 Dead In Nepal Airport Crash.

--Coronation Of Xi Is Official.

--China Says It Will Never Respond By Starting A Trade War; They Feel Confident Controlling Their Own economy On World Stage.

--Trump Backtracks On Mandatory Higher Gun Purchase Age; He Was Speaking To Gun Toting Pennsylvania Crowd Ahead Of Key Special Election.

--South Korea Praises China For Contributions In North Korea Talks.

--Selection Sunday Has As Top Four Seeds: Villanova, Xavier, Duke, Kansas.

--Former Microsoft Exec Chris Liddell Could Become Trump’s Next Economic Advisor.

--“Tigermania” Resumes.

Tada! The Tids Final Four is in. I have to say that picking upsets was the order of the day. The long season proved that any team can reach beyond their talent on any given court. But, I also have to note that some of the cream rose to the top during the conference Tournaments. And, of course, the one-and-done's are now playing for contracts. It seems the Midwest region with Duke, Michigan State and Kansas will be a bear. So, I worked though mine last night, and found myself justifying some picks on pure emotion and conference loyalty. Which means, that what you are about to read is probably meaningless as a guide to your own, except as a reason to pick the opposite way. My final four came out as Villanova, Michigan State, Kentucky and Xavier.

A 63-year-old doctor in the area here was sentenced to 5 years for government fraud and for over prescribing Opioids. What struck me first was that the court received 38 letters from people supporting the doc, saying what a wonderful person and physician he was. But the fact also was that he was dead guilty, and fully admitted it all. It reminds me of all the unlawful immigrants who are always awarded nice person status despite their basic crime against the laws of this country. Lots of criminals are nice guys or gals, but any decent society demands order. BTW, in the Docs case, the court also received lots of tearful testimony from his victims who said he started them on their miserable journey into addiction.

Some in Silicon Valley are beginning to wonder if they are on the right train, as sleek and shiny as it was when it beckoned them aboard. It has been heard from software geniuses there that often they do things because they can, without considering the possible effects of collateral damage. i.e. See Facebook wondering about the negative effects of open social messaging; virtual elimination of privacy. And then there is automated driving, everything from cars to small tricks to semis, and who knows what else. Consider the scourge upon a large segment of American jobs – those who drive something for a living, like UPS or big rigs. The pro argument is saving a million lives due to accidents. The anti-effect could be 40 million good paying jobs lost by the absence of a need for drivers. As I think deeper I wonder if we are on a path to the largest welfare society ever as technology knocks out job category after job category. What’s left, taxing technology profits to pay for idle humans? The questions about future societies are myriad.

BTW, “social networking” is looking more and more like the absolutely wrong term for today’s addictive, privacy bashing phenomena. What would be your idea for a replacement term?

Facebook. Fakebook.

When I see photos in newspapers of protesters -- well dressed, well coiffed and apparently well-heeled -- marching for an issue, I never see an associated picture of the people who dearly need the jobs in the industries against which they are protesting.

Robin Williams once said: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind, always.”

As I observe the scene and rhetoric surrounding the Trump tariffs, I’m thinking that as soon as the current Pennsylvania election is over, the anti’s will be mollified.

Did you see where Elizabeth Warren will not run for President saying Saturday that she will never take a DNA test to prove her Native American heritage. I wonder?

So, two birds are sitting aside a puddle of oil watching a worm struggle on the other side. One bird flies over to get the worm while the second bird swims. Which one wins? Why, it is the swimming bird because you all know that “Da oily boid gets da woim.”

There are a lot of reasons why New Englanders like living where they are, even in winter. One of the most frequently heard is “I would miss the changing of seasons”. Mine is, I love that exhilaration when once again I don’t have to wear socks. I’m thinking that it could be a mere two-three weeks away. To each is own.

I might add to Robin Williams’ comments above that a lot of people are fighting battles that they know nothing about. And that is truly sad.

The Answer:

Bath Maine born Susan Richardson was best knowna=for her roole as Susan Bradford on Eight is Enough. After that she had a lackluster career as a repeating contestant on TV game shows and as a celebrity cocaine addict. Tricia O’Neill was Captain Rachel Garret of the starship Enterprise. She also known for her role in “Titanic”.  Matt Mead is the Governor of Wyoming. You may remember Wallace Langham as lab technician David Hodges in CSI. Thora Birch was acclaimed as Best Actress under 9 yo for her role in the 1988 show Purple People eater. She won a Bafta award for Best Supporting Actress in the film American beauty. Most recently she ahs been Morgan in the TV series Colony. David Anders had strong roes as Julian Sark in Alias and as Adam Monroe in Heroes. Since 2015 he ahs been in the series “Zombie”. He likes one word titles. Easier to remember where he is. Bonus: Poland along with Greece are considered to have the hardest working population. The other two countries offering a day of rest on Sunday are Germany and Austria – “A day to take family over compulsive shopping.”

That breathless “Aha” you will hear soon is that day when sockless times are here again. Little victories and private elations are so important, aren’t they.

Somewhere a soldier is lonely, far from home. Sitting in cold or dark; fearing the world he can’t see, just around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I like to stop and think about them. Hoping that somehow they will also feel the love they cannot see.

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

Today's Tids Issue 4,077

For glorious sun.

The non-Fox cable news channels were so stunned by Trump’s NK announcement last night that they had forgotten to call in their negativity experts. In fact, some of the experts who did arrive at CNN and MSNBC desks thought it was a very good move for the USA. The hosts with blank stares on their faces couldn’t move the apparent harmony into negative territory.

Here’s a nice little International Women’s Day tale. Yesterday I was driving down Broadway, and slowed to a stop as I saw a woman enter the crosswalk. Half way across, a woman in a car going the other way stopped abruptly just before the crosswalk. The pedestrian looks at her, obviously not liking the way she stopped, and gives her the finger. The woman in the car lays on the horn. Equality lives.

The crosswalk had become a crasswalk!

No matter what the admin and Trump does to improve world order, and safety for all, the only international objective of the left remains finding a dirty Russia Trump connection.

Serving yourself a complimentary soft drink is a way to get emotional support.

By the way, that title quote was from Aristotle. In darkness, light will always filter through. That was me. It is never as dark as it may seem, unless you just like being angry.

The Question:

What are the Ten Richest Places in America?

The Headlines:

--Trump Accepts Kim Invitation To Meet.

--Stock Analysts Still See Momentum In Aging Bull market; Stocks up Nicely At Mid-Morning; Toys r’ Us Planning To Liquidate US operations.

--US Adds 330,000 Jobs In February.

--Repubs Call For Dem Congressional Farrakhan Backers To Resign; Critics Say It Is Racist Because All Louis Backers Are In Black Caucus.

--Musk Backs Trump Tariffs; Gary Cohn May Return to White House.

--View’s Joy Behar Apologizes To Pence Get Off Official White House S--- List; Refuses To Say I’m Sorry To Millions Of Christians She Insulted.

--Tennessee US House Seat Candidate Atheist Dem Gayle Jordan Vows To Rid US Of “In God We Trust”.

As far as I’m concerned “Homeland” is still as good as it gets on TV.

Headline of the Future: McDonald’s Closed Temporarily For Scheduled Robot Oil Change.

While the media hacks seem to imply that China is not helping us out on sanctions against NK, some Dem analysts last night noted that Trump pressure has reduced trucks coming into NK from China from about 100 per day to 10 per day. Even Kim notices that.

I read where ex-Prez Obama is in talks with Netflix to produce a series of shows. They could be a little slanted and a lotta unwatchable. It will be “unfiltered” Obama to the streamer’s 113 Million worldwide, a broad platform for his Emperor of the Universe campaign. In addition, he already reaches 101 mil through Twitter and 50 mil through Facebook. So while you may think you haven’t heard much out of him, hundreds of millions have. There are no borders for the Kenyan-Indonesian-American.

Northeast golf courses are threatening to open up early. They must see something I don’t.

I have opinions. Tid’s readers have opinions. Factions within the US have opinions on the effects of the tariffs. But, the fact remains that it is very complicated.  The entire manufacturing landscape is loaded with mountains and valleys and companies at sea.

One of the worst current excuses is, “Give her a break – it’s only a comedian making a bad joke.”

I read a lot f the Mueller stuff and related information, and while there may never be a Trump-Russia-Election connection, he entirety of the process is opening doors many other possible misdoings by the President in his distant past. Or at least, Dems are hoping now that the Russia connection seems to be cooling, that Mueller unearths more evil in the Presidents past. What ever happened to forgiveness. I thought liberals were supposed to be kind.

I’m writing this in the service waiting room of my Jeep dealer. I thought it would eb a refreshing change offering me the opportunity for more observations outside my normal Tid’s box. It isn’t working. My main objective right now is not getting into a conversation with the other waiters who seem eager to make this some kind of early AM party. They obviously don’t grasp the immensity of my task.

The Dems love talking about chaos in the White House, but the real chaotic future for the USA come from those enabling “Illegal” immigration.

Actually, one grizzled guy sitting across from me looks like the head of a local citizen’s militia. He keeps staring at me as I type. I hope he knows I’m on his side. Maybe if I stop typing he won’t think I’m a mainstream, drive-by journalist.

The other guy in the room is either a lacrosse coach, or an old guy wo likes to dress like a teenager.

So far, there haven’t been a lot of early round upsets in conference tournament championship play.

For all of the athleticism, there are an awful lot of poor shooters in college basketball.

Reading Between the Lines Movie Reviews:

--A Wrinkle in Time is getting a big push from some critics mainly because a favorite Hollywood lefty, Ava DuVernay, is the first black women director to get over a $100 Million budget for a pic. Unfortunately, she wasted it, and also a well-known cast including Oprah. It’s about a young girl of intelligent parents questioning her self-esteem who sets out on a quest to find a missing man by journeying to Earth. This Sci-Fi children’s classic tale got messed up in DuVernay’s translation. A minority of critics gave it a passing grade and the audiences reactions were even lower.

Of four other movies -- Gringo, The Hurricane Heist, The Strangers: Prey at Night and The Thoroughbreds -- only The Thoroughbreds didn’t suck badly. Actually, The Thoroughbreds is pretty good. Two well-off, fairly sophisticated female teens have a problem: One teen’s oppressive stepfather. They join with an older male friend to take matters into their own hands. A good Black comedy.

The Answer:

For the second year in a row, Atherton Cal (Ave household income $443,403) was number one in The USA. Next is Cherry Hills Colorado (Pot Sales?), Scarsdale NY, Los Altos Hills Ca, Short Hills NJ, Hillsborough Ca, Old Greenwich Ct, Bronxville NY, Highland Park Texas and Darien Ct. On the entire list of the Top 100, many Midwestern City areas are gaining a lot of ground.

How come so many of the new Hollywood comedies lately are classified Black, instead of light and simply funny?

I’ll be back Monday with my NCAA Final Four picks. I’m sure you won’t lose sleep waiting for it.

Have a great one, E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y!!

The Janus Effect.

Today's Tids Issue 4,076

For smiling, deliriously happy women:

From millennials to octogenarians, from liberals to conservatives, from carnivores to herbivores, we have two faces looking the other way -- without periphery vision. That, perhaps over simplified, is The issue in the USA. It’s time for the only group to not have marched on Washington to group together, to rise up and ease the discourse – the Moderates!

The latest USA rage among thieves is Tubas! Say what? Will Oompa appropriation precede an Oprah nomination? You’ll know at the next Stephen Colbert solo Sousaphone concert.

You can always tell when the Trump admin has done something absolutely right by the intensity of the media scramble to find something negative about an event or law of action.

The Tid’s always has at its orange fingertips a loyal squad of savvy scouts for scrumptious snacks. One of our truly best has found it, and is the first to report on the next national taste trend…Cheetos Popcorn! That’s right, you heard correctly the magic word – C-h-e-e-t-o-s. Yes once again The Tids is ahead of the rest of the nation. They laughed at Christopher Columbus and were snickering when The Tids became preoccupied with the orange, finger messing snack. Stay ahead. Stay tuned to the Tids.

The Question:

Who are considered the Five Worst generals In US History?

The Headlines:

--Wall Street Could Bounce Back As President Appears To Have Softened Tariff Rhetoric; FED Beige Book Says New Tax Plan Is Boosting Average Wages; New Jobless benefits Claims Rise After Last Week’s All-Time Lo.

--Cigna To Buy Express Scripts For $67 billion.

--Small Banks Looking For Trump To Undo Damage Wrought By Obama.

--AG Sessions Hits Hard At Sanctuary Cities Flaunting US Law; Legal Experts Say Cities Are Vulnerable.

--Schumer Reveals Plan To Cut Trillion From Tax Cuts To Pay For Infrastructure.

--Woman’s March Leadership Under Fire For Continuing Ties To Louis Farrakhan.

Latest Nor’Easter Spares NE Coast; Inland Receives Up to 2 Feet Of Snow.

Some people love Brussel sprouts and other people love guns. And neither can understand the whims of the other. That’s just the way the world works. Get used to it.

How the media works, Department:

A headline yesterday said, “Secretary of Education Voss Visits Parkland School. The Sub Head said: “Some kids are not happy.” I would say that most kids had no significant reaction positive or negative to the visit by a Washington Big. But the media will always look for the handful of negative reactions, especially when this current admin might be doing something right..

Think of the billions spent on the scopes to look into deep space. Some will say it is just an expensive way for scientists to get data to finish a Phd thesis. Others will say it helps us find significant universe revelations, which will take a space trip of about twenty human generations to reach the findings for verification.

So, this bartender got used to a doctor coming in after work each day for a hazelnut daiquiri. One day he ran out of hazelnuts, and substituted hickory nuts. The physician arrived on time as usual and the drink there was ready for him. After two sips, the doctor said aloud, “This isn’t a hazelnut daiquiri!” The bartender replied, “I’m sorry, it’s a hickory daiquiri, doc.”

The Mayor of Oakland California looks like a communist mole to me.

So, our new world seems to boil down to CVS/Aetna versus Cigna/Express Scripts. Is that about it?

If President Trump’s effort delivers a denuclearized North Korea, the headlines will read, “Trump’s peace treaty with Kim eliminates millions of US Defense jobs. Unions To rally in Big DC March for War.”

Oh, BTW, for some reason or another today is Women’s Day. Just in case you feel pretty in pink.

Oh yeah, and Lesley Vonn says she has trouble finding dates. It’s ok if you want to step up to honor National Women’s day.

The Answer:

There will be opinions on this one but here this list by Michael Peck on the website “The National Interest”: Horatio Gates, George McClellan (The Civil War was a factory for producing bad generals like Brandon Bragg and Ambrose Burnside.), Lloyd Fredendall (WWII), Douglas Mac Arthur and Tommy Franks (Iraq). I’m sure Viet Nam Vets have some strong opinions on bad generals.  

Nothing would make me happier than to have all of the woman smiling at the end of this day, their day.

 See you tomorrow.

Did ja hear…

Today's Tids Issue #4,075

For a chuckle or two:

I sent myself a chicken by FedEx and an egg by UPS. I wanted to see which came first.

I never realized how much my life is organized by habit until somebody moves something.

If there is one thing Jimmy Kimmel proved Sunday was that you don’t have to be funny to get laughs before a gaggle of celebrities. His biggest punch line of the night, always producing uproarious laughter, was “Christopher Plummer”! Occasionally, just to get the lavish guests off track, he would drift to another favorite, Meryl Streep, and the coiffed and bangled audience would be rolling on the floor maniacally. I think getting laughs at a celebrity occasion is pretty simple as most of the Hollywood crowd would never want to be seen as not getting a joke. “Christopher Plummer!” Oh wow, what a zany.

The deplorables have been upgraded by none other than social activist Cornel West who dubbed Trump and followers – No Nothing Narcissists. Yikes! West, at local speech yesterday, also added something which makes a lot of sense to me – Identity politics suck. That’s voting for a person by gender, race or ethnicity because you are of that gender, race or ethnicity. It is probably the worst way to elect good representation and leadership.

The Question:

What was the name of the Pope who excommunicated Henry the VIII?

The Headlines:

--Cohn Resignation Hammering Stocks At Opening; Oil Prices Fall On Tarff War Fears.

--Trump Seems To Lighten Up On Tough Tariff Stance; EU Vows To fight US.

--Clinton Missouri Police Officer 18^th In 2018 To Be Killed In Response To Call For Help.

--East Coast Prepares Another Nor’Easter.

--In Surprise, Dems Join Repub Effort To Roll back Dodd-Frank.

--Trump DoJ Sues California For Unconstitutional Immigration Laws And Actions.

A guy came up to me the other day and said, “I have eleven toes. I looked back and said, “That’s an odd collection.”

Christopher Plummer! Haha he-he, har har har…

The all-time “Cake and eat it too” Princess might just be former Mayor of Nashville, the very attractive, Meghan Barry. She actually did have it all, but now she has nothing after it was discovered that not only was she, a married woman, having an intense fling with her security chief, but had embezzled $10 K from the City treasury to finance it. What makes people so stupid?

Gary Cohn, an adult in the White House, will be missed.

In 1980 in America, it took 10.5 manhours to produce a ton of steel. Today it takes 1.4 manhours to produce a ton of steel. And because of it, the American steel companies are very profitable. It doesn’t look like steel tariffs are going to produce a mass of jobs. At least, as long as Americans continue to produce scrap.

Food delivery apps could have a serious negative effect on the restaurant business. They are very acceptable to people who don’t like to cook. Now they just have to sway the peeps who don’t like to clean up after the meal.

So, a guy goes into restaurant on Christmas morning and orders Eggs Benedict. After a short wait, the eggs arrive served on a hub cap. The diner asks the waiter, “Why the hubcap?” The waiter sings in return, There’s no place like chrome for the hollandaise.”

Christopher Plummer!

We are talking about China and why we need tariffs to protect America from their dumping. I really don’t believe China cares. Really. They seem to do their own thing, regardless. They have so much on their plate that is proactive, that they may not in the future even need a robust US economy to help further their growth. They need a good idea, they just hack into one of our corporate or government secret computer installations. But, more so, they are making their own world. Their westward expansion is at a fever pitch with new railroads and high speed thruways linking the landlocked vast western China (And, other Asian countries) to deep water ports in Pakistan. In fact the seaport they have built in that country’s Gwadar is already one of the largest transshipment cargo facilities in the world! China is obviously controlling the growth of their own future, and now with Xi looking to be at the helm for probably at least another 20 years, the continuity of big idea expansion should not be interrupted. When we think inward, we may miss out on opportunities grasped by countries thinking forward.

So, did you hear about the scientist who threw a clone out of the 14th floor window after clone called him a phony asshole? The police arrested the scientist for making an obscene clone fall!

The Answer:

Pope Clement VII threatened Henry with excommunication after Catherine of Aragon told him that hubby Henry was fooling around with, and wanted to marry, Anne Boleyn. Henry married her, and was excommunicated. Henry started the Anglican church. Clement was Known as “The Most unfortunate of Popes”. He not only lost the English church, but inherited the fast-growing Martin Luthor protestant Reformation. He also got caught in the middle of a dispute but also a dispute between to powerful kings Charles V and Francis I of France. Asked to choose sides, he didn’t win. Actually, Clement was considered a good guy and was quite intelligent. Aside from the political quagmire of his reign, he was the guy who commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel…and much more – like approving Nicolaus Copernicus theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

I watch people’s faces turn red with their incredibly intense anti Trump rants. I have decided that the he world is better with stupid jokes.

Christopher Plummer!

Wishing upon a star.

Today's Tids Issue 4,074

For starlight:

Kim Jong Un told South Korean leaders he is committed to “De-Nuke” talks with the US. That sounds like good news to me…until politicians get involved. Maybe Jiminy Cricket is listening after all.

One of the great things about winter in the north is that you don’t lose balls playing golf.

I’ll tell you what sounds interesting – Stephen Hawking says he knows what happened before the Big Bang. That could be particularly interesting if you believe in the big bang. Just to clear up the mystery about something that has no end or beginning, he says that “the boundary condition of the universe… is that it has no boundary.” Duh. To make that clearer, consider that in other words he’s saying there is no time before time began as time was always there. I don’t really think he knows, but he expresses himself well.

Or as Emma Watson says, “Times Up”.

I never paid much attention to politics until I grew old and had nothing better to do. Politics: Tiddlywinks for the idle.

There’s a lot of things that could be solved in Washington if we didn’t have elections.

Did you know that Raymond Burr had a lumberjack brother named Tim?

The Question:

There is anew telescope that is better than the Hubble. It’s the Webb and scientists expect it to uncover many secrets of the universe. Name five.

The Headlines:

--Kim Jong Un Tells SK Leaders He Won’t Attack; Commits To De-Nuke Talks With USA.

--NK News Has Stock Futures Looking Upward; Beer Institute Says Aluminum Tariff Could Cost 20,000 US jobs; US CEO’s Increase Lobby Efforts Against Tariff.

--Dems Making Big Waves In Early Texas Primaries.

--Netanyahu Says US/Israel Elations Never Better.

--Micky D’s Rolls Out Fresh, Sassy Beef Patty Plan; Says Customers Tired Of Stale, Warn-Out Beef Patties.

--Wal-Mart Enters Meal Kit Business.

So if someone steals my identity, does that mean they also get all of my afflictions.

Michelle Malkin suggests that if schools were as fortified and secured as celebrity’s homes, there would be less chance of repeated massacres. Why don’t celebrities think of that instead of jumping immediately on the anti-gun bandwagon.

Why is Sean pronounced Shawn instead of seen, but Dean is pronounced Deen instead of Dawn. Did you ever wonder that?

BTW, I missed last week’s movie reviews, and frankly I was prepared to get excited over The Red Sparrow. But Critics didn’t like it and audiences were lukewarm. It still sounds like a good thoughtful Russia spy flick to me.

Do you know how you can feel momentum for an agenda rising? I’m feeling a growing movement to get rid of prisons. Frankly, it is easy to believe just about anything these days. Keep everybody out of prison through electronic control monitored by an app. It’s all great until the power goes off.

I know I am the typo man, but Emma Watson may have become the queen of grammatical errors. At the Oscars her feminist tattoo on the forearm really stood out mainly because it said “Times Up” instead of the correct Time’s Up. And she went to Brown U. Maybe it’s Rhodeislandese.

Oscar ratings have collapsed like a dying star…like to a whopping all-time low of 26.4%! Maybe people really would prefer entertainment over one sided political horn tooting. Why can’t celebs be happy with their multi-millions instead of thinking their opinions count.

So I’m thinking, how can there be a big bang if there was nothing but time before hand.

Newspapers are in a fight for their lives, but it appears that in the ownership’s drive to save pennies they are destroying their delivery services. You can hire the best editors and win loads of Pulitzers, but if you can’t get the product into the hands of readers on time, then basically they have nothing but a room full of smart people behind word processors.

The only difference between Obama chaos and Trump chaos is that the media liked Obama.

Volvo’s XC40 was just named Europe’s “Car of the Year”. Maybe you’ll see little Volvos running around the US shortly. They will certainly be prominent in China.

The Answer:

The new Webb scope may find water on Exoplanets, allow scientists to see the formations of the first galaxies, look for signs of life on Europa and Enceladus, investigate Brown Dwarfs and observe the Red Spectrum. You knew that. Maybe it can find little space ships planet hopping.

Star Light, Star bright,

Is Stephen hawking’s theory, right?

Cause I think it’s slightly odd.

More than likely it was God.

Looking for humility

Today's Tids Issue 4,073

For slowing down and thinking:

I listened to the entire Billy Graham memorial service on the radio Friday. I found myself moved, often. I loved the words of his sister and the beautiful poem by a 13-year-old girl named Ruth, who would one day be his wife. He was a man of passion for one single quest -- that all would know what he believed; that all would find the truth in perfect love. He was an adviser to leaders around the globe, and changed the lives of hundreds of millions as he preached in massive stadiums and simple villages. Yet, he was teachable, always learning. What I remember most, was that this same man revered by throngs, was the simple man, the caring father who wrapped his arms around a scared and insecure daughter seeking only his unconditional love. He was never bigger than the smallest circumstance. Maybe that’s our lesson.

I went to a zoo and saw a baguette in a cage. Zoo keeper said it was bread in captivity.

I am sincerely humbled and apologetic today having actually missed a weekday Tids last Friday. But the good news is that you all had a three day angst free weekend.

Speaking of humility, a reader notes another choice in response to my Thursday Question of the Day about the most often misspelled word. He suggests it is actually the often misplaced “Fro” instead of “For” in the subject line of most daily Tids. I suggest that fro was spelled exactly correctly, just perhaps the not the word I had in mind.

March Madness is upon us, with just this week of Conference tournaments preceding Selection day. As I look around, I don’t see a clear favorite. I thought for a while, that some of the “one-and-done” schools would be seeing a maturation of their anointed young players, but judging by recent loses by Kentucky, Kansas and may others, that is not the case. We are truly in an anybody-can-beat-anybody-on-any-given-day era. The media may call lesser teams beating better teams on paper, upsets -- but I am just seeing the better team winning.

I love the way technology is going. It was a great leap when you could talk into your smart phone and it would type a text. Then, I learned that the text at the other end could be transformed into a voice. Now, think how great it would be if they found a way to get rid of the text in the middle. I wonder…

The Question:

Doctor Roger Bannister died yesterday. What did he do? He had an Australian rival. Name him.

The Headlines:

--Dow Opens Lower; Nasdaq, S&P Higher; Trade War Threat Disconcerting; 23 Retail Companies Plan Store Closings, Including Macy’s And CVS.

--Soule Says Kim Jong Un Meeting SK Officials In Pyongyang.

--Trade War Escalating Before It Begins.

--Nothing Happening On Today’s DACA Deadline.

--Germany Government Lives After Months Of Indecisiveness; Social Democrats Vote Fir Renewed Coalition With Merkel’s Conservatives.

--Oscars: Best Director and Pic -- Del Toro For Shape Of Water; Best Actor – Gary Oldham; Best Actress – Francis McDormand; Best Supporting Were Allisson Janney and Sam Rockwell.

--Italy Elections End In Deadlock.

I missed my music, the soaring strings, the silent rumble of tympani neath the strains. I miss the emotions of a rising crescendo, the promise that would come. I miss the satisfaction felt when the final notes cease, and sense the beauty lingering on. I miss my music when it is not there. I never knew until it was gone.

I think one of our biggest problems is not enough people having any idea of history. In fact, I believe that the Pols, and certainly activists, count on voters not knowing what happened in the past. Maybe History should be one of the prime subjects taught; history that is, without the personal opinions of teachers thrown in.

Just think if there was more humility. People might begin listening to ideas foreign to their own.

I have a great new idea for a new vegetarian cereal – Fried potato bits.

The market is in a period of consolidation, which is to be expected after a runup that was basically beyond belief.

I’d be a lot humbler if I could find a way to stop using “I” and “Me” in the Tids. I like myself when I am humble.

The Cows aren’t coming back, Department:

This tariff suggestion bothers me. It seems like a clear-cut solution to declining manufacturing jobs, but it isn’t that simple. In RI in the 1950’s there were over 400 dairy farms. Today there are nine. There are also only nine integrated steel mills remaining from an industry that was the basis for American wealth and power. (Note: There are 114 “Mini-Mills” – small and profitable steel makers who create new steel mainly out of scrap.) Just as the farms gave way to urban sprawl and new land usages, steelmaking waned, opening the door for a new economic era, replacement jobs in the lower paying service industries. Not a great trade-off at all, but that’s what happened. Like the mighty textile industries before them and other key manufacturing businesses, wage escalation forced. first, intra USA movement and finally offshore capitulation. Wages were just too high for US companies to be competitive in the emerging global market place, which now is more dominant than ever. We’ll never get the cows back in RI, and we have moved on from steel making too. Today, getting back steel as it was is a nice dream.

I remember in the 1970’s sitting in the offices of a company that was the largest steel mill construction company in the world. They told me then that building steel mills in the US was long gone andd all of their new facilities were being built in mainly third world countries, and other foreign fledgling manufacturing places, like Korea and China and Brazil.  

The art of making TV commercials should be focused on creating messages that make sense in the “Fast Forward” mode.

I didn’t stay with the Oscars very long last night. In fact, I didn’t get any further than the first interview where an Actress said on the Red carpet, “This is a religious experience.” If there ever was a Golden Calf in today’s society, it would be Hollywood. –A fashion observer noted that many the gowns of the female celebrities were of the new so-called “Nude” styling. Hmmm. This at a show dedicated to Time’s Up, #Me Too et al. –Jimmy Kimmel was not very funny at all last night. In fact, Trump had many more laughable jokes at the DC Touchdown Club Awards two nights earlier. --Ryan Seacrest was snubbed by the elite during the Red carpet, even after being fully exonerated from the accusations. –Last night was deemed most predictable Oscars of all time with absolutely no surprises. –Most people would agree that H-Wood can be very good at entertaining. That’s why they exist, but politics has taken the fun out of their big night. –-One thing that I notice is missing as the stars congregate and self-congratulate – humility.

Over in Poland, the government is afraid younger generations will not have enough knowledge of history to fully understand the past The Legislature is voting to abolish the phrase “Polish Death Camps”. The reason of course is that some historically uninformed activists may overreact thinking the that the Poles ran the camps that were indeed in Poland, but fully owned and operated by Germany.

Caterpillar is a US manufacturing giant. It’s huge world rival is Komatsu of Japan. So, what happens to the competitive edge when Cat has to used higher priced tariffed steel and Komatsu doesn’t?

Networks should allow the Republicans to have a response message after the Oscars, similar to that of the out party speaking following the SOTU Message.

As I drive around the country I have observed that all skinny people riding bicycles look exactly the same.

Mr. Humility: President Trump said yesterday: “Nobody does self-deprecating humor better than I do.”

A phrase that bothers me which is often used to in lawsuits is “Or, should have known”. That unfairly opens the door for the accusation of just about anybody remotely associated with some event.

One of the problems with the media is that they don’t seem to understand that there are lots of Americans who think entirely different than they do.

Oddly as noted above, I often misspell for as fro. But for some bio-cerebral reason I also always first type “From” as “Form”. Go figure.

I hear that there is a guy running for office in Chicago solely on the platform of “We need Pot”. I have to believe that Chicago has a lot bigger problems than the absence of Pot in society.

83% of the faculty of Lehigh University have voted to take back Donald Trump’s honorary PHD given to him in 1988. I don’t believe in take backs, form degrees and honors ot and tearing down statues. In 1988 DT was probably awarded the honor for his success in business. Because you don’t like him today doesn’t change at all what precipitated the award in the first place. Maybe if people really knew history of specific times. the rush to dishonor the past accomplishments would not be quite so crazed.

I should note that a fairly right of center talk show host, an alumnus of the University Michael Smerconish, did a poll on the subject, receiving about 3000 answers. 79% agreed with the professors. How sad is that. (Note: this was a call-in response poll, not scientific.)

Being able to make our own steel in times of conflict is certainly part of a complete national security model.

The Answer:

Of course, you all knew that Roger Bannister was the first to accomplish something that nobody ever thought could be accomplished – breaking the four-minute mile. His big adversary was Australian John Landy, and their races were considered major world sports events.

I’d like to think we could begin to view the world more simply, more from the heart and less from the emotions of manufactured cultural ideals. That the standards that define humans would be internal rather than material. That we would look at people as they are, and not dismissively by comparison.

Poem written by 13-Year-old Ruth Bell:

Dear God, I prayed, all unafraid

(as we’re inclined to do),

I do not need a handsome man

but let him be like You;

I do not need one big and strong

nor yet so very tall,

nor need he be some genius,

or wealthy, Lord, at all;

but let his head be high, dear God,

and let his eye be clear,

his shoulders straight, whate’er his state,

whate’er his earthly sphere;

and let his face have character,

a ruggedness of soul,

and let his whole life show, dear God,

a singleness of goal;

then when he comes

(as he will come)

with quiet eyes aglow,

I’ll understand that he’s the man

I prayed for long ago.

Hoping.

Today's Tids Issue 4071

For Optimism:

Aah March! Where predictions of spring often turn muddy. But the Irish and Italians will not be deterred as they march on their favorite saint’s days; green beers flows and zeppolas delight; be it bitter cold, or dazzling sun. Basketball crazies bow to their gods, and offices lose 50% of employee’s attention. The crack of the bats get closer, and northerners begin dreams of golf. March, the interim Month, that promises a lot, and actually sometimes delvers.

March is called the Tids month – too windy!

If you think President Trump has been hounded by the press during his first year, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Wait until the six months leading up to the midterm elections.

I am always hoping that the mad, mad world will come to its senses. That the sky will open up and a tranquil light of rationality will infect the minds of all. That’s what I hope. But, it needs work.

The Question:

What is the most often misspelled word? Bonus: When do you think Rio de Janiero was founded?

The Headlines:

--World Markets Considerably Lower Following Yesterday’s US Stock Collapse.

--Nor’easter Expected To Devour New England Friday To Saturday.

--Gun Control Battle Causing Agita Among Execs In Corner Offices; Wal-Mart Raises Gun Purchase Age.

--SEC Launches Probe Into Cryptocurrency.

--New Poll Has California Dead Last In Quality Of Life.

--Twitter Nation Blasts Actor Chris Pratt For Suggesting We Pray For Director Kevin Smith.

I’m getting addicted to the Price is Right.

Personally, I’m not that fond of all of this high-tech progress. The internet is always reminding you of what you didn’t do or should be doing, and it creates a lot of guilt.

Now Trump is madder than hell at Jeff Sessions. I kinda like Jeff Sessions. You know a lot of bosses get madder than hell at employees, but somehow in this White House it is always out there in public. Maybe Trump should be madder than hell at the people leaking the dirt.

Considering the trillions of car miles driven each year, we really don’t have that many accidents at all.  As I said yesterday, the new media makes little things look big.

There’s no truth to the rumor that Hillary is asking China to make up their next dossier for 2020.

Now, the righteous of Boston Red Sox ownership want to change the name of Yawkey Way back to Jersey Street – as in Jersey Housewives and Jersey Shore. Tom Yawkey owned the Sox for 44 years, the longest ownership in baseball history. He took them form the post-Ruth trade dregs to competitive darlings with high paid, great players like Ted and Bobby and Dom. He donated millions to cancer research, his foundation contributing to the establishment of a state of the art research at Dana Farber. He  funded and protected thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive pristine lands off the South Carolina Coast. But he had one problem, the “R” word. No matter what a person does in a lifetime to be rightfully honored, one word today can send you to hell.  It’s a travesty.

Hoping is Ok, but getting out there and doing something is always better. Sitting on the sidelines is hard. Getting out there is easy…well after a few gulps, and hesitations.

Nancy Pelosi sounds more like an uninformed Hollywood starlet than a leader of the Democrat party.

Apparently, the seals in Newport harbor enjoyed basking on the rocks this past warmish February. I wonder if the weather patterns confuse them as they do me.

Jeff Sessions replied to President Trump surveillance criticisms saying: “As long as I am the Attorney General, I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor.” I don’t believe that is the response DT wanted to hear.

The Answer:

Well, we just passed it – February. Bonus: Rio was stablished by Portuguese explorer Estacio de Sa in 1565.

I think my hopes of wakening to a world of harmony could materialize if politicians and their active followers would take a year off.