Christmas is an amazing time of year. This is the one time of year we get a glimpse of what the world would be like if we all lived the way we know we should. And that's a great glimpse. I love this time of year. I love the festive spirit, the sights, the sounds and the smells. This is a happy time when people feel charitable, forgiving and friendly. It is the one time of year we all try to live up to our better natures. So take this opportunity to think about the people you love, the things that make you happy, and focus on the good side of life. Think about how you can be a better person to those around you and enjoy the Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas everyone (and assorted holidays)!
As always, consider this an open thread.
167 comments:
Merry Christmas! I, too, love this time of year, even though it's personally a much smaller-scale affair today, family-wise, than in my childhood days. But the lights and decorations, the music, the (mostly) good/cheery attitudes, the food, the giving and receiving with family and friends, the evergreen and cinnamon aromas, the overall joy... just can't be beat.
One personal film-related Christmas tradition of mine, in recent years, is this--
On a long afternoon or evening, either during the weekend before Christmas, or on Christmas Eve, I play these back-to-back, in the following order:
1.) A CHRISTMAS CAROL (the 1951 Alastair Sim version)
2.) THE AVENGERS: "Too Many Christmas Trees" (1965)
3.) ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
--what neat about this, is that each passes a baton to the next, besides the general Christmas settings. The Sim CAROL has Patrick MacNee (as young Jacob Marley) and character actor Mervyn Johns playing Bob Cratchit. The AVENGERS episode has MacNee and Diana Rigg attend a Dickens-themed Christmas party being thrown by... Mervyn Johns, where some mind-control and spy-jinks ensue. And, of course, OHMSS has Rigg, more spy-jinks, and more mind control shennanigans. It does all end on a downer, but tossing on something short afterward, like a classic Christmas-themed cartoon, takes the sting away.
New Year's Eve/Day, on the other had, always seemed like a rather empty/useless holiday to me. Oh, sure, I used to watch the ball drop with Guy Lombardo (and later, Dick Clark) on TV when I was a kid, but that was about it. I never got into the 'resolutions' game, and I'm generally not a party-goer, so it's basically a generic day off.
Oh, I just watched THE WORLD'S END (from Edgar Wright, director of SCOTT PILGRIM) the other night, and enjoyed it. I won't say anything about it now, as it works best if you see it cold, but the dilemma the protagonists have to deal with is rather interesting in some respects, reminding me of something covered a lot on Commentarama, and I'd love to read Andrew's take on it on a future Film Friday.
Backthrow, Merry Christmas! I never has much use for New Year's Eve either. Of all the holidays, this one seems like the flimsiest and it feels like the end of the season rather than the start of something fresh.
When it comes to Christmas viewing, I try to catch the Rankin Bass stuff, the Muppet Christmas Carol, and, of course, The Grinch.
I will definitely review "The World's End" at some point. I've enjoyed Wright's stuff quite a bit for the most part, and I thought Scott Pilgrim was genius.
Andrew.....Was flipping through channels last night and saw Charlie Brown's Christmas on one of the ABC/CBS/NBC main channels. Nice surprise and brought back my childhood for a few moments.
Amazing how Christmas is all about looking back isn't it? Not much forward looking thought. Even presents are exchanged because of how "naughty or nice" someone was in the past year and hopes that they will be nicer next year and get better presents!
New Years is mostly about the New Years Eve parties, and MADD has taken all the fun out of that holiday!! No use for that party anymore.
Merry Christmas, Andrew and the rest of you Commentaramarians(sp?) !!
Our Christmas movie tradition is led by Scrooge (1970)- the musical with Albert Finney. It is our favorite because Finney does the best job at showing how Scrooge becomes Scrooge, but moreso because, of all the versions of this story, this one spends the most time celebrating Scrooge's redemption and does so in an absolutely extravagant manner.
And, when the lead song is "I hate People," how can you go wrong?
**Newsflash***
I interrupt your Christmas cheer for two recent announcements:
1. A Canada court has just struck down all of Canada's anti-prostitution laws. So, um, book your flights early...;-)
2. Obama strikes again. So, remember that lie "If you like it you can keep it" stuff? Well, as expected (really, did you think he wouldn't?) President "I don't need no freakin' Congress" Obama, has issued a reprieve to all of those unfortunates who lost their insurance due to misunderstanding with the insurance industry that ALL plans needed to conform to a pre-determined set of standard which wasn't specifically in the legislation because it WAS the legislation (but hey, whose counting, right?). They can now get a "hardship exemption" and/or enroll in the low priced Catastrophic plans previously only approved for those 27 to 30 year olds. The WH is touting this as a "common sense clarification"! Uh, not for the insurance companies though. More confusion to ensue...YEY, Obama! Clarification=Chaos/confusion
***End Newsflash***
I have decided that my favorite film of "A Christmas Carol" is the 1938 version starring Reginald Owen as Scrooge.
Bev, Ho ho ho, eh. ;-P
Patriot, I think Christmas is about reflection first of all, but then change most importantly. It's about asking who you want to be in the future, which is why Scrooge fits the holiday so perfectly.
KRS and Bev, I think it's interesting that everyone has their own favorite versions of "Christmas Carol." I think that really speaks to the quality of the work itself that there isn't a definitive version.
And yeah, how can you go wrong with the song, "I hate people!" LOL!
BTW, Here is a great FREE ap for people with kids: "My Singing Monsters"
It's on both Apple and Android. You slowly build up an island full of monsters. Each monster you add sings a little part of a song - like a base line or a "doo... doo... doo." Together, they slowly create a song.
LINK
I found this to be really fascinating.
ooh, I will try that app. It sounds like fun...but would you think ill of me if I use it without the kids?
Bev, LOL! Heck no! Right now, my phone is singing at me...bum, bum bum, bum, buuum, bum. This is really cool. :)
Andrew, I sent you an e-mail a couple days ago.
Just sayin'... reply, as always, at your leisure. :-)
i-Phones?!? Cellphones?!?
Humbug!
Be off with you!!
Backthrow, What's funny is that there's no reason in the world to play this game, yet it becomes highly addictive. NEED MORE SINGING MONSTERS!!!
Andrew,
Shades of "Scrap Fi-Ap"!
Andrew,
That app reminds me of Loco Roco, a 2006 PSP game in which you played a singing blob who when it grew bigger could break into a bunch of little blobs. When the blog was a giant, it had a single voice (whose timbre was affected by its size) but when it broke into a bunch of little blobs, it had multiple voices. Its an insanely cute game which became a cult hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pFKpyScxv0k
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/locoroco-themed-nursery-is-mui-mui-amazing/
Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone on the off chance I'm too busy to post again between now and then.
Backthrow, I've never seen that before. Interesting.
Anthony, I remember ads for that, but I never played it. It might be similar in concept. This is one of these games where you buy a monster and then feed it. Then you use the money it produces to buy more monsters and upgrade your island. And the whole time, the monsters start forming a singing group. It sounds like it should be boring, but it's amazingly addictive and, to borrow your phrase, it's insanely cute.
In any event, Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Anthony! Have a really great holiday and thank you for being a valued part of the Commentarama family!
Throwback, Must weigh in on Alistair Simms nice n scary Christmas Carol is the best!
Also, Andrew, New Years Eve is painful when you are a teenager and have to babysit, painful when you are in your twenties and are mostly in-between boyfriends and painful when you are young marrieds and can't find a sitter just to go out for dinner. Now that I'm old I can have the neighbors over or vice versa and walk home!
I am grateful for such a good year and have felt myself more eager to help less advantaged. How nice :)!
Merry Christmas and may Saturday be your last shopping day !
CrisD - I've missed you and your insightful comments! Though Reginald Owen is the best Scrooge! There, I said it! You are wrong. ;-)
Hope all is well. And I concur about New Years Eve.. But for me New Year has been providing the entertainment for New Year's Eve revelers, and since I've been in NY avoiding the amateur and might I say, obnoxious revelers (a/k/a drinkers!) And finding a cab on New Year's Eve is almost impossible.
Merry, merry Christmas to you and yours and a Happy New Year to the same!
Anthony and Cris, What Bev said! :D Sorry, the singing monsters are clouding my mind and my comments.... 8-/
In all seriousness, Cris, I find New Years to be a bit depressing because it's the end of the holiday season and people seem to revert very quickly to the way they were before the holidays. Still, I shall enjoy it. :)
Merry Christmas and I wish you the best New Year!
Bev, Shouldn't New Years Eve be a good time to practice your pickpocketing? :)
BTW, Bev, Thanks for everything you've contributed to the site too this year, from your articles to your wit. Commentarama wouldn't be the same without you! :D
Andrew and CrisD - Frankly, it is even more depressing because I have to squeeze my birthday in between Christmas and New Years...I blame my parents. 8-/
And Andrew, I stopped pickpocketing years ago. Oops, I've said too much. Anyways, people have icky things in their pockets in the winter!
And Andrew, thanks! It is a constant privilege to be a part of such a great group and it's because of you! Blessings to you for another great year!.
Bev, I've honestly never thought about that, but you are right, this would be a nasty time of year to pickpocket!
"I blame my parents" LOL!
You're welcome! And I agree, this is a heck of a great group of people to debate with every day. :)
Thanks for Commentarama! Everyone! Especially Andrew and Bev!
Andrew, my bday is the 26th so I know what you mean!
And I will give you this, Bev, I am a sucker for all the Christmas Carol movies--even the Mr.Magoo (especially, the Mr.Magoo?)
OMG! CrisD, you're a Chirstmas Capricorn too! We ARE the best sign in the Zodiac, aren't we! No offense to all of you other off-holiday Zodiac signs, but Capricorns are the best!
What day are you Bev? (That is why my name is Christine)
I'm the 28th... 3 days after Christmas and 3 days before New Years. As a typical Capricorn, I am "beaver-like" as in industrious...hence Beverly. So fitting.
BTW, they are airing "I Love Lucy Christmas Special" which is really wonderful. It's wonderfully colorized. Did Lucille Ball really have red hair??? I'm shocked! :-D
You're welcome, Cris! Thanks for joining us!
Since I don't have much to add about the holidays themselves (being stuck in a job which exposes you to the dark side of them doesn't help) I'll just thank Andrew and Bev for the great articles and the community for its insightful commentary. I'm looking forward to another year reading and (occasionally) commenting!
- Daniel
Thanks Daniel! And thanks for commenting! :)
Sorry about your Christmas experience. Unfortunately, all human endeavors have a dark side. The key is to remember the good people!
You're welcome, Andrew! Like others have said, these blogs are an island of sanity for me, too, so I enjoy reading and writing the occasional comment. It'll be interesting to see what next year brings us on the political front. I'm hoping it won't have everyone here facepalming too much, but that's probably a bit much to ask, heh.
Yeah, Christmas hasn't been enjoyable for me since I landed in this particular professional trap, and my mom's situation doesn't make it easier. I'm just hoping that I'll finally be able to turn this mess around next year. That's one of the things new years are about, after all.
- Daniel
Daniel, I'm hoping next year will be a reduced facepalm year, but you never know. Some certainly won't stop embarrassing themselves, but from what I'm seeing, the party is ditching those people. So maybe things will change?
In any event, I'm glad we could provide an oasis of sanity. The net needs more of those!
Sorry about the profession. There are certainly some worse jobs than others for seeing the dark side of humanity... said the lawyer. Just remember, the world is packed with good people too. :)
New Years is always a good time for a fresh start!
It does seem like the fringe is finally getting dumped, thankfully, and at least they recognize the need for an agenda now. How that unfolds and what it means for next November, though, I can't say how it'll turn out yet.
Yeah, it seems like most other sites out there are completely insane... I can't even look at boards for games I enjoy because of all the nastiness out there. These days my browsing tends to be pretty limited because I get enough crap from all sides on the job. I'd rather not deal with more when I'm trying to get my mind off things.
Hah, yeah, I can imagine you've seen some wild stuff as a lawyer. I know there are good people out there, too. Unfortunately they seem to get crowded out by the turds quite a bit.
Yeah, I'm hoping this year will go better though it's not looking to have a good start. Still, I'm hoping that that's all it is and the year.will be better. Who knows, if I can make some real progress on this I might be able to get some work done on the story I mentioned.
- Daniel
Daniel, The good faaaaar outnumber the bad. The bad just tend to get noticed because they usually seek out attention. Trust me, the world is a great place... it's just not always obvious.
On the fringe, you never know how things will turn out until they happen. But I have noticed three things. First, the GOP is fighting back, not looking to cut a deal. That's a great sign. That suggests that the polls say they will win this without too much harm. Secondly, the fringe has been routed everywhere and are busy trying to redefine victory so that they can claim that even a loss is a victory. That's a great sign too because that's the beginning of the end when you need to "define-down" victory. Third, a lot of prominent conservatives have abandoned the fringe in the past few months. It's an exodus that has robbed them of their claim to being "genuine" conservatives. That's good too because it means conservatism is being redefined back to where it should be and these people are being defined out of it rather than having conservatism being abandoned to them.
On the insanity, I totally agree. Most political sites are pure poison. But it goes beyond that too. It seem that being an arm-chair psychopath (a jerk-o-path) is "the in thing" online these days.
Being a lawyer definitely exposes you to things you would never imagine.
I wish you the best in the New Year! :)
I can understand some idiocy in November and December 2012. Post-election blues and all that.
But, yeah, most forums are like a bunch of Malcolm Tuckers* but without the charm, wit, cleverness, talent, intelligence, etc.
*Watching The Thick of It. Good performance from upcoming Doctor Peter Capaldi.
Kit, They're long past post election blues and are just in assh*le territory. Fortunately, I think they overplayed their hand and people are moving on. I think things are changing.
On the lighter side of the news, A&E blinked on the Duck Dynasty thing. Its kind of fascinating how that became of the focus of the media for a few days.
I think everybody is walking away from this happy. Conservatives are saying 'We saved one of our own' and liberals are saying 'He's a gift that will keep on giving!'.
Anthony, I haven't seen the news yet, but I'm not surprised they blinked. "Duck Dynasty" is just too profitable to abandon it over an insult to people who don't even watch the show, especially with a massive public backlash.
I think the gay groups blew it by trying to turn this into a crime. If they'd left it as, "It's a shame he blah blah blah," then they would have done much better. But trying to go the next step and demanding re-education and repentance and excommunication was never going to work. That's just going to trigger a backlash. And history tells us that the backlash always leaves the initial pusher in a worse position than when they started.
As an aside, I've seen the show now a couple times and I find it entertaining. But I'll tell you this, those guys are nothing like the genuine redneck-hillbillies I ran across in West By God Virginia. These guys are educated, they use English effectively, and they don't share any of the usual bad traits -- drugs, incest/sex crimes, life of crime, welfare, etc. If you want to see real hillbillies, then I recommend: The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virgina... who are very real and VERY common.
TCM just started Reginald Owen's A Christmas Carol
Andrew,
IMHO in politics victims are more useful than scalps which is why both sides got what they wanted out of this.
Anthony, Absolutely true. Both sides can claim victim status and get their false martyr on. It is indeed a win-win for everyone... except sane people.
BTW, a movie update....
1. Finally saw Super 8 (aka Goonies 2). Sucked. Sucked bad.
2. Saw Seven Pyschopaths. Strange film. Didn't like it or dislike it, but it did hold my interest. Won't see it again though.
3. Saw Jack and the Giant Slayer. Ultra-stupid, totally derivative, and so bad at times it made you groan. But I actually enjoyed it a lot. It's mindless fun.
So the Duck Dynasty crisis is over? We can all go back to living normal lives? Oh, thank God!!! For a second, I thought it was gonna be another civil War. After all, you're either with Phil or your with Pajama Boy.
[end sarcasm]
Seriously, this is one of the (many) reasons I lost interest in making movies... you can't so much as breath without someone complaining about it, so what the hell's the point?
I couldn't care less about Duck Dynasty, but I don't think he should've been canned, even temporarily. It does make me laugh/grown when people hitch their wagons to seemingly any star.
And despite my more liberal views on gay marriage, I will never support GLAAD. (That's not new; I've been a non-fan ever since they tried to "extort" money from Kevin Smith, who's one of the most gay-friendly filmmakers out there.)
CrisD - So, did you like Reginald Owen as Scrooge? There is something about that version that is more human and less caricature-ish. Scrooge is a man looking the windows of all these happy poor people and wants to be inside, but can find his way in until the ghosts show him.
Public Service Announcement: Monday, December 23rd is the last day to sign up for Obamacare! Unless you pick an insurer that has extended the payment deadline until January 10th. But some require payment by December 31st. But if you're still not worried about coverage (despite the best efforts) open enrollment continues until March 31st to avoid a penalty and coverage starts May 1st. I think. There may or may not be fines when you do your 2014 taxes in 2015. But if you like your previous plan, you have Obama's permission to keep it, even though it's already discontinued. Honestly, we're not really sure ourselves how this is supposed to work. Go HERE to read more confusing information with random dates thrown in.
Scott, You can't let the obsessives influence you. Who gives a crap what some activist or yahoo says? Do your think and trust that you will find an audience.
tryanmax, LOL! Thanks for clearing that up!
Tryanmax - LOL! I believe that is exactly what President Obama said in his last "press conference" before jumping on AF1 for his two-week Christmas...oops, uh, Winter Holiday in Hawaii!
The new catch phrase for being screwed is now "You are so Obamacare'ed, Dude! Or if you have really screwed up - "Man, I've really Obamacare'ed this one!"
Oh, btw, just in case you haven't heard the word "Obamacare" is now racist...
Scott - I second what Andrew says. There will ALWAYS be naysayers, detractors, and critics. It's part of the business. But if you believe in what you want to do, then they shouldn't stop you. Trust yourself and your instincts and keep at it. It will take time to break through, but it will be worth it. Don't you think all of the great filmmakers had there naysayers/critics too?
Bev, Very true. There probably hasn't been a single thing invented or created which wasn't attacked by naysayers and detractors. It is, unfortunately, the human condition. You just have to ignore those people and do your thing the way you know it should be done. Trust yourself and you'll see that others will find you. :)
Andrew and Bev -
There are, of course, other reasons that particular ship sailed. :-)
Oddly enough, I'm hanging out with a friend who doesn't read/watch the news and he asked me, "I heard the Duck Dynasty people talking about moving on without the main guy - did he die?"
My reaction: "Uh, let me bring you up to speed." :-)
Scott, Probably not a good idea to be THAT news-blind.
Other reasons? You mean like your unnatural love for containers? ;-)
Mainly reasons like this. :-)
And the judgement that decided it - and others like it - were a good idea.
Okay, I am watching....wait for it....wait for it...Duck Dynasty. I have to say, they are GREAT! They are funny and they KNOW the joke's on them. They are playing it to hilt and they are laughing all the way to the bank. Stupid city-folk...
I have decided A&E needs to do a "Duck Dynasty" Robertson meets any of the Kardashians or "Housewives" meets "Survival". Put the Robertsons and the Kardashians on a deserted island with only a spoon and some string and see who survives. Well, we know who would win that one.
And then maybe put them in Midtown Manhattan with a credit card and lip balm...yeah, I pretty sure that the Robertsons would be the winners in that one too.
Bev, They are oddly compelling, aren't they?
As for Survivor, I would rather cut to the chase and put them both in Celebrity Death Match. That would be the end of the Kardashians!
Bev - Put the DD boys in NYC with with a credit card and lip balm and they'll figure out a way to use those things to trap alligators in the sewers.
Frankly, I think A&E deliberately trapped Ol' Phil in the interview as a means to exert greater control over the show. But it's kinda like catching a wolverine in a mousetrap - the trap doesn't hold and now the beast is interested in determining the color of your insides.
Andrew - your hillbilly observation is dead on. These guys are no hillbillies. Phil has a Masters degree in education. A&E just took one look at the Robertsons and thought they looked funny enough to mock on TV. Who's funny now?
KRS, That's been my sense. They look the part, but they don't act it -- at least not like the ones I know. In any event, I do find them to be funny and their show is strangely compelling. I'm not a fan of reality TV, but the several times I've seen their show now, I have enjoyed it a good deal.
And I think you're right about A&E. I think they thought it would be funny to mock these people. I can see them in meetings calling them the Louisiana Beverly Hillbillies.
In terms of A&E and the interview, I'm not sure what the real story is yet, but there was an A&E publicist at the interview. The fact they didn't stop the interview is strange. I wouldn't be surprised if either A&E saw this as a chance to get more publicity or saw this as a way to get more control over the show. When it comes to television, the cynical view is normally the correct one.
Andrew and KRS - That is my sense too. A&E execs thought they'd be great to mock them like Honey Boo-boo, but the joke was on A&E. And I find them all very compelling, but frankly, after a 4 episodes (well-timed marathon), I began to go into testosterone shock. Men like that do not exist in NYC.
Bev, I liked it but now I need to watch the Simms one. I am sure it will be on in the next 24 hours :). For one, I really liked the circles under Simms eyes...little things.
Also, about DD. I had never watched it and did not know it was a hit show. I vaguely was aware of the show. I was surprised how much all these women on a religious blog I am on thought he was so great! On a "mission" all this stuff. I said he was laughing all the way to the bank. I said he he would have to shave off that dirty beard and take off that hat before being served at my dinner table...they all came after me. Husband turned it on for all of 5 minutes but I just cannot watch it, I literally zone out that stuff and get up and do dishes or whatever. Can. not. watch. :)
I just saw Saving Mr. Banks, very good movie. I highly recommend it!
To be perfectly honest, I never cared about Duck Dynasty before this flap, and I don't really care about it now, except to the extent that Robertson's getting persecuted for saying something rather innocuous. My extremely liberal sister, of course, believes him to be the devil incarnate, and since she has a tendency to verbally abuse people who disagree, I haven't said much. It is the holidays, after all.
On which note, Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! :-)
May your annual observances be inoffensive and of an appropriate hue.
I don't know, tryanmax. That sounds sexist somehow. ;-P
T-Rav, You should suggest counseling. Sounds like she's a bully who is awash in hate crimes.
May you all have the very Swayze-est Christmas imaginable.
This old salt also sends his yuletide wishes.
Bev&Andrew - I do think the Robertson clan are the sharpest tacks on the teacher's chair. Ol' Phil and Willie, when they got the proposal from A&E to do a show, understood exactly what A&E was after, but also knew how to take advantage of A&E's bigotry. These guys have a very good read of their audience and they play to it very well. In fact, I think these are just the kind of conservatives you've been looking for Andrew - ones who know how to use the media to connect and get their message across in a very inviting way.
Now, they've taken the hill, raised the flag and we're all cheering them on. I hope to see more like them.
I confess that I am a bit of a fan of a certain kind of "reality" programming, of which Dirty Jobs is my gold standard. I just like shows about men and women with calluses on their thumbs and not their butts, doing things I never knew how to do and revelling in it. Both enlightening and uplifting. So I've also enjoyed Ice Road Truckers, Deadliest Catch, Swamp People, etc. The phoney-baloney competitions and melodrama in the other types of shows is unendurable.
DD stands out as one where the participants are obviously working hard and happy and the drama I've noticed is simply humorous - none of it mean-spirited. So, for me, DD is in a class all it's own. Again, I think the Robertsons saw that in themselves and knew it would play well.
That's a lot of supposing on my part, but why not join in the fun everyone's having, reading other people's minds for our own satisfaction?
Loved this site ever since I found it. Good work, Andrew.
And to everyone, a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. And for those whom those salutations don't fit, I wish you a warm and comfy New Years.
KRS, Thanks! I'm glad you like the site! And thanks for commenting. I love our little community here. :D
I too enjoy shows like "Dirty Jobs." I love seeing what the people of our great country are doing every day. It's amazing just to think about the stunning variety of jobs and professions and how everyone has a talent for something.
I agree with you about the Robertsons. They are VERY media savvy and I think the rest of the conservative world could learn a lot from them. There are many lessons in what they do. For one thing, look at their reach compared to political shows, i.e. we need to embrace the culture, not just put out political writings. For another, look at the golden rule -- they are likable, genuine and entertaining first. Inserting a message is really simple after you've achieved that.
BTW, Bev, the last time I was in NYC, it was full of metrosexuals and Guidos... Jersey Shore types.
Merry Patrick Swayze Christmas to you too Backthrow!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sound in joy
No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of his love
And wonders of his love
And wonders and wonders of his love
Merry Christmas, T-Rav. :)
Merry Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A WONDERFUL DAY...
Santa left me candy...hmmmm.
Oh, and not get too political on this holiest of days, but the deadline for signing up for Obamacare has now been moved to "whenever"...
Bev, Merry Christmas! And congrats on the candy! :D
So they moved it to "whenever" and, yet, I'm still going to miss it somehow. Shocking.
Merry Christmas, Kit!
Merry Christmas, all of you! I hope it's been a good day for everyone.
- Daniel
Well, other than my oven died (do appliances just know the holidays with lots of cooking is required?), mine has been great. I swear they do, appliances I mean. It happens too often! It's a conspiracy. They must talk plot and plan I n the appliance store and coordinate. Refrigerators, stoves, ovens, garbage disposals...they're all in on it!!
MERYY CHRISTMAS ANYWAY, Daniel!
Merry Christmas. And for those of you who just watched the Doctor Who Christmas Special, my condolences. :(
;)
Ouch, sorry to hear about the oven, Bev. My family had a similar incident a few years back if I remember correctly, though I can't remember if it was the oven or something else that broke down. I'm glad the rest of it was merry, though! If it means anything I had a not-so-fun drive back home at sunset was the down part of my Christmas! All that glare was not pleasant to drive through.
- Daniel
@ bev: I remember reading an article in Reader's Digest - must have been 40 years ago - entitled "Shhh, the refrigerator is listening" it talked about the same experience you are having wherein appliances just know that you have some extra money (or a big event) and kosh it immediately.
By the way, the Matt Smith finale was awesome. Perfect swan song for the character.
Bev....It's the Appliance Revolution against humanity!! My heat went out two days ago (24th). Try getting a repairman to come out on Christmas Eve. I tipped him well, even after telling me I need a new unit ($6000-$8000) and it won't get here until next week.
Makes for a memorable Christmas with family coming over ("Your house is freezing!! Turn up the heat!). And of course, it happens during one of the coldest spells of the winter so far (19 degrees at night)
But, I look at it like a "making memories" event. "Remember that Christmas when the heat went out and we almost froze to death?!"
So, it all depends on how you look at it, and how you handle it. Space heaters and fireplaces can work wonders when needed!
Hope everyone had a Merry (and warm) Christmas!!
Patriot - Of COURSE it happened on the coldest day of they year! But it does make for great memories. We have a running joke in our family (with photo evidence) that it wouldn't be a family gathering if my cousin didn't somehow break the garbage disposal. I could tell you stories about HOW she's managed an almost perfect record, but you wouldn't believe it. However it makes for great laughs and fond memories.
As for the appliance conspiracy theories. It's not a theory, it's fact! They know...I know they know...and I am beginning to believe that they know I know they know. My refrigerator was making funny noises and my blender and mixer have been staring at me for days now...;-)
Happy Boxing Day. May you keep all your teeth!
Bev, You are 100% correct... but you didn't hear it from me. Machines conspire to blow up at the worst possible times and whenever you have extra money.
Daniel, At least you didn't hit any reindeer. :)
tryanmax, The 23rd was Boxing Day. The 24/25th was Deboxing Day. And today is Can To The Curb Day.
They know when you have extra money. Creepy.
Patriot, Well timed, my friend.
tryanmax, They do. I don't know how they know, but they know.
I fired an AR-15 today! Went to the gun range with my dad and brother.
I can't say guns are on my radar - I neither love them nor hate them - but I can certainly appreciate the skill and craftsmanship involved. (And I'm just glad I hit the target!)
It was quite a diverse group: an Asian couple, a black couple, even an old Jewish guy wearing a yarmulke.
From the perspective of an outsider, all I can do is quote Spock: "Fascinating." :-)
Scott, Shooting is a lot of fun. I always enjoy it. I just don't like cleaning the guns afterwards.
So now tell your liberal friends and watch them cower in fear at the gun nut in their midsts. You are now clearly ready to shoot up the Container Store any day.
Oh, no, Scott's a gun nut now? He seemed like a such a nice young man...;-)
Bev -
No, not a gun nut.
I can see myself owning one and taking classes in the future, though. My dad likes guns but he's no NRA supporter. (Seriously, we get both Guns & Ammo and Mother Jones in he mail!)
I have an uncle - former soldier and cop - who's a gun nut. He's a good guy. And my grandfather had amassed quite a collection before he passed away.
Andrew -
That isn't funny, though I joked about using some containers for target practice! :-)
Bev, Yep. Scott's a gun nut. It's in his blood now. Oh, he'll start small... shooting containers or something, but it will grow and grow. Soon he'll be trying to buy a black market death ray. Sad.
Scott, No, it wouldn't be funny. The Container Store is your friend. If you want to shoot anything up, shoot up a Burger King. Tell them they need better fries.
It's clear I made a huge mistake. Admitting to firing a gun (and liking it) on a conservative blog? I might as well start bleeding in shark-infested waters!
:-D
Better fries are always a worthy cause. Or you could just cross the road to Burger king.
Guns are fun. Though the only thing I could fire with any accuracy is this old open-sight job that my dad has. Guns n Ammo, yes; Mother Jones, not so much.
One more interesting thing: I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas, so now I'm a member of the app world, including the joys of autocomplete. Whenever I type "guns are" it automatically cues up the word "not."
Scott, More like sharknado infested skies.
Hardly. We're proud of you. Today, you are a man. Yesterday, you were a boy, but that changed when you pulled that trigger. ;-P
In all seriousness, go mention this at a liberal blog and watch the chaos unfold. You'll probably be accused of all kinds of nasty things, including baby killing and being on the grassy knoll (gassy troll?) in Dallas. ButcherDS!!
tryanmax -
My dad is in the market for an iPad. He and mom also just bought iPhones and the questions haven't stopped. I don't even own one (yet). He has a few apps that he likes, though.
And oddly, he also has trouble with auto-complete. Weird...
Andrew -
According to Jewish tradition, I became a man in 1996!
And we all know Big Oil had men on the grassy knoll while Gary Oldman was the patsy in the book depository. :-)
tryanmax, Autocomplete is fascinating. My phone can read my mind 70% of the time. It's scary. That is truly an amazing bit of software.
BTW, now that you have a tablet, go get My Singing Monsters. Fricken addictive... and free.
As for fries, I concur. Good fries are a worthy struggle. I can't stand Burger King's fries though. I won't order them, I dislike them that much.
Scott, I don't even want to know what you did in 1996, especially if Jewish tradition is anything like Duck Dynasty.
Andrew -
Quite the opposite (though the beards that orthodox Jews have might be a common factor!)
Nope, just my bar mitzvah... in and out in 75 minutes flat.
Scott, I have read up on the ceremony. Apparently, you must venture to the wilds of Manhattan, then go out on your own with a single credit card and purchase a pastrami sandwich. When you can finish the sandwich in one sitting... then you are a man. :-P
Everyone has trouble with autocomplete. I already discovered the secret to making it behave. The backspace key is your friend.
Also, it's not so much mind reading as there are grammatical constraints on word selection that increase as you type. Plus, there are common word sequences that it can lean on, idioms, expressions oft repeated phrases. Whenever I type "I" it automatically brings up "love" and if I choose that it brings up "you." And it gets used to its user. I had trouble typing in an unusual name earlier that autocorrect wanted to turn into "layman" every time, so now it thinks that I want to use that word all the time. It will be interesting to see how long that lasts.
Andrew, Wow! Lucky for you antisemitism is back in vogue again.
tryanmax, Scott started it. LOL!
I've been shocked at how good autocomplete has been at finishing my thoughts and adopting strange names and words that I use. It is a very impressive program and it makes me think that robots will be much more helpful in the future than we can possibly imagine at the moment.
Yes, if only a robot could love, though.
Somehow, I think they'll have that covered. In fact, if the internet tells us anything, it's that 90% of the robot world will work in the sex industry.
I'm waiting for the 'Love-Bots' ala Mr. Universe.
Except in my case my last words will be: "It killed me Mal."
Jesse Jackson unfavorably comparing the Duck Dynasty Jim Crow apologist to the Rosa Parks bus driver is nutty.
If he were actually a black leader as opposed to a hold up artist who just plays one on tv he would be tackling issues that matter to the community not the harmless comments of a reality tv star.
Patriot, I have no doubt that will be the most popular model!
Anthony, I think they should give Jesse his own series by way of an apology. They can put him in a house with Al Sharpton and call it "Grumpy Old Shakedowners."
or "The Irrelevants."
Congrats on the AR-15 firing, Scott! I've only fired a Glock before, but it was AWESOME.
Ignore Andrew, though, and don't be trying to buy a black market death ray. They're totally overpriced, and half the time the dionium crystals are too flawed to work anyway, and....er....I mean, you shouldn't buy a death ray. That would be wrong.
Saw American Hustle last night. Two words: critic bait. Nowhere near as good as I was led to believe. There are easier, more engaging ways to oggle Amy Adams in a plunge top. The rest is just "Oh, look! The seventies!"
That's too bad. I was hoping for more. I've seen a rash of really bad movies this Christmas. I need to find something good.
Yes, T-Rav, buying a death ray would be wrong... stealing a death ray, not so much.
Tryanmax - I just saw "American Hustle" today too. Performances were good, but after it was over, it felt like I had been in the theatre for days. I agree, it is nowhere as good as it has been touted to be.
And we really need to stay away from death rays (bought or stolen). We need to work on weaponizing the "Mom Death Stare".
Finally got around to see what the brouhaha was all about. Watched the first couple episodes of Duck Dynasty on Amazon Prime last night. This family is everything the "city-boy pansy" leftists aren't.
Example...On Career Day at one of their grandkids local schools, one of the wives wanted one of the DD brothers, the least redneck of them all...the CEO, to go speak to the class. Instead, he went off to play golf while he sent his father (the aforementioned pater-familias Phil) and his uncle in his place. Hilarity ensued. The uncle told the elementary school age kids stories of his time in "Nam" and how people were getting killed by the VC, while the old man, Phil, showed a science class how to skin and dress a duck. "Now this here is the gizzard. You just reach up your hand into the gullet and pull, and lookee here, out they come." You can imagine the reactions from the students and administrators!
Anyway, I liked the show. These folks show the "traditional" American independent spirit of living off the land, close-knit family and respect for God and country that has been missing on popular TV for many years.
No wonder it's a hit with viewers. (Yes, yes, I know much of it is "made for TV" but just to have it available as a viewing option is awesome. Here's hoping there are more "flyover country" type of 'reality shows' in the future.) It's not surprising GLAAD is MAAD.
Further thoughts on the Duck Dynasty imbroglio.....
These DD guys look to be the sort of folks that came over to America in the early days and spread westward over the ensuing centuries. These were not risk-averse men and women. They knew full well the hardships that awaited them as they headed out. They learned to live off the land, protect each other against enemies and had a basic faith in humanity, humble before God.
Meanwhile, as they were trekking into the unknown wilderness, we had those who immigrated to and stayed in the eastern cities, where it was safe and secure from all those uckky and dangerous things 'out there.' I'm sure they looked upon the homesteaders as crazy and backwards. "Why would anyone want to leave the safety and security and comfort of the cities. What barbarians they must be!"
So, as these hard men and women settled this country, the "city-boys" and timid women stayed close to law and order and safety. They smirked and tsk-tsk'ed at the rubes and rednecks who liked to live off the land and do dangerous things. They laughed at their immature beliefs and codes of honor and thought them unsophisticated.
Meanwhile, the hard men and women looked back at them......and they were not smiling. Time will come when one side will have enough of the condemnation and approbation of the other and will rise up and fight back hard for what they lived and died for over the eons. And the barbarians will sack 'Rome' once again.
So, without reading too much into this, I'm glad this became a public battle against these two ancient opposing forces. I have a feeling the old man, Phil Robertson, has had enough of the "sissy-boys" as he calls them, and will voluntarily opt out of the whole deal. And bully for him I say. Semper Fi
Patriot, Isn't that the Magical Redneck trope. ;-)
Andrew.....Considered by some. Sorta like the "Magic Negro?"
Probably more "real" than most tropes out there. I know which side I stand with. They appear to have a helluva lot more fun (blowing things up) than them thar city-folk!
...without reading too much into this...
Too late.
Also, "Rome" is inhabited by sissy gangbangers, so the sacking should be interesting.
Roberson is unsurprisingly the target of opposition research and they've dug up an interesting nugget which is disgusting, but won't matter because everyone has already picked a side.
This probably won't be a big deal because even pedophilia (if one is looking to marry a 15 year old, one is dating younger than that) doesn't turn off the cults some pop figures build nowadays (with the extreme example being Micheal Jackson though R Kelly is another recent example).
-------------
The 2009 footage, which was posted on Youtube, shows the 67-year-old reality TV star speaking at a Christian retreat in Georgia. During the speech, he tells a story about advising a young man to find a good Christian girl and marry her.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/31/duck-dynasty-star-phil-robertson_n_4522254.html
“Make sure that she can cook a meal. You need to eat some meals that she cooks, check that out. Make sure she carries her Bible. That’ll save you a lot of trouble down the road," Robertson said.
He then went on to say that men should wed girls who are young.
“They got to where they're getting hard to find, mainly because these boys are waiting ‘til they get to be about 20 years old before they marry 'em,” Robertson said. “Look, you wait ‘til they get to be 20 years old the only picking that’s going to take place is your pocket. You got to marry these girls when they are about 15 or 16. They’ll pick your ducks."
Robertson married his wife when she was 15 years old and they have been married for over 50 years. One can't say that for many people these days even those where the woman was 30 years old and marrying for the first time. I don't think this is any different advise that I have heard over the years by religious and atheist men - the men should marry women "with experience" or "with money" or with any other "attribute" that might strike their fancy. At least he advises MARRYING THEM and not just sleeping with them.
Oh, and btw, Kay Robertson is no shrinking violet. She gives as good as she gets.
MSNBC's hosts keep getting nastier. Melissa Harris Perry and her panel of goons thought it was hilarious that a white family adopted a black baby.
They apologized eventually, but hopefully she'll join Bashir in the unemployment line. If she doesn't the upside is that she will keep talking.
--------------
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/31/no-joke-msnbc-mitt-romney-and-black-child/
As viewers looked at the picture of tiny Kieran Romney, one of the panelists, Pia Glenn, sang: "One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn't the same."
-----------
I gotta say, that's a pretty strained read to get pedophilia out of that quote. *raises eyebrow* Plus, it's a little muddled, but it sounds to me like he's telling the boys not to wait until they themselves are 20 either. Personally, I think it's rotten advice. But I wouldn't have brought pedophilia into the conversation.
Bev,
The key word is women. 15 year olds aren't women. Its disturbing that a grown man is running around telling other grown men to target kids, but like I said, its not the sort of thing that turns the public against celebs.
Anthony - No the key word is "marry", not "woman". Really, how many people advocate marriage at all these days. What am I missing here? Where is advocating pedophilia? And he is advising young men, not old men. He is stating (and wisely so) to find a young woman who can cook and field dress a duck. And since he's been married to that same once 15 year old for over 50 years, he certainly has more room to give advise on successful marriages than most.
And no, actually pedophilia is one of those things that certainly doesn't turn Hollywood against celebrities because they celebrate it is not "rape-rape" when old men force themselves on underage girls. But then they don't advocate marrying the girls (or boy), just molesting them.
Sorry, but anyone telling men to go marry 15 year old girls is a sick bastard. And for the record, this is part of hillbilly culture. They are into teens and preteens... girls and boys. Go check out the prisons in West Virginia sometime.
Sounds like we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one, but for me, the key word is women.
I'm sure there are marriages in some foreign countries which involved child brides that lasted until death. Does that mean that we should lower the age of marriage to say eight or even wipe out the concept of statuatory rape (which assumes that at a certain age people cannot give consent) so long as the guy is married to or plans to marry the female in question?
Anthony, Let me throw this out there before we agree to disagree. If this had been an MSNBC host who advocated this, then every conservative would be screaming about him being a pervert who wants to exploit children. They would talk about how allowing this destroys the sanctity of marriage which is only "between two ADULT of different genders." And they would call him part of the Hollyweird Sicko Brigade. They would also toss out words like NAMBLA and lament the end of America.
But since Phil is the du jour macho, macho man hero of conservatism, he can do no wrong.
Anthony and Andrew - Yes, we can agree to disagree. But only if you agree that I am right :-)
Bev, NEVER! To the death! LOL!
Happy New Year, by the way. :)
Happy New Year, Andrew! Thanks to you, another great year at CommentaramaPolitics and -Film comes to a close. On to 2014!!
Stay safe out there tonight in Colorado...and if you are legally "going to Denver" tonight, I hear the police don't want you to celebrate to loudly...while you are "in Denver"! Enjoy!
Thanks Bev! It has been a good year. Let's hope 2014 is even better! :)
Speaking of going to Denver, it still doesn't seem to have kicked in here. In Washington, however, I know some people who are having real problems with employees and have fired a good number of them for coming to work high.
Happy New Year! I'm boring so I have no plans for tonight besides trying to stay up until midnight.
Happy New Year! Same here. I'll probably watch a movie.
May God bless all of you in 2014 <3
Same to you darski! :D
Happy New Year!
A couple of good New Year's-themed film choices would be THE HUDSUCKER PROXY and/or THE TIME MACHINE (1960 version). I often watch one or the other, though I'm not sure yet what I'll end up doing this year.
The original Poseidon Adventure is a good choice. That's actually a New Year's movie.
Happy New Year to everyone from me, too! I'm looking forward to another year of reading here, and I'm also hoping that this year is when things finally start turning around for me. No big plans on my end either, just doing some gaming.
- Daniel
Happy New Year Daniel! Best wishes in 2014. Personally, I'm looking forward to 2014. It's going to be an interesting year.
Also, we're doing predictions tomorrow, so tune in.
If you're looking for stuff to watch, don't forget, there's the Twilight Zone marathon on Sci-Fi today and tomorrow. That never gets old.
Happy New Year everyone!
Well, if we are doing predictions tomorrow, then we have to have a look back first.
Here is Dave Barry's Year In Review - 2013 first...enjoy!
Bev, That's really good stuff. :) I like how Obama promised we could keep the time we had, but then screwed us in October by making us move our clocks forward one hour.
T-Rav, That's always a great choice.
A friend failed to return my call so it looks like I'll be spending New Year's eve solo this year. And all my other friends are too far away and/or broke.
I got a physical the other day - cholesterol is a little high (which I expected) and other than that, I'm... okay. My mom works in a doctor's office so I don't have to worry about paying... but she asked me about signing up for Obamacare. I told her that I'm inclined to stay the hell away from it. (In all seriousness, what's the penalty?)
As for Duck Dynasty, I refuse to believe they have some kind of special wisdom by virtue of their location and occupation.
But, in all fairness, I'd rather have them on my side than Chad, the douchebag. :-)
Scott, How dare you not accept the myth of the noble Redneck! I'll bet you've never strangled a moose with your testicles either, have you? Sissy.
Everyone's cholesterol is high. And if it isn't, then you're in the danger zone of potentially high cholesterol.
And I wouldn't sign up for Obamacare either. What's the point? You need to pay so much to use it that you'll never get anything back on what you spend. And if you do have an illness that costs enough that you should have had it, there are charities that pay or you can always file bankruptcy. Only suckers pay for Obamacare.
Well, not a moose. :-D (And yes, I'm kidding!)
Re: the cholesterol danger zone, didn't Kenny Loggins do a song about that?
As for insurance, the Store offers it to their part-timers - I suppose I can always sign up when the next enrollment period comes up.
No moose, no manhood.
Yep, that is exactly what Kenny Loggins was singing about!! :D
Odds are that their insurance will be cheaper and better than anything you'll get from Obamacare.
If only we could teach a moose to sign up for Obamacare. Wait. Somehow I think I didn't understand that conversation.
tryanmax, You can lead a moose to Obamacare.com, but you can't make him sign up.
That's only because Obamacare doesn't cover testicle strangulation. Yet.
No. 1 cause of death for moose in Redneck country.
Post a Comment