Happy birthday Jesus
About 2,014 years ago in the city of Bethlehem, located in the Palestinian West Bank, Jesus Christ was born. His mother Mary and his foster-father Joseph were in town from the city of Nazareth to pay some taxes.
We celebrate the birth of Christ by engaging in various Pagan rituals including decorating evergreen trees and kissing under mistletoe.
Do people still kiss under the mistletoe?
In 350 AD Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. Was Jesus really born on December 25? Probably not, but December 25 was already a big holiday with the Pagans. Pope Julius I was no dummy and he knew that he could get more Pagans to convert to Christianity if they could still enjoy their Pagan Winter feasts.
I think it worked. When was the last time you ran into a Pagan?
Merry Christmas and happy birthday Jesus.
International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Yesterday was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. At least that’s what I read on the World Wide Internet Web. It’s the special day of the year when everyone in the world is supposed to talk like a pirate.
I don’t mean the current day pirates from Somali pirates that hijack commercial ships in the Indian Ocean. That would be easier in that I’m sure that there is audio somewhere of some of these Somali pirates talking. Granted, it probably isn’t in English, but at least you could hear these pirates speak and try to somehow mimic the way they talk.
With the pirates from the 18th century that sailed under the Jolly Roger skull and bones, it’s not so easy. There are no audio recordings of these pirates speaking. The truth is, we have no idea how 18th century pirates spoke.
My guess is that pirates sounded a lot like everyone else of the era. They probably spoke the same way that they spoke before they became pirates. Similarly, Somali pirates probably speak the same way that they did when they were simple fishermen.
So when people “talk like a pirate” what are they actually doing? They are talking like the pirates they’ve heard over the years watching cheesy, crappy pirate movies. Obviously, those are the only type of pirates they’ve ever heard.
Earth Day
Of all the special days dedicated to planets, Earth Day is my favorite. Mostly because Earth is the planet I am from. It would seem wrong to live on Earth and root for some other planet’s special day.
Earth Day was established “to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment“. I know this because that’s what Wikipedia says so.
As far as my feelings on the environment are concerned, I fall somewhere in the middle. I enjoy breathing clean air and drinking clean water. We tried using reusable grocery bags when we go to Wal-Mart, but it got to be too much of a hassle. You would think the people working at the checkout line at Wal-Mart were trying to do calculus when it came to using the eco-friendly reusable shopping bags that they sell.
I like Styrofoam coffee cups. Sorry, I know Styrofoam is really bad for the environment, but I like my coffee to be hot. You know those paper rings they put around the cup at Starbucks so you don’t burn your hand? With Styrofoam, you don’t need those because the heat stays in the cup where it belongs.
This past weekend Sheri and I went walking along the C & O Canal here in Williamsport. It was nice. We saw fish, turtles, and even an owl. You know what else we saw? Lots and lots of cigarette butts and empty plastic water bottles. You would think people who enjoy the outdoors would maybe not throw their cigerette down on the ground or chuck their empty water bottle into the water when they are done with it, but you would be wrong.
People are pigs. Even the ones that like the outdoors.
I hate April Fools’ Day
Today is the first day of April. Not only does it mean I need to flip over the calender one more page, it means I will undoubtedly be subjected to a string of gags, hoaxes, and out right lies masquerading as things that are supposed to be funny. April Fools’ pranks are anything but funny. They stink and I don’t like them.
Ever since Al Gore invented the Internets, April Fools’ Day has been almost unbearable. Every year on this day stupid people take the opportunity to propagate lies and untruths. They think these lies are funny. They are not. They’re hack.
Anyone who tries to pull an April Fools’ prank on me will wish they hadn’t. I will beat them with their own shoe.
Update: Johanna from Comics Worth Reading is reporting that the announcement that indy favorite comic Casanova would be continuing as a web comic appears now to be an April Fool’s Day hoax by the comic’s artist, . Why would Moon want to damage his reputation by participating in such a lame and pointless joke?
Saint Patricks Day
Today is Saint Patricks Day. Some of my most favorite things in the world are Irish. Guinness beer, Enya, and the greatest rock band of all time, U2.
Yes, that’s right. I said that U2 is the greatest rock band of all time. Deal with it.
I once made the mistake of being in New York City on Saint Patricks Day. What a mistake that was. I’ve never seen so many red headed, pale skinned drunks in my life. The fact that it was the middle of the workday didn’t seem to make any of them think twice about getting their drunk on.
Merry Christmas
I’ve always believed there is nothing creepier than David Bowie and Bing Crosby standing around a piano singing Christmas chorals. That is, other than Pat Boone putting out an album of heavy metal covers.
Still, if after listening to Bowie and Crosby engage in idle chit chat and then singing Little Drummer Boy, you don’t feel like rejecting Christmas and start celebrating Kwanzaa or Festivies, nothing will.
Merry Christmas!
Do you hate all those Christmas jewelry commercials?
If you despise those annoying commercials at Christmas time where the dopey looking man presents his wife or mistress a big fancy piece of shinny jewelry to keep her from jumping into his best friend’s bed when he’s not around, than this video is for you. Sarah Haskins from Current TV does a fantastic job at demonstrating just how stupid those commercials really are.
Happy Thanksgiving
If you live in the United States of America, chances are you will be eating turkey at least once today. It’s that time of year when we stop the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives and give thanks for all the wonderful things we have.
How do we do that? By stuffing our faces with as much turkey meat and carbohydrates as we can. It’s how we Americans say thanks.
The goal is to eat so much that you go into a glucose and tryptophan induced coma by the third quarter of the Lion’s game. Tryptophan is that magical substance found in turkey that makes you sleepy. It’s kind of like heroin, but not as addictive.
The one thing I don’t want for Christmas
Contrary to what it says, this would not be the perfect Christmas gift for me. In fact, I can’t think of anything I would want less then a ticket to see Hannity and his band of losers perform at a concert.
I don’t understand people who will only allow themselves to be entertained by performers that share their specific narrow political viewpoint. Talk about limiting yourself. People like Charlie Daniels and Billy Ray Cyrus take advantage of people like that.
I’ve never heard of Michael W. Smith, but I’m sure he does this too.
When did Charlie Daniels start to look like Santa? Maybe he should avoid wearing red. And what is Oliver North going to do at a concert? Testify under oath? He should be in prison.
Happy birthday America
Today is Independence Day. The day in history the original 13 colonies declared their independence from mean ole England and became a real life country. Let freedom ring.
I must say, out of all of the countries that broke away from England, the United States has done awfully well for itself. Have you seen Rhodesia Zimbabwe lately? Ouch.
Sheri and I will be celebrating the holiday by not working. We were going to go to a community yard sale that takes place here in Hagerstown every Fourth of July, the Mile Long Yard Sale, but it looks like it’s going to rain.
MSNBC being the fine news organization that it is is showing back-to-back episodes of Dateline: To Catch a Predator. It’s where they trick some dumb pervert online into thinking he is chatting with a child about sex and they get him to come to what he thinks is the child’s house. In reality, it’s a home rigged with cameras, cops, and NBC’s smarmy Chris Hanson. What else would you expect them to do today, cover the news? I watched a segment earlier and I could swear I saw the predator at a Wizard World Philly. I would switch over to Fox News, but they would try to turn me into a Republican, and I don’t want that to happen.
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Recent Comments
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Rick: Hayami: Ryan, so far I’ve seen no evidence that Handley was sexually attracted to real children. Then you haven't been doing e...
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Hayami: Ryan, so far I've seen no evidence that Handley was sexually attracted to real children. There're quite a few otaku who are more attracted to anime characters than to real people. There're quite a few erotic anime/manga/games fans who are attr...
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siriunsun: Well, Rick.........you know how it is: John McSame just LOOKS the same as lots of people who were born in the United States. And his name is a lot more in line with certain stereotypes that make lots of sheep in this country feel happy and com...
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Books I Am Reading
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Music I Am Listening To
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- Kucinich caves on health care reform. Will now vote for the non-public option health care reform bill. http://bit.ly/9t4gNI
- Peter Graves has died - http://bit.ly/blfTde #cnn
- Courage? Really? http://is.gd/axTwj
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