Thursday, December 29, 2005
Friday, December 23, 2005
The Ten Net Commandments
" Just a little something to keep in mind, going into the new year.
1. Thou shalt not buy merchandise found in pop-up ads or spam.
2. Thou shalt not post thy email address, phone number, address or social security number to the internet, nor shalt thou post anyone else's.
3. Thou shalt not forget to update thy Windows every second Tuesday.
4. Thou shalt not connect to the internet without installing an antivirus, nor shalt thou begin a scan without checking for updates.
5. Thou shalt not connect to the internet without installing a firewall.
6. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's credit card number, nor his bank routing number, nor his social security number.
7. Thou shalt not enter thy credit card number without seeing the tiny padlock icon on thy status bar.
8. Thou shalt not reply to the email from the Nigerian banker.
9. Thou shalt not forward chain letters to thy friends and family.
10. Thou shalt not use "password" as thy password, nor thy birthday, nor thy children's names "
1. Thou shalt not buy merchandise found in pop-up ads or spam.
2. Thou shalt not post thy email address, phone number, address or social security number to the internet, nor shalt thou post anyone else's.
3. Thou shalt not forget to update thy Windows every second Tuesday.
4. Thou shalt not connect to the internet without installing an antivirus, nor shalt thou begin a scan without checking for updates.
5. Thou shalt not connect to the internet without installing a firewall.
6. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's credit card number, nor his bank routing number, nor his social security number.
7. Thou shalt not enter thy credit card number without seeing the tiny padlock icon on thy status bar.
8. Thou shalt not reply to the email from the Nigerian banker.
9. Thou shalt not forward chain letters to thy friends and family.
10. Thou shalt not use "password" as thy password, nor thy birthday, nor thy children's names "
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Christmas is not about the loot
"It was an unusual interview. The woman explained she was writing an article for a national magazine on clever ways to put more joy into the holidays.
So I proceeded to pitch to her one marvelous holiday cost-cutting idea after another. And one after another, my ideas landed with a thud. She didn't like them at all. That's when she made a comment that effectively brought the interview to a screeching halt. She called me a Grinch.
Now she didn't actually come right out and say, "You Grinch!" She suggested my ideas would take all the fun and joy out of the season. She assured me it was nothing personal, but still, she called me a Grinch.
Not being one who can let things go easily I had to find out if what she suggested about me was true. In my zeal to encourage people to take back control of Christmas from the locked jaws of commercialism, had I taken on a striking resemblance to that holiday grump, the Grinch?
I was quite certain I knew where to find out. And sure enough, right there on the shelf between "Horton Hears a Who" and "Hunches in Bunches" I found it....that familiar bright red storybook "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
"The Grinch hated Christmas. The whole Christmas season! Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason."
The Grinch, an ornery old soul with a heart two sizes too small, detests the holiday celebrations down in Who-ville. He hates the singing, the celebrating....all that noise, noise, noise, noise! So he devises a great Grinchy trick to get rid of Christmas forever. He steals all the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings; the tags, and the tinsel, the trimmings....the trappings! He hauls all the loot to the top of Mount Crumpit, where in a huge fit of glee he proceeds to....you guessed it.... dump it! There! His task is complete. He's taken care of Christmas once and for all. All the noise of the fun, all the joy and the love....even the smallest hint of the season is gone forever.
But what's that sound? It's not sobbing, but singing! The Whos began celebrating with no presents at all. The Grinch couldn't stop it, Christmas came just the same. It came without packages, boxes and bags.
I sat there recalling why I love this story so much. And I admit it, I felt delightfully smug. That writer was way off base. I'm not the Grinch in her story. I didn't steal the joy. Her Grinches are consumerism, overindulgence and overdoing the attitudes that insist Christmas is something we can find in a store, mail-order catalog or the Internet.
If you've noticed the joy of the season is missing from your life, maybe those Grinches are to blame. Maybe it's time to let them know they've lost their power.
Authentic joy comes not from all the outside trappings, but from our hearts; from the story of the birth of a baby who would become the Christian Savior; from that love that can fill our lives with giddy joy. So let the singing begin!
A Merry Christmas To All And A Good-night"
So I proceeded to pitch to her one marvelous holiday cost-cutting idea after another. And one after another, my ideas landed with a thud. She didn't like them at all. That's when she made a comment that effectively brought the interview to a screeching halt. She called me a Grinch.
Now she didn't actually come right out and say, "You Grinch!" She suggested my ideas would take all the fun and joy out of the season. She assured me it was nothing personal, but still, she called me a Grinch.
Not being one who can let things go easily I had to find out if what she suggested about me was true. In my zeal to encourage people to take back control of Christmas from the locked jaws of commercialism, had I taken on a striking resemblance to that holiday grump, the Grinch?
I was quite certain I knew where to find out. And sure enough, right there on the shelf between "Horton Hears a Who" and "Hunches in Bunches" I found it....that familiar bright red storybook "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
"The Grinch hated Christmas. The whole Christmas season! Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason."
The Grinch, an ornery old soul with a heart two sizes too small, detests the holiday celebrations down in Who-ville. He hates the singing, the celebrating....all that noise, noise, noise, noise! So he devises a great Grinchy trick to get rid of Christmas forever. He steals all the presents, the ribbons, the wrappings; the tags, and the tinsel, the trimmings....the trappings! He hauls all the loot to the top of Mount Crumpit, where in a huge fit of glee he proceeds to....you guessed it.... dump it! There! His task is complete. He's taken care of Christmas once and for all. All the noise of the fun, all the joy and the love....even the smallest hint of the season is gone forever.
But what's that sound? It's not sobbing, but singing! The Whos began celebrating with no presents at all. The Grinch couldn't stop it, Christmas came just the same. It came without packages, boxes and bags.
I sat there recalling why I love this story so much. And I admit it, I felt delightfully smug. That writer was way off base. I'm not the Grinch in her story. I didn't steal the joy. Her Grinches are consumerism, overindulgence and overdoing the attitudes that insist Christmas is something we can find in a store, mail-order catalog or the Internet.
If you've noticed the joy of the season is missing from your life, maybe those Grinches are to blame. Maybe it's time to let them know they've lost their power.
Authentic joy comes not from all the outside trappings, but from our hearts; from the story of the birth of a baby who would become the Christian Savior; from that love that can fill our lives with giddy joy. So let the singing begin!
A Merry Christmas To All And A Good-night"
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Employer's taking over your personal life too!
" A German company called Laserline has just fired one of its workers for smoking. Private detectives were hired to take pictures of the guy lighting up in his back garden...
Anyone else feeling a chill right now? I wish I could say that I made up that quote for dramatic effect. Unfortunately, that it is a direct quote from an article reporting on the incident. Similar incidents are happening in the US as well. This is a growing trend, one that I feel is far more dangerous to our way of life than terrorists and the Patriot Act combined. If employers are permitted to dictate how workers are to behave in the privacy of their own homes...
Do you hear that? It is Benjamin Franklin rolling over in his grave. I think old Ben was a smoker too.
This company in Germany hired private detectives to spy on employees, then fired a man for smoking in his backyard. A distributor of Miller beer in Racine, Wisconsin was caught on camera drinking a Budweiser, during some local city event. His picture was published in the local newspaper and he was fired that very day. A Budweiser distributor in Colorado fired one of its employees because he was seen drinking a Coors in a bar.
I understand that private employers can do things forbidden to the government. If you go on television and say bad things about your company, do not be surprised to see the contents of your office packed into a cardboard box the next day. However, a line must be drawn somewhere. Companies and corporations are not totalitarian governments, nor should they be allowed to behave as such. We are not discussing spyware, installed on the company computer, catching someone surfing for porn during work hours. These people, while off duty and miles away from company property, were fired for doing things that were entirely legal.
Why is this being permitted? Why are the labor unions not on Capitol Hill raining down fire and brimstone upon the Congress? What's next; NBC firing employees for watching ABC while they are at home? I meant what I said earlier: this trend, if allowed to continue, threatens to destroy our liberties. Companies cannot and should not be allowed to dictate what people do in their own homes. The owners of those beer distributors and the owner of Germany's Laserline should be thrown in prison for what they did. If you are a union worker, you need to speak to your rep about this. The next company that decides to suspend the Constitution in our homes might be your's. The labor unions, all of them, need to march straight up the steps of the Capitol building and demand that companies be ordered out of our homes.
We need to do something about this. Today, it is private detectives snapping photos of you in the back yard. Tomorrow, they will be planting microphones and cameras in your bedroom. Is that the world in which you want to live? "
Anyone else feeling a chill right now? I wish I could say that I made up that quote for dramatic effect. Unfortunately, that it is a direct quote from an article reporting on the incident. Similar incidents are happening in the US as well. This is a growing trend, one that I feel is far more dangerous to our way of life than terrorists and the Patriot Act combined. If employers are permitted to dictate how workers are to behave in the privacy of their own homes...
Do you hear that? It is Benjamin Franklin rolling over in his grave. I think old Ben was a smoker too.
This company in Germany hired private detectives to spy on employees, then fired a man for smoking in his backyard. A distributor of Miller beer in Racine, Wisconsin was caught on camera drinking a Budweiser, during some local city event. His picture was published in the local newspaper and he was fired that very day. A Budweiser distributor in Colorado fired one of its employees because he was seen drinking a Coors in a bar.
I understand that private employers can do things forbidden to the government. If you go on television and say bad things about your company, do not be surprised to see the contents of your office packed into a cardboard box the next day. However, a line must be drawn somewhere. Companies and corporations are not totalitarian governments, nor should they be allowed to behave as such. We are not discussing spyware, installed on the company computer, catching someone surfing for porn during work hours. These people, while off duty and miles away from company property, were fired for doing things that were entirely legal.
Why is this being permitted? Why are the labor unions not on Capitol Hill raining down fire and brimstone upon the Congress? What's next; NBC firing employees for watching ABC while they are at home? I meant what I said earlier: this trend, if allowed to continue, threatens to destroy our liberties. Companies cannot and should not be allowed to dictate what people do in their own homes. The owners of those beer distributors and the owner of Germany's Laserline should be thrown in prison for what they did. If you are a union worker, you need to speak to your rep about this. The next company that decides to suspend the Constitution in our homes might be your's. The labor unions, all of them, need to march straight up the steps of the Capitol building and demand that companies be ordered out of our homes.
We need to do something about this. Today, it is private detectives snapping photos of you in the back yard. Tomorrow, they will be planting microphones and cameras in your bedroom. Is that the world in which you want to live? "
Real Holiday Shows That Should Be On TV
" Every year, we celebrate our holiday evenings the same way as our holiday feasts: with warmed-over, predictable dishes. Will Linus and Sally finally hook up in that pumpkin field this year? Will Cindy Lou Whoever get to eat her roast beast? Is that traffic cop seriously going to swallow his whistle again at the sight of Frosty crossing the street for the 36th consecutive year? How about, 10 new dishes that we'd love to see on the air someday. They may not be familiar (hell, they may not even be plausible), but one thing's for certain: they're still better than Aunt Connie's fruitcake.
The Trump Who Stole Christmas. For years, he's sat high above the city, peering down on everyone else's celebrations from his gaudy gold penthouse. Now, with the worlds of real estate, television and self-promotion conquered, The Donald launches the world's first reality holiday show. Starting at the beginning of December, Trump splits twenty residents of Whoville into two groups (The Whos and the Who Nots) that scheme to steal trees, wreaths and mistletoe from those less fortunate (which is, basically, everyone). Right before Trump can fire a flunkee who fails to successfully market the newest flavor of Who Hash, however, his hairpiece grows two sizes. Afterward, he continues to possess all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, but this ratings bonanza is more than enough to make the multimillionaire smile. As Trump would say: "It's gonna be huge."
Emmet Otter's Hip-Hop Christmas. From the Jim Henson Company comes this inspirational story of a poverty stricken otter family struggling in the ghetto. When young Emmet, enters an open mike rap contest under the stage name E-Dawg, he uses his skills to try to win himself a turntable. What he doesn't realize, however, is that his sweet mother, is planning on laying down some rhymes of her own. When The Riverbottom Gang, brings on the grooves of their washtub bass, the contest gets heated, but a cameo appearance by MC Elmo brings peace to all, as they collaborate on a Pharrell Williams-produced remix of Barbecue.
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown! Everyone's favorite squiggly shirted bald kid has already cornered the market on the major holidays, so it only makes sense that the Peanuts empire would roll on like Alexander the Great, conquering the smaller ones as well. Set a few months after the Christmas special, this newly beloved family classic has Charlie and Linus setting out to replant their pathetically thin evergreen tree. After Pigpen makes his contribution by shaking off a fresh layer of top soil, Lucy kneels over to offer her watering can, then cruelly yanks it away from Charlie Brown, sending him flying through the air. And since the various states celebrate Arbor Day on different dates, networks are sure to be intrigued by the possibilities of low-cost repeat airings.
The Cornelius Brothers' Christmas Adventure. When pickax-wielding prospector Yukon Cornelius starts exploring his family roots, he uncovers his most exciting holiday adventure since he helped Rudolph get to the head of Santa's sleigh. Yukon's long-lost brother, "Soul Train" host and all-around hepcat Don Cornelius, is so excited to meet his relative that he tells Yukon about all the gold around the necks and fingers of his performers and dancers. Things get a bit messy when Yukon begins stabbing people on the dance floor, licking his ax and shouting out Nothing! when he discovers that most of it is imitation jewelry. In the immortal words of Don: It's gonna be a stone gas, honey!
Yogi's First Festivus. In a bizarre Groundhog Day series of repetition, Yogi Bear has spent every December of the last quarter-century rediscovering Christmas for the first time. Imagine his excitement, then, when he wakes from this year's hibernation to find that Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss and the rest are instead celebrating Festivus, the Frank Costanza-designed nondenominational holiday for the rest of us. Placing an aluminum pole in the middle of the Jellystone Lodge, Auggie Doggie and Doggie Daddy lead the group in the ceremonial Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength. At the end of the evening, Cindy Bear wrestles Herman the Hermit to the ground and pins him, earning herself a picnic basket filled with a Big Salad.
Sam Stuffing and the Voyage of the Gravy Boat. After years of having nothing to watch on Thanksgiving Eve but sitcom reruns, TV audiences finally get a program to put them in the mood for Turkey Day. The story begins when Sam, a boy who OD's on stuffing, rests his head on the family table and falls asleep. Dreaming he's been shrunken down to the size of a salt shaker, Sam hops aboard the gravy boat for a sailing adventure around the table. After an avalanche of dinner rolls nearly crushes him, Sam encounters a surly orange potato who gets angry when people call him sweet (I yam what I yam! he barks), has to extract a fallen olive from the hot pumpkin pie volcano and gets caught in the crossfire of the epic, ongoing war between white and dark meat. Sam saves the day by grabbing an enormous carving knife and inflicting a mortal wound to the Evil Green Bean Casserole Monster, who dies while hemorrhaging cranberry sauce.
Dick Clark's Rockin' Epiphany Eve. With ageless ex-DJ Clark having such a blast counting down to each new year, it's only natural that he'd want to do it all over again six days later. Epiphany, the obscure 12th day of Christmas, marks the day the wise men finally got around to forking over their gifts for the baby Jesus. It only seems right, then, that we should celebrate tardy gift givers everywhere, while simultaneously extending our holiday vacations until Jan. 6. Twelve drummers drumming? Sounds like a party to us! Go ahead, Dick, hoist your ball up one more time!
Lost on the Island of Misfit Toys. After a season-and-a-half of running around in the woods, the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 from (Lost) stumble upon a mysterious beach. There, they encounter Charlie-In-The-Box and the Train with Box Wheels, who explain that they are, in fact, on the Island of Misfit Toys. As Rudolph and Santa attempt to uncover the truth about the Hanso Foundation, Libby and Ana Lucia pose their own queries as to what, exactly, is wrong with the normal looking Misfit Girl Doll. Hermey the Elf quickly supplants Jack as the go-to physician for injured island residents, and a dramatic confrontation occurs when Charlie Pace is accused of stealing the dentist's painkiller supplies. In the end, everyone's problems are solved as the Lost crew plays with the toys, while studly King Moonracer offers to return the favor with Evangeline Lilly.
The Star Wars Holiday Special, Episode II: Attack of the Groans. For three decades, geeks have passed around bootleg copies of the 1978 misstep that George Lucas wishes he could make go far, far away. Now, they can once again shell out big bucks to discover that, yes, the idea of celebrating outer space's Lifeday really is that bad. With Episode II, Lucas' prequel to the Special, we see a CGI-enhanced Bea Arthur at age 18, applying for the entry-level job of dishwasher at the Creature Cantina. Lucas continues to plunder his universe by establishing that Chewbacca's father Itchy has a high midichlorian count, that Art Carney is Boba Fett's brother and that Jimmy Smits was the original lead singer for Jefferson Starship.
Frosty vs. Predator. Now that Freddy vs. Jason and Alien vs. Predator have made matchups so hot, it's time to toughen up the so-called jolly, happy soul. The Predator has tremendous strength and the ability to turn invisible, sure, but Frosty can melt himself down to liquid form and then re-assemble himself unscathed! Factor in the Snowman's coal-launching eye sockets and kernal-spitting corncob pipe, and the two engage in an impressive battle to the death. For the show's climactic battle, Frosty slides on his belly at great speeds while the Predator chases after him, attempting to capture the coveted magic hat. Ultimately, however, both combatants are destroyed by a reincarnated, nefarious and thoroughly animated Jimmy Durante."
The Trump Who Stole Christmas. For years, he's sat high above the city, peering down on everyone else's celebrations from his gaudy gold penthouse. Now, with the worlds of real estate, television and self-promotion conquered, The Donald launches the world's first reality holiday show. Starting at the beginning of December, Trump splits twenty residents of Whoville into two groups (The Whos and the Who Nots) that scheme to steal trees, wreaths and mistletoe from those less fortunate (which is, basically, everyone). Right before Trump can fire a flunkee who fails to successfully market the newest flavor of Who Hash, however, his hairpiece grows two sizes. Afterward, he continues to possess all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, but this ratings bonanza is more than enough to make the multimillionaire smile. As Trump would say: "It's gonna be huge."
Emmet Otter's Hip-Hop Christmas. From the Jim Henson Company comes this inspirational story of a poverty stricken otter family struggling in the ghetto. When young Emmet, enters an open mike rap contest under the stage name E-Dawg, he uses his skills to try to win himself a turntable. What he doesn't realize, however, is that his sweet mother, is planning on laying down some rhymes of her own. When The Riverbottom Gang, brings on the grooves of their washtub bass, the contest gets heated, but a cameo appearance by MC Elmo brings peace to all, as they collaborate on a Pharrell Williams-produced remix of Barbecue.
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown! Everyone's favorite squiggly shirted bald kid has already cornered the market on the major holidays, so it only makes sense that the Peanuts empire would roll on like Alexander the Great, conquering the smaller ones as well. Set a few months after the Christmas special, this newly beloved family classic has Charlie and Linus setting out to replant their pathetically thin evergreen tree. After Pigpen makes his contribution by shaking off a fresh layer of top soil, Lucy kneels over to offer her watering can, then cruelly yanks it away from Charlie Brown, sending him flying through the air. And since the various states celebrate Arbor Day on different dates, networks are sure to be intrigued by the possibilities of low-cost repeat airings.
The Cornelius Brothers' Christmas Adventure. When pickax-wielding prospector Yukon Cornelius starts exploring his family roots, he uncovers his most exciting holiday adventure since he helped Rudolph get to the head of Santa's sleigh. Yukon's long-lost brother, "Soul Train" host and all-around hepcat Don Cornelius, is so excited to meet his relative that he tells Yukon about all the gold around the necks and fingers of his performers and dancers. Things get a bit messy when Yukon begins stabbing people on the dance floor, licking his ax and shouting out Nothing! when he discovers that most of it is imitation jewelry. In the immortal words of Don: It's gonna be a stone gas, honey!
Yogi's First Festivus. In a bizarre Groundhog Day series of repetition, Yogi Bear has spent every December of the last quarter-century rediscovering Christmas for the first time. Imagine his excitement, then, when he wakes from this year's hibernation to find that Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss and the rest are instead celebrating Festivus, the Frank Costanza-designed nondenominational holiday for the rest of us. Placing an aluminum pole in the middle of the Jellystone Lodge, Auggie Doggie and Doggie Daddy lead the group in the ceremonial Airing of Grievances and Feats of Strength. At the end of the evening, Cindy Bear wrestles Herman the Hermit to the ground and pins him, earning herself a picnic basket filled with a Big Salad.
Sam Stuffing and the Voyage of the Gravy Boat. After years of having nothing to watch on Thanksgiving Eve but sitcom reruns, TV audiences finally get a program to put them in the mood for Turkey Day. The story begins when Sam, a boy who OD's on stuffing, rests his head on the family table and falls asleep. Dreaming he's been shrunken down to the size of a salt shaker, Sam hops aboard the gravy boat for a sailing adventure around the table. After an avalanche of dinner rolls nearly crushes him, Sam encounters a surly orange potato who gets angry when people call him sweet (I yam what I yam! he barks), has to extract a fallen olive from the hot pumpkin pie volcano and gets caught in the crossfire of the epic, ongoing war between white and dark meat. Sam saves the day by grabbing an enormous carving knife and inflicting a mortal wound to the Evil Green Bean Casserole Monster, who dies while hemorrhaging cranberry sauce.
Dick Clark's Rockin' Epiphany Eve. With ageless ex-DJ Clark having such a blast counting down to each new year, it's only natural that he'd want to do it all over again six days later. Epiphany, the obscure 12th day of Christmas, marks the day the wise men finally got around to forking over their gifts for the baby Jesus. It only seems right, then, that we should celebrate tardy gift givers everywhere, while simultaneously extending our holiday vacations until Jan. 6. Twelve drummers drumming? Sounds like a party to us! Go ahead, Dick, hoist your ball up one more time!
Lost on the Island of Misfit Toys. After a season-and-a-half of running around in the woods, the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 from (Lost) stumble upon a mysterious beach. There, they encounter Charlie-In-The-Box and the Train with Box Wheels, who explain that they are, in fact, on the Island of Misfit Toys. As Rudolph and Santa attempt to uncover the truth about the Hanso Foundation, Libby and Ana Lucia pose their own queries as to what, exactly, is wrong with the normal looking Misfit Girl Doll. Hermey the Elf quickly supplants Jack as the go-to physician for injured island residents, and a dramatic confrontation occurs when Charlie Pace is accused of stealing the dentist's painkiller supplies. In the end, everyone's problems are solved as the Lost crew plays with the toys, while studly King Moonracer offers to return the favor with Evangeline Lilly.
The Star Wars Holiday Special, Episode II: Attack of the Groans. For three decades, geeks have passed around bootleg copies of the 1978 misstep that George Lucas wishes he could make go far, far away. Now, they can once again shell out big bucks to discover that, yes, the idea of celebrating outer space's Lifeday really is that bad. With Episode II, Lucas' prequel to the Special, we see a CGI-enhanced Bea Arthur at age 18, applying for the entry-level job of dishwasher at the Creature Cantina. Lucas continues to plunder his universe by establishing that Chewbacca's father Itchy has a high midichlorian count, that Art Carney is Boba Fett's brother and that Jimmy Smits was the original lead singer for Jefferson Starship.
Frosty vs. Predator. Now that Freddy vs. Jason and Alien vs. Predator have made matchups so hot, it's time to toughen up the so-called jolly, happy soul. The Predator has tremendous strength and the ability to turn invisible, sure, but Frosty can melt himself down to liquid form and then re-assemble himself unscathed! Factor in the Snowman's coal-launching eye sockets and kernal-spitting corncob pipe, and the two engage in an impressive battle to the death. For the show's climactic battle, Frosty slides on his belly at great speeds while the Predator chases after him, attempting to capture the coveted magic hat. Ultimately, however, both combatants are destroyed by a reincarnated, nefarious and thoroughly animated Jimmy Durante."
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Santa...Will he be a thing of our past ?
" Disillusioned by a growing list of rules imposed by recruiting agencies and shopping centres to guard against litigation, men who have brought smiles to the faces of thousands of young for decades are reluctantly deciding to call it quits. - They can't hand out candy, they can't pat children on the head because of religious beliefs, they can't put children on their laps unless they get permission from parents and they can't have photographs taken with youngsters unless their hands are in full view.
So frightened have some Santas become of being sued that they are demanding extra helpers to act as witnesses just in case a complaint is made. Santas are even being told not to go around saying 'Ho, ho, ho' because they may frighten children. One Santa said, he walked through a shopping centre in silence because he was worried he'd be fired, if he appeared too jolly. The plight of Santa's highlighted a worrying trend around the world of political correctness gone mad. It is important society find the right balance between political correctness and what some people saw as acceptable behaviour. The ones who did the job because they loved doing it and wanted to keep a child's dream alive are no longer working because of the stupid rules.There are still Santas in stores, but the heart has gone out of them. The rules are getting ridiculous. How can you stop a child running up to you and leaping into your arms? Do you just drop them and say: Sorry, against the rules ? Kids run and cuddle Santa because they love the guy in the red suit. The day will come when Santas would no longer be a part of the Christmas spirit..... Soon, Santa's in shopping centres and public areas would be shielded behind glass screens, away from children. Santa can't even be portrayed as a fat, jolly old fellow any more because it's not politically correct."
Christmas With-out... Christ ?
MSNBC.com:"Is there a war against Christmas? The ACLU and a lot of other people have been trying to take Christ out of Christmas for years. At this time of year, many people believe that that's a real concern. Newport News, Va., 8,000 people are expected to show up for the town's Christmas celebration, except they are NOT..Calling it that. They're calling it Hollydazzle.... And instead of lighting the 40-foot Christmas tree, they are calling it....Get this!! The tree of illumination.
The events are also going to include, of course, Frosty the Snowman, make-your-own-snow globes, and that traditional Christmas fair, Mr. And Mrs. Mouse.
Many Americans are fed up with public celebrations that are taking Christ out of Christmas, and they believe that their faith is under attack, but is it the proper thing to do? The country was founded on a document that specifically separates church from state, that's the United States Constitution. Where does it say that in the Constitution?...The First Amendment.
I would like, however, to be able to go to Mall, and not be told that I need to spend more money, because its Christmas, over the loud speaker all the time, or, indeed, go into Wal-Mart or Target or, what ever store and not have an incessant one-party state month of permanent Buy-Me More.. Music and guilt-propaganda. I think that's annoying and offensive. I promise only one thing. This to me is ugly, vulgar, boring and makes me hate this time of year more every time it comes around.
People are starting to speak-up, because they are tired of this onslaught against Christmas & Christ. They are tired of the trend of the ACLU and others that force, views that simply want to eliminate God and religion from the public eye. And I think it is symbolic of what's happened to take a Christmas tree and rename it to something other than a Christmas tree.
The events are also going to include, of course, Frosty the Snowman, make-your-own-snow globes, and that traditional Christmas fair, Mr. And Mrs. Mouse.
Many Americans are fed up with public celebrations that are taking Christ out of Christmas, and they believe that their faith is under attack, but is it the proper thing to do? The country was founded on a document that specifically separates church from state, that's the United States Constitution. Where does it say that in the Constitution?...The First Amendment.
I would like, however, to be able to go to Mall, and not be told that I need to spend more money, because its Christmas, over the loud speaker all the time, or, indeed, go into Wal-Mart or Target or, what ever store and not have an incessant one-party state month of permanent Buy-Me More.. Music and guilt-propaganda. I think that's annoying and offensive. I promise only one thing. This to me is ugly, vulgar, boring and makes me hate this time of year more every time it comes around.
People are starting to speak-up, because they are tired of this onslaught against Christmas & Christ. They are tired of the trend of the ACLU and others that force, views that simply want to eliminate God and religion from the public eye. And I think it is symbolic of what's happened to take a Christmas tree and rename it to something other than a Christmas tree.
To me.. What does Christmas mean? It's suppose to be about - Remembering the birth of Jesus, the son of God. Instead of a cake to share, with candles. We put up a tree and use lighting & ect. To show our joy, for the birth of all man-kind, here on this earth..we live on. And the reason we give gifts, I believe because all humans are the children of God, and we re-joyce in our birth thru him (Jesus) on this day because of what he did for us...Born into this world in hopes to make it a better place to live for all. If we loose that from our memories, then we become nothing more, then animals in the chain of life here on earth. Is that what humans want to go back to? "
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