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Christmas Eve Open Thread

What's Christmas Eve without Darlene Love?

It's the day before Christmas.....
We wish you all a happy and healthful holiday.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome. [More...]

Added: Here's some Bruce Springsteen:

If you're home, who are you listening to tonight? Is anyone cooking?

Merry Christmas to all.

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    Freakishly warm - 70 degrees here in (5.00 / 7) (#1)
    by Anne on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 01:34:57 PM EST
    north central Maryland - with the oven going, the house was getting too warm and the air conditioning came on...no roaring Christmas Eve fire in the fireplace this year...

    The shopping is done, only a few last things to wrap; some appetizers for tomorrow made and in the fridge.  Going to make the cheesecake tonight.  Dinner will be beef tenderloin, garlic/horseradish mashed potatoes, haricots vert (the skinny French beans), and carrots with pearl onions.  Cheesecake for dessert.

    We had our 3 yr old grandson until around noon - he is beside himself with excitement!  Not only is he excited about Santa, but he is getting a little brother any day now - we're hoping it won't be tonight or tomorrow - but we are armed with Plans A through about D, just in case this little one decides to arrive in the next 24 hours.

    And I am off work until Monday, January 4th!  So excited to have this time off - I know it will go fast, but I don't care.  Somewhere in here will be the latest grandson's arrival - can't wait!

    Hoping the entire Christmas-observing TL community has a wonderful Christmas, and that everyone has a happy and healthy new year.

    Have you ever tried orange glazed carrots? (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by MO Blue on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 01:57:24 PM EST
    They are fast becoming my favorite carrot recipe and are being served in various restaurants.

    Hope your family's biggest present waits to be delivered until the 26th.;-)

    Parent

    Merry Christmas, Anne. (5.00 / 5) (#3)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 02:26:52 PM EST
    We're flying back to Honolulu this evening to spend the weekend with the new grandson. We're actually pretty lucky to get out, because I wanted to use frequent flyer miles but waited too long to book, and the only flight that was available tonight leaves Hilo at 8:45pm. Fortunately, it only 45 minutes long, so we'll be on Oahu and back at the old homestead before 10:15pm, well in time for midnight mass at our old church down the street.

    Hope everything goes well with your daughter and you soon-to-arrive grandson. The anticipation is excruciating, I'm sure, and I bet that by this point, she's tired of being pregnant. My son-in-law apparently complained to his mother -- who's in town from New York -- that Elder Daughter was the Crank from Hell during the last two months. But Mom apparently had no sympathy for him, and retorted that if HE had been carrying a baby in HIS belly, he'd have likely felt no different. Ah, the sisterhood of motherhood.

    Enjoy the day, and the unseasonably warm weather in Maryland, too. It's been a tad windy, chilly and wet over here, but this morning it's crystal clear and there are beautiful views of both Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. No snowcaps, though.

    Hauoli makahiki, me ke aloha pumehana.

    Parent

    So...it looks like it's Plan A: (5.00 / 8) (#11)
    by Anne on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 11:03:16 PM EST
    3 yr old comes to our house, because we're on the way to the hospital...my daughter's water broke about a half hour ago.

    Maybe a Christmas baby after all!

    Parent

    Oh my gosh (5.00 / 3) (#14)
    by sj on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 12:57:45 AM EST
    How exciting! How wonderful for you and your family. Merry, Merry Christmas.

    Parent
    This has definitely been a Christmas to (5.00 / 7) (#34)
    by Anne on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 08:03:12 PM EST
    remember...our newest grandson arrived at 3:02 this afternoon, weighing in at 8 lbs, 1 oz; mother and son are doing well, big brother has been to visit and hold his little brother...Daddy was a trouper, as usual.  Even though her water broke around 11:30 last night, her labor didn't really get going until around 10:00 this morning, so not a terribly long labor.  Everyone's still pooped, though - not enough sleep last night, all the way around.  3 yr old got to our house around 12:30, but didn't go to sleep until around 1:30 - I couldn't sleep to save my life, but at 6:45 a little boy snuggled up to me and whispered, "Grammy, I think it's morning time."  Sigh...

    The weather was just frightful - raining buckets, flash flood warnings - so glad all we had to do was get back and forth to the hospital, can't imagine having to be on the road all day in torrential rain.

    Still trying to take it all in - the 3 yr old misses his mommy, and he's completely wired from all the presents, his new little brother - he is now watching "Frozen" for what seems like the 10th time, and I'm hoping he unwinds enough to fall asleep - soon!

    Thanks for everyone's good wishes - I hope you all had a wonderful day, too!

    Parent

    Such great news, Anne. (5.00 / 2) (#35)
    by caseyOR on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 09:09:22 PM EST
    Congratulations and best wishes to your whole family.

    Now, about Peter's worry that a Christmas birthday will somehow be lessened by well, Christmas, my cousin is a Christmas baby, and because her parents always made sure to keep the celebrations separate, she never felt slighted.

    Parent

    As I mentioned (5.00 / 2) (#44)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 08:26:17 AM EST
    My bro-in-law is a Christmas baby.  The family keeps them separate but he reports some others have trouble with that.   Perhaps a problem early in life but when he gets to a certain age forgetting his birthday will become a blessing

    Congratulations Anne.   Nice Chrustmas present all around.

    Parent

    OH, and rain (none / 0) (#47)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 09:41:21 AM EST
    yeah, we are looking at possble 10 inches between now and Monday eve.

    And
    Blizzard predicted in Lubbock TX.  But nooe, no weird weather to see here.  Move along.

    Parent

    Congratulations (5.00 / 2) (#36)
    by MO Blue on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 11:40:14 PM EST
    On the new family member. This will be a Christmas that will be long remembered as a real family treasure.

    Parent
    Mazel Tov, Bubbe! (5.00 / 2) (#38)
    by shoephone on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 01:05:59 AM EST
    Anne, congratulations, (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by fishcamp on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 08:05:17 AM EST
    The new baby could become famous since he was born on Jimmie Buffett's birthday too.  

    Parent
    fish I was going to mention Jimmy's birthday too (5.00 / 3) (#50)
    by CoralGables on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 12:33:40 PM EST
    but figured by the time the little tyke is old enough to know he isn't alone with a christmas birthday, you and I may be the only two left that are still Buffett fans.

    Parent
    And as sure as I listen to Arlo (none / 0) (#52)
    by CoralGables on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 12:36:31 PM EST
    every Thanksgiving, I had Jimmy's Christmas CD playing yesterday.

    Parent
    Congratulations, Grandma (5.00 / 2) (#48)
    by Zorba on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 10:46:29 AM EST
    And best wishes to your daughter, the baby, and the whole family.  What a nice Chrsitmas present!

    Parent
    Ms Z (none / 0) (#49)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 11:00:34 AM EST
    At your convenience will you repeat your Tzatziki recipe?

    I know I had it but.....

    Happy nu year

    Parent

    Scratch that (5.00 / 2) (#51)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 12:34:36 PM EST
    Found it!  642 comments ago!  For the record-

    Tzatziki
    1 large cucumber
    3 cloves garlic (or more, to taste)
    2 cups Greek whole milk yogurt
    2 fronds of fresh dill, finely chopped
    1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped
    Salt
    Ground black pepper
    Ground white pepper
    Ground cayenne pepper
    2 T. olive oil
    2 T. fresh lemon juice
    1/3 c. sour cream
    1/3 c. mayonnaise
    Peel and seed the cucumber (leave a few strips of skin on, for color). Chop into very small pieces (use a food processor). Place into colander and allow to drain 15-30 minutes, then squeeze out any excess water. Crush garlic into a pulp. Mix together cucumber, garlic, yogurt, dill, mint, oil, lemon juice, sour cream, and mayo. Add salt and a dash of black, white, and red peppers, to taste.

    This is the basic recipe, sort of the starting point, as it were.  I tend to use

    Thanks!
    Oddly the local Super Store has developed an excellent bread section.  Good and bad news for me since I love bread.  Brought home some really good Naan and wanted to try it with the above but I couldn't find it.

    Parent

    Yes, that's the recipe, Howdy (5.00 / 2) (#55)
    by Zorba on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 02:04:30 PM EST
    I admire your persistence in searching for it.
    Make it early in the day, or the afternoon before, to let the flavors fully come out.
    And you can add more garlic (I do), or anything else, depending upon your personal preferences.

    Parent
    Congrats! (5.00 / 1) (#72)
    by jbindc on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 06:49:19 AM EST
    Congratulations, Grandma! (5.00 / 3) (#23)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 11:40:44 AM EST
    A Christmas baby is the best present of all.

    Parent
    But the poor little critter will likely (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by Peter G on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 02:02:38 PM EST
    be short-charged on presents throughout his/her life - what with the birthday coinciding with Christmas, after all.

    Parent
    That's certainly a point of concern. (5.00 / 2) (#61)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 05:17:18 PM EST
    One of my Catholic school friends was born on Christmas Day. His mother always made it a specific point to hold a birthday party for him the day prior on Christmas Eve, so that it would never go under-acknowledged. As parents, grandparents and relatives of kids who are Christmas babies, we really have to be cognizant of that, and make an extra effort to ensure that their own special day doesn't somehow get overlooked in all the hullabaloo of the holiday season.

    Parent
    Today (none / 0) (#30)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 02:23:22 PM EST
    Is my brother in laws birthday.  

    Parent
    Congratulations, Anne! (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by jondee on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 11:35:29 AM EST
    a little bundle of love for Christmas.

    Parent
    How exciting. A Christmas baby! (5.00 / 3) (#24)
    by caseyOR on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 11:48:33 AM EST
    All he best to your daughter and SIL and, of course, the proud grandparents.

    Hope it is a smooth, and speedy, delivery.

    Parent

    A grand child is the present (5.00 / 3) (#32)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 03:17:45 PM EST
    of all presents.

    I hope the mother and child are doing well.

    Parent

    Awesome! (5.00 / 4) (#4)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 02:34:28 PM EST
    It sounds like you are having a wonderful holiday even with having to make all the contingency plans for another grand :).

    Your menu is very close to mine except for we're having standing rib roast and no carrots.

    Christmas is especially amazing with young children it seems. Since mine are teenagers and above no such excitement these days. LOL.

    Parent

    We had Christmas dinner (5.00 / 4) (#10)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 09:35:25 PM EST
    And opened presents on the deck.

    Merry warm Christmas !

    Parent

    We grilled Christmas dinner (none / 0) (#15)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 07:56:27 AM EST
    Steaks chops and burgers and all that goes with them and then holiday desserts.
    It was great actually.  But I ate way too much.

    Parent
    Had Christmas dinner with my mom (5.00 / 8) (#59)
    by Repack Rider on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 03:46:57 PM EST
    ...who is 95 y.o.  She lives alone, since my dad died, in the house she was living in when I was born.

    We brought dinner over, and afterward we watched Jeopardy, because she never misses it.  She keeps score, giving herself a point if she knows an answer that stumps all the contestants.  She generally gets two or three an evening, although she is lost in current popular culture such as music or film.  History or literature are her strong fields.

    My mom grew up in poverty, left an abusive situation at home as soon as she graduated from HS, two weeks after her 16th birthday.  She graduated from junior college two weeks after her 18th birthday.  She met my dad during WW II when they both worked in a shipyard that built Liberty Ships, she as a nurse, he as a welder.

    She never paid much attention to professional sports, but she has become a rabid Golden State Warriors fan because of Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

    On one of the bicycle forums I post in, somebody asked, "Who won the Tour de France in the year you were born?"  My answer: George S. Patton.

    Parent

    What a wonderful story (5.00 / 2) (#65)
    by MO Blue on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 06:20:49 PM EST
    Your mom was then and is now a real success story.

    95, still living at home and mind still sharp enough to keep score on Jeopardy. Can't get much better than that at 95.

    Parent

    I mentioned (5.00 / 3) (#67)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 06:41:50 PM EST
    In another thread we have a family member slipping away.  She is 97.  She has been pretty remarkably sharp until very recently.  And in fact is still pretty sharp.  She just can't get out of bed.   She lives alone and was driving a month ago.   She has insisted on not being taken to a hospital.  She wants to leave from home.  I can really respect that.  My doctor also happens to be her doctor lives just down the street from me and stops by on his way home from work every day and is available on the phone as needed.  Some one from the family stays with her almost all the time.  Usually my brother in law, it's his mother.  She had an episode last night and they thought that was it.  Again.  But she is still here.  At least as of an hour ago when I was at my sisters.  

    Parent
    I don't like to interfere (none / 0) (#68)
    by shoephone on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 08:30:56 PM EST
    in other people's family decisions. I just want to say that I can really commiserate with you over this. My grandmother was in a similar situation. She was the smartest, most capable person I knew. In her early nineties, she became bedridden, and we vowed never to take her from the home she and my grandfather had built. We hired nurses and caregivers to look after her, because she was unable to do that for herself. It cost some serious money, but a nursing facility would have cost more, and made life much worse for her. She lasted for a few more years, declined a lot, and died at home.

    If you and your family members can get her some looking after (whether by professionals or other family members) I'll bet everyone would breathe easier.

    Good luck with what is, always, a tough transition for all concerned.

    Parent

    They are talking (5.00 / 2) (#69)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 08:49:24 PM EST
    About hiring a professional.  But so far it has not been an issue.  She has declined very quickly.  As I mentioned she was pretty much the same as she has been for he last 20 or 30 years up until just a few weeks ago.   She has not required nursing so far.   She can still make it to the bathroom with a little help and there is a home health person that comes a few times a week for bathing and that stuff.  The doctor really just stops by because he has known her since he was in diapers and his father was her doctor.  He so far hasn't really done anything but prescribe meds.
    I guess there will be tough decisions ahead if things stay as they are.
    I have not really been involved.  I have been more or less trying to help fill in with my sister so her husband can do this.   He is an only child but there are other family members, aunts uncles, cousins.  And my sisters son and his wife who unlike her daughter and her husband are not a useless burden have been helping out too.
    The decision to stay at home was totally hers.  She is pretty tiny but I would not want to be the one who tried to remover her
    :)

    Parent
    Mom and Dad (5.00 / 2) (#71)
    by TrevorBolder on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 06:27:32 AM EST
    My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer when she was 56, my father was able to retire early (NYC blacksmith, in the Sanitation Dept) , towards the end he had a hospital bed brought into the house, and was given a jug of morphine to administer to my mother as needed. Mom passed away on Thanksgiving Day, as did his own mother.  Seemed like it dragged on far too long, I was remiss in not being there often enough, was young and living in the city at the time.
    When dad was in his 80's he was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, I moved in with him for the last 3 months. Eventually we needed someone there 24/7, my brother would relieve me when I left for work (he worked 3 to 11), and my sister was given family leave to work half days, she relieved my brother at 2 PM.
    Again , in the same house, he eventually passed on in the same living room as my mother did, again in a hospital bed.
    His cat (he was not a cat person, they sort of adopted each other several years earlier) remained on the bed with him for the last week.
    Sad memories, more so for the fact that my parents had a Fathers Know Best marriage, and silly me thought thats how all households were. Sad that my father and mother never got to spend more time with each other. They both deserved it.

    Parent
    Remarkable independent ladies (none / 0) (#78)
    by MO Blue on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 06:22:27 PM EST
    The decision to stay in her own space is more than understandable. Hopefully with a little help from her family she can do it her way.

    Parent
    Merry Christmas everybody... (5.00 / 5) (#5)
    by desertswine on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 03:27:45 PM EST
    just added her to the (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Jeralyn on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 06:29:25 PM EST
    main post, thanks for the reminder!

    Parent
    And this led to 1986 (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by BarnBabe on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 12:45:18 AM EST
    It was the first time she sang it in Letterman.


    Parent
    Happy Holidays ti everyone at TL (5.00 / 9) (#6)
    by MO Blue on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 06:02:18 PM EST
    and a wonderful New Year.

    Just about to land in Orlando. (5.00 / 4) (#7)
    by oculus on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 06:29:07 PM EST
    No flight delays for us, though this morning Southwest informed my sister the soonest the airline could get her to Orlando from Hartford was Sunday!  But, for a price, Jet Blue will have her there tonight.

    82 degrees at Orlando airport. Would have appreciated this more when we used to fly to Tampa for Christmas from Detroit Metro!

    Happy Holidays, TLers.

    Welcome to our neck of suburbia (5.00 / 2) (#9)
    by CoralGables on Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 08:37:11 PM EST
    The forecast is for mid to high 80s till (5.00 / 2) (#19)
    by vml68 on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 08:48:37 AM EST
    the end of the year. I am enjoying it even though it does not feel very Christmassy.

    Merry Christmas to all of you here at TL!

    Parent

    Thanks J (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by BarnBabe on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 12:48:33 AM EST
    I always looked forward to Darlene Love singing this Christmas favorite. The show made a collage of all the years she did this. Started out with a band of 4 and suddenly there were more and more people added and then military singers and finally this final presentation. I was hoping Colbert would have her on for old times sake.

    Christmas greetings from (5.00 / 4) (#16)
    by fishcamp on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 08:16:01 AM EST
    the fabulous Florida Keys.  It's already 81 Christmassy degrees.  Just waiting for my cleaning lady to show up, quite amazing she wants to work on Christmas day.  I'm very glad though as I have another flood of house guests arriving mañana.  While she's cleaning I will be messing up the kitchen making a batch of Tzatziki, for an afternoon dinner with friends.  They actually asked me to bring Tzatziki, and it's all because of Zorba's fab secret recipe.  Peace and happiness to all.

    Greetings from a (none / 0) (#17)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 08:23:19 AM EST
    Merry Christmas (5.00 / 3) (#21)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 09:52:19 AM EST
    and Happy Holidays to everyone here at TL. I hope every one of you have a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends and laughter!

    ... in which one of the hometown papers, the Review-Journal, was recently purchased in secret by casino mogul and GOP sugar daddy Sheldon Adelson, whose henchman Michael Schroeder then forced out its editor-in-chief, Michael Hengel.

    The newspaper's staff were none too pleased with all the subterfuge surrounding Adelson's purchase, and have since apparently become quite angry at the low-brow treatment the well-liked and respected Hengel received at Schroeder's hands.

    So the Review-Journal's staff pushed back hard on Schroeder, publishing a little exposé which strongly suggests that the new boss is perhaps guilty of the most serious ethical breach a journalist can commit -- plagiarism.

    The disclosure is now resonating in Schroeder's home state of Connecticut, where the story with the phony byline -- a scurrilous hit piece on Clark County, NV Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez, who had incurred Sheldon Adelson's wrath by upbraiding him publicly in court and fining him $250,000 for withholding documents in a lawsuit -- was first and inexplicably published 2,500 miles east of Ls Vegas in the tiny New Britain Herald.

    From what I can surmise, it looks as though Review-Journal editor Hengel had probably refused to publish the story on Judge Gonzalez, hence his summary removal, whereupon Schroeder had it published in his other smaller paper back east wth a phony byline. And now, the spotlight's uncomfortably shining on him.

    Three cheers to the staff of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, who've likely jeopardized their own employment by taking a principled stand against a couple of deep-pocketed scumbags like Adelson and Schroeder. If you've gotta go down, do so while swinging.

    Aloha.

    I'll take NATIONALITIES for 50 (5.00 / 7) (#46)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 09:26:59 AM EST
    An unarmed North American with health insurance.

    WHAT IS A CANADIAN!

    Dave Barry's (5.00 / 2) (#86)
    by CST on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 09:45:34 AM EST
    Year in Review

    Some highlights:

    "In the year's biggest literary story, representatives of 88-year-old Harper Lee, denying allegations that they're seeking to cash in on the beloved author's literary fame, announce plans to publish what they claim is her recently discovered second book, Fifty Shades of a Mockingbird."

    "In sports, the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win a Super Bowl marked by surprises, including one play in which the Patriots -- undetected by game officials -- had a grenade launcher on the field, an infraction that Coach Belichick later blames on "wind shear.""

    "Elsewhere in sports, the Kentucky Derby is won by New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady, riding tight end Rob Gronkowski. All the actual horses in the race mysteriously collapse at the starting line from what Coach Bill Belichick speculates could be "allergies." Brady also wins the Indianapolis 500 driving a US Army M1 Abrams battle tank that averages only 30 miles per hour but proves to be extremely difficult for the other vehicles to pass."

    Speaking of boat wiring, (5.00 / 2) (#88)
    by fishcamp on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 11:43:36 AM EST
    the cute little endangered Key Largo wood and palm tree rats ate most of the wiring in my boat.  $694 later I have new wiring and I could have prevented this with $6.98 worth of moth balls in tiny tupperwares, in the boat.  I hate moth balls and now I smell like one.  Rats like colored wires since they batch up the covering material with a little vegetable oil to make it easier to pull wire through tight places.  Wish I had known the $6.98 procedure before the $694 one.  The torture never stops.

    the Areopatica & falsehood, bigotry (2.33 / 3) (#18)
    by zaitztheunconvicted on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 08:36:00 AM EST
    Back in about 1644, there was John Milton.  Most of us know him because we heard that he wrote a poem called paradise lost.

    He was both a religious and political thinker and he had some disagreements with the parliament of his day.  As a result of the disagreements with parliament, and because the parliament of his day had a censored and licensing program in place, Milton wrote a little pamphlet we know as the Areopagitica.

    The Areopagitica was not well received or acclaimed at the time . . . although the cause for which Milton argued gradually won the day about 50 years later after the Glorious Revolution of William III.

    Since then, and because the US have the 1st amendment, the SCOTUS has quoted or cited the Areopagitica several times in its decisions.

    So some lawyers may know it.

    Here is one of the interesting clips from the Areopagitica:

    Truth will win out

    And now the time in special is, by privilege to write and speak what may help to the further discussing of matters in agitation. The temple of Janus with his two controversal faces might now unsignificantly be set open. And though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter? Her confuting is the best and surest suppressing.

    Anyway, Milton's idea was that freedom of the press including allowing some people to publish something false is not a serious problem, because others will refute it . . . and that refutation is the surest and best means of suppressing the falsehood.

    "Had we but world enough, and time, (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Mr Natural on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 11:40:39 AM EST
    this cavil, zaitz, were no crime..."


    Parent
    To paraphrase Ian Fleming.. (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by jondee on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 01:05:51 PM EST
    sometimes the world is not enough.

    Parent
    This guy's trolling Jeralyn (5.00 / 3) (#27)
    by shoephone on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 12:52:36 PM EST
    It is an open thread (none / 0) (#31)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 03:14:51 PM EST
    and s/he's comments are always interesting and documented.

    Parent
    Apparently, Jeralyn doesn't agree (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by shoephone on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 01:02:03 AM EST
    She's deleting many of his comments for violating site rules.

    Parent
    i gave him a lot of rope (5.00 / 6) (#40)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 02:16:18 AM EST
    and he's hung himself. I'm banning him from the site.

    Parent
    Yes, (5.00 / 5) (#41)
    by MO Blue on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 06:40:38 AM EST
    Virginia there is a Santa Claus! ;o)


    Parent
    Link (5.00 / 2) (#42)
    by MO Blue on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 06:43:12 AM EST
    There are likely a few residents ... (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 05:24:18 PM EST
    ... of Seattle's Green Lake district who wish they could do the same. I'm certainly no prude, but some of his links were pretty creepy. I made it a point to never open another one.

    Parent
    Ha. Was thinking of walking Greenlake today, (5.00 / 1) (#63)
    by shoephone on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 05:52:19 PM EST
    to work off some of the calories from last night's Christmas feast, but I couldn't get motivated enough by the dreary weather. So coffee and the bookstore took precedence!

    At least this time of year that particular person would not be there--way too cold and rainy for his "costume".

    Parent

    Thank goodness... (5.00 / 1) (#64)
    by Anne on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 06:13:24 PM EST
    the creepiness factor was increasing daily; you just really did not need that overspreading the blog.

    Parent
    Finally! (5.00 / 2) (#66)
    by CoralGables on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 06:39:56 PM EST
    It is her site (none / 0) (#45)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 09:02:53 AM EST
    and her right.

    The nice thing about TL, though, is that people can disagree.

    Parent

    Jeralyn's comment rules (none / 0) (#33)
    by MO Blue on Fri Dec 25, 2015 at 04:40:45 PM EST
    The comment space is reserved for comments that relate to the topic of the post . You may not reprint lengthy text from  your own works or those of others, including news articles.  You may quote one or two short paragraphs  and link to them.

    The article was 11 paragraphs  long and you quoted five of them. Definitely against TL rules and possibily against fair use as well.

    That comment was deleted for (none / 0) (#39)
    by Jeralyn on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 02:14:29 AM EST
    name-calling (and falsely labeling) Huffington Post. He also needs to learn how to link properly.

    A few more comments like that and he'll just be banned from the site.

    And you are correct, quotes must be limited to a few paragraphs and correctly attribute the source. Bandwidth is not free, no one wants to wade through paragraphs of material written by others, and fair use protection is limited.

    Parent

    Anyone heard from MT (none / 0) (#53)
    by CoralGables on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 12:38:46 PM EST
    since the storms moved through Alabama?

    Sorry everyone (5.00 / 1) (#91)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 01:24:21 PM EST
    Should have checked in

    Parent
    Hope they are safe (none / 0) (#54)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 12:53:16 PM EST
    Sent her an email, will report back (none / 0) (#56)
    by ruffian on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 02:16:52 PM EST
    So (5.00 / 1) (#75)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 10:03:35 AM EST
    No word back?

    Hope they are ok.  

    Parent

    Happy Boxing Day TL! (none / 0) (#57)
    by ruffian on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 02:24:47 PM EST
    Hanging out with the family, eating too much, watching old movies.

    Brought up Trump with my GOP brother - he is suitably appalled and thinks Cruz will eventually be the nominee once real voting starts. He likes Fiorina. I had to change the subject before the harmony was disturbed too much.

    Family gift was a karaoke machine. Not much singing yet but my brother likes to use the mic to play talk show host with his teen age kids. They are about over it on day 2.

    Nothing but football (none / 0) (#58)
    by Repack Rider on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 03:34:21 PM EST
    ...on TV on Boxing Day.  Weird.

    Obscure Boxing Day reference: Fictional protagonist Tess of the D'Urbervilles was hanged on Boxing Day.

    Parent

    Gosh...and I was having such a nice day... (none / 0) (#60)
    by shoephone on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 03:48:34 PM EST
    What is the point (none / 0) (#70)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 26, 2015 at 11:03:45 PM EST
    Of a spammer putting spam in a thread from 2013?

    Well, it caught your eye, (none / 0) (#73)
    by Zorba on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 07:57:21 AM EST
    didn't it?   ;-)
    It does show on "Entries with recent comments," after all, at least for awhile.

    Parent
    It really only caught my eye (none / 0) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 09:25:36 AM EST
    Because I know when I see an unfamiliar name posting in an old thread it's spam.

    You know before you click on it what it is.

    Just seems odd to me.  You would assume the whole point is to get someone to click the link which you would think would mean not putting it in a thread no one has looked at in two years.

    It just seems like a lot of trouble, emailing, getting a login, typing out some nonsense in Chechen or whatever for absolutely nothing.

    Whatever.

    Parent

    A lot of these (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by Zorba on Sun Dec 27, 2015 at 11:47:40 AM EST
    come from automated spambots.  Doesn't really cost them very much at all, once they get it set up.  It's a scattershot approach.
    And even the ones which use humans, are paying the Chechens, or whoever, way less than a penny per spam.
    Hope springs eternal, I suppose.

    Parent
    yes, almost all are spambots (none / 0) (#79)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 01:30:44 AM EST
    the latest is someone from Vietnam who has registered more than 100 accounts to post links. He never comments, just registers with ad stuff in his registration. I have to manually delete each one by hand, some nights it has taken me over an hour just to get rid of his stuff.

    On the new talkeft site there is no spam and I can ban registrations and comments from IP addresses by country. Hopefully this year will see the transition to the new site.

    Parent

    How the mighty have fallen (none / 0) (#80)
    by MO Blue on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 08:23:56 AM EST
    The Smart One leads the list of losers in post at The Hill.

    LOSERS

    Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R)

    It has been a miserable year for the former Florida governor, who was considered the GOP frontrunner when he launched his campaign in June.

    Trump has tormented him relentlessly, labeling him a "low energy" candidate and a loser. Now Bush sits at single digits in the polls, with a comeback victory in New Hampshire perhaps his only hope.

    While Bush has blamed Trump for his woes, recently calling him a "jerk," the problems in his campaign run far deeper.

    Bush and his allies have spent around $26 million on TV campaign ads, to little discernible effect. The candidate lies a distant fifth in the RealClearPolitics national polling averages and is sixth in New Hampshire, a state he has guaranteed he will win.
     Link


     Here's hoping he remains on the top of the loser list.

    Barbara was right (none / 0) (#81)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 08:36:00 AM EST
    So much rain here (none / 0) (#82)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 08:47:43 AM EST
    It rained hard all night.  Started to rain really hard about 7 last night.  I know that because I was recording the Game of Thrones marathon and lost signal for the first time, it had been raining all day but not hard enough to lose the signal, so it messed up the last episode of the day.  I thought ok, I will grab it off HBOW2 three hours later.  Wrong.   Still had no signal three hours later.  I don't ever remember losing the signal for three hours straight.  Still gone when I went to bed and listening to it I'm fairly sure it would have been gone all night.  My yard, on top of a mountain, is a lake.  Going to take a drive later to chech out some local rivers that are at record flood levels.  They don't have totals yet but some spots on the map were blank this morning because they said the totals broke the system mapping it.  That would be in excess of 10 inches in the last 48 hours.

    Others have much more to worry about weather wise.  We were lucky in the severe weather department.  Hope Tracy and her family are safe.

    The Illinois River where I am (none / 0) (#83)
    by caseyOR on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 08:56:10 AM EST
    right now is above flood stage and not due to crest until the New Year. This is the kind of thing we expect in the spring, not the winter. We had so much rain this summer that the river was over it banks for most of the summer. Towns had to cancel July 4 fireworks because it was too dangerous to use the customary river barges to shoot off the fireworks.

    This morning we are being bombarded with ice and sleet and high winds after high temps in the 60s last week. Thank god no tornadoes here.

    So, maybe the new normal is that there is no normal anymore.

    I hope MT and her family are safe and all okay.

    Parent

    Yeah (none / 0) (#84)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 09:02:31 AM EST
    We may get some snow later tonight after weeks of temps so warm the spring flowers are blooming.  

    Parent
    Definitely (none / 0) (#85)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 09:34:45 AM EST
    crazy weather. It was nice this past weekend here but the rain started again today. Then there's supposed to be some bad winter weather coming this way.

    I hope MT is fine too. Might be that the tornadoes took out her ability to get online.

    Parent

    Monsoon Season (none / 0) (#89)
    by MO Blue on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 01:02:34 PM EST
    Here as well. Today's item of discussion at pickelball was "how much water is in your basement?"

    Parent
    First really chilly day (none / 0) (#87)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 10:47:31 AM EST
    Making Jambalaya.  Planning to sit by the fire and eat it watching the GoT marathon..

    With my favorite winter cocktail, White Russians.

    Haven't had a (5.00 / 1) (#90)
    by MO Blue on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 01:07:57 PM EST
    White Russian in ages.

    What I would like would be a wee bit of Drambuie to ward off the chill tonight. Unfortunately, I don't have any and none of the local stores carry it any more. Would have to drive about 45 minutes to the far reaches of West County which I'd not going to happen today. Maybe another day.

    Parent

    Mo, your prayers have been answered! (5.00 / 2) (#92)
    by NYShooter on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 02:09:51 PM EST
    I'm a White Russian!!

    Just name the time & place, and I'll be there.

    And, I'll bring your elusive Drambuie.

    Set'm up, gal, let's welcome the New Year in style.

    Parent

    Drambui is all well and good (5.00 / 1) (#94)
    by MO Blue on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 04:00:22 PM EST
    but dancing shoes and the ability to use them are a prerequisite for all of our New Year's Eve celebrations. ;o)


    Parent
    So, are you a (none / 0) (#95)
    by Zorba on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 06:21:46 PM EST
    White Russian as in, those politically opposed to the Bolshevik movement, or a White Russian as in, someone whose family members were from Belarus?

    Parent
    Well, my mother came from (none / 0) (#96)
    by NYShooter on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 06:42:38 PM EST
    a Cossack family, so, they were definitely not enamored with the Bolshevik movement. You probably know your history, so, you know that most ethnic, and/or, political factions were quite happy simply steering around the Cossacks. Even the Nazis maneuvered around Cossack enclaves during their invasion of Russia, not wanting to test the validity of some pretty gruesome folklore known nationwide.

    And, ole Mom thought "Papa Joe," was a grand old Bear. Having witnessed first-hand what Hitler had in mind for all non-Germans, you could understand why the time-worn adage, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend,"was never truer than for my Mom.  

    Parent

    The most popular fact checks of 2015 (none / 0) (#93)
    by jbindc on Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 02:53:53 PM EST
    Probably no surprises (I left out the details and just listed the top ten with their scores)

    1) Trump's outrageous claim that `thousands' of New Jersey Muslims celebrated the 9/11 attacks (Four Pinocchios)

    2) Rand Paul's claim -- twice in one day -- that he has a biology degree
    (We thought this was worthy of Three Pinocchios, but many readers thought we were being unfair.)

    1. Hillary Clinton's claim that she tried to join the Marines (Two Pinocchios)

    2. Marco Rubio's claim that no recent mass shootings would have been prevented by gun laws
    (Geppetto Checkmark)

    1. Carly Fiorina's `secretary to CEO' career trajectory. (Three Pinocchios)

    2. `Hands up, don't shoot' did not happen in Ferguson (Four Pinocchios)

    3.  Obama's claim that Keystone XL oil `bypasses the U.S.' earns Four Pinocchios

    4. Here's why Marco Rubio's corporate card saga isn't really a scandal. (This did not rise to the level of a Geppetto Checkmark, but it was accurate enough that it did not warrant even a single Pinocchio.)

    5. Donald Trump's false comments connecting Mexican immigrants and crime (4 Pinocchios)

    6. For Planned Parenthood abortion stats, `3 percent' and '94 percent' are both misleading
    (both received Three Pinocchios)