Festivus

Submitted by ek hornbeck on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 5:41pm

photo f8ea703c-0f2e-42fd-ab9f-9455b7f58a8e_zps1b3e5b10.jpg

For the rest of us.

Like most holidays Festivus is a totally artificial construction around a false narrative.

I think I'll spare you the feats of strength.

The airing of grievances is mandatory. 'Tis the reason for the season.

I've been quite cranky this year, as those close to me will attest. When the hard drive on my Laptop explodes into irredeemable bit dust taking 6 months of work with it please don't ask me how I feel, I will most likely tell you.

In fact talking about "feelings" at all is fairly counter-productive. I am a great green seething hate ball of rage.

Fortunately I have Natasha Romanova to soothe me.

Or not. Puny God. I have very different memories of Budapest.

However the point, as far as it exists, is that there is plenty to be angry about and directing that energy to productive purposes is difficult. I recommend getting a passport now, no kidding at all. My Germany clock has advanced from 1933 to 1938 and if you're thinking about stopping in France I'd say that's not quite far enough.

If you choose to stay and fight you have my admiration, not that I intend to go anywhere myself. Inertia is hard to overcome in a person who's ego is as massive as mine.

I can make this as personal as you desire though I'm mostly wrapped up in my Rosencrantz.

Did you ever think of yourself as actually dead, lying in a box with a lid on it?

No.

Nor do I, really. It's silly to be depressed by it.

I mean, one thinks of it like being alive in a box. One keeps forgetting to take into account the fact that one is dead, which should make all the difference, shouldn't it? I mean, you'd never *know* you were in a box, would you? It would be just like you were asleep in a box. Not that I'd like to sleep in a box, mind you. Not without any air. You'd wake up dead for a start, and then where would you be? In a box. That's the bit I don't like, frankly. That's why I don't think of it. Because you'd be helpless, wouldn't you? Stuffed in a box like that. I mean, you'd be in there forever, even taking into account the fact that you're dead.

It isn't a pleasant thought. Especially if you're dead, really. Ask yourself, if I asked you straight off, "I'm going to stuff you in this box. Now, would you rather be alive or dead?" naturally, you'd prefer to be alive. Life in a box is better than no life at all, I expect. You'd have a chance, at least. You could lie there thinking, "Well, at least I'm not dead. In a minute somebody is going to bang on the lid, and tell me to come out."

"Hey you! What's your name? Come out of there!"

I think I'm going to kill you.

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Comments

Submitted by ek hornbeck on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 5:47pm

Vent Hole

C'mon. Get your Festivus rocking.

That stone is a gift from my cousin. I keep it around for obvious reasons.

Submitted by SparkyGump on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 7:32pm

I share Lewis Black's view of Chritmas

—

The real SparkyGump has passed. It was an honor being your human.

Submitted by Timmethy2.0 on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 8:13pm

Seems like Xmas is an excuse to be an asshole the other 364 days

Just be in the giving spirit on that one day and everything's cool the rest of the year.

—

Beware the bullshit factories.

Submitted by riverlover on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 8:31pm

Nice cabouchon!

I just ordered a bunch. But rocks and agates I pay for are not for throwing. My aim is for crap anyway. I throw like a girl.

I hung up on my sister-in-law today. And informed my kids of no or partial Christmas gifting. So enough meanness for the day for me. Have a good Monday.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 9:18pm

I definitely agree with you on this

My Germany clock has advanced from 1933 to 1938

I'm feeling the same way about the direction this country is moving and I had a long rant about it last night in the EBs.
The Trump administration is going to separate families who ask for asylum at the borders. Parents will be going to one detention center and their children will go to another one in possibly a different state. This is something I can not wrap my mind around. What type of person can do that and not think about when it was done to families in Germany?

'Beyond the Pale': Outcry as Trump Administration Considers Separating Immigrant Families at Border
"Cruelty as official government policy."

Families have generally been allowed to stay together in family detention centers under the current policy. The new proposal would see parents sent to adult facilities after being apprehended at the border while their children would be sent to juvenile shelters.

Undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. would also be singled out for deportation if they attempt to retrieve their children from detention centers, under the new rules.

Undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. would also be singled out for deportation if they attempt to retrieve their children from detention centers, under the new rules.

Obama deported more people than any other president during his tenure and now Trump is going to continue to rip families apart. He said that he would only deport immigrants that had a criminal record, but he's deporting mothers and fathers and if they don't have other family who can take their children in to live with them, those children are deported to countries that they have no ideas about.

Then there's the J20 prosecutions where anyone who was in the vicinity of the inauguration protests were arrested and charged for felony rioting even if they were people just walking by it. The prosecutors said that people who weren't involved with the destruction can be charged anyway.

But we witnessed the increasing police brutality breaking up protests during the Obama administration where he stayed silent about what the police were doing. E
His silence on how the DAPL protesters were treated was very loud to me. What happened to them was something not seen in this country since the civil rights movement. Dogs were allowed to bite protesters, cops ruined a woman's arm with a rubber bullet, a man was blinded in one eye after he was shot with one and people were sprayed with water when the temperatures were below 20 degrees.

I don't know if you read our coverage of the DAPL protests, but a private mercenary contractor, TigerSwan, was allowed to be in charge of it and the violence against the protesters was staggering. They were allowed to spy on them, do illegal searches in their homes and online activities, ect....

Moving towards fascism? How much further is there to go until we admit that it's already here?

—

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Submitted by Bisbonian on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 12:02pm

Indeed

@snoopydawg Indeed

My Germany clock has advanced from 1933 to 1938 I'm feeling the same way about the direction this country is moving and I had a long rant about it last night in the EBs. The Trump administration is going to separate families who ask for asylum at the borders. Parents will be going to one detention center and their children will go to another one in possibly a different state. This is something I can not wrap my mind around. What type of person can do that and not think about when it was done to families in Germany? 'Beyond the Pale': Outcry as Trump Administration Considers Separating Immigrant Families at Border "Cruelty as official government policy." Families have generally been allowed to stay together in family detention centers under the current policy. The new proposal would see parents sent to adult facilities after being apprehended at the border while their children would be sent to juvenile shelters. Undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. would also be singled out for deportation if they attempt to retrieve their children from detention centers, under the new rules. Undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. would also be singled out for deportation if they attempt to retrieve their children from detention centers, under the new rules. Obama deported more people than any other president during his tenure and now Trump is going to continue to rip families apart. He said that he would only deport immigrants that had a criminal record, but he's deporting mothers and fathers and if they don't have other family who can take their children in to live with them, those children are deported to countries that they have no ideas about. Then there's the J20 prosecutions where anyone who was in the vicinity of the inauguration protests were arrested and charged for felony rioting even if they were people just walking by it. The prosecutors said that people who weren't involved with the destruction can be charged anyway. But we witnessed the increasing police brutality breaking up protests during the Obama administration where he stayed silent about what the police were doing. E His silence on how the DAPL protesters were treated was very loud to me. What happened to them was something not seen in this country since the civil rights movement. Dogs were allowed to bite protesters, cops ruined a woman's arm with a rubber bullet, a man was blinded in one eye after he was shot with one and people were sprayed with water when the temperatures were below 20 degrees. I don't know if you read our coverage of the DAPL protests, but a private mercenary contractor, TigerSwan, was allowed to be in charge of it and the violence against the protesters was staggering. They were allowed to spy on them, do illegal searches in their homes and online activities, ect.... Moving towards fascism? How much further is there to go until we admit that it's already here?

—

"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Submitted by Shahryar on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 11:57pm

We got a Christmas tree today

Ou peut etre hier, je ne suis pas sur.

There were a few small trees left, which we prefer. No attendant, just a sign saying "donations appreciated" with a slot. We looked through our pockets or purse and came up with 10 bucks. We'll put it up tomorrow.

This was the year we refinanced the burrow, paying off the Feds. We'd been reluctant to apply for passports because then they'd know where we are and think we were fleeing away from that debt. Now it'll be easier.

Also the year we got Social Security. I assume we'll keep getting it until they do away with it, which might be January.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 12:57am

It's my understanding that people who are on SS now

@Shahryar

will not be effected by the cuts to it for now. This is what Ryan has said when he talked about it. "My mother would be upset with me if I cut her SS, so I want to be clear. No one who is currently on it or will be soon will have their SS cut."

I'm not sure if I'm going to be safe from the cuts though. I still have a few years to go.

—

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Submitted by riverlover on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 2:26am

My passport needs renewal in 2018

I have not decided whether to do it or to put it off. It would mean among other things a new photo with a new scar. But 2 hours from the Canadian border.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 9:36am

I had a good festivus...

and hope you did too. Does it make me a loser?

festivus loser.jpg

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by shaharazade on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 4:58pm

Merry Christmas to you ek

and happy whatever you want to call the winter festival of light to all you cc99%er's. Of course this year winter is pretty dark regardless of all the strings of artificial lights. I haven't posted here in ages as I'm not fit company as far as politics goes. I'm off them. I miss you people here. I'll pry my eyeballs off from FB both the drivel and insane depressing politics not to mention free flowing fake news and come in from the cold to rejoin caucus99 this coming year. ek so happy to read you no matter how grumpy, with good reason, you are.