Yuletide
War is Over if you want it.
Welcome and Happy Festivus (for the rest of us). Who is this santa fella that decides what is naughty or nice I ask ya. It's a roll of the dice. This is a community and those assessments are democratically decided. So I present to you a challenge: naughty (na) and nice (ni) -- short hand version:
one player announces either na or ni with the word(s) ie. na -- nixon
the next player offers a counter ni to a na or vice versa ie. ni -- lennon
which is responded to by the next opposite ie. na -- kissinger
na ni na ni na.
And the longhand version:
First the Naughty...
Dreaming of a holiday without material commercialism and traditional religious connotations. How would a broke atheist observe this occasion? Remember many holidays spent offshore on the tugs - just another day at work. Restless spirit. Holidays on the road, far from home, contemplating what is missing. Feeling the pain of the destitute and home-less souls.
Then the Nice...
I used to just light a candle and wish for peace. But that can be done almost any day, any way. Perhaps you have a holiday tradition which is somewhat out of the ordinary? I hope it brings you joy whatever you do! Light the sacred pipe and imagine a better future.
Here are some holiday tunes of a different nature:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Tom Waites
John Lennon
All righty then, share your jingles and give it a spiritual spin. Happy returns.
Comments
Na: Claas Relotius, whose faked articles aimed to hurt the Right
and ended up helping them immensely.
I’m sure everyone in the country who ever entertained the notion of voting for the right-wing populists thought — Narnia fans can imagine a Puddleglum-type voice here — “Ah, the press, eh? The media? Not surprised. Works just the way I always suspected.”
https://forward.com/culture/416444/disgraced-german-reporter-fabricated-...
Ni -- gotta help me out on that one
Maybe Tiny Tim?
Well, the media can call me an idiot
Because I don't see invisible Russians, believe in the goodness of my fellow humans and am perfectly willing to set my foot on fire to make people pay attention to the truth.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Hotfoot
for the holidays!
Cheers
there are moments...
when humans act humanely. Sometimes those moments happen during the yule.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9coPzDx6tA]
My name is Francis Tolliver. I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here,
I fought for King and country I love dear.
It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen field of France were still, no Christmas song was sung.
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
their brave and glorious lads so far away.
I was lyin' with my mess-mates on the cold and rocky ground
when across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound.
Says I "Now listen up me boys", each soldier strained to hear
as one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singin' bloody well you know", my partner says to me.
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony.
The cannons rested silent. The gas cloud rolled no more
as Christmas brought us respite from the war.
As soon as they were finished a reverent pause was spent.
'God rest ye merry, gentlemen' struck up some lads from Kent.
The next they sang was 'Stille Nacht". "Tis 'Silent Night'" says I
and in two toungues one song filled up that sky.
"There's someone commin' towards us" the front-line sentry cried.
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side.
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain
so bright as he bravely strode, unarmed, into the night.
Then one by one on either side walked into no-mans-land
with neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
and in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.
We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photgraphs from home
these sons and fathers far away from families of their own.
Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin
this curious and unlikely band of men.
Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more.
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war.
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night
"whose family have I fixed within my sights?"
It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
had been crumbled and were gone for ever more.
My name is Francis Tolliver. In Liverpool I dwell.
Each Christmas come since World War One I've learned it's lessons well.
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
and on each end of the rifle we're the same.
— John Mccutcheon, "Christmas in the Trenches"
Have a peaceful day!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Happy Holidays
Back in the days of road tripping to see parents/grand parents, we would sing this in the car, substituting "Waffle House" for "one you love". I have had too many Waffle House Christmas meals. Rolling on tide water VA this AM, with a mix of funk/jazz/blues/zydeco/… on the music machine.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Funky Christmas
Thanks Tim. Gotta have that funk. Who took the Merry out anyway?
We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photgraphs from home
these sons and fathers far away from families of their own.
Great story Lookout. Peace power!
And also a true story.
Commanding officers made sure it didn't happen again.
Good tidings this holiday morn’, QMS ~~
In these late years of mine, I’m working hard to eliminate most holiday traditions. Over the years, I’ve been held hostage through those traditions. It’s why we travel to friends for TG. It’s why we don’t gift anymore. It’s why we don’t decorate anymore. It’s why we just do whatever comes up during this time.
This year we traveled to be with our daughter, who doesn’t get time off, so why not hang with her. Our son and wife spent their first holidays alone in Boston.
Try not to make too much of the season or have expectations because you just might be disappointed. Having expectations can set you up for failure - which has happened to me several times. I’m getting it now, though, I can be slow at times.
Have a beautiful and peaceful day, everyone!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Just finished shredding the red cabbage
We have Germans and Ukrainians in the household, so braised red cabbage has to be offered for the holiday. Sounds like you have found a comfortable balance there. Have a great one.
braised red cabbage, delicious
Reminds me of the time...
We had lots of red cabbage, looking for ways to use it. I put it in chicken stew. Tasted fine, but nobody could get past eating purple chicken (grin)
Hey, yeah man
Like I remember that purple chicken stuff when it came around. Wicked good high.
Doin' the funky chicken
There's another one for you, Mimi (grin). American English is weird.
I’m watching the marathon
Christmas Story movie. Lots of red cabbage! I’ve never eaten it, being from an Hispanic family! It was always tamales, posole, red chile, mom’s chile rellenos (not the ones found in restaurants), and beans (pinto).
My daughter and I made a stuffed pork roast (a first for us) for dinner last night and are making a duck (another first) for our afternoon meal. It’s just three of us, so we’re enjoying a relaxing time!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
hmm lecker, the friends of my sister, who took us in
on Christmas Eve, were excellent cooks. Red Cabbage self-made, shredded by hand and prepared by an eighty year old with deer meat prepared by his son. Perfect.
https://www.euronews.com/live
What is being "Shared" in the Sharing Economy?
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwModqyLzQE]
The Libetrarian Chicago/Austrian School pigs have achieved their dystopia. We're fucked.
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.
Thanks, Aspie. This should be viewed by everybody. She
should note that "micro-entrepreneur" really means "micro-rentier". It is pretty open, monetizing and capitalizing on asset ownership.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Happy Tuesday EL
I trust you are well and full of fire this fine morning.
Cheers
BTW, you may be seeing that again, because I have half of a
mind to headline it in an OT one of these days.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good moring, QMS, et mes amis. Heh. You speak of
In my case it wasn't the tugs, but various similar/parallel circumstances. Luckily, in a sense, my childhood wasn't one of material largesse at xmas or any other time. In addition I became an atheist early in High School, if not before. Hence, there wasn't too much of a sense of what is/was missing, it was, to my way of thinking, simply "that stupid-ass time of year again with all of the hypocrisy, greed and terrible music." I early on got hip to the fact that of every one hundred persons queried "what do you want for xmas", probably 40 would sanctimoniously intone "world peace" but only 20 would really mean it, and except for 5 of them, only for that one day.
I became less curmudgeonly as I aged, but, after a brief binge a couple of decades back, have gone minimalist. We exchange a few consumables and utilitarian items but mostly celebrate by eating bad things like salami and brie and cookies and such instead of dinner.
All the same, happy holidays to all.
Have a very good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
A tipped jug in your honor
doing french toast next from italian cake / bread. Maybe the phone will ring next?
I never knew the real meaning of funk or being funky
I have read it all the time here and believed it means something completely different.
I am surrounded by two person here in Germany both are living in a bubble of the sixties to eighties (both use no computer and no smart phone). And the guy, who I would describe as a kind of German former hippy working music loving and history reading class guy, drives me nuts with his questions. So, on our hour-long siestas on our patio listening to the birds etc whe have some conversations I sometimes regret to not be recorded. Anyhow this guy asked me what is really funk? And I answered in all my innocent ignorance what I thought it meant.
So, now I looked it up. And what I understood it is, made me want to throw myself in to the crater and burn to hell and never return.
Sigh. Being lazy and stupid and depressed isn't a good way to go through life. I will have to make amendments and apologize to the guy. And I will have to look up every word, even if I believe I know the meaning out of intuition. That will be my New Years Resolution.
Oh, and btw. please read the Chris Hedge's article about Banishing Truth describing Seymore Hersh' life. It is a painfully funk story.
This day turned out a little better than I thought after a hell of a Christmas Eve night at friends of my sister. (Festivus went through my mind every other minute. Torture of the cultural elite kind of Christmas love).
As an antidote to yesterday night's happenings, I went today through all the CDs my sister had gathered with her husband during the 1970 to 1997. When he died that year she never touched any music anymore. As she couldn't figure out how her old music equipment works, there was total silence in her house since 1998 and after the death of her daughter 2013 there was no strength left in her to keep herself together.
So I pulled out a boombox I bought in my desperation and started to play the old CDs. It still didn't lift up her spirits, but at least it feels a little bit like Christmas coziness (well if you try hard enough to see it that way).
Nice music ... ok thanks for letting me babble around. I need this place to talk, it's really, literally the only place I can speak my mind and believe that people understand what I am saying.
So, you have to keep up with me as long as Johnny the Conqueroo is not banning me. He won't. I think a loves me a little tiny bit. Lucky me. I love him too.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Hey Mimi
By Jove, I think you've funkin' got it! Sing a song or two for the garden critters!
Cheers
Hey ~ mimi ~~
I understand your sister. I lost a husband in 1987 and music is still difficult for me. I try, though, and there is some music I love and always will, but I can hardly stand xmas music.
It’s worse for my spouse who was a child football during the holidays for his parents. The fight was always on. No enjoyment was possible. He hates the holiday.
This is why I refuse to be held hostage by it anymore. Too many expectations ruin the day. IMHO, and based on my experience, anyway.
Peace to you and your family.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Merry Xmas, Raggedy Ann, I hear you, though
my reasons to not be able to listen to any kind of classical music back in my youth had other reasons than the death of a beloved one, but more the end of a functioning family.
But I was introduced to other music, foreign to me by then and it replaced what was there before.
When I came to the US with my then husband, we both had different memories how Christmas was celebrated and we were both lost when it came to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the US. So lost that we took a tour through DC and looked for churches to go to and couldn't decide which one. I was never a church goer and my then husband was used to churches in his African village (I think mostly baptist influenced). So, nothing seemed to fit and we ended up without church going in the US.
But I like how they sing in US churches. I like the music, but can't listen to the sermons.
Music was reduced to some records in the early eighties. After my separation from my then husband, music was nowhere around me.
It was brought back into my life by Joe's EB. And I enjoy his old Blues selections the most. So, all is well in musicland for me now.
In my sisters house there is lots of spanish guitar music. I listened to it the whole afternoon. Similar to this, just much better original CDs.
https://www.euronews.com/live
I have my favorite Flamenco album
playing right now while I cook. No Rotkohl for us though, Roast Beast.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVWBvQ4wREo width:500 height:300]
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
There was a CD under the tree for me this year.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHnnBAI1Zp8 width:500 height:300]
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
hmm... do I have to like it to be polite? :-) /nt
https://www.euronews.com/live
She covers a couple of Stones songs too.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
yeah, but I am an old-fashioned old lady and was not
allowed to love the Stones back in the days. So I behaved and didn't learn to love them. So sorry, Azazello.
https://www.euronews.com/live
No need to apologize.
Here, I'll help you make up for lost time.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8wo8YSzKtI width:500 height:300]
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
thx, Az, I had no idea they were that cute ...
that was 1978, right? Lordy, I know where I was in 1978. No chance to an opportunity back then to 'see them'.
I think I also mixed them up with another group from the mid-sixties, which I actually really was not allowed to listen to. Back when the Beatles came into consciousness. I always envied a girl in my class, who had all the little records and was 'in the know' about them.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Froehliche Weihnachten
und eines gutes neues Jahr!
Schlaff in himmlischer Ruh...
that's a funky old Oesterreichische song (grin).
(My Deutsch is old and rusty, hope I got it right.)
Funky is a very strange word, with lots of meanings and shades of meaning, depending on context. Glad you looked into it, have fun with it.
MRY XMS!
my mother's favorite funky Christmas song
was 'Auf dem Berge da wehet der Wind'.
and that is just because Joseph and Mary got into a fight of who is supposed to sway the baby Jesus. I don't find a version on You Tube I like.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Merry Christmas from Manizales, Columbia!
I am in a hotel in a cloud forest, enjoyed a morning of hummingbirds and butterflies, gorgeous orchids, and I did not have to cook Christmas dinner!
My favorite beer is called Poker. It is the favorite of the tour group, with Club Columbia coming in a very close second.
I am having a late lunch, packing for an early departure to Medellín at dawn.
I am in Columbian coffee región, feeling stimulated!
For what it is worth, I introduced the hotel bar staff in Botoga to what I consider the first rap music. Give peace a Chance. They played it over the hotel speaker system.
My small contribution to spreading the Word.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Merry Xmas everyone!!
Hope that you all are having a great day and that you have family and friends to share it with. For anyone who doesn't know that I am sharing it with you in my heart. I am off to brunch with my aunt, uncle, Abby, Charlie and Turp.
Thanks everyone again for help for Charlie and my car. Charlie is like a puppy again now that her pills have started to work. She has lost 5 lbs and her hair is growing back and turning black again. She saw her vet yesterday and has an infection somewhere that has affected her appetite. When a beagle turns down ice cream you know something is wrong.
Gotta get her eating ice cream again because that's where I'm hiding her 5 pills a day.
Have a great one!
There were problems with running a campaign of Joy while committing a genocide? Who could have guessed?
Merry Christmas, Snoopy,
do you know what I would love to be in my next life? Your doggy Charlie Brown. I miss my dog so much and am not allowed to have a new one here where I am right now. So, I am determined to get a new life and new dog. And I will call him Charlie Brown in your honor.
That will be a happy New Year.
Have a good one every day.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Hola. Az. Great tune. All it needs is some celebratory xmas
mezcal.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
It's the 1920s all over again.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHNOYTi3h4A]
Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.
Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.