Open Thread - 12-24-21 - Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas c99!

Holly-Christmas-Garland.png
A glass raised in your direction:

To my brothers and sisters here at c99, a toast.

It's been a rough couple of years on chez Earth. It's been a privilege to travel through these times with you folks, as we grasp for the truth, as we strain to understand the barrage of information, as we live through these interesting times. Nothing is for certain anymore.

As dismaying as it's all been, you, my friends, have made it all bearable. I thank you for that.

We, for posterity, are writing a chronicle of our times on these pages. Our thoughts, our stories, our knowledge, our fears. It is our history, we speak to the future.

Season's Greetings from Mr. and Mrs. JtC!
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I wont be able to be around until later this afternoon. I'll catch up with you then.

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Just a light frosting giving it the holiday look Wink

Cheers!

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@QMS
it isn't snowing in Texas. Biggrin

Merry Christmas, Q!

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christmas_dog.jpeg
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@QMS
And I'm neither a softy nor a dog lover. But if offered, I'd take this one.

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but am fond of "O Holy Night." This one really does it for me:

[video:https://youtu.be/cdrvTRtN8tQ]

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mimi's picture

@Marie
holy night, because it can't be viewed in bad 'ol Germany.

Sigh.

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@mimi
search and you may find it:

Music video by Renée Fleming, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Trevor Pinnock performing O Holy Night. (C) 2005
Music in this video
Learn more
Listen ad-free with YouTube Premium
Song
O Holy Night Extract
Artist
Renée Fleming, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Trevor...
Licensed to YouTube by
Kobalt Music Publishing, Wise Music Group, Sony ATV Publishing, UMPG Publishing

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@Marie and she was remarkable!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mimi's picture

@Marie
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in 2005.

I love to listen to her on Christmas and anytime really.

[video:https://youtu.be/j8KL63r9Zcw]

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@mimi

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@Marie
thank you and Merry Christmas!

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janis b's picture

@Marie

What is this version of the song? This particular video is unavailable to me.

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@janis b It's also on Daily Motion but that seems to require a subscription.

Hope you're able to find it because it's an excellent version, but I do have a preference for sopranos on this song. The tenors are merely okay for me.

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janis b's picture

@Marie

I didn't find the version you enjoy most, but this one came up, which you might also enjoy ...

[video:https://youtu.be/MkcBy-fNXUY]

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@janis b and like Fleming, she was remarkable.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@janis b @janis b
sing right. Dame Kiri did it very well, but for me, it lacks that emotional component. It's really a personal preference, particularly for people like me that know close to zero about music.

OTOH:

Many years ago I was waiting in line at the Met for standing room tickets. In front of me were two somewhat diminutive, dapper gents in suits and top coats, probably in their 50’s or 60’s, who were jabbering away in Spanish (they both looked like Fernando Rey – one even had a little feather in his hat). Gradually their conversation became very heated, one of them began hollering “Callas!”, the other one countering “Tebaldi!” and the next thing we knew they were pummeling each other. Quite amusing, quite absurd.

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janis b's picture

@Marie

but I am no maven of opera. I haven't listened to a lot of opera, but my favourite has always been this one -

https://youtu.be/u7vQ6ztojNQ

I found this audio of what I think is the O Holy Night you posted on daily motion ...

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2psxa

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@janis b
the Daily Motion video is the same as the Youtube one I posted as it's not available in my region.

While off-topic, Christmas music, thanks for introducing me to Henryk Gorecki and Dawn Upshaw. Very nice piece and Upshaw is a powerhouse soprano in the contemporary classical world which is even further outside my familiarity than opera is.

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Lookout's picture

and take good cheer in friends and nature. Hope y'all have a great holiday adventure and are surrounded by the beauty of our part of the world. In challenging times like these we often overlook things we should value and appreciate...like our community.

Hope those with the where with all pony up a bit of dough (upper left hand button) as a sign of appreciation of the site and community. It is the time of giving.

Happy holidays all!

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

@Lookout

In challenging times like these we often overlook things we should value and appreciate...like our community.

You and yours have a Very Merry 'Bama Christmas old buddy!

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That Springsteen track was Everything. Thanks for it, JtC and for all that this website does for us every day.

There is no better place to learn from so many honest and well informed people everyday.

Good health, Clear Thinking and Joy to all of us in 2022.

(Yes, it is a little ironic, because clear thinking and Joy are so often at odds.)

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NYCVG

@NYCVG
and you're also right about the Boss, he is everything.

Happy Holidays, my friend.

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enhydra lutris's picture

on xmas. Nonetheless, there is always next year, one must carry on. For now, this season's last salvo --

Thanks for the greetings you two and Feliz Navidad y'all.

be well and have a great xmas

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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 --

@enhydra lutris
long ago, it won by attrition.

Feliz Navidad to you and yours as well, mi hermano.

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The Liberal Moonbat's picture

I have no idea what this means, BUT now that I've found it, there's literally no time like the present:

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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

@The Liberal Moonbat

like the bloody 2000 time scare
there was no there there there
do not bend over on this here
only meant to scare

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The Liberal Moonbat's picture

@QMS ...but since you seem to be mentioning it: https://thenewstack.io/how-the-y2k-bug-returned-on-jan-1-2020/

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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

@The Liberal Moonbat
that is I, and my lovely wife.

Happy Holidays, TLM!

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janis b's picture

@The Liberal Moonbat

That's not exactly the silver bells of Christmas /s

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Dawn's Meta's picture

we started going to Trail Band concerts at Christmas. It was a family tradition with our daughter who was seven at the time. It was notable for several things: Linda Hornbuckle sang Last Month of the Year; the early concerts had a young guitar player from Texas who sang Steve Earle's Nothing But a Child, a first for both of us; the Silver Bells duet is sooo singable.

Here is the album for your listening pleasure. Happy Christmas everyone!
[video:https://youtu.be/foFN89XPGnU]

ETA: Mr. and Mrs. JtC are one cute couple. Best of the season to you and yours.

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A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.

@Dawn's Meta
for the great music and the kind words.

Merry Christmas, my friend.

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Dawn's Meta's picture

Firetruck Parade. Our Northern was the most lovely doggie. Teddy is doing his level best to be a howlin' dawg right now.

[video:https://youtu.be/XfkJqWY7WiM]

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A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.

janis b's picture

@Dawn's Meta

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earthling1's picture

We can be a raucous bunch at times. But you ride herd over us in a most fair manner.
Thank you for that alone.
Good tidings to all my fellow travelers.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

@earthling1
Thank you all for putting up with me.

Riding herd?

But you ride herd over us in a most fair manner.

You mean like this:

Have a Merry Christmas, my friend

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janis b's picture

@JtC

and probably true interpretation of your job here ; )

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@janis b
that's why I moved to Texas. It's cat herding country down here.

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Pluto's Republic's picture

@JtC

A community like no other.

Thanks JtC & Mrs. too.

xmas-scrabble.jpg
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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato

@Pluto's Republic
and thanks for hanging out with us all these years. Great cartoon!

Have a Cool Yule!

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snoopydawg's picture

You’re taller than I imagined in my mind. But then I always reduce people’s size to their avatars..poor Joe. Smile

Merry Xmas and safe travels. Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do..boy I’m thinking fun is going to be off the charts.

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

@snoopydawg
the assumptions we have about folks on the web, that turn out to be totally wrong.

Thank you snoops, you and Sam have a Very Merry Yuletide!

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snoopydawg's picture

@JtC

I look noticed nothing like my avatar…

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

Thank you for being here, one of my main places to land for grounding and sanity. I don't know how sane I am but I credit this site for at least half of what I can honestly claim. Healthy, happy everyone.

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@crescentmoon
cm, and have a Merry Christmas!

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He's terrible on domestic policy, however, when it comes to war.

The US military has, overall, carried out 439 aerial attacks in 2021, a 54% drop from the year before under former President Donald Trump, Airwars data showed.

The group said the biggest drop came in Yemen, where there were no officially declared strikes in 2021, compared to 18 in 2020. Airstrikes also fell by 88% in Somalia, where the US has for years fought an al-Qaeda linked insurgency, as well as 71% in Iraq and Syria, reflecting the military defeat of the Islamic State.

The vast majority of military strikes under Biden happened in Afghanistan before US forces left in August. Excluding those attacks, the US declared just 67 airstrikes, Airwars said, citing official US military data.

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@gjohnsit
on the degree of war criminal either one may be. I'm in a wait and see mode with Mr. Biden.

Merry Christmas, g.

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@gjohnsit

What percentage of air strikes are "military". There are others that, even though carried out by
military aircraft are carried out under command of alphabet agencies.

If the total number of real-world attacks has declined, that would indeed be a Good Thing.

Happy holidays from Nihon.

- BR

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mimi's picture

now I am not scared anymore of Mr.JtC. He looks like he could be a nice Santa Claus, and you Mrs. JtC look like a Christas Angel. At least in Germany all Christmas Angels have blonde hair.

Now I wonder, what is the difference between someone saying 'cheers' and someone saying 'prost'.

I drank some eggnog, so foregive me, but has Mr.JtC and you somehow some unwanted German genes in you that made you like Uncle Sam more than Mami Angela?

Merry Christmas to you, your family and alle 'Kameraden' on C99.

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@mimi
mimi, and yes, my wife is an angel.

Cheers and prost essentially men the same thing.

I am indeed of German/Scot lineage.

Merry Christmas, my friend.

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studentofearth's picture

I am raising my glass to toast for health, prosperity and peace for each of you.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

@studentofearth
prosperity and peace to you as well, and thanks for all you do here.

Happy Holidays, my friend.

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Socialprogressive's picture

Thanks for all you do running C99.

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When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

@Socialprogressive
for all you do, especially with the Friday Night Photos, which I look forward to every Friday evening.

Merry Christmas to you, my friend.

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janis b's picture

I think c99 is a privilege that we all share. I just want to say how much I appreciate this open space and juke joint!

[video:https://youtu.be/VKCq-osMQT8]

All the best to everyone

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snoopydawg's picture

@janis b

See my musical choices in yesterday’s OT. I’ve posted fresh aire music before, but they’re my favorite. Including Nat..

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

janis b's picture

@snoopydawg

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@janis b
my dear, and thanks for Canned Heat and for the shoutout for the juke joint, an old reference to the Evening Blues Weekend Edition.

Happy Holidays, Janis, my friend.

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If there was nothing else attached to it, it would be fabulous. But there are many great things attached, such as expressions of love, friendship, good will, beautiful music, family, and a song I have heard in every hotel on every continent I have traveled was this:

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp
that's one of my favorites? Biggrin

Merry Christmas, dear otc!

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@JtC The weirdest places I have heard it is in countries that are predominantly Hindu or Moslem. But they love tourist bucks!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

dystopian's picture

Hi all, Hey JtC! Merry Christmas to all!

We are indeed very lucky to have this space and place, and a great bunch of great people!

What a fine looking couple we have helming the cat herding! Y'all rock! Wink

Thanks for all you do JtC!

a very merry to all!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian
having you here too, my brother. Your wit and wisdom is priceless.

Hope to be heading out your way next spring or so. We're thinking about Big Bend.

Merry x-mas, hombre!

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lotlizard's picture

Somehow … somewhere … let there be love and light in the darkness that surrounds us.

Posting from Germany and Europe, where the elites are determined to turn the E.U. into an all-powerful federal government beyond any hope of control by ordinary citizens, and even less accountable than the U.S. federal government to anyone excepting the most deeply entrenched deep staters, the most well-connected lobbyists, and of course the fabulously wealthy.

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@lotlizard boggles the mind

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NYCVG

@lotlizard
that every generation must re-learn history as the elders that lived through it die off. That does seem to be a thing. Germans, one would think, would be hyper aware of that.

This is a fine thing to hope for:

Somehow … somewhere … let there be love and light in the darkness that surrounds us.

Thank you, my friend, and frohe Weihnachten!

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for keeping the lights on and this space accessible to all. A beacon that works as a warning and a celebration? I think so.

Thanks to all on c99 for their insights, contributions, support, and thoughts. It is truly a remarkable conglomeration of minds.

Sending best wishes to all for this Holiday season and New Year.

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@randtntx
my fellow Texan friend.

Happy Holiday wishes to you and yours.

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@JtC , it's great to have another Texas friend or two! Best to you both.

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wendy davis's picture

as to this:

"Season's Greetings from Mr. and Mrs. JtC!"....

what did she extort from you with to not make it:

"Season's Greetings from Mr. and Mrs. JtC/OTC"?

light and love? it may be coming, but too slowly (imo), as the rest of the planet realizes that the US Empire, NATO, Africom, and other toady players realize that what this Imperium exports is not democracy, but agitprop, terrorism, and projections of evil, rather than share/submit to a multi-polar world.

a side note: julian assange will hear the decision on his extradition appeal toward the end of february.

holiday music? most of my faves are on vinyl, but this i do ♥. (originally ukrainian, ironically enough)

woot! we got snow and rain over the past 24 hours! it'll sure help this summer as it stays on the la plata peaks north of us. wunderground predicts more to come.

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