I like today’s Drudge Report headline. Good touch ole sparky.
The story linked above his fold is well to do with weather–it’s some weird weather this year actually. The temperature this Christmas Eve as I write this at 7:15am outside my Pennsylvania abode is nearing 60. It’s going to edge towards 70 as the day persists.. by nightfall, Santa’s sleigh will trudge through mud as it attempts to gain entry to all East Coast cities and towns.
This is going to be a warm one.. Actually a hot one.
All records in various places may be broken today.. There will be no white Christmas.. the Heat Miser is winning.
From ACCUWEATHER:
It is a strange moment, walking out into the December air and being greeted with the warmth of a spring or summer morning.. And even more, explain the Santa’s sleigh issue to a nearly 5 year old child who analysis things way too much for his own good at his age. My son told me he could not wait to build a snow man Christmas day. I had to break the bad news of weather. . while he did not seem to care too much after a few months, it was an intense line of questions hurled at me all about why pictures show snow and he was under the impression that Santa needed it.
Mass shooting, racial police issues, and fear over terrorism reign high as well. Looking back with poll results like this, the spirit of he nation seems battered, broken, and down..
The final few days of shopping are here.. The last chances to wrap gifts..
Tis the season for small annoyances, like bad traffic or office Christmas parties where someone you never expected would get a bit too tipsy, or offensive. I have often thought that often co-workers (sometimes family, too), aren’t people you pick. They aren’t friends. They are necessary. You may like some.. but chances are, if you’re at a party of 50, you’ll really want to associate with just four or five.
Nonetheless, at a gathering just days ago of people, I noted several conversations were about attempts to get better health in the new year, be happier, eat right, and cut down on the luxuries and lushness of life. All this being said while food was in one hand and alcohol in the other..
I am perplexed yearly by this notion that December 31 into January 1 will suddenly equal a burst of health, weight loss, and better moods. By the second week of January, when the bills start coming in and researchers say “Blue Monday” hits, we are already ditching the yearly get rich or well quick schemes, and replacing them with the bad habits all over again.
But maybe that is because the actual attempts are wrong to begin with.
The end of a year and the beginning of a new one is sort of the same as how parts of the earth feel this time of year, as well. The cyclical nature of seasons and time—we are one with the planet and quite possibly one with the feelings of the season. Sorry to go pagan, but maybe even the natural phases of the moon and sun, along with the Solstices, deserve a party! Minus the human sacrifices of ancient Yule time.
My point is, trying to change habits at this time of year is fine. It’s the end of a year. Again. Another 12 months, 525,600 minutes behind us, and a whole new 12 months of anarchy on the way..
But what habits are you trying to break? And why..?
“I want to be healthier.” Fine and cool. It is not bad to be healthy.. But think before you drink. I love the idea that “wine may be good for my heart.” I’m no doctor, but I know the dangers of alcohol when used in excess. And while the skin of grapes could have benefits, so does dark chocolate. Oh, and skin of grapes—meaning you can actually eat grapes as opposed to drinking fermented versions of the product..
“I want to lose weight.” So quick diets and fad trends are imposed on your body. You don’t react as you’d expect in two weeks, and you give it. Weight loss takes time. It took a while to gain it, you surely won’t lose it faster. So if you’re serious about losing weight, just realize you may get a quick hit of ten pounds if you’re really overweight, then it will become stagnant. If you’re closer to normal, you may lose very weight at all but could gain muscle if done the right way…and muscle has weight, so your scale could stay the same.
“I want a new job.” Don’t we all sometimes? Before you get on a new job bandwagon, make a “why I hate my job list.” Then make a “why I have it okay at my job list.” And be honest, include everything, like 401K or pension, free parking, health insurance. See which list has more. Afterwards critically think about what you put. If hatred of your co-workers made the “Why I hate my job list,” go back and read some Yoda. Fear equal hate. Hate equals war. Be brave and be honest. Trying to get a better job is not a bad thing. But never do something simply based off of hate. You’ll make the wrong decision every time.
My advice for this time of year.. Use the force. It’s all around you. Close your eyes…wait…I saw STAR WARS too many times. or did I? The ‘force’ may not only be strong for the Jedi, but it could be real.. You could be a part of something far greater than yourself. A universe that goes on forever and somehow is connected in strange ways by invisible math and physics. It’s a great time to be alive, with advanced discoveries that are beautiful and making life better. Yes there is loathsome fear and terror, as we talked about on here several times over the past few weeks, but don’t give into it. Do not let fear guide you. Embrace fear.
A few years ago when I had to give a public speech to a group of 700 people, I did something remarkable. It changed me forever. Up until that point I Was scared to death of public speaking. It’s when I realized that my entire life was made up of public speaking that the fear started to dwindle. I was a waiter since 16. I addressed crowds of 8 to 50 people on a regular basis, even made an open mic speech to a wedding party of 200 naming dessert choices. So public speaking was the simple part.. the hard part was figuring out that if you just do it and stop thinking so much, you’ll be fine. I embraced the fear and actually let it consume me for a moment, I purposely even tried making myself more fearful of the event. At that point, it left me. Was I still a bit nervous? Yes. Was I filled with trembling fear anymore? Not even close..
Fear about the future is a strange thing, after all. Consider this: The future is not real, it did not happen, and there is no proof of what is coming. The only thing real is now. Even the past may not be real anymore since it stopped existing. The second of time you stand in, however, is undeniable. So fearing the future is insane. You’re fearing something that did not occur, that is not here, and that is not year coming to fruition. Stop fearing.
And on that note, the real new years’ resolution you should strictly maintain: Be you. Stop hating. Your hating is equaling worse things. It’s creating a worse world. It’s making things bleak. It’s ruining children’s futures. It’s stopping progress. And it’s forcing you to be cemented in ideologies that are failed and ones that should be long gone.
Believe me, I have never been accused of being an optimist. But I equally have never defined myself as a pessimist. I am a realistic, sometimes nervous and paranoid, conspiracy-theory loving (not always believing) observer of society. From my own personal circle of friends and family to the world as a whole, I sit back and often watch.
My resolution: in 2016 I plan on watching less and doing more.. The next time a fight breaks out at a mall, and I know who is at fault, I will make sure I speak up. Fear is not an option. In 2016, neither is silence.
And seriously it’s December 21 already? The year…went…where? It’s almost gone? Done? Finished.. That’s bizarre to me. It really feels like it turned the big 15 yesterday… It did not. But ‘tomorrow’ or something similar it will be 16.. And you know how 16 year olds act… Get ready for another wild year no doubt..
For investors the choice is simple. Sell it now in a way that, according to various estimates from some of the funds now heavily invested in the company, would yield approximately $46 a share. Or, look a year or more into the future, when, after a restructuring, Yahoo managers can try again to make good on a turn around plan that they have for several years gamely tried, and abjectly failed at.
In the eyes of investors, and, likely the cosmos too, it is not just mismanagement, and lack of vision, or lost opportunities — not buying Netflix when it was cheap, for instance. Rather the problem is in the nature of Yahoo, and, arguably, digital media itself.
And this is important for a few reasons to some of you reading. If you blog on Tumblr, don’t forget who the landlord is..
It’s beginning to look a lot like summer, just in time for Santa..
Seriously. This will be the temperature map around Christmas.. 70 in DC.. widespread 50s and 60s. No snow, no chance of reindeer tracks.. no need for a sleigh..
No ice skating.. No nostalgic Christmas feeling. Instead you may get a hint of a notion to try to find Easter eggs and wear a bonnet.
It’s this weekend.. It’s happening.. Star Wars is about to take over pop culture.. take over movie theaters.. take over the gift selection on Christmas morning.
But will the newest generation of movie going Star Wars fans awaken enough to accept Kylo Ren over Darth Vader? Will the newest generation appreciate the circumstances that befall the heroes of A NEW HOPE, the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and THE RETURN OF THE JEDI?
There are some prospects that this weekend’s movie going audience will make the FORCE AWAKENS’ profits swell to over $200 mil by the time we hit Sunday. Maybe more.
Actually probably more..
I think there will be more than a few that also see the movie more than one. Or twice.. or thrice..
There will be debates outside of movie theaters..in the seats.. people soiling and spoiling online without regard to kindness of those who have yet to see the film.
The NEW HOPE was seen by over 230 million people from 1977 through 1979, according to most estimates. This film? Maybe not nearly as much. So does that mean less of a pop cultural impact? Does that mean it’s going to amount to a less significant purpose in society?
Most likely nothing will ever be able to recreate the magic of the original STAR WARS series. Not even George Lucas was able to do that with the newest batch of forgettable flicks–except Jar Jar Binks, who we actually remember for all the wrong reasons. But this new movie may come close to redefining a series of a new generation.. one that has the unruly mayhem of Kylo Ren as the villain.. and a new generation of Jedis with attitude as the heroes and heroines.
Is THE FORCE AWAKENS going to give us heroes we want? Or heroes we need? Are we going to get the villains we want? Or potentially the villains who will remind us all too well of the madness on Earth?
There are lots of interesting comparisons STAR WARS can have to society at large, the planet of politics and international intrigue..
Pop culture awaits a decision by the movie going audiences of the planet earth. The force awakening? Or just tossing and turning during sleep…?
…I’m going to institute a self imposed ban on reviewing the film or giving any personal thoughts on it for at least 24-48 hours.. Much to digest. Much to contemplate.. Much to consider .. Expect something from your friendly neighborhood Coal Speaker.. Just not yet.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Amazing story.. A nearby (relatively nearby considering the vast distances of space and time) a planet rests that may be habitable ..
This article goes to great pains attempting to explain why Stephen Colbert is failing in ratings.. One theory even says he is too smart for his audience.
I disagree.
If you read back in the annals of this website, I predicted it would fail.. I thought this was a moment for CBS to name a female host for late night.. It was the moment. They blew it.
People don’t like politics at night. For that, they turn to the DAILY SHOW. For late night, they want silly lip synch battles, or as David Letterman once did, sidewalk races..
People want something to make their minds forget the day before bed.
Colbert reminds them of everything about the day they hated. And that is why they turned to Fallon and will not turn away.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who survived a Taliban shooting in 2012, called Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim views “tragic” and discriminatory, becoming the latest in a stream of luminaries, celebrities and politicians to condemn the Republican presidential front-runner’s comments on Muslims.
“Well, that’s really tragic that you hear these comments which are full of hatred, full of this ideology of being discriminative towards others,” Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel peace laureate, told AFP in response to Trump’s comments.
Wheaton College, a prominent evangelical school in Illinois, has placed a professor on administrative leave after she posted on Facebook that Muslims and Christians “worship the same God.”
The official school statement Tuesday about associate professor of political science Larycia Hawkins’s suspension said Wheaton professors should “engage in and speak about public issues in ways that faithfully represent the College’s evangelical Statement of Faith.”
Very interesting stuff.
I have actually had this same conversation with people as of late. In one room, I chatted with a Jehovah’s Witness, an atheist, and a born against Christian .. I made note that all of the people n the room believe they are 100% right about what they believe and that would mean the other two are wrong. They religious people disagreed, saying even though they have differences, they have the same foundations. I told them they don’t.. I made mention that there are Chinese and Italian restaurants too but that they are not the same.. even though they both serve food.
Imagine no religion> It’s not easy.. even if you can.
A whoa moment here: FBI Director James B. Comey today told the media that the suspected assailants in the San Bernardino, Calif., massacre — Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik — wrote private messages to each other stating support for jihad. However: “So far, in this investigation we have found no evidence of posting on social media by either of them at that period in time and thereafter reflecting their commitment to jihad or to martyrdom. I’ve seen some reporting on that, and that’s a garble,” Comey said at a media availability during an event in New York City.
Maybe you should read that again. “No evidence” of something Jihad related.. ISIS related..
But that never mattered.. fear always win. Doesn’t it? Nothing to fear but fear itself? The same person who said that also set up internment camps that later would be viewed as repulsive.
For a story that takes place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” a great deal of the technology in the “Star Wars” series actually has parallels today on planet Earth. Part of the reason is, ironically, how long the franchise has been around. Concepts and ideas that were the stuff of science fiction when the first “Star Wars” movie came out in 1977 have had almost four decades of science to become real.
Ticket prices back in the 1970s were .. oh.. a wee bit lower than the wallet bursting prices that greet consumers today.. on average then: $2.23. ON average now? A lot more than that..
So STAR WARS got $512 mil in ticket sales in 1977 and 1978 (theaters in some cities actually played the movie daily for two years) .. I saw a number today that approximately 230 million Americans saw STAR WARS A NEW HOPE..
Here is a good graph from BLOOMBERG today on how inflation has impacted STAR WARS’ release:
Yes the force will awaken. It will be gigantic. But it will not be the new hope .. nothing quite will ever be the new hope..
There will be much exuberance after people see STAR WARS..There will be many positive reviews, like the one linked here from MASHABLE..
I think for me, I will not review the movie or say much about it for the first 24 hours. I am going to let things sink in..
I remember how much I hated–just hated–the newest incarnations of STAR WARS. Besides potentially the birth of Darth Vader in the most recent, nothing much in the films were memorable. Unless you count in Jar Jar Binks and how he became the picture of why people disliked the newest Lucasfilms..
In this case, all reviews–all of them are spoiler free at this point–are seemingly very happy after seeing the movie.
I think there is a cooling off period before you should talk about it. Think about it.. Consider it. And make a decision that will not be rash.
Will STAR WARS be good? Probably.. will it be great? Wait 24 hours after seeing it and answer that question.
Let the force be with you. But don’t let it shade your perspective..
Debate polls show Trump and Cruz strong in last night’s Vegas brawl… While some thought Jeb, or should I say JEB!, did his best yet, the debate watching party he threw really doesn’t showcase strong support..
A dermatologist has amassed millions of fans by creating a YouTube channel dedicated to ‘pimple porn’ in which she pops explosive spots and blackheads on camera.
The videos are divided into hard pops and soft pops..
Six million people have viewed the videos..
People asked why they love it say it caused them to stop picking their own skin..
A Federal Aviation Administration advisory committee has recommended that the FAA start discussions with the European Space Agency about commercial participation in an international lunar base concept promoted by the agency’s leader.
It would be called ‘moon village.’ It’s purpose could be mining and tourism..
Not science fiction… Though some would say we are already on the moon..
Reporter Brooks Egerton at the Dallas Morning News is doing God’s work with his investigation story.. Frightening stuff included. And when you see the numbers of people who have died at the dentist you will be as surprised as anyone.
I went to a viewing last night for a friend.. I will skip the details, they are very personal and I wouldn’t want to exchange thoughts on such an instance to the world at large.. I wish I could write down most of what I am saying but if I do so, it will not be in a public forum. It will be kept private intentionally. There are some parts of the modern age of websites, Tweets, Facebooks, and blogs that I still don’t embrace. One of those parts is the emergence of saying everything and anything for all to read.
I will simply say this.. one of the saddest things to watch is a son stare at his mother in a casket—when that young man is not even of an age to understand what he is seeing.. When a child is so young that he cannot care for himself.. when a boy is just starting to mature and already his father and mother are both gone.. that is remarkably sad..
I cannot get the image out of my mind.. a well-dressed young man.. staring at his now at rest mother.. regardless of what anyone may say about the deceased—tacky as it may be, people don’t stop preachy gossip when someone dies—that young man has still lost a pillar, a rock of strength, and potentially the last remaining vestige of security he had..
You may not find this post much of help in your life.. but I ask you only to stop before you say something cruel. Cease your words before something vile comes from your mouth.. judgmental people abound. Dare to be different. Accept.
Because that grown adult you’re talking to today may have been the boy of yesterday who stared at his mother in a casket as his world changed.
I’m going to go to the opening night of STAR WARS.. I’m also going to be taking my son most likely next weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan. But I’m tired of seeing Star Wars everywhere.. It’s overdone, overkill, over the top.. What if the movie is awful?! If it’s anything like the previous three, it could be. Maybe instead of Jar Jar Binks we will get a Mickey Mouse character ..being Disney and all.
Regardless of my fandom, it’s too much for me to handle. There’s no way to keep up with it. For God’s sake I even saw a Darth Vader toaster in a store appliance section. (Though I was considering buying it) Just my two cents. The force is awakening. And so are credit card purchases of Star Wars products from sea to shining sea and a galaxy far far away.
I don’t say this often but Harrisburg Pa was beautiful this morning..
THANK YOU FOR READING.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING DAILY..
THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING.
Continue to do that and I will continue as best I can to keep writing, posting, and attempting to educate your senses..
Hundreds of shrimp peeling sheds are hidden in plain sight on residential streets or behind walls with no signs in Samut Sakhon, a port town an hour outside Bangkok. The AP found one factory that was enslaving dozens of workers, and runaway migrants led rights groups to the Gig shed and a third facility. All three sheds held 50 to 100 people each, many locked inside.
It has been a week since TIME magazine named Angela Merkel the person of the year.. and a week since people did not care.
Print is dead. Long live print.
The idea of who TIME named used to matter. Those days are over.
For those following the madness, the quitting, the maybe returning, the quitting, the Sirius XM, the podcasting, the quitting, and the potentially return of Art Bell, you can check my other site http://horrorreport.com/ for that all..
There’s trouble afoot. Lots of rumors to boot.. Is Bell done for good? Friday he was.. But now it’s Monday. In Bellland, days make or break..
His just in-ned.. Listen I’m not perfect. But I’m also not CNN. Get the headline spelling right. The articles can be botched up, no one reads anything anymore anyway..
Mankind may only have a brief window to set foot on Mars before a disaster such as a third World War makes it no longer possible, Elon Musk has warned.
The founder of SpaceX, which was the first private company to resupply the International Space Station, fears such a war could set back technological advancements.
His company is preparing to announce its ambitious plans for rocket and space exploration..
A lot of people are laughing at Musk and his fear.. But consider what he is saying. Consider the chances.. And yes, it could become likely that a war to end all wars could also end all progress and humanity on this planet. In the 21st century, it’s strange to think we fear a return to the Stone Age..
I want this election to be over as soon as possible. Maybe it’s the most important in history (though we hear that every four years) but it certainly will be the most divisive and potentially unhealthy for the nation..
A documentation of the final quitting of Art Bell.
Art Bell fans are about to light up in rage, anger, sadness, grief, and whatever mixture of emotions they could conjure at the latest Facebook post from the talk show host: He quits.
From Bell,
I am sorry to have to announce this but I will not be on Tonight or any other night, yes I am going to hang it up. Whoever this crazy person is, they are not stopping and it has come to the point that we as a Family do not feel it is worth the risk. While I think the person or persons are after me, my Wife and now my Daughter are really scared, the other night after the latest incident my Daughter was off in the corner of her bed scared to death as the Police cars came screaming up. I will not put my Family through this. As you all know I dearly love what I do but not at the expense of never ending Terrorism. I want to thank those of you who have shown so much support and it has been my joy, short as it has been to have cracked that Mic open for a last time. This was a Family decision. The girls stuck with me and still would but if one of them were harmed because of what I love doing my life would be over.
Art
This message comes after a series of threatening encounters with an unknown man popping shots onto Bell’s property.
And now tonight, this Friday which would normally be reserved for open lines, is going to be without Art Bell. In his place: His producer Heather Wade..
There will be a live show Tonight and while I know people hate change, Heather my Producer has decided to give tonight’s show a try! I would ask that you give her a fair listen before you decide thumbs up or down. She is really really good at what she does.
Art
And with that.. a whimper and not a bang, the MIDNIGHT IN THE DESERT program is done. Short lived.. very popular–big stations picked him up and even Clyde Lewis got bumped down from 5 hours to 3.. Coast to Coast AM, though seemingly the weak contender, wins by default.. The Art Bell generation is aging and the new crowd that was introduced to his show over the past few months have suddenly lost a new favorite.
Speaking of Lewis, the Bell re-re-re-retirement has had an effect on Ground Zero. From Lewis,
Art Bell has resigned from Midnight in the Desert. The whole Ground Zero team wishes him the best in the future. In light of this news Ground Zero will go back to 5 hours a night on KXL. (We will post any other updates as needed)
Damn. Looks like I’ll be going to sleep while listening to Art Bell reruns… forever.
So long, Art Bell. You’re much loved and will be much missed.
Stay safe. Stay happy. And enjoy your family.
Merry Christmas.
There are some Facebook fans calling Bell to task tonight over the allegations that shootings have occurred on his property. One poster wrote, “ On /r/artbell (reddit) they are saying there is no proof of any of these shooting incidents. No police reports, nothing. I am a huge fan, have been since '95. I am disappointed with this announcement. Can you explain why you made no police reports about these incidents?” Bell responded directly, saying, “I did, several times at the Nye County Sheriff Dept."
Another message from Bell posted after the original two talks about refunds for subscribers,
Midnight in the Desert
So, I made my decision after my Wife told me about my Daughter today. She was really scared.
Everybody who wants refunds will get them.
Heather will do a show Tonight with I think a Time Traveler.
Perhaps I will come and do a random show when Heather needs a break if you give her a chance. I just can not keep a routine that puts my Family in danger.
Art Bell had one more post on the entire matter. Heather Wade appeared hosting Midnight in the Desert last night. She sounded like herself–those who may have heard her before on Midnight or even on Bellgab’s numerous past podcasts as ’(Redacted)’ already knew what she sounded like. Her guest was troubling, however. He was not able to complete a thought almost a sentence. He was a supposed time traveler from the future but was guarding his secrets. He seemed to be filled with bunk. Suddenly, around an hour into the program fraught with technical issues, Bell called in to greet the new host. He appeared to be giving her an on-air reassuring–and listeners too.
Then Bell wrote this on Facebook this morning,
I think Heather did a amazing job given the short notice, connection problems and a Guest who was tough. She will return Monday with a great Guest and I think those of you who are considering cancelling should give her a couple of more days before deciding. In my view she has one of the more pleasant voices on Radio!
On another note it may be that after some time if you stick with it I may be able to show up now and then. While I understand I could have some Guard out there it is not a road I care to go down again, I did that Years ago and hated it for the same reason anybody who has ever been under Guard would easily understand, it’s really intrusive.
I was prepared to go on, threat or not but after a sit down with my Wife about what life has been like since all this started for her and most of all Asia, it just seemed selfish of me to keep doing it so I could have fun under current circumstances. I also want to say the Sheriff’s office has been doing a wonderful job, they have a big valley to protect.
showcase anger and sadness mixed together in the style reminiscent of the other times Bell quit. Despite his assurance that he’d come back to do an occasional show if 'time travelers’ stick around, Keith Rowland has already posted instruction on how to quit and get money back. Major radio affiliates like KXL have already dropped MIDNIGHT.. Most likely other big players who recently picked up the show will do the same thing.
The only take I can personally have on this: It seems too late to make any comeback after this. At this point, the show is Midnight with Heather Wade. It may be wise to take out 'the desert’ portion since she’s from the West’s undisclosed location. It may also be inventive to try to get other Bellgab.com users involved with the program. Calling MV? Jazz? others?
And when Wade needs a night off.. Bell may be the relief and give an open lines here and there. But with him gone as the headliner of the program, the audience that gets built will have to be more organic. Bell’s name brought back big players and opened the door for huge numbers in ratings. Heather Wade will not have that immediate advantage. And in some ironic twist, thought she and others on Bellgab have long been critical of George Noory and how he got his gig after Bell left Coast in the early 2000s, she may face the same hostile audience.
The ball is in her court now. The HORROR REPORT has personally wished her success in this venture and publicly does here, as well.
Given the circumstances of everything, going from producer to host may not be a simple task..
Full moon set for Christmas 2015–the first time since 1977. It will also not happen for a long time to come..
It will be full at 6:11 a.m. EST on December 25th, according to Fred Espenak with NASA. A Christmas full moon will not happen again until 2034.
December’s full moon is called the Full Cold Moon, or the moon before yule.
And it will make for a good scene as Santa Claus crosses the sky with Rudolph guiding his sleigh..
Sadly the Gulf War 1 baby incubator incident is not included, even that was not as the paid agent testified it was.. Also not included is ‘Syria Girl’ who never was a girl at all..
Another Art Bell incident last night forced the cancellation of the show.. This is getting Otto extreme when you consider it.. This is seriously out of control..
This Facebook post tonight from Seph Lawless, December 9 2015. He’s my favorite photographer as of late.. his work is amazing.
This image of ‘Main Street USA’ looks a lot like the coal region of Pennsylvania… a lot like the area I live in currently. Quite a bit ..
Just look at the lost hopes and dreams in this photo. Just put yourself in the former relic that existed–a relic that turned into a brick and mortar nightmare.
Seph Lawless is the priceless photog who captures these moments.. these images.. these pictures.
You really should consider following him.. https://www.instagram.com/p/_FrmSgmzbx/
The last time? Reports of UFOs.. people thinking nuclear war began.. World War III.. Donald Trump’s hair. You name it. This time there is a warning..
My box of nostalgia
I really have one. I wonder if you do, too? This box of nostalgia is both healthy and unhealthy.
I searched through it tonight. I have memories dating back 20 years. I have some others more recent that were put in there..
Just recently, there has been a major shakeup in my life. My son’s day care is closing at the beginning of 2016. We are now searching for a new one that will be in our lives until he starts Kindergarten in September. But for now, it is a complete mess of chaos along with a dose of sadness, melancholy zeal for the past, and hope for the future..
In times like this I always turn to my box of nostalgia.. one tucked away on a shelf in my house.
Things change quickly. And suddenly. And without remorse..without justification, often. And without mercy.
That is how I feel about the change right now in my life..
The change..
The nostalgia..
And the old dusty box of old documentation of a life that was.. is.. and somehow will be.
I went to the grocery store tonight to pick up a few things for dinner.. As I meandered around.. it was typical. I could not really find anything of interest. Most products were too expensive. I haven’t eaten meat lately so nothing looked appealing. I ended up getting a sandwich at a shop up the street.
But as I left, I heard the Salvation Army bell ringer outside clanging his tiny bell in the cold. I prepped my dollar bill, as I often do, and pre-folded it to ensure that there’d be no problems placing it into the tin basket.
As I got close to him, I stopped for a few seconds. The store placed the Salvation Army person directly next to one of those horrendous machines that eats your dollars and, with the promise of a claw, will try to give you a large stuffed animal. Chances are you’ll never win. Chances are you’ll waste money..
And someone did.
I was taken aback a bit by sight, however.
Think about this: Not only was the Salvation Army bell ringer juxtapose to a wasteful machine of cheaply made slave products, but at the moment I was placing my money in his basket, a woman and her very young child were attempting to win prizes. They couldn’t. They never would have.
Instead, in only the few seconds I was watching and slowly trying to come to grips with what I was seeing, they dropped about five bucks into the machine.
Five dollars that could have been used for something else. For..perhaps…the Salvation Army?
I am not shilling for a charity, not at all. And you may have your own personal griefs with whatever organization is asking for cash this time of year. That said, I dare add this to the mix: Regardless of whatever your belief would be on the charity, the chances are you’ll get more bang for a buck by giving it to the needy than you will to a machine that will spit out nothing but false promises of prizes never to come.
I just cannot get over the irony of someone wasting money in a foolish venture without reward, and a bell ringing clanging lazily away while seated in a chair next to the machine.
I almost said something–something either sarcastic or pointed. Nasty words almost jumped from my tongue. But it was not appropriate. Instead.. I figured it was as good a time as any, so I put in my dollar and then searched my pockets for some more change, and found a $5 bill. Instead of putting it into a machine to get a heavy stuffed animal a claw would never get a grip on, I dropped it down in to the Salvation Army bucket.
And I thought of this.. Here is how YOU can donate to charity this time of year>
KRAMPUS has been getting negative reviews.. nasty tomatoes thrown from some critics, even. Both professional and amateur movie reviewers alike have presented a mixed bag of thoughts regarding this film. But I never care about reviews until I actually see a film for myself. There are a few Christmas films that stand out to me in my short life. SCROOGE comes to mind.. The GREMLINS is next – notice the pattern of creepiness? This movie, KRAMPUS, may have rattled my mental list of movies and given me a new favorite.
It took me about five minutes into the film before I decided that I absolutely loved KRAMPUS.
KRAMPUS opens with a scene of people hurling themselves into a store, striking down fellow shoppers over products, trampling over people, all the while ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’ plays in the background. The scene is reminiscent of any you see on Black Friday. Even this Black Friday, which paled in comparison to online shopping, still featured images of people knocking down displays and fighting over toys and cheaply made slave products from third world nations.
The immediate political commentary from KRAMPUS is obvious. You think there is a war on Christmas? There is. And you’re the ones beginning it, shoppers.
The movie features a drinking workaholic father played by Adam Scott. A panic-ridden most likely nerve-pill-popping-mom that Toni Collette effectively plays. There are other family members, a grandmother who knows legends, and a drunk aunt who decides to tag along with the family rejects for Christmas. There is humor. There is darkness. There is fear.
Things get set into motion when the child protagonist, superbly played by Emjay Anthony, rips up his note to Santa Claus and gives up the Christmas spirit. In doing so, he joins the rest of his immediate and extended family who have already done so. A blizzard sets in.. As does Krampus with his demented pack of creatures and elves.
The rest is horror and action, humor and sarcasm. The movie points you in a direction, and then pulls the rug out from under you. Without giving away anything further, the ending is impressive and conclusive. And it swerves you away from what you thought the film ended was, giving it the feel of either the final scene of JEEPERS CREEPERS or a TWILIGHT ZONE that was never made.
I listened to radio host Clyde Lewis last night describe his thoughts about seeing the film, and he said something that struck me deeply: He think that Krampus is the ‘Santa Claus we deserve” in America.
Think about that for a moment.
Is it possible that we do deserve Krampus during this time? Just yesterday, news outlets showed images of a person dying in the streets of New York City while a woman, watching, walked by and continued eating pizza like it did not matter. Shootings are common. Seasons beatings are happening. There is a war between cultures in America. There seems to be a sudden and immediate sense that we are divided and simply concerned over material possessions.
….so do we deserve Krampus?
The legend of Krampus is not new. Despite his sudden emergence in pop culture, he has been around for eons of time. I have written about him extensively for years. The horror that gripped populations in Germany for centuries can be attributed to Krampus. A sudden clang on the roof top and pounding knock on the door insinuated that Krampus arrived at a home to take away a bad child and send him or her to the fiery pits of hell. The gnome creatures who were the lower pawns of Krampus would sniff socks and shoes to see which ones were clean versus not. The unclean kids would have a strike against them immediately.
When I was in grade school, our class put our shoes outside the classroom as a tradition. We heard bells and when we checked there was candy in all of our property. Little did we as kids know what the opposite conclusion to our lives would have meant…
Krampus is a figure of lure that has been around for as long as stories about this time of year go back. Christmas was not always about Christ. Cultures, instead, utilized scary ghost stories around camp fires to watch the night until light arrived. They always shunned away evil spirits from their homes by lighting candles in every room. Throughout time, the darkness in December both depressed and annihilated hope within people. Thankfully the modern age features blinking lights and gigantic air-filled garden ornaments of Charlie Brown characters to keep us semi-normal.
In history, Krampus was a natural effect of fear of the lack of light. He would arise at this moment when the dangers of darkness were most present. As time went on, he became a bargaining chip. Kids were afraid of their punishment for being bad because of the horrid things Krampus would do to them, parents most likely often threatened them with the Krampus treatment for unruly behavior. Thankfully for the psyche of children as a whole, Santa Claus eventually rose to greatness and gave us the hopes and dreams of the season. Up on the rooftop, click click click, Krampus was replaced by ole’ Saint Nick.
Now that I saw the film, I read through some reviews of the movie. They were unkind and often, in my opinion, unfair. They also seemed to not understand the legend of Krampus or the meaning of the season that he actually gives.
I will never forge the scene in the GREMLINS when the little creatures were involved in a fight that included a blender while DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR played on a record. KRAMPUS had about four scenes that will stand out to me now, in the same nostalgic way GREMLINS did.
Even more, KRAMPUS is somewhat like NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION meets JEEPERS CREEPERS. When the extended family shows up, they bring with them dysfunction and chaos. Fighting ensues, family quibbles turn into battles. And when the Christmas spirit, once strong, is gone, it gives rise for darker forces to enter.
There were moments of KRAMPUS where I got sentimental alongside of times where I got genuinely freaked out by the characters on display. There are times it was more like a dark fairy tale, a grim scene followed by a series of unfortunate decisions by the family. By the end, even though we do not get to like this family—I don’t think it was meant to be like that—we still are rooting for the main child. The one who suddenly regains his holiday spirit while staring into the endless hole to hell.
I have long believed—and have written a number of times—that Christmas is potentially the most paranormal of all seasons. Think of the reason so many celebrate: Jesus Christ, the savior of mankind, was born of a virgin in a stable, with people following stars in the sky to bring the new kind gifts. There is nothing at all more paranormal than that.
One of the most famous stories of all time for this time of year is A CHRISTMAS CAROLE, featuring ghosts of past present and future Christmases.
KRAMPUS, which in my opinion, does all the right things, has brought a new form of celebration into the season. You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout, and I’m telling you why. Not because Santa Claus is coming with gifts, but because if you lose the reason for the season, the spirit of the time, and the deeper feeling of helping humanity and caring for others, then you will be greeted by the king of darkness and the one who capitalizing on the decreasing Christmas spirit. Krampus.
Lots of theories floating around online about his today.. Standing = power? The resolute commander in chief?
I thought the stage looked strange.. Obama looked tired. The curtains behind him crabby and dull.. And he seemed uncomfortable standing.. For me it didn’t work..
Ordinary matter makes up only 5% of the universe and rest is still undetected. Using numerical simulations, it has been predicted that the rest of the ordinary matter might be located in large-scale structures that form the ‘cosmic web’, but a new study has presented new hypothesis showing where majority of these ordinary matter is found.
This from Accuweather forecaster Henry Margusity.. January could be the end of El Niño?! I still have doubts .. Other forecasters do too.. But weather is patterns and numbers. And if these numbers aren’t lying the warmth will not be lasting all winter.
This is the map (if you can read it) of a massive storm in the Pacific Ocean right now, Saturday December 5 2015..
OPC 09Z wind/wave analysis & 0930Z GOES-W infrared satellite image. The Eastern Pacific remains active w/seas up to 38 feet as a result of a storm force low (winds ≥ 48 knots) in the region.
Cursive writing, much to the chagrine of many people over the age of 50 who still believe it should be taught..
Addressing and mailing letters. Maybe.. but I still think the post office has a bright future, especially due to online shopping.. call me crazy but I do.
Map reading. I think this was obsolete around 2006..
Library skills. I hope this is wrong. I love libraries and I want people to always love them. And if it becomes obsolete, movies with scenes of desperate people researching for clues will be strange to viewers.
Face to face communications. Yes, it’s dying. But I also think there is a surge of interest in the old fashioned technique of talking. I have hope we can balance tech and personal communication. That is more a hope. I think it is dying indeed. I will, however, keep it.
Taking photos that aren’t selfies. WRONG. Check various social media spectacles. Photography of things that aren’t selfies have never been better.
Republican voters are most sharply divided by education. Among those GOP voters who hold college degrees, the race is a close contest between the top four contenders, with Cruz slightly in front at 22%, Carson and Rubio tied at 19% and Trump at 18%. Among those without college degrees, Trump holds a runaway lead: 46% support the businessman, compared with 12% for Cruz, 11% for Carson and just 8% for Rubio.
And my thought.. Ronald Reagan has a large group of union Democrats who favored him in two elections.. And don’t think for a second the same thing won’t happen with Donald Trump..
KRAMPUS news.. The box office numbers are now coming in..
KRAMPUS is besting original box office estimates..
Tdhe Christmas nightmare film may still finish third place, but the dollar amount may be $4 to $5 mil higher than projections prior to the Friday night release.. MORE// HUNGER GAMES and GOOD DINOSAUR set to stay in the lead.. Developing//
But what is KRAMPUS.. Those who have followed my website know.. you can search the archives for stories I have done over the past several years about Krampus.. Even personal connections I have had to the longstanding myth.
When I was a children in a new closed down elementary school in Pennsylvania named Holy Spirit, we had a yearly regiment of putting out shoes in the hallway during a particular time of day and listening for bells. We were told that St. Nick would be coming around to give candy to good kids. You did not want a wooden stick, though–we were not told by teachers then that Krampus was the one who would give the sign that you were a bad child during the past year.. and later we found out that the school janitor was St Nick anyway, so the whole episode became defunct ..
But that little charade was a part of a grand tradition in some parts of the world–the first week of December is when Krampus gets his holiday. People dress up like the Christmas demon and have wild parties.. As custom in some nations, such as Austria, Romania, and Croatia, younger men will dress as Krampus and roam the street at night to play morbid tricks on children.. they will walk with rusty bells and chains.
In fact, Krampus’ roots have nothing to do with Christmas. Instead, they date back to pre-Germanic paganism in the region. His name originates with the German krampen, which means “claw,” and tradition has it that he is the son of the Norse god of the underworld, Hel. During the 12th century, the Catholic Church attempted to banish Krampus celebrations because of his resemblance to the devil. More eradication attempts followed in 1934 at the hands of Austria’s conservative Christian Social Party. But none of it held, and Krampus emerged as a much-feared and beloved holiday force.
For some, the annual festival of child-hunting Krampus is fun—but concerns that refugees in the Alpine towns that celebrate Krampus could find the tradition frightful has prompted some towns to consider taming the horror. This year, Krampus’ scheduled arrival in the Alpine towns that celebrate him coincides with an influx of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. Though the festival is well-loved, it gave rise to concerns that the new neighbors might be scared of the tradition and its nightmare-fueling costumes. Rather than cancelling the parade, town officials decided to educate the newcomers. The Telegraph’s Rozina Sabur writes that refugee children in Lienz were invited to a presentation where they learned about the props, costumes and customs of Krampus.
The Krampus myth will continue to receive attention.. Even if this movie underperforms (which it is not) it will be widely received for years.. It will become the newest horror/Christmas flick, ranking up with SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT and GREMLINS..
Yes indeed. Krampus isn’t going anywhere..
I am still amazing.. perplexed..and surprised that the media was permitted entry by the landlord into the home of the SanBern killers
