Tidings

Ms Luna Lee performs O Holy Night in a gayageum styl-ee. 

As is the custom here, posting will be intermittent over the holidays and readers are advised to subscribe to the blog feed, which will alert you to anything new as and when it materialises. Thanks for another 1.5 million or so visits this year and thousands of comments, many of which prompted discussions that are much more interesting than the actual posts. Which is pretty much the idea. And particular thanks to all those who’ve made PayPal donations to keep this rickety barge above water. It’s much appreciated. Curious newcomers and those with nothing better to do are welcome to rummage through the reheated series in search of entertainment.

To you and yours, a very good one. 

Comments

[Steve E]

David, Merry Christmas to you and yours; and, to all and sundry who keep us entertained in the comments, "God bless us, everyone!"

[Fred the Fourth]

Cultural Appropriation!!
I approve...
Merry Christmas, y'all.

[Lady Cutekitten of Lolcat]

Merry Christmas to you, to Mr. Half, and to anyone reading this!

(If Christmas isn’t your holiday, a merry whatever-yours-is, and don’t be shy about stopping by because we ALWAYS have WAY TOO MUCH food for the usual crowd and would be delighted to feed you, learn about your holiday, and have you join us in watching Norad track Santa. We usually watch the REAL Grinch, the Chuck Jones one, too.)

[Rafi]

I've left you a little something under the tree. Merry Christmas, David. :-)

[David]

Morning, all.

It’s one way of putting it, I suppose.

Via Damian.

[David]

I’ve left you a little something under the tree. Merry Christmas, David. :-)

Bless you, sir. While visiting relatives and seated with a glass of something, may their overexcited dogs never jump directly onto your testicles.

[JuliaM]

Merry Christmas! And have a good break.

[sk60]

Merry Christmas, all.

[David]

Meanwhile, in the world of gender theatre:

Nicole, in other words, is paying to learn how to be a woman. “Obviously”, says Nicole, “a lot of people see a man in a dress.” Well yes. As we see in the video, she is a man in a dress. And because she’s so clearly a man in a dress, and has sufficient awareness to realise that this is how people see her, she’s trying to learn the tricks of femininity. She wants to learn how to pretend to be a woman. Which raises the obvious point: if she has to pay to learn how to pretend to be a woman, what’s all this stuff about “trans women are women”?

Nicole, it has to be said, is a strapping lass.

[[+]]

*hits tip jar*

For a bottle of the good stuff, David. Hope everyone here has a great Christmas and New Year!

[David]

For a bottle of the good stuff, David.

Bless you, sir. May your overly fragrant cannabis stash be rendered inconspicuous thanks to a sachet of silica gel.

What? I read it somewhere.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

She wants to learn how to pretend to be a woman. Which raises the obvious point: if she has to pay to learn how to pretend to be a woman, what’s all this stuff about “trans women are women”?

It's not abnormal, it is a different kind of normal

Yes, in much the same way a cher-ry tree that grows peaches is a different kind of normal.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

George Moonbat returns to tell us that the results of recent elections are the result not of crap candidates with crap policies, but of dimwit people falling for memes and conspiracy theories put forth by a group of nameless oligarchs (no doubt Russkis) who wanted Johnson, Trump, and others in power for reasons.

Good thing he is too smart and sophisticated to fall for conspiracy theories, though "Double Down News" is rather apt.

[pst314]

"Meanwhile, in the world of gender theatre: Nicole, in other words, is paying to learn how to be a woman...."

Following your link to the Butterflies and Wheels blog (thanks, I'd forgotten about it) there is this:
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2019/defining-the-internal-feeling/
"We’re not women because we’ve been trained to mince and lisp and look coy, we’re women because that’s the physical reality."

Which reminds me that judging by the trans "women" I have seen, they are often performing a caricature of what women are really like. Kind of sad, really.

[David]

George Moonbat returns to tell us that the results of recent elections are the result not of crap candidates with crap policies, but of dimwit people falling for memes and conspiracy theories

Aye. ‘Twas the memes that did it.

Mr Monbiot’s strange mental adventures have been noted here before.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Aye. ‘Twas the memes that did it.

Yes, but memes put out by a conspiracy of the oligarchs in The Pentaverate which are much more powerful than ordinary memes, especially when pushed by the notoriously right wing mass media.

[David]

much more powerful than ordinary memes,

It being inconceivable that much of the electorate might eventually grow tired of a party whose figureheads show little affection for the country in which they flourish, who advocate the outsourcing of sovereignty and the devaluing of citizenship, and who do this while disdaining vast swathes of said electorate as bigoted, racist, etc – on grounds that they would prefer to retain some say in their own government, their own laws.

[Jen]

Merry Christmas to our host and the heathen rabble.

[David]

One for the ladies. How to test your Dyson air purifier.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

It being inconceivable that much of the electorate...

While at the same time believing that Joe and Jane Baggadonuts who actually work at real jobs for a living do nothing but spend all day looking at memes on Twitter, Farcebook, or whatever.

How to test your Dyson air purifier.

What the hell did he eat ? The guy's digestive tract is like a refinery.

[H]

One for the ladies.

LOL

Merry Christmas David (and all the heathens).

[Darleen]

they are often performing a caricature of what women are really like.

And that's the insanity of the "T" movement cult. Rather than liberal view that individuals should be granted space to pursue their desires such as pushing the envelope of gender roles, we are witnessing a punishing set of rules that any deviation from strict gender roles = trans. Tomboy girls are questioned constantly if they aren't "really" boys. Boys trying to come to grips with realizing they may be gay are pushed into turning themselves into heterosexual girls.

As JK Rowling found out, advocating leaving people alone to work this out for themselves is not enough. One must publicly declare, and believe there are 5 fingers.

[Uma Thurmond's Feet]

It's time for Twitter to go to bed and sleep until New Year's. Its work is done. (For maximum effect, read the comments.)

[Bad News Quillan]

Messy Kweeznuz!

And Lee Kai-Ching!

-Bad News

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

What really happened to the dinosaurs.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Please file in your manuals under things I hope are a parody.

[Clam]

Merry Christmas, David. *ping!*

[David]

And Lee Kai-Ching!
*ping!*

Bless you, sirs. May all your fingernails grow at the same rate.

[David]

For those with an interest in pubic hair.

What?

[sH2]

For those with an interest in pubic hair.

Watching it for a friend.

[Lancastrian Oik]

The very wonderful Los Straitjackets perform "Here Comes Santa Claus", ably assisted by the World Famous Pontani Sisters.

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to our host and all who frequent this joint, even the ones who try to sneak in without paying when they think there's nobody watching.

[pst314]

For those with an interest in pubic hair.

(refrains from following link; instead searches Amazon for coal)

[David]

refrains from following link

Embrace the fear.

[Liz]

Work done for the year and nearly gin time. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone.

Left a little something in your tip jar, oh great host. :-)

[David]

Left a little something in your tip jar, oh great host. :-)

Bless you, madam. May your coasters be aligned flawlessly.

[Captain Nemo]

To you and yours, a very good one.

Thank you and likewise, David. Now, where the devil did I put that bottle of gin?

[David]

Now, where the devil did I put that bottle of gin?

For the last couple of weeks, and with Christmas dinner at Beloved Sister-In-Law #3’s looming, I’ve had to issue instructions regarding the consumption of fortifying beverages. “These bottles here are drinking wines, but those, the ones stashed in the closet, are only looking-at wines. They are not to be touched, only looked at.”

Much to my surprise, the system seems to have worked. Though of course the night is young.

[pst314]

“These bottles here are drinking wines, but those, the ones stashed in the closet, are only looking-at wines. They are not to be touched, only looked at.”

Like the dwarf bread in Terry Pratchett's stories? :-D

[WTP]

Merry Christmas from Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Pray for us, it may get down to 63 tonight. That’s Fahrenheit, you know.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Feminist Christmas cheer.

...what we really want for Christmas is a big, heartfelt thank you to cover our emotional labour.

RTWSM

[WTP]

I have just learned that in seventh grade, my sister failed history and as a result had to take square dancing in summer school. I pray to God that when I sober up tomorrow, this will make sense. Please, please pray for me. Amen.

[Henry]

Merry Christmas everyone.

And as a present, I give you '"The future of football is feminine" : a critical cultural history of the U.S. women's national soccer team'

You can download it if you like.. I liked it so much, I downloaded it twice!

https://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6674&context=etd

[Alice]

Vintage Christmas cards of note.

https://pleated-jeans.com/2019/12/24/disturbing-vintage-christmas-cards-that-arent-around-anymore-for-a-reason-22-pics/

Merry Christmas!

[David]

Right, we’re heading off to Beloved Sister-In-Law #3’s, to feast, quaff and generally partake. Living, as she does, in the middle of nowhere, her internet connection is at best patchy and the subject of endless jokes, so my attempts to keep tabs on what goes on here may be thwarted for 24 hours. Play nicely. Use coasters.

And a very merry one to you all.

[Ted S, Catskill Mtns, NY, USA]

People at the movie theater irritating you has always been a thing

[Steve E]

Right, we’re heading off to Beloved Sister-In-Law #3’s

I'm confused (probably because I'm suffering from some horrible bug). Do you have 3 Sister-In-Laws or has your sibling been married three times?

[Baceseras]

Merry Christmas, David, and to all under this roof, the joy of the season.

[Ted S, Catskill Mtns, NY, USA]

Have a highlife Christmas.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Have a highlife Christmas.

Well, there are better, but OK.

[David]

Do you have 3 Sister-In-Laws

Four in total. Which is more than sufficient, I think.

[Steve E]

Which is more than sufficient, I think.

Oh my, you have done your part.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Do you have 3 Sister-In-Laws

I think the proper plural terminology is "sisters-in-law", just like "Sergeants Major", and probably with much the same effect.

[David]

just like “Sergeants Major”

There are many similarities, especially when a family meal is being organised.

[Steve E]

I think the proper plural terminology is "sisters-in-law"

Thanks mom. Didn't you get enough of correcting everybody yesterday at the Christmas Dinner table. I'm trying to enjoy a mom free boxing day.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Thanks mom.

Lighten up, Francis, it was a set-up for the joke. Next time try 800mg Motrin and 8oz water before bed and your Christmas egg nog excess won't affect you so much.

[Steve E]

Lighten up, Francis,

Shouldn't you be researching your 40 posts for tomorrow? Next time try not being an asshole.

[WTP]

Sooo...not to change the subject but are fireworks at 9 PM on Boxing Day a thing?

[Lewis]

William Safire Orders Two Whoppers Junior

https://www.theonion.com/william-safire-orders-two-whoppers-junior-1819565735

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Next time try not being an asshole.

That is some Hal level of projection.

[Steve E]

That is some Hal level of projection.

Ding, ding, ding, congratulations it only took two comments to invoke the "H" word. It's obvious you're the injured party. If you're going to insult people (something I've seen you do a lot) you should at least be able to put on your big boy pants and apologize (something I don't think I've ever seen you do.) I choose not to be a Muldoon pedantic punch line.

David, I'm sorry for bringing this to your Holiday thread. I promise I won't comment further or carry it over to any future threads. Cheers!

[David]

Anyhoo, moving on to loftier matters…

Ladies - at last, the husband of your dreams.

Via Holborn.

[David]

I don’t think that’s meant to happen.

[Darleen]

Leftists still stunned by Brexit & Trump: Democracy is broken when the proles don't vote our way.

This line made me laugh out loud in a speech filled with snort-worthy declarations.

Facebook, you were on the wrong side of history in that. And you were on the wrong side of history in this -- in refusing to give us the answers that we need. And that is why I am here. To address you directly, the gods of Silicon Valley.

[pst314]

Democracy is broken when the proles don't vote our way.

But Darleen, aren't we supposed to be guided by the wise TED Talk Thought Leaders? I'm so confused. /s