- There are 9,000 species of birds. There are 28,000 types of fish. There are 350,000 kinds of beetles. And there are 2 million (and counting) living species on Earth. (Source: Nova on PBS)
- A human has 23,000 genes, which is the same number that a chicken has but is less than what an ear of corn has. (Nova on PBS)
- An astronomer has estimated there are 37,000 galaxies and that probably at least 361 of them could support life. (CNN)
- Forty percent of Greenland's ice sheet has disappeared in the last 40 years. In Greenland, 100 billion tons of ice per year are melting. If the entire ice sheet would melt, it would cause the oceans to rise by 23 feet. (Anderson Cooper's news show on CNN)
- Of the 3,000 plants used in the fight against cancer cells, 70 percent are found in the Amazon rainforest. (CNN)
- Ninety to 95 percent of people in airplane crashes survive. (CBS)
- The biggest reason for false imprisonment is eyewitness misidentification. DNA has freed 248 people in prisons who were wrongly convicted. In those cases, it also has found 155 real perpetrators. (Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project)
- Latinos are the biggest targets of hate crimes in the United States. (Federal report)
- Thirteen hours of video are posted every minute on YouTube.
- If the U.S. cut its military budget by 10 percent, the United States would still be spending more money on its military than do Russia, China, India, France, England, and Germany on their military budgets COMBINED.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Information station...
Here are some interesting random facts from books, TV, and the Internet...
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The first Sages awarded...
Roll out the red carpet because here are the first Sage Street Awards, simply known as Sages, for the year 2009:
(Note: This list is likely to grow as I think of the categories, so check back on it from time to time.)
The biggest winner, in a positive way, of 2009: The nominees include MSNBC network's political talk counterbalance to conservative Fox network; Netflix, the DVD company that provides great range of film to the public by mail; the growth of independent film-making as assisted along the way by Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival; the ACLU who continues to challenge what's wrong, even when it's an unpopular cause, and often wins in the Supreme Court for regular people. The winner is Barack Obama who so far has avoided a second Great Depression despite the economic mess left from the Bush years. He wasn't FDR unfortunately this past year, but there's hope that he could be in the future.
The biggest loser of 2009: The nominees included the Republican Party as the new Party of No (and no ideas), Mark Sanford's amazing hypocrisy in journeying down the Appalachian trail; religious fundamentalism of any religion which keeps people in narrow frames of mind and prevents progress. The winner is Tiger Woods, who showed that much of celebrity sports is about popularity, too much money, and superficiality. He proved that even being probably the greatest golfer in history doesn't mean much in the end if the priorities of family and character are abandoned.
The saddest turn of events in 2009: The nominees include the U.S. Postal Service which, though it delivers inexpensively-priced mail with almost daily service and competent reliability, lost income to the computer technology of e-mail; and that Editor and Publisher magazine, which covered the newspaper industry for decades, would cease publication. The winner is: The loss of many newspapers. They are an important media form, crucial to better democracy and community-building.
The biggest political punch in the reality nose for 2009: Nominees included Barack Obama with the notion that there apparently is no such thing as a liberal president, even when we want one and vote for one; the awful Clinton people take over the White House after we voted for Obama; no likely public option in the health care reform plan though most Americans wanted it; Wall Street, the banks and credit card companies who were bailed-out then raised rates, gave outrageous CEO bonuses, and did little for regular taxpayers; the national news media (with the exception of Rachel Maddow) for failing to cover the story of the "Family" religious cult group of conservative Republicans; that there is always political over-reaction to airplane security mishaps and then usually the end result for the traveling public is no better safety but more hassles and delays. The winner is: A surge in deployment in U.S. troops in yet another endless war in Afghanistan.
The most over-rated, annoying, or puzzling media product in 2009: Facebook, a social network that is a bit like when an adult has to sit at the kids' table; more reality TV shows of dull regular people acting stupid and mean; Amazon.com's Kindle or other electronic book devices providing yet another screen and need for batteries; Twitter and the shortening of words, language and communication or the following of people who don't deserve to have followers (though appreciation is given for its importance in non-democratic countries, like Iran and China, where people are seeking freedom and rights). The winner is: Cell phones within an industry that has avoided the scrutiny about possible links to brain cancer and other forms of cancer (as well as increased public rudeness).
The best media product in 2009: The nominees include the vast number of television networks; Netflix, the DVD company that provides great range of film to the public by mail; the GPS devices that help travelers find their locations. The winner is a tie between: 1). The traditional book, with its wide range of informational and enjoyable possibilities; and 2). the Internet, with its worldwide reach and vast resources for knowledge, information, and entertainment.
The worst passage in the Bible and least likely to be quoted from a pulpit: Leviticus 21:18-20 which reads, "For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous; Or a man that is broken-footed, or brokenhanded; Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken." In some versions, "hath his stones broken" instead reads "men with small testicles."
Most intriguing creature in Midwest nature: Nominees included bees, bats, armadillos, paddlefish, and mules. The winner is: Fireflies.
Most intriguing living thing to see in the wild: Nominees included redwood trees, koala bears, condors, penguins, manta rays, dolphins, and giraffes. The winner is: Whales.
The most horrifying creature on Earth (for men), not counting violent humans: Nominees included anaconda snakes, pythons, crocodiles, grizzly bears, lions. The winner is the candiru, which is a Brazilian fishlet that can swim up a man's urine stream and lodge in the urethra of the penis with a ring of retrorse spines preventing its removal. According to the book "The Professor and the Mad Man" by Simon Winchester, it is one of the rare circumstances in which doctors will perform an operation known as peotomy, the surgical removal of the penis.
Most intriguing natural event to witness: Nominees included active volcanoes, migration of gnus and wildebeests in Kenya, bird's-eye view of birds in flight. The winner is: Monarch butterflies in mass returning to traditional Mexico cocoon-emerging site.
Best political or social advocate of the year: Nominees included Russ Feingold, Ralph Nader, Al Franken, Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy Sheehan, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow. The winner is: Howard Dean.
The most horrible politician of the year: Nominees included the Republican Party generally, Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, Ben Nelson, Blue Dog Democrats generally, Rahm Emmanuel, Dick Armey, Tom Coburn. The winner is: Joe Lieberman.
The best maverick: The nominees are the Saturday Night Live cast, Michael Moore, Jon Stewart, Mother Jones magazine, Glen Greenwald of Salon.com, Jimmy Carter. The winner is Levi Johnston, who is the best foil and irritation to mother-in-law Sarah Palin.
The Sage Street famous person of the year: The nominees are Howard Dean, Oprah Winfrey, Tina Fey, Meryl Streep, and Walter Cronkite who died this year. The winner is Pete Seeger, for a lifetime of music and activism.
(Note: This list is likely to grow as I think of the categories, so check back on it from time to time.)
The biggest winner, in a positive way, of 2009: The nominees include MSNBC network's political talk counterbalance to conservative Fox network; Netflix, the DVD company that provides great range of film to the public by mail; the growth of independent film-making as assisted along the way by Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival; the ACLU who continues to challenge what's wrong, even when it's an unpopular cause, and often wins in the Supreme Court for regular people. The winner is Barack Obama who so far has avoided a second Great Depression despite the economic mess left from the Bush years. He wasn't FDR unfortunately this past year, but there's hope that he could be in the future.
The biggest loser of 2009: The nominees included the Republican Party as the new Party of No (and no ideas), Mark Sanford's amazing hypocrisy in journeying down the Appalachian trail; religious fundamentalism of any religion which keeps people in narrow frames of mind and prevents progress. The winner is Tiger Woods, who showed that much of celebrity sports is about popularity, too much money, and superficiality. He proved that even being probably the greatest golfer in history doesn't mean much in the end if the priorities of family and character are abandoned.
The saddest turn of events in 2009: The nominees include the U.S. Postal Service which, though it delivers inexpensively-priced mail with almost daily service and competent reliability, lost income to the computer technology of e-mail; and that Editor and Publisher magazine, which covered the newspaper industry for decades, would cease publication. The winner is: The loss of many newspapers. They are an important media form, crucial to better democracy and community-building.
The biggest political punch in the reality nose for 2009: Nominees included Barack Obama with the notion that there apparently is no such thing as a liberal president, even when we want one and vote for one; the awful Clinton people take over the White House after we voted for Obama; no likely public option in the health care reform plan though most Americans wanted it; Wall Street, the banks and credit card companies who were bailed-out then raised rates, gave outrageous CEO bonuses, and did little for regular taxpayers; the national news media (with the exception of Rachel Maddow) for failing to cover the story of the "Family" religious cult group of conservative Republicans; that there is always political over-reaction to airplane security mishaps and then usually the end result for the traveling public is no better safety but more hassles and delays. The winner is: A surge in deployment in U.S. troops in yet another endless war in Afghanistan.
The most over-rated, annoying, or puzzling media product in 2009: Facebook, a social network that is a bit like when an adult has to sit at the kids' table; more reality TV shows of dull regular people acting stupid and mean; Amazon.com's Kindle or other electronic book devices providing yet another screen and need for batteries; Twitter and the shortening of words, language and communication or the following of people who don't deserve to have followers (though appreciation is given for its importance in non-democratic countries, like Iran and China, where people are seeking freedom and rights). The winner is: Cell phones within an industry that has avoided the scrutiny about possible links to brain cancer and other forms of cancer (as well as increased public rudeness).
The best media product in 2009: The nominees include the vast number of television networks; Netflix, the DVD company that provides great range of film to the public by mail; the GPS devices that help travelers find their locations. The winner is a tie between: 1). The traditional book, with its wide range of informational and enjoyable possibilities; and 2). the Internet, with its worldwide reach and vast resources for knowledge, information, and entertainment.
The worst passage in the Bible and least likely to be quoted from a pulpit: Leviticus 21:18-20 which reads, "For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous; Or a man that is broken-footed, or brokenhanded; Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken." In some versions, "hath his stones broken" instead reads "men with small testicles."
Most intriguing creature in Midwest nature: Nominees included bees, bats, armadillos, paddlefish, and mules. The winner is: Fireflies.
Most intriguing living thing to see in the wild: Nominees included redwood trees, koala bears, condors, penguins, manta rays, dolphins, and giraffes. The winner is: Whales.
The most horrifying creature on Earth (for men), not counting violent humans: Nominees included anaconda snakes, pythons, crocodiles, grizzly bears, lions. The winner is the candiru, which is a Brazilian fishlet that can swim up a man's urine stream and lodge in the urethra of the penis with a ring of retrorse spines preventing its removal. According to the book "The Professor and the Mad Man" by Simon Winchester, it is one of the rare circumstances in which doctors will perform an operation known as peotomy, the surgical removal of the penis.
Most intriguing natural event to witness: Nominees included active volcanoes, migration of gnus and wildebeests in Kenya, bird's-eye view of birds in flight. The winner is: Monarch butterflies in mass returning to traditional Mexico cocoon-emerging site.
Best political or social advocate of the year: Nominees included Russ Feingold, Ralph Nader, Al Franken, Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy Sheehan, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow. The winner is: Howard Dean.
The most horrible politician of the year: Nominees included the Republican Party generally, Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, Ben Nelson, Blue Dog Democrats generally, Rahm Emmanuel, Dick Armey, Tom Coburn. The winner is: Joe Lieberman.
The best maverick: The nominees are the Saturday Night Live cast, Michael Moore, Jon Stewart, Mother Jones magazine, Glen Greenwald of Salon.com, Jimmy Carter. The winner is Levi Johnston, who is the best foil and irritation to mother-in-law Sarah Palin.
The Sage Street famous person of the year: The nominees are Howard Dean, Oprah Winfrey, Tina Fey, Meryl Streep, and Walter Cronkite who died this year. The winner is Pete Seeger, for a lifetime of music and activism.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
A list for 2009...
As the year 2009 comes to an end, here is a list involving moments of great impression, new knowledge, interesting insight, or entertaining amazement...
Something new for me in the year 2009: This "Sage Street" blog. I started it in late July. I enjoyed meeting Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN. I presented my first PowerPoint presentation for high school students at sessions at the college library. The subject was on political cartoons and President Abraham Lincoln.
Biggest disappointment in something new for me in 2009: Facebook. Nice to connect to people, but not much there other than knowing that someone else is still alive. Sometimes it reminded me of being an adult who has to sit at the kids' table for dinner. Honorable mention: Started the year excited and ended the year with mixed feelings about President Obama. Disappointed with the war surge for Afghanistan and his lackluster support for a public option in the health care reform plan. But when Obama displeased me, all I had to do was listen to the horribly awful Republicans, and then it made me feel better about Obama.
Best movies of the year (that I saw): "District 9," "Sin Nombre," "(500) Days of Summer," and "Star Trek."
One of the strangest movies (released in 2009) that I have ever seen: "District 9." A documentary-style science fiction, its storyline was like nothing I'd ever watched and, to the last moment, it was intriguing. The "alien" kid in the movie is about knee-high to a grasshopper, and only those who have seen it will understand the humor in that statement. (O.K., I'll tell you...The aliens in that movie looked like grasshoppers.)
Best TV entertainment shows of the year: "Parks and Recreation" (NBC), "Medium (CBS)," "Saturday Night Live" (NBC) though some episodes were better than others, "My Name Is Earl" (NBC), "Community" (NBC), "Smallville" (CW), "Jeopardy" game show (ABC), Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show," (Comedy Central), and "Monk" (when I could find it--not sure of its network).
Best TV news programs: Almost anything that "Frontline" (PBS) covered, "Bill Moyers Journal," "The PBS NewsHour" (PBS), "The Keith Olbermann Show" (MSNBC), "The Rachel Maddow Show" (MSNBC), "NOW" (PBS), "60 Minutes" (CBS), "Nightline" (ABC), "Sunday Morning" (CBS), and the "Ed Schultz Show" though it comes on opposite my evening news programs, so I didn't watch it as much as I would have liked. For online news and commentary, I liked the articles by Glenn Greenwald for Salon.com.
Specific moments that I liked on TV in 2009: The weekly "In Memoriam" segment and sometimes the panel discussion on "This Week with George Stephanopolous" (ABC), some interviews and the segment about book recommendations on "Fareed Zakaria's GPS" (CNN), some segments of "360 with Anderson Cooper" (CNN), the banter of "The McLaughlin Group" (PBS), the Steve Hartman "Everybody Has A Story" segments on "The CBS News with Katie Couric" (CBS), the "Making a Difference" segments on "NBC Evening News with Brian Williams" (NBC), some interviews by Christiane Amanpour on her news show (CNN), some inerviews by Oprah Winfrey on her show, the beginning segment, especially when political, and the usually very adult songs sung by Andy Samberg on "Saturday Night Live," the moment of Rachel Maddow eating popcorn as she watched something daffy, usually involving Republican politicians, and Keith Olbermann's hilarious impression of Lou Dobbs.
The TV interview show I'd like to see (or help start): A show that features the stories and interviews of people who were in famous Supreme Court cases, people who were in famous photographs, and people who are activists in different causes.
People who I admired that died in 2009: Walter Cronkite (who I was able to interview many years ago), Eunice Shriver, Karl Malden, Frank McCourt, and Ricardo Montalban. (I remember hearing poet W.D. Snodgrass at a poetry reading at the University of Arizona.)
Best TV sign-off: Charles Gibson's "I hope you had a good day" on "ABC Evening News with Charles Gibson" and the Edward R. Murrow line of "Good night and good luck" by Keith Olbermann on his news show.
TV shows I never watched (not even once) in 2009: The conservative talking heads on Fox network, "American Idol," anything involving a tabloid couple named Gosselin.
The TV show of 2009 that most bewildered me: "The Biggest Loser" about people losing weight. I still can't believe that is actually considered "entertainment." ???? Also, a question: If the biggest loser is the winner because he or she loses the most weight, then what did they call the person who was the worst at losing the weight?
Best networks: PBS, History Channel, CNN, Headline News, SyFy Channel (though I preferred the abbreviation SciFi), MSNBC, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TV Land.
Some good books that I read within the year: Too many to mention. Lots of good ones. "Nothing to Fear" by Adam Cohen, "Six-Legged Insects, Using Insects as Weapons of War" by Jeffrey A. Lockwood, "Inventing the Job of President" by Fred Greenstein, "Sugar of the Crop" by Lana Butler, "Journalism's Roving Eye" by John Maxwell Hamilton, and others. Also, re-read the book "The Professor and the Mad Man" and John Hersey's "Hiroshima."
Something new for me in the year 2009: This "Sage Street" blog. I started it in late July. I enjoyed meeting Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN. I presented my first PowerPoint presentation for high school students at sessions at the college library. The subject was on political cartoons and President Abraham Lincoln.
Biggest disappointment in something new for me in 2009: Facebook. Nice to connect to people, but not much there other than knowing that someone else is still alive. Sometimes it reminded me of being an adult who has to sit at the kids' table for dinner. Honorable mention: Started the year excited and ended the year with mixed feelings about President Obama. Disappointed with the war surge for Afghanistan and his lackluster support for a public option in the health care reform plan. But when Obama displeased me, all I had to do was listen to the horribly awful Republicans, and then it made me feel better about Obama.
Best movies of the year (that I saw): "District 9," "Sin Nombre," "(500) Days of Summer," and "Star Trek."
One of the strangest movies (released in 2009) that I have ever seen: "District 9." A documentary-style science fiction, its storyline was like nothing I'd ever watched and, to the last moment, it was intriguing. The "alien" kid in the movie is about knee-high to a grasshopper, and only those who have seen it will understand the humor in that statement. (O.K., I'll tell you...The aliens in that movie looked like grasshoppers.)
Best TV entertainment shows of the year: "Parks and Recreation" (NBC), "Medium (CBS)," "Saturday Night Live" (NBC) though some episodes were better than others, "My Name Is Earl" (NBC), "Community" (NBC), "Smallville" (CW), "Jeopardy" game show (ABC), Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show," (Comedy Central), and "Monk" (when I could find it--not sure of its network).
Best TV news programs: Almost anything that "Frontline" (PBS) covered, "Bill Moyers Journal," "The PBS NewsHour" (PBS), "The Keith Olbermann Show" (MSNBC), "The Rachel Maddow Show" (MSNBC), "NOW" (PBS), "60 Minutes" (CBS), "Nightline" (ABC), "Sunday Morning" (CBS), and the "Ed Schultz Show" though it comes on opposite my evening news programs, so I didn't watch it as much as I would have liked. For online news and commentary, I liked the articles by Glenn Greenwald for Salon.com.
Specific moments that I liked on TV in 2009: The weekly "In Memoriam" segment and sometimes the panel discussion on "This Week with George Stephanopolous" (ABC), some interviews and the segment about book recommendations on "Fareed Zakaria's GPS" (CNN), some segments of "360 with Anderson Cooper" (CNN), the banter of "The McLaughlin Group" (PBS), the Steve Hartman "Everybody Has A Story" segments on "The CBS News with Katie Couric" (CBS), the "Making a Difference" segments on "NBC Evening News with Brian Williams" (NBC), some interviews by Christiane Amanpour on her news show (CNN), some inerviews by Oprah Winfrey on her show, the beginning segment, especially when political, and the usually very adult songs sung by Andy Samberg on "Saturday Night Live," the moment of Rachel Maddow eating popcorn as she watched something daffy, usually involving Republican politicians, and Keith Olbermann's hilarious impression of Lou Dobbs.
The TV interview show I'd like to see (or help start): A show that features the stories and interviews of people who were in famous Supreme Court cases, people who were in famous photographs, and people who are activists in different causes.
People who I admired that died in 2009: Walter Cronkite (who I was able to interview many years ago), Eunice Shriver, Karl Malden, Frank McCourt, and Ricardo Montalban. (I remember hearing poet W.D. Snodgrass at a poetry reading at the University of Arizona.)
Best TV sign-off: Charles Gibson's "I hope you had a good day" on "ABC Evening News with Charles Gibson" and the Edward R. Murrow line of "Good night and good luck" by Keith Olbermann on his news show.
TV shows I never watched (not even once) in 2009: The conservative talking heads on Fox network, "American Idol," anything involving a tabloid couple named Gosselin.
The TV show of 2009 that most bewildered me: "The Biggest Loser" about people losing weight. I still can't believe that is actually considered "entertainment." ???? Also, a question: If the biggest loser is the winner because he or she loses the most weight, then what did they call the person who was the worst at losing the weight?
Best networks: PBS, History Channel, CNN, Headline News, SyFy Channel (though I preferred the abbreviation SciFi), MSNBC, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TV Land.
Some good books that I read within the year: Too many to mention. Lots of good ones. "Nothing to Fear" by Adam Cohen, "Six-Legged Insects, Using Insects as Weapons of War" by Jeffrey A. Lockwood, "Inventing the Job of President" by Fred Greenstein, "Sugar of the Crop" by Lana Butler, "Journalism's Roving Eye" by John Maxwell Hamilton, and others. Also, re-read the book "The Professor and the Mad Man" and John Hersey's "Hiroshima."
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Facebook strikes blog...
For the first time in my life, I ate a persimmon yesterday. (Now if that isn't a line worthy of Facebook, I don't know what is.)
On the other hand, here are some events that I never experienced in 2009 or at any other time:
On the other hand, here are some events that I never experienced in 2009 or at any other time:
- I have never purchased a CD of Christmas songs by Alvin and the Chipmunks.
- I have never had a pony. I have never had a ponytail.
- I have never voted for a war president.
- I have never taken Christ or any Chris that I know out of Christmas.
- I have never owned a cell phone, a gun, or a hamster.
- I have never worn a tuxedo, but I did go to the high school prom.
- I have never been to Disneyland.
Here's what puzzled me about 2009 and I am still seeking answers:
- How is it that there is a Democratic president and a Democratic majority in Congress and the end result, so far, of the health care reform legislation appears to be the Republican version, with the help of jerks Lieberman, Ben Nelson, and other centrist obstructionists and insurance industry shills? How does that happen?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
A Christmas story...
One year, CNN featured a poll that ranked the most hated Christmas song as the one with the Singing Dogs woofing out "Jingle Bells"? Well, I like that song and version. It makes me laugh every time I hear it. How can a song that makes a person laugh not be something special?! So, it is in the ears of the beholder. I often have thought about asking the college music department if the choir has ever considered singing that song at a Christmas concert...in the dog version. In the key of Irish setter???!!!!
That poll also noted that Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" is the most loved Christmas song. O.K., isn't that the song with "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose..."? Yes, I liked it when I heard Nat King Cole singing it. He was an excellent singer. However, there was this one time, many years ago...
I was on a bus. I was on a bus traveling for two hours from Medicine Bow to Cheyenne, Wyoming, one snowy Christmas. I thought I would take a bus to avoid the worries about snow on the roads. So, I took a seat in the middle of the bus. Travelers were scattered throughout. Then, at Laramie, with an hour of travel to go, this guy got on and sat at the front of the bus. When the bus took off, the guy started to sing that "Chestnut" song. He sounded just like Nat King Cole and might have been him if it weren't that Cole died several decades earlier.
Anyway, after the guy had finished singing the song in its entirety, everyone on the bus--in gleeful holiday spirit--applauded because it was sung so well. Just like Nat King Cole would have sung it. In appreciation of the applause, the guy sang an encore of it. Wow, again, just like Nat King Cole! Once again, the people on the bus applauded, full of good Christmas cheer.
Then...well...then, the guy started to sing the same song again. At the end of that time, people still thought it was nice, but strangely enough, no one applauded. The bus had a bewildering but probably justified silence. I was almost ready to clap my hands once or twice--what the heck, it's Christmas!--but I didn't need to because the guy started singing the song again.
And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.
Forty miles later, he was still singing the song. A couple in the row on the other side of the aisle near me were covering their ears, now completely miffed. Finally, as the Christmas spirit seemed to fly out the bus windows, someone in the back of the bus yelled, "Would you shut the hell up!" That's a direct and accurate quote. Obviously, not a Christian at Christmas time...or was he? Anyway, the Christmas crowd started to become hostile and so I sat there, trying to think of another Christmas song, like "Jingle Bells," as a possibility to distract the singer from the "Chestnut" song. I couldn't even barked it out, because the guy was going strong with the "Chestnuts and Jack Frost."
There was no stopping him; he was just like a human CD player on song repeat. At the end of the bus ride in Cheyenne, people hurried off the bus with very unpleasant expressions, but with a very good ability to forever remember the lyrics of the "Chestnut (Christmas) Song." By the way, the college Christmas concert was held last week. The choirs are always so good. And...well...they sang the "Chestnut" song...
That poll also noted that Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" is the most loved Christmas song. O.K., isn't that the song with "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose..."? Yes, I liked it when I heard Nat King Cole singing it. He was an excellent singer. However, there was this one time, many years ago...
I was on a bus. I was on a bus traveling for two hours from Medicine Bow to Cheyenne, Wyoming, one snowy Christmas. I thought I would take a bus to avoid the worries about snow on the roads. So, I took a seat in the middle of the bus. Travelers were scattered throughout. Then, at Laramie, with an hour of travel to go, this guy got on and sat at the front of the bus. When the bus took off, the guy started to sing that "Chestnut" song. He sounded just like Nat King Cole and might have been him if it weren't that Cole died several decades earlier.
Anyway, after the guy had finished singing the song in its entirety, everyone on the bus--in gleeful holiday spirit--applauded because it was sung so well. Just like Nat King Cole would have sung it. In appreciation of the applause, the guy sang an encore of it. Wow, again, just like Nat King Cole! Once again, the people on the bus applauded, full of good Christmas cheer.
Then...well...then, the guy started to sing the same song again. At the end of that time, people still thought it was nice, but strangely enough, no one applauded. The bus had a bewildering but probably justified silence. I was almost ready to clap my hands once or twice--what the heck, it's Christmas!--but I didn't need to because the guy started singing the song again.
And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.
Forty miles later, he was still singing the song. A couple in the row on the other side of the aisle near me were covering their ears, now completely miffed. Finally, as the Christmas spirit seemed to fly out the bus windows, someone in the back of the bus yelled, "Would you shut the hell up!" That's a direct and accurate quote. Obviously, not a Christian at Christmas time...or was he? Anyway, the Christmas crowd started to become hostile and so I sat there, trying to think of another Christmas song, like "Jingle Bells," as a possibility to distract the singer from the "Chestnut" song. I couldn't even barked it out, because the guy was going strong with the "Chestnuts and Jack Frost."
There was no stopping him; he was just like a human CD player on song repeat. At the end of the bus ride in Cheyenne, people hurried off the bus with very unpleasant expressions, but with a very good ability to forever remember the lyrics of the "Chestnut (Christmas) Song." By the way, the college Christmas concert was held last week. The choirs are always so good. And...well...they sang the "Chestnut" song...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
President Obama gave his war speech...
Tonight President Obama said he will escalate U.S. troop numbers in Afghanistan.
- Prediction: One-term presidency.
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