A Low-Key Christmas

Compared with Christmas memories, this year's will be rather quiet for me. No family gathering, no fancy gifts (although I did buy myself a refrigerator to replace the tiny dying one), no festive decorations. I'll be getting together with a few friends later today to hoist a few mugs of cheer, but we frequently do that regardless of holidays. I am enjoying Egg Nog (with a little brandy), which is one of my favorite holiday treats. But that's about it for Christmas 2009.

Christmas traditions haven't been the same since my Father passed away. While my Mom tried to carry on the traditions, she never had the enthusiasm for Christmas that Dad had. Perhaps it was because he grew up in poverty, but Dad embraced Christmas as a spectacle and embraced every extravagance that he possibly could indulge. The grandest decorations, the most indulgent cuisine, and (as much as possible) the most heartfelt gifts were Dad's delight. He also, despite being a lifelong republican, loved making charitable contributions. The salvation army, food banks, and homeless shelters all received the benefits of Dad's seasonal largess. Dad was never wealthy, but his heart was rich.

My Mom was also a very generous soul, but she never quite had the enthusiasm for Christmas that Dad had. The family gatherings after Dad's passing were still warm and loving, but not the "celebration" of years prior. Now that Mom has passed (first Christmas without her; don't mean to be maudlin) the remaining family didn't even have the urge to gather. While both of my sisters invited me to join them for the holidays, it was more an act of formality than a heartfelt "we want to be together". Because I'm still recovering from surgery, I was able to politely decline and save us all the awkward moments.

I'm grateful that this year I'm in a position to make some charitable gifts, and I'm happy to have done so. Having spent so many years in poverty myself, it feels really good to be able to share. So that's been my gift giving this year. What otherwise might be a melancholy Christmas feels a little warmer in knowing that I've tried to give to folks what and where I can, and I may not be done yet. I think I'll spend part of my afternoon looking for homeless folk in need of a little cheer. It's the least I can do.

(and then I'll watch some football; yeah, I'm that shallow)

Here's wishing you and yours a warm happy holiday!

Boobies for Christmas

Because there's no better way to celebrate than with a pair of bouncing Boobies. May I be the first to wish you a Merry "Boobie-mas"?

Christmas Eve Wishes

As it is Christmas Eve, and I'm not doing anything better, allow me to wish you a:

Merry Christmas!

Thank you for stopping by; hope you're enjoying the best of the season, staying warm, and letting those you love know that you do.

The Senate Grinches

Regardless of how you feel about the health care bill itself, can you believe how ridiculous the rethug obstructionists are behaving in using every possible procedural maneuver to delay the final vote until Christmas Eve? It's now clear that the dems will continue to have the 60 votes to clear each hurdle, but the petty rethugs refuse to cede time and allow the vote earlier. So all the senators and their staff are held hostage by a pointless fit of pique:

Apparently not all Republicans think the most fruitful use of their time is delaying a final vote on health care reform. Early this afternoon, Republicans filed into a caucus meeting just off the Senate floor to discuss whether it makes sense to require Democrats to run out the clock, as is their right under Senate rules, or to cede back some time so that members can go home early.

Among Republicans, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has been the most adamant that the minority use all of the tools at its disposal--maximize the number of filibusters, and make sure they last as long as possible--to delay (or forestall) a final vote.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said, definitively, "no, we're not going to cede back any time. We're fighting til the bitter end, till hell freezes over and we're skating on the ice."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/here-til-christmas-republicans-differ-on-whether-to-run-out-the-health-care-clock.php?ref=fpblg

Reminds me of a certain boss I had a few years ago, while working at the university. Boss grinch decided that nobody would be allowed to leave early on Christmas Eve (although he left at lunch; he said that he was "non-essential" while the rest of us were "essential", which was truer than anything else he ever said), even though there was no actual 'work' being done. I, being single, had volunteered to stay to keep the department open so that those with families could leave and begin their holidays. But boss grinch wouldn't hear of it, so six of us sat around eating cookies until the clock hit the magic hour. It was a purely petty act to prove his "authority", and it only generated resentment instead of respect.
And, in the end, resentment is all the rethug senators will get. The final vote is now a foregone conclusion (unless Sen. Coburn's prayers are answered). A responsible party would waive the 30 hour delays, allow the vote, and go celebrate the holidays. That's some "family values" you've got, rethugs!

Happy Winter Solstice

The real "reason for the season."

The Least Bad Option

Not that my opinion really matters, but like most every progressive I'm disappointed in the health care bill. It's weak on health, short on care, and far from reform. But, sadly, it's the best we're going to get at this time. A lot of democrats/liberals are bitter that the senate failed to do better, but the alternative was to do nothing. And that would be worse. If the current bill failed, it would be at least twenty years before health care would be tackled again. At least the current bill can be built upon during the coming years. If nothing else, it beats letting the rethug obstructionists win.
Sigh...we really do deserve better.

A Prince Has Died

One of the greatest joys of having a blog is that when you see a really absurd story, you can share it. This one is what I blog for:

Nestled near the beaches of the Italian Riviera and the snow-capped Alps sits the tiny principality of Seborga, a place that floats on legends. Over the centuries, plagues and earthquakes have struck the region and missed Seborga, or so the stories say. Some insist that knights took the Holy Grail there.

But the true miracle of Seborga may have been the 46-year reign of Prince Giorgio I, the constitutionally elected royal ruler of its five square miles and 2,000 people, about 350 of whom are enfranchised citizens.

Prince Giorgio, a bewhiskered grower of mimosa flowers from a family of mimosa growers, was seized by a glorious vision: that Seborga was not part of the surrounding Italian nation. It was an ancient principality, cruelly robbed of its sovereignty.

After convincing his Seborgan neighbors of their true significance, Giorgio Carbone was elected prince in 1963. He gracefully accepted the informal title of His Tremendousness, and was elected prince for life in 1995 by a vote of 304 to 4. Voters then ratified Seborga’s independence, which, by the prince’s interpretation, it already had. Prince Giorgio established a palace, wrote a Constitution, and set up a cabinet and a parliament. He chose a coat of arms, minted money (with his picture), issued stamps (with his picture) and license plates, selected a national anthem and mobilized a standing army, consisting of Lt. Antonello Lacala. He adopted a motto: Sub umbra sede (Sit in the shade).

But the principality’s future has suddenly turned cloudy. Prince Giorgio I died at his home in Seborga on Nov. 25 after suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease, the principality announced. He was 73. Succession plans are uncertain.

More than 20 countries have recognized independent Seborga, in one fashion or another

Since the Middle Ages, Seborga’s sovereign had been elected, so the princely plebiscite that elevated Mr. Carbone was a return to tradition.

Prince Giorgio accepted no salary, although it is not clear he was offered one. He daily availed himself of ham and cheese from the village shop, a royal perquisite.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/world/europe/13carbone.html?_r=1&hpw

Let's see; we have an elected monarch of a country that only marginally exists with a one man army and the wisest motto I've ever found: "sit in the shade"; who can argue with that? That's why I blog.
(h/t to Robert Farley of Lawyers, Guns, & Money, who should be elected the next monarch)

News That Made Me "Saab"

I'm somewhat saddened by the news of the demise of Saab. I have rather fond memories of the Saab I owned back in the late '70's, a 1973 99DL (like the one in the photo, but mine was gold rather than that ugly yellow) that was a delight to drive. Yeah, it was quirky. It was the first non-american car I ever owned and, compared to the mid-'70's american cars it was a modern marvel. The handling and comfort were so completely different from my previous cars that I looked for any excuse to take long road trips. While it wasn't the best car to have sex in, the heated seats seemed to encourage some young ladies into creative positioning (hey, I was a lot younger and more flexible myself). Alas, the main drawback of my Saab was that it was expensive to maintain, and I went through some life changes that made it impractical.

Saab's demise actually occurred years ago when GM acquired the brand and turned a unique automobile into another generic vanilla vehicle. Sigh...

While I've been living "car-free" for more than twelve years, I still have very fond memories of the better vehicles I've owned over the years, and I've owned many (ask me about the 1959 Mercedes-Benz sometime). So I'm letting out a little "Saab" upon hearing this news.

Surgery Recovery

Sorry about the lack of posts this week. I had a surgery, and the recovery has been slower than I had hoped (although exactly on the pace the Dr. expected). I guess that I'm lucky; I'm poor enough that I qualify for state insurance. Watching the whole health care reform debacle is incredibly depressing, as the senate argues petty peripheral points while avoiding addressing peoples actual medical needs. It's just sickening.
But I do get one small side benefit. Having surgery gave me a convenient excuse to avoid spending Christmas with either of my sisters, which would have been more painful.

As The Boobies Debate

A nice pair of Boobies debating the quality of political discourse.

Really?

Really? This is the best Time editors could do? Bernanke?

And print media wonders why it’s losing relevance.

Sheesh.

I could go on and on about why this is a shitty choice for POTY, but let's just hope his renomination isn't secure.

However, it is interesting that Time rolls this out now, this week, when it appears that 7 or 8 Senators have stated that they are placing holds on his re-confirmation. Of course, publicly speculating on things like that makes you sound like some kind of crazy conspiracy-type person, so I won't go any further....

Trade

Here's an idea: maybe the senate could trade Joe Lieberman to Dick Cheney's hunting club for a meth addicted weasel. The senate would find the meth addicted weasel more reasonable to negotiate with, and I'm sure Cheney would enjoy using Lieberman as a target.

Sunday Science

I love it when medical research comes to a conclusion that I can actually use:

A rather bizarre study carried out by German researchers suggests that staring at women’s breasts is good for men’s health and increases their life expectancy.

According to Dr. Karen Weatherby, a gerontologist and author of the study, gawking at women’s breasts is a healthy

practice, almost at par with an intense exercise regime, that prolongs the lifespan of a man by five years.

She added, "Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well-endowed female, is roughly equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics work-out."

"Our study indicates that engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of stroke and heart attack in half. We believe that by doing so consistently, the average man can extend his life four to five years."

In addition, she also recommended that men over 40 should gaze at larger breasts daily for 10 minutes.

http://www.themedguru.com/20091206/newsfeature/stare-boobs-longer-life-study-86131320.html

Of course, getting slapped also provides some aerobic stimulation. And who knew that all these years that I've spent being a polite gentleman by not staring were actually shortening my lifespan. "I'm sorry, miss, but I'm only staring for my health."

And if the study is correct, my friend Ducky should live to be 120.

(I chose not to add photos to this post; I'm sure you can find some on your own.)

Icicles for Lockwood

Blog friend Lockwood of Outside the Interzone posted some pics of what pass for icicles in his part of Oregon. Cute, tiny icicles that look decorative. So here's a pic of Flagstaff icicles. They are not cute or tiny; they are lethal. They will impale you if they get a chance. And they're going to be hanging around for a while.

Can I Fast Forward To Spring?

Looks like we'll be getting a little more snow this weekend. I suppose I shouldn't complain, since I live in a place where winter happens. But I got a new river supply catalog (also known as "porno-for-boatmen") in yesterday's mail, so I'm fantasizing about white water and warm sunshine. And wishing I had more money for new toys (that I don't really need). Oh well, the more snow in the winter, the more white water in spring.

Really Scary Pictures

OK, most of these are so awful that I would never post them here, but if you have a strong stomach you can click on this:
Michael Steele and the RNC Interns.
That'll drive you to drink. Luckily, for me, it's a short walk.
(h/t to Mock, Paper, Scissors for the nightmares)

-5

Brr. -5 this morning. Glad I didn't have to go anywhere.

Boobies for 1500

This weeks Boobies mark the 1,500th post on Pygalgia! While I realize that isn't all that many when compared to the better blogs, I'm quietly proud of our persistence. Thanks to all our readers; maybe we'll stick around a while longer.

The Obama You Have vs. The Obama You Want

Browsing around Blogtopia (Y!SCTP), there's obviously a lot of dissatisfaction with President Obama. And that's just from the left; the right has hated him from day one. Apparently, a lot of progressives think he's turned into a continuation of shrub, and not the great liberal savior they were wishing for.
As I see it, this disappointment is a result of unrealistic expectations. There's been a lot of projection placed on Obama: "he's a good, smart man, so of course he should act strongly on the issues that I believe strongly in." Whether it be Afghanistan, Wall St., health care, gay rights, or a host of other issues, the left expected Obama to be a more progressive advocate. He isn't. Hey, I'm about as far to the left as possible, and I knew all along that Obama was no liberal.
In reality, Barack Obama has always been a moderate (as is Hillary, BTW). Don't be fooled by lofty rhetoric; every policy proposal made during the campaign leaned strongly toward the middle ground. Obama advocated "fixing problems", not "radical" changes (yeah, I know the slogan; the actual "change" proposed was minor). He's an 'establishment' manager rather than a revolutionary.
Maybe it's because I'm cynical to begin with, but I'm not all that disappointed in Obama's performance so far. He's done about what I expected (as opposed to what I might have wanted): he's been pragmatic and intelligent as he attempts to address the myriad disasters in front of us. Faced with a trashed economy, wars, and an opposition party that refuses to participate in governing, Obama has been able to make some small, steady progress. We may want a lot more, but it's unrealistic to expect it, and it may be impossible for Obama to actually change a situation that was decades in the making.
If you keep your expectations low, you're seldom disappointed. All I ever expected Obama to do was do a better job of governing than St. Sleazy McCain (or shrub) would do. What we've gotten is about what I expected.

(Added: Go over to No More Mister Nice Blog for some other views, especially in the comments, on the topic. It's a very lively, but civil, debate).

The Dynamite Prize

Many find it ironic that the president is accepting the "peace" prize while escalating a war. But the very prize is itself ironic. Alfred Nobel was the inventor of dynamite, which is not exactly "peaceful" by its very nature.