Some people cavort with robots, others with imaginary friends, some may with both. :-)

Hey! Where are all my imaginary friends?

I'll have my robot leave a trail of breadcrumbs from the last kit and hope the Rhoomba doesn't suck them up too early.

I love my Tivo... does that count?

I'm very sorry if my comments last night re: Ursinus were misunderstood.

I was pointing out that it is a fine liberal arts college, not a fine technological one. I have degrees from both, but I am center-brained.

Depending on how Yello's son's brain is hardwired and his intellectual bent, this could be a deciding factor.

I could make a comment about Robotic $ex and my former husband, but that would be a cheap shot. Plus I'm sure the robots are superior in every way.

I saw a clip of the robot climbing stairs on Olbermann. It got halfway up and fell down. This glitch wouldn't bode well for lovemaking.

Sex and/or love with robots. Let's examine the prior art. Just off the top of my head:

Bladerunner
"Mudd's Women"
Austin Powers
Cherry 2000
AI

I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I'd make a comment about the robot baby seal some Japanese researchers made, but there are children here...

Me, for instance.

:-)

One day perhaps most people will forego the interhuman sexuality, and those of us who practice it will be regarded as perverts. "Filthy you! Get a robot!" they will shout at us.

I don't buy it, actually. It's far more likely that rather than machine-type androids, organic cyborgs will be the ones interacting with us in the more personal areas. Some sort of cloning technology, or even a creation of teriantrops, i.e. chimeras. I doubt if a practice-robot will be much more well-regarded or loved than a car or an electric toothbrush. But some people are far more materialistic (consumerists) than I am... I mean, I once loved my Austin Healy but I didn't really LOVE it, you know.

All this is a bit old-hat for science fiction readers, so it's probably only titillating right now to more mainstream folks. Others such as my best friend, consider such stuff outright demonic, and a path straight to the devil. I may agree somewhat.

It is all however actually similar to a train of thought I have been running over for the past few days about the most current research on artificial intelligence, in that I have not seen many new breakthroughs occurring lately in the press. I am paranoically reminded of an old trope that says when publication dries up, the field has become classified. But I would still think that even if Skynet is emerging right now in secret miliary labs, the form of such is so far from organic that it is almost surely not really loveable.

Is this our future with robots?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oenAe9TJVsI

About Ursinus: I think that interesting career paths are open to people who work against a grain. That I took so much hard science helped me develop a niche in writing that made me quite competitive. If an engineering-science type chooses a liberal arts institution, then a similar path is possible. However, there is this caveat: training in the sciences and engineering is stepwise and linear. The content builds on previous content. One way to approach this "counter-grain" education-to-career path is to be a traditional science major, say chemistry, and then go to graduate school in chemical engineering. (Can be done. May take a summer or two at an engineering college...or a "gap" year as an advanced special student in engineering couress.) And, when I look at the frustration in technical fields about managers without science or technical backgrounds, I wonder if this this might a niche place for a liberally-trained scientist or engineer to ply a trade.

One additional point: I do a great deal of consulting with engineers on their writing. An engineer who can truly write succinctly and clearly for the lay audience will soar above others in the cubical farm. Quickly, too.

RD can tell more about technical places with a deep and abiding commitment to liberally-trained scientists. Revelle College at UC San Diego is another place in So Cal besides Harvey Mudd and the other Claremont Colleges.

All I can picture is the Robot from the Jetson's, it is not doing much for me. Now if the robots looked like Colin Firth or Hugh Jackman there may be possibilities.

Now one should make a clear distinction between a "robot" and a teleoperated anthropomorphic device. In a sense, there are people in the Second Life experience who are already having telesex. On a screen without an actual anthrobot, but one assumes it's on the way.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061215122519.htm
would be one prototype under development for the entire concept.

Heinlein proposed that, as opposed to robots, a teleoperated device (in his case, remote-operated hands) should be called "Waldos." Years later, actual waldos have come about, but to my chagrin, and a few others, they are not called waldos.

If I was a lunar miner and my wife was not with me, perhaps she and I could operate each others' sex-waldos simultaneously, remotely. If she allowed another man to operate her sex-waldo, (or vice-versa), it would be cheating! Just like sex-simulating Second Lifers cheat, now. I'm sure the earth-moon time lag would make the experience even more unsatisfactory.

I knew we would get around to teledildonics. The ultimate phone sex.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepresence

This Levy fellow is probably kinda slow.

Of course, sex robots could get kind of wild in appearance (although one hopes not too wild in behavior - but that's just me).

Ladies and gentlemen, I present our newest collectors' model: the "Grace Jones."

I am noticing the ad robots on this site are having a tough time with this kit & boodle...

I am flabbergasted at the issues embedded in these scenarios. Imagine how therapy and common wisdom will be tested.

I scored 71 credits on this quiz. Whaddevertheheck that means.
The SciFi soundtrack quiz should not be done at work unless you have a kindly, hard of hearing boss.
http://www.shegoddess.com/q/sf/index.aspx

The strawberry flavoured 3in1 oil reseach is continuing apace.

As a very young adolescent I recall seeing the movie "Westworld." Even in its edited-for-television incarnation, the movie presented an erotic image of nubile mechanical ladies intriguing enough to disrupt my sleep patterns for days. I think the concept appealed to me because of the strict Catholic sexual mores with which I had been indoctrinated. Mechanical fornication offered the promise of gratification without sin. Well, at least without mortal sin. And I could live with the venial ones.

As I got older I realized that this idea of using sexualized machinery as a moral out extended to issues of monogamy as well as the degradation of women. Heck, would it be really cheating? And you wouldn't be facilitating prostitution. It seemed like such an ideal way to deal with the overactive male libido.

But, eventually, I realized that sex was a lot more than just mechanics. To be really fulfilling it required an emotional connection as well. I still believe this. And I simply cannot imagine an artificial intelligence capable of providing true emotional intimacy. That's the key point. As Joel observes, you are really just talking about a hi-tech blow-up doll.

In any case, as a married person, it is a moot point. A sexbot would lack sufficient stealth. I mean, it would be really hard to explain to my wife why there is a buxom redhead hiding in my closet.

I don't think we know yet whether humans can get past the need for another human and be satisfied with "artificial" company instead. It seems like there'd be a lot to overcome. So much of what bonds humans to each other and inspires love are, for example, having odd things in common, sharing philosophies and ideologies, or finding out you had the same favorite song in high school... Things that allow us to feel that it's "destiny" that we've met the other person, that some higher power has brought us together... I think robots will definitely be used for sex, though. "The Real Doll" has done very well from what I understand (I work in the adult industry.)

Oh my, sirin. I had no idea such things really existed. There is so much more under the sun than I realize. Excuse me while I retreat back into my cloistered, sheltered little world.

As I see it, this topic is fraught -- maybe even overfraught -- with all sorts of ethical dilemmas and quandries. Just a few of the many, right off the top of my head:

1) How much foreplay does a robot require? just a couple of nanoseconds? or 30 seconds or a minute, like with real women?

2) How long does it take a male robot to...um...reboot?

3) Do female robots actually... um, you know... or do they fake it, like women do?

4) What kind of background music does one need? Do robots like "Bolero," or "The Syncopated Clock," or what? What about all my Frank Sinatra records?

5) Candles: yes or no?

6) Will a female robot [do the deed] without the obligatory three glasses of wine first? And do you need to take them to a movie?

7) Will "Mechanix Illustrated" start mailing with a plain brown wrapper?

8) If you ask a robot, "Was it good for you, too?" will you get the same old sarcastic answer?

9) Who sleeps in the wet spot?

I just don't think this whole notion is gonna work out very well.

I did 85 on the Sci Fi Sounds quiz, but I don't like that it doesn't say which ones I got wrong.

This post made me pull out my directors cut of Bladerunner. I've never watched the voice-over-less version. Which raises a bigger question. When did Decker become a replicant? Harrison Ford claims he was never told that he was. With his acting style, why would he have to be?

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/pal/pal_back.asp

I KNEW they were working on Skynet...

I heard an interview with Ridley Scott who said he and Ford interpreted the movie differently, but Scott always intended Ford to have been the missing replicant. Since at the time it was left to the audience to discern this hidden possibility, he said he and Ford agreed to disagree.

yello, you need to read this review of the new 5-DVD release of Bladerunner in Slate, at http://www.slate.com/id/2180354/

In, we learn there appear to be numerous variants: "The current four-disc set comes with a "Workprint," a "U.S. Theatrical Cut," an "International Theatrical Cut," a 1992 rerelease "Director's Cut"--and this is to only scratch the surface! As the Internet will tell you, there is the "U.S. Denver-Dallas Sneak Preview Workprint"; the "U.S. San Diego Sneak Preview Workprint"; several competing cuts on Laserdisc; and, never forget, an additional line of dialogue given to Deckard's boss makes its original airing on cable TV yet another variant."

also:

"A folklore quickly grew up around the various versions of the film, few or none of which was said to be true to Ridley Scott's original vision. The single worst offender was the original U.S. theatrical release, with a tacked-on happy ending and an infamously hammy voice-over, added at the 11th hour after audiences exited the previews totally bewildered."

"At any point in its history, the shortcomings of an actual print of Blade Runner could be excused by citing a supposedly Platonic print of Blade Runner. This Platonic print would lose Irving the Explainer and the La-La ending, and add the Holy Grail of all Ridley-ana--the famed "unicorn sequence," which signals to the audience that, yes, Deckard too, in a final turn of the screw, is himself a replicant." [So the answer is, Deckard is only a replicant in this one edition.]

"Now the Platonic Blade Runner has finally arrived, as the maestro himself testifies. "This is my preferred version of the film," says Ridley Scott in a brief intro to "The Final Cut," looking straight into the camera. "Out of all the versions of Blade Runner, this is my favorite."

RD I'm not sure what you're trying to say to me... was that sarcasm about the Real Doll? It wasn't very well executed, so it's hard to tell.

I'd always wondered how well the Real Doll actually sold, aside from its fame from being featured on the Howard Stern show. So recently I asked someone who knows the owner of the Real Doll company, and it's apparently a whole little industry unto itself. There are other companies that now exist simply to "service" the Real Doll. I know blow up dolls have been around forever, but the Real Doll seems closer to the kind of robot Joel is talking about in his review, at least in terms of looking human, having soft skin, etc.

SCDC: 4 DVD, not 5.

Boy, my Iggles and the Saints are trading TDs like crazy. 21-14 at the moment. Gonna be a good game...wish I could see it. Instead, I'm watching Giants-Buffalo, whioch is being played under some horrendous conditions: driving rain and winds gusting up to 50 or 60 mph. Gotta be miserable there in Buffalo.

I heard it said that humans will use all new means of communication and technology for sex. After considering the bang up way telephonics started, "Come here Watson I want you", and my own extensive collection of nature films I thought this very wise. However, until I'm presented with evidence of dirty telegraphs, salacious semaphores, and sexy smoke signals, I must regard the proposition unproved.

1:51 was me

We'll know mechanized sex has come of age when sex toys move from novelty items, are listed uder major appliances and Sandra Bernhardt plays the Maytag Man.

No sirin - not sarcasm at all. Certainly I didn't intend any kind of offense. I meant exactly what I said. I had no idea such things actually existed. Really. I always thought the whole "inflatable girl" thing was just a novelty gag. The idea that someone would actually spend thousands of dollars for a silicon sex-doll is simply not something that ever entered into my mind. When you get right down to it, I guess I am just very naive person in such matters.

From previous Boodling:

"For some reason this puts me in mind of the female robot in Fritz Lang's 1927 film 'Metropolis', and Lester Del Rey's classic 1938 short story, 'Helen O'Loy.

Of course we can love the inanimate: cars, motorcycles, bicycles, computers (and possibly even other people *through* those devices), telescopes, etc. because of how they make us feel about ourselves, a stylized near-perfect reflection of how we want others to perceive us.

In the cases of cars, bicycles, motorcycles, etc., we engage in physical activities with them that can transport us to the near-sexual experience. A beautiful day on a bike, a near-perfect lap on a racetrack in a sports car can give an endorphin rush or anandamide release (the jury's still out on that, I think) that could make for a memorable experience, one that a person would want to repeat.

Sex and love with a robot?
Sure.

The big trick (ahem) - as is pointed out in Del Rey's 'O'Loy' is to figure out what to do when *they* fall in love with *us.*

bc"

Someone poitned out to me earlier today that "Young Frankenstein" plowed some of this same territory, as it were.

I would also add that I mentioned the Real Doll yesterday...

I cannot text message, I can barely turn on our home entertainment system to watch TV (don't ask me to put in a movie DVD), I don't even have a camera phone, and now I have to think about sex with robots!?? I'm sorry. This is just not going to happen.

Perhaps those stuck in the callowness of extreme youth (they're not all still young) might be attracted to the emotion and guilt free thought of robot sex. [Though I hasten to note that if they're programming robots to simulate human emotion, at least one function will be "you never call".] However, I'm with RD and others. As we mature, and perhaps age, intercourse is as much about intimacy as it is physical contact. When the robot says, "Hey, hon. You sit and read a book while I do the dishes and put away the laundry, then bathe the kids and read them a story before putting them to bed", then, I say, it may generate the romantic response which will lead to sex.

I think Joel did an excellent job reviewing this book. This was a tricky thing to pull of. Too snarky and the review could become just an excuse for double entendres. Too dry and it could easily become an unintentional parody. Joel seemed to split the difference exceptionally well.

SCC: Pull off.

I think I am going to leave this slippery topic alone now because the opportunity for unintentionally getting myself in trouble is just too great.

Speaking of robots...

Fox Sports does some interesting things around the holidays with the animated robot football player the network uses to frame the "brought to you by" ads. Today they have it in red and green, dodging snowballs until a big one hits it in the chest and knocks it down, triggering a large blob of snow onto the robot's head.

OK, so it's not sex...

:)

Scotty, I want that d@mn thing assassinated.

85 on the SciFi sound quiz too. I think I missed the "between the ticks of your watch" quote.

:-)

I believe my disdain for the Fox football robot is a matter of public record.

Sorry RD!

No Prob sirin. Tone is tricky to pull off. I hope you stick around. Sounds like you have an interesting back story.

And for the other side, how do we know one of us isn't a created, expert system Boodler, software instead of flesh and blood?

To bc's point. I certainly was fond of my old MGB. Granted, like relationships with all British Motor Cars, it had an element of masochism.

Once in the early net days, I responded to someone via email. He, I believe, ran my responses through LISA, an early AI demo for psychological counseling simulation, and just emailed back LISA's responses. I tried to respond a few times before I figured it out. I guess the joke was on me. But not for long.

To answer Mudge, Genya Ravan wrote a song once called "Won't Sleep on the Wet Spot No More." It can be heard here:

http://www.itsaboutmusic.com/genyaravan.html

Forty + years ago I read a sci-fi short story where a space explorer was trapped on the moon/a planet, and could never return to earth.

He sadly remembered his prior life.

A female droid was now "in love" with him, and sang to him. She sang "Lover."

I still recall the story every time I hear the song.

Anyone know this story?

OMG here I thought yello coined the phrase, but it exists already.
http://www.teledildonics.com/

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/teledildonics/
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/teledildonics-advanced-again-the-hug-shirt-220846.php

I just made it through the original Directors Cut, but don't think I need the Super Deluxe, Really, Honestly, This Time For Real Final Cut. Some article called Bladerunner the most revised movie of all time.

Lars And The Real Doll was recently on the arthouse circuit and got good reviews for the gentle handling of the subject matter, so to speak.

And to add to 'mudge's questions:

Can you rape a robot?

Do sexdroids dream electric wet dreams?

Does a sexbot have real orgasms? Does it matter?

Whew. Been prepping for tomorrow all day today, with football on in the background.

Should have went with my gut on Chicago over GB, dang it.

Back to work, then to relax and watch the Washington NFL franchise...

Just for the record, I've never had sex with a robot.

That I'm aware of.

bc

I am pretty sure I am too young for this conversation.

Sexbots are sure to come along, probably sooner than we think.

After all, virtually every advancment in computer technology during the past two decades or so has been prompted by demand for higher quality pornography. (I view most video games as a subset of porn).

So it stands to reason that breakthroughs in robotics will be made to enable sex with machines and then enhance it.

Afterwards, they'll sing old Who songs.

The song is over
Its all behind me
I should have known it
She tried to find me

Our love is over
Theyre all ahead now
Ive got to learn it
Ive got to sing out
When I walked in through the door
Thought it was me I was looking for
She was the first song I ever sang
But it stopped as soon as it began

Our love is over
Its all behind me
Theyre all ahead now
Cant hope to find me

I could really use one of those floor cleaner robots, because 1) I can't find any humans who will vacuum/mop for me for free and 2) I don't enjoy doing it myself.

But for sex? You know there are more than 6 billion human beings on the planet, and most of the adult ones like to have sex. There's really no need for robots for this purpose.

Then again, companies are making billions of dollars selling bottled tap water, so I have no doubt people will be ready to pay for sexbots too.

I lost my internet connection yesterday so I was forced to simply enjoy my Keys vacation without reporting on it. Imagine that.

But I'll throw something together on my blog -- I got a couple of nice photos of the Overseas Highway. I'll link to it when it's done.

A drive by boodle from Tampa, 16 hours later than expected but nicely accommodated by Northwest Airlines during the delay, and a first class seat from Minneapolis to boot.

A very merry to all, including any bots among us. Seeing what has happened with pets I can imagine that loving robots wouldn't be too far behind-with or without sex.

I wouldn't mind a robo-pet. This I could deal with.

kb-Mr. F has a roomba (he calls "she") and it does a good job. However, it is infuriatingly inefficient when you watch it randomly change directions whenever it touches something. If programmed to work overnight the floor will be spotless by morning, but the same job could be done by a human in a few minutes. Which brings us back to your 6:36. Even the kid who will do it for free, as in no money exchanging hands, won't do so without a good nagging or threatening of loss of driving privileges.

Give me a robot that empties the dishwasher and puts everything away where I can find it when I want it... that's the robot I'll happily have sex with.

You know, I do the dishes every night. Put 'em away and wipe up the kitchen too.

I regret to report that the aphrodisiac power of this has been greatly exaggerated.

I'm being accused of being antisocial because I'm not watching football with my father-in-law.

The things I do for family harmony.

My niece had worked in a semi-conductors factory for many years. The factory had a robot to transport heavy items. After delivery, sometimes, the robot would just inch closer and closer to the girls, like wanting to get intimate. The robot would back off when they told it to in a stern voice. I thought that was really creepy to have a robot doing that.

But RD was engaging in conversation (on-topic at that) with at least a handful of imaginary friends. How much more social can one be?

Mudge, in response to your #3, they just beep boredly and ask "Are you done yet?"

Boko-- don't forget that privacy/anonymity is also a huge part of it.
If you could send a telegraph without having to write it down or read it to some guy, dirty telegrams might have occured. And let's face it, semaphores and smoke signals are meant to be seen from a distance. By more than one person. Think of all the ribbing around the campfire later on re a person caught attempting "smoke signal sex."

I'm sure there's been the occasional insulting semaphore, but it's hardly great for propositioning people, unless you were at a swingers' camp and you wanted to announce a public orgy at 9 PM.

That roomba video certainly brought out the visual similarity of a roomba to a cockroach. Brrr.

For some people who have problems physically vacuuming, a roomba is a good option. I just wonder how dogs react to it. I think Wilbrodog would either leave the room as he does with normal vacuums, or he would attempt to herd it.

Rainforest, were the robots autonomous or remote-controlled? That does sound creepy.

And I DID find a case of obscene telegraphy.

"In a case using obscenity by implication, D.C. Comics, Inc. v. Unlimited Monkey Bus.,[70] defendants operated a singing telegram service where two characters, "Super Stud" and "Wonder Wench", delivered bawdy telegrams and wore identical costumes to plaintiff's characters "Super Man" and "Wonder Women". The court noted the implicit disparagement and bawdy associations wherein the harm lies in the dilution of plaintiff's works."

Hey, if you aren't doing anything right now, run outside and take a look at the moon. There's a star immediately adjacent to it at about 4 o"clock, and is closer to the moon than I ever remember seeing one there. It must be really bright. Anybody (hey, ScienceTim, that's you) know what it is?

Where's the astronomical forecast site when we need one?

Here it's too cloudy to see anything but a full moon. Could it be a planet (no twinkle) or a supernova?

If it's reddish... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071220/ap_on_sc/mars_rudolph

Mudge... thanks for sending me out to look at the moon. When we were walking home from [insert maiden name here] Christmas this evening, we noticed that the moon was bright and huge, but it disappeared behind the clouds almost like curtains had been drawn in front of it.

That little star/planet looks like the moon's beauty mark. It's really quite stunning.

I'd look at the moon, but it's raining too hard. We saw it last night, but I didn't notice Mars. We had Mexican food at our local hole in the wall restaurant (where we saw our first jalapeno Christmas lights many, many years ago), then went to a park on Lake Washington to look at the lights.
http://www.ivars.net/News_Home/clamlights.html

Saw Atonement this afternoon. Pretty good - but slow at times - and lots of cigarette smoking, which bugged me a bit. I loved the book, and maybe my expectations were too high. It's beautifully photographed and acted.

This is from an Alaska paper, but it looks like we're seeing Mars cozying up with the Moon...

http://newsminer.com/2007/12/22/10535/

This is an interesting study done on an unicycle. Although I wouldn't exactly call that humor-- more like a "jerk" response to being startled by attempting some kind of humorous challenge.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220195636.htm

This ain't stand-up comedy material, folks. Interesting anyhow, yet it reminds me of yappy dogs for some reason.

That's Mars hanging out below the full moon. Closest approach was a little before 9:00. I thought it was truly spectacular earlier in the evening.

And yes, that was a subtle plea for all humor writers and comedians not to start quaffing testesterone to "keep" their comic edge.

Because you know, people flattening beer cans with their foreheads are funny for only so long.

Hey, it's halftime, so all you locals quick run outside. Mars is right next to the full moon, providing a ruddy complement to the reddish star Betelgeuse in Orion. Even someone, like me, who is pretty darn ignorant about astronomy should find it a striking sight.

The Boy and I saw Mars and the Moon earlier this evening. It was really unusual and lovely, and looked as if Mars were hanging suspended from the Moon. Thanks for the identification, by the way; we decided it was a planet but didn't know which one. Later we went out again and the dome of the sky, including the moon, was covered in a series of small puffy clouds. The moonlight shone through the lighter cloud edges and the moon itself was peeking in and out, and made a sort of spooky pattern. The Boy looked up first and said, "Wow! Look up! That's beautiful!" It was too.

Wilbrod, I don't know if the robots were autonomous or remote-controlled. I didn't ask my niece. It sounds like it could be remote-controlled since it didn't do that all the time.

It's snowing, blowing, and cloudy, but dang it, I finally found a pale speck 3 o clock of the moon, nearly encased in the moon's halo (cloudy, remember), and another further away.

And then the rooftop snow fell on me. You guys with better viewing conditions, take pictures, okay?

I saw it! The Moon, and Mars, and as an added bonus, our old friend Orion. Thank you, boodle friends, for getting me outside to look at the sky.

Unfortunately, I do not have a tripod so I cannot take a photo that is worth looking at. Sorry.

As promised, I do have my pictures of our weekend vacation: http://readthinklive.blogspot.com/2007/12/weekend-in-key-west.html

I can barely see Mars through the Moons's halo. That is so cool. Windy too.

kb... Sounds--and looks--like a perfect weekend. Thanks for sharing it with us!

The ScienceKids and I spotted the Moon and Mars as well. Actually, ScienceKid #1 spotted it and asked me about it. I/we deduced that that must be Mars. Then the ScienceSpouse phoned me from the parking lot of another Temple of Commerce and we pondered it some more.

Goodnight, Moon.

Goodnight, Boodle.

Vaya con queso, and fondue.

Home at last, all things at Mom's are done and she can relax on Christmas eve and wait to panic on Christmas day. A nice branch was secured as a tree, actually several branches from 2 different trees.

I followed the star of Bethlehem(Mars) and I ended up in west by god. Beautiful full moon out tonight too, really made the last part of my drive nice.

TBG, It's nice to multiply our experiences by living vicariously, I think. Your mountain cabin and family get-together cast their glow my way, too. Happy birthday, by the way. And now I shall go to sleep and see whether I dream about Mars or the mountains or the ocean or flying monkeys...or Something Completely Different.

'night all.

Thanks all for the tip about the moon, just went and took a good look. There are thin, wispy clouds racing through the sky and Mars looks as if it is pulling the moon through the clouds, the moonlight on the snow is very bright.

Night all.

My son is in the kitchen making a peanut butter pie for Christmas dinner, so I dragged him out into the street to look at Mars. His reaction was "Meh. Doesn't look all that red. It's more of a yellow."

I see the Moon
the Moon sees me
I see my love behind that tree
God made the Moon and God made me
Please, God remove that tree

Feh! Sex with Robots? I'd do most anything to have six with humans!

Merry Christmas Eve, boodlers! We had the first round of gift giving this evening at my youngest bro's home. Chocolate pie was the highlight; green bean casserole was definitely not. I have this aversion to a mixture of vegetables and cream of mushroom soup that is enough to nearly make me gag while posting.
We sent, of all things, fruit cakes as gifts to my dear aunts. Generally fruit cake is worthy of at least regifting, a doorstop, or a TV brick. There is something supernatural about cake with large, jujubee bits of red and green goo in it. This iteration, however, is actually edible. I tried it myself and didn't even need coffee to wash it down, rinse and spit. To writ, the packages haven't been returned, due in part to the fact that one of my aunts is in Chicago and her fruit cake was sent to Philadelphia. Given that the packages are about the size and shape of a piece of C4, I'm looking for the black helicopters any time now.

Jack, that dish sounds overcooked. I'm glad you had other food that was delicious.

I'm just laughing! Hahahhaaha!

I love fruit-cake. So very sad, reely.

So tired I can barely keep my eyes open, but still unwilling to go to bed.

Where's that robot when you really need him?

Oh, I do love me my home-state newspaper!!

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071222/OPINION/712230301

I bet the Onion-Bleeder edit board had a collective conniption when they read that... *L*

RDP, that Japanese robo-seal I mentioned was intended to be a "pet" for the elderly. It prompted the same sort of beneficial blood pressure reductions noted with other pet therapy, and the researchers were discussing the possibility of later models having medical sensors to monitor their "owners."

:-)

Good Christmas Eve morning to all! S'nuke you're up early. Wondering why Mr. F hasn't made my morning mocha yet (I do believe he loves his espresso machine, I know I lust for it).

*faxin' frostbitten some eggnog-laced coffee* :-)

Happy Christmas Eve, my friends. My sister called me this morning on her way to work(early). She said if she couldn't sleep, she was going to call everybody else so they couldn't sleep. And I was sleeping hard, after not sleeping for two days. We talked until she arrived at work. It was good.

Every one has finished shopping, right?

Mudge, I loved your 1:34 comment about the kit. Good questions to ask.

When one talks about the possibility of this happening, I keep thinking isn't that kind of sex like having sex with yourself? Instead of a hand, you're using something else, right? It sounds creepy to me. And cold. Does this "thing" have a heat sensor or something? I don't know folks, sounds really extreme. Not a subject I'm well versed in anyway. It's a memory.

It rained here yesterday, all day. Really messy weather, but we need the rain, and then some.

Slyness, where are you? Hope you're having fun.

Scotty, this your first Xmas with your new bride, officially anyway? Enjoy, and make plenty of memories.

And all my friends here, "have yourself a merry little Christmas now", as the song goes. I love that song. It makes me sad, and happy too.

Martooni, let us hear from you. I'll bet the folks that have your fairy doors are looking and smiling.

And Error, we miss you, and wish you were here, but hoping it's better where you are.

Joel Achenbach, here's wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, and nothing but good things for the New Year. And thank you for the this blog, and the chance to write.

Morning, all.*waving*

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

Hi Cassandra. Merry Christmas to you. I'm sure that although you were sleepy, it was great to talk with your sister. I don't have any siblings so I can only imagine how nice it must be to have a sister to talk with. Family and friends are certainly the greatest gift we receive in life.

"S" and I have been feeling slightly under the weather for the last day or two. Not sick, but not well. I feel better this morning, I hope he does too. We need to practice our dance routine at least once more before we perform our surprise recital tonight at my daughter's house.

I am excited about the telescope I'm giving "S" for Christmas. He'll have to open it on the porch or drag it inside himself as it weighs about 50 pounds and I dare not try to get it into the living room. I'm looking forward to tonight. Christmas Eve is my favorite time, Christmas day is secondary.

Morning all! Merry Christmas Eve.

I got an email from Microcenter advertising their politically correct "After Holidays Sale," which begins on December 26.

Now, really. It begins on December 26. Wouldn't you be able to correctly call that your "After Christmas Sale"?

Reminds me of the sign on the door at the library one spring that said, "The library will be closed on Sunday, April 3, for the Spring Holiday."

Which holiday might that be?

Speaking of Martooni's fairy doors, I have an order for him. How does one do that? If you are out there, sir, please see http://jumpersbloghouse.blogspot.com/
and an order will be made. A certain lady in Florida pounced on the concept and simply demands one. I will be doing my best to comply.

Jumper, this is Martooni's fairy door link :

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5247318

Jumper... you may have to wait a little while, but here's where you'll order a fairy door...

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5247318

Ha! Rainforest... it's fun to think about how I'm starting my day and you're ending yours, but we're both here.

:-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5247318

only 367 shopping days left

Aaah! Last-minute shopping! Last-minute cleaning! Aaah!

Good morning, all.

I noticed the Moon/Mars event last night, but in all the excitement of the Washington NFL franchise's win in Minnesota and the possibility that the team could make the playoffs with a win when they play Dallas at home next week, I simply lost track of it.

Again, a lot to do today to get ready for tonight, but I hope all of you have good holidays, whatever and however you choose to celebrate them. Even if you just celebrate a visual juxtaposition of Earth's moon and Barsoom with a toast to the heavens.

bc

'Morning, Boodle persons! I'm certainly glad my little question about that strange object next to the moon touched off such a storm of Moon/Mars watching. And it's a little weird how many of you also saw it, independent of me pointing it out.That6's cool.

Nobody's mentioned it yet, but Joel has an article about Chrsitmas during the Iowa campaign, at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/23/AR2007122302517.html?hpid=topnews . In it he mentions Hillary have a late Sunday evening party for her staff plus any "trapped-in-Iowa" journalists. Wonder if Joel was one of them. In any event, hope he returns to his home and hearth today to be with his family tomorrow. Who'd cook the traditional Achenbach Christmas 5-Meat Chili if he wasn't there to do it?

Merry Christmas now to any and all you boodlers who are about to hit the road and who won't be boodling for a couple days.

I don't know what all the fuss is about this "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" nonsense. I use both terms interchangeably and without any particular esoteric subliminal message. I tend to use "holidays" to include both Christmas AND New Year's, when I think I'm not likely to see the person again before New Year's. And sometimes I use whatever happens to roll out of my mouth at the moment. So Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings and Juicious Noel, untainted by any subliminal messaging, dearest Boodlers. And what the he11, let me throw in a (belated) Happy Channukah and a heartfelt mozel tov to anyone so inclined to receive same. L'chaim.

And it would be highly remiss of me if I didn't mention the deeply satisfying Redskins win last night. Oh, yes. Now, the big thing is next week, when they play the hated, despised Dallas (sorry, Ivansdad). There's the possibility Dallas may sit down its star players, to preserve them from the playoffs. But the thing is, I can't see the Cowboys rolling over and playing dead for their hated rivals, the Redskins. I'm sorry Terrell Owens is injured and won't play, about the same way I'm sorry whenever Rush Limbaugh gets a hemorrhoid or when Ann Coulter's PMS flares up. Be that as it may, we have to beat Dallas, but it just won't be nearly as satisfying if we whup the second string. (Or the second string whups us, which is entirely possible.) (Not that I have any illusions whatsoever about the Skins' chances during the playoffs. Bwahahahahahahahaha.)

What the blazes happened to Green Bay? Sheesh. bc, did you get burned on that one?

Have a Merry Christmas everyone. I'm off to my sister's to play the merry elf with a song in my heart and the thought of Ann Coulter with PMS lacerating my brain.

Fabulous Festivus Ann! I hope you get the tooth file you've been needing.

Ann Coulter gets PMS? Isn't that a female complaint?

This opens an interesting legal question.

I can well imagine that a popular model sexbot would be based on the Britney Spears of four years ago. Suppose someone produced one. Would that be 'copyright infringement' on the grounds that her physical likeness is her property for which she can demand royalties ?

Of course this will take off spectacularly. There are lots of men and women who want more than what is in their reach. There are lots of men who aren't winners but want trophy babes just the same.

Merry Christmas to all Boodlers and their relatives.
I think I hear a call for an early out in the background. Tourlou!

Merry Christmas, folks!

I survived the weekend of the in-laws, God bless them. They left about 40 minutes ago, just about on time to drive from here to NoVa by 5:30, when they are supposed to have dinner with my sister-in-law's family.

Great fun at my mother's family party Saturday evening, much merriment at Mr. T's aunt's home yesterday, today I am pooped and will take it easy...

Mudge, Ivansdad expects no starting center, no Terrell Owens (is that right? I think that's who he said), the starting quarterback for about half the game. He said since they're not at home, they don't have to go all out to please the fan base, but they still want to win.

Baking score so far:

Sugar cookies baked Saturday, gingerbread men baked this morning, not decorated. Amount of sugar cookies considerably diminished in meantime.

Black cake (Christmas cake, actually more tan this year because I had to use dark corn syrup instead of molasses) baked yesterday, not yet iced today.

Pumpkin pie in oven. Ingredients for dough for mince pie, and possibly pecan pie, ready to make and chill.

Still to come: a movie, maybe ice skating, and a midnight service. Thank heaven the Episcopalians moved "midnight" to "11 p.m.", making possibletomorrow morning's present opening before church.

Whoops. Must also go and pick up Christmas dinner meat at butcher's. Glad I made this list. Thanks, Boodle.

Put your feet up, Slyness. Sounds like you deserve it.

Just got back from a quick run to Safeway to pick up some pie dough my wife needed for her (specatular) baked apple recipe she's baking for tomorrow. Coming back I heard a snatch of the Diane Rehm show, and she was interviewing a guy (whose name I didn't catch) who wrote a biography of Charles Schultz. And they were talking about the fact that right smack dab in the middle of the Peanuts series, Schultz had an extra-marital affair with a woman he'd met, named Tracy. Meanwhile he had been married to Joyce for some time. And to my amazement, Schultz began dropping hints about it right in the middle of the Peanuts strip-- there was one of Snoopy on his dog house looking at the falling snowflakes and asking whether it was possibly to love two snowflakes at the same time. Schultz was also calling Tracy, and his wife eventually found out about the affair by reading their telephone bills. In the strip, Snoopy goes crazy because he's met and fallen in love with a beagle at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm--many of you probably remember this. Well, at one point Charlie Brown cautions Snoopy to stop calling the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm before he gets caught.

Everybody knows about the religious subtext in the Peanuts strip, but so far as I'm aware, nobody was aware that there was a whole 'nother subtext also running through the strip. Who'd a thunk. I'd be interested to know if Weingarten was aware of this before this guy's book came out.

(The upshot of the story is that Schultz and Joyce got divorced soon after -- apparently somewhat amicably -- and I believe Schultz then married Tracy. (That was just when I pulled into the driveway; there might have been more.)

I heard that story Mudge and wish I hadn't. I'd rather continue to think warm thoughts about Schultz. Ah well.

I was just out on the porch putting a bow on the telescope box and gathering all the other presents out there for transport tonight. I found a present I wrapped for "S" and I have no memory whatsoever of what it is! Iguess that will be the first one he opens and we'll both be surprised.

Off to do last minute errands.

Thanks, Mudge, I believe I will. Whew!

For the joy of the day, this is a beauty:

http://www.booneweather.com/Photo+Of+The+Day

Ivansmom, I am exhausted just reading your list. After an eventful few weeks we have just been relaxing at home yesterday and today (got 6 loads of laundry done yesterday and put away).

Gifts are wrapped, sorted through old family photos to give to my siblings, my husbands famous scalloped potatoes are cooking in the crock pot. Tonight we have dinner with my brothers and their families tomorrow my husbands family celebrates at my husbands brothers house.

Going to enjoy a coffee and then go get eggs so we can bake brownies for Santa, he loves brownies.

Next to all of you and your elaborate preparations I feel very lazy.

Bad Sneakers, still giggling over your Ann Coulter comment.

Not elaborate, dmd, just taking advantage of opportunity. Those cookies may never get iced. The cake will, sometime. I did pick up dinner, though, which is really probably the most important thing.

I'll check in again later. Y'all have a fun, hopefully relaxed, day.

Happy Christmas, everyone. Christmas Eve is my favorite, too - so much anticipation. Christmas Day can be such a letdown - and I don't even want to think about January.

I probably should make sugar cookies, to get into more of a Christmasy mood.

One of my favorite blogs here:
http://montucky.wordpress.com/

Based on the cars trying to get into and out of the parking lot at the grocery store, everyone has left their food shopping for the last minute. I had to buy flowers for my daughter's table. She isn't as 'into' centerpieces as I am and it's a little quirk of mine to have flowers and candles on the table.

Beautiful photo Slyness. It looked a lot like that on Saturday northwest of Boston. I'm sure it's all washed away now by the rainstorm last night.

"S" will be home soon and we'll need to pack up all the presents, food, cameras, flowers, serving trays, batteries and whatever together for tonight. So if I don't get another chance to say it, Merry Christmas to all my boodle friends, their families and friends.

Joel had an excellent serious article in the paper today. Perhaps he will post it later.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/23/AR2007122302517.html

And from the best to the worst. I must admit I am having what I affectionately call a "ScottyNuke" moment after reading Novak.

Darn near destroyed my Christmas cheer.

RD, just exactly WHY did you read Novak? You know better than to do that!

Now, this I found interesting:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122101415.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Yep RD P, I was thinking about posting a warning regarding Novak's column but one thing led to another and I forgot about it. It is a masterpiece of deceitful deconstruction. We are heading to the Christmas "réveillon" to the in-laws in a couple of hours. Lots of good food is expected. I'm lucky they live only 10 minutes away as it is snowing heavily right now. That will be some treachery driving for those with a longer party commute.
Martooni, still buried in snow and ice man?

OK, the baked apples are ready (waiting until tomorrow for baking), and I just put the cornbread stuffing in the oven. Now, I am about to drown the turkey (in brine). Another 22-pounder, too. I am *determined,* determined, do ya here me?, to get some leftovers outta this sucker.

I agree; there ought to be a ban on reading Novak during the holidays. Also the regular days. And weekends. And Mondays off. And during months with or without an "R" in it. In his alleged column, Novak says the CIA is being run by the Democrats and everythiung is their fault. Who woulda guessed.

Uh-oh. From Kurtz's column: "At a wine-soaked dinner with Clinton aides and two dozen journalists at the Centro restaurant here, the talk was as much about kids left home and presents unbought as about polls and tactics." Joel, Joel, Joel. Wine-soaked. Of course, Kurtz was himself one of the ah...lubricated...guests, it appears. Perhaps our Joel wasn't there after all.

Joel's piece was, as usual, an intelligent approach to the topic. The comments... Not so much. Hardly at all, in fact. *SIGH*

People read Novak?

RDP, you're welcome to one of my moments anytime. I lose track of them anyway...

:-)

Boy, are you right, Scotty. 16 people posted comments on Joel's article. 15 of them were wacko, and only Padouk made any sense. And they are even more off-topic than the boodle usually gets. It's amazing. I had to laugh at two separate posts howling about the problems of over-population...a hot-button issue on...ah...lemme see here...nobody's list.

Just sneaking away from kitchen, where they chained me (you'd think they would know better than this)to check on boodle. Turkey, check; potatoes, check; turnitps, check; dressing, check; strawberries check; Corn... oh horse hockey, I'll do it later. The children (such as they are) and guests arrive shortly, but there is just time to pop into the hot tub and put up my proverbial feet before they arrive. In fact, I'm not boodling, I'm just filling my glass with wine.

Merry Chritsmas boodle, whatever your stripe or holiday.

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow(1807-1882), 1867

My only additions is that all men of all nations are right and all men of all nations are wrong, we simply need to work for peace a wee bit harder. In this time of year so special to me, I wish and pray for this for all humankind.

Mudge - if my comment is the one that made the most sense, you know you got problems.

dr, that's one of my favorite carols, and one that I haven't heard this season. I too hope and pray for peace, and goodwill toward men and women.

Okay... I don't log on for a day and when I come back and the totally rad "sex with robots" blog has turned into a thread about what everyone's making for Christmas dinner and dessert... what the heck?!

So fyi, I'm making a Christmas Cookie Town tonight. A table-sized town made entirely of cookies. (In fact I think in the future cookies will replace tradional building materials like bricks and cement. I might write a book about that, actually.)

Why is the first paragraph of my post all messed up? grr...

Sirin - glad to see you back. To deviate from the topic is pretty much par for the course around here.

Hi, Sirin - Cookie Town sounds great, and way more appealing to me than robot sex (loved Joel's review). I thought the Boodle did a pretty good job of staying on topic, actually. Almost too good, from my point of view.

Boodling in between first supper -- then "midnight" Mass at 8PM --- to return to second supper.

Cookie thread:
In a fit of practicality, we made lemon bars and pecan bars instead of cookies. Therefore, Sirin, we are heading to your your place for the afternoon tomorrow. We will admire and then daintily help you consume CookieTown.

Keeping Christmas:
I will keep all boodlers in my prayers, non boodlers, too. I think that about covers it. I love Christmas Mass at the Neuman Center: a few assorted professor-types, music that sometimes includes a wind player who gigged with Chuck Mangione for years and a bassist who grew up playing with Danny Gatton. The students tend to bwe earnest and forlorn foreign students who cannot afford the ticket home. A lovely raggle-taggle bunch who usher in Christmas beautifully, just the same.

And, Ivansmom, I have not yet snuck in a hip flask so that if, "O Holy Night" is sung, I can leap up and hit that high note. It is hard being an alto in such a small crowd. I will brush up my Latin for Adeste Fidelis...CPDot does not like my Churchy-Latin pronunciations, which are very Italianate with soft cccc sounds.

And for Yoki and others a POME for this eve and day. Denise Levertov describes the significance of Christmas in "Mass for the Day of St Thomas Didymus,"in this section called "Agnus Dei" or "Lamb of God":

God then,
encompassing all things, is
defenseless? Omnipotence
has been tossed away, reduced
To a wisp of damp wool?
And we,
frightened, bored, wanting
only to sleep till catastrophe
has raged, clashed, seethed and gone by without us,
wanting then
to awaken in quietude without remembrance of agony,
we who in shamefaced private hope
had looked to be plucked from fire and given
a bliss we deserved for having imagined it,
is it implied that we
must protect this perversely weak
animal, whose muzzle's nudgings
suppose there is milk to be found in us?
Must hold to our icy hearts
a shivering God?

---
God Rest ye Merry Boodlers let nothing you dismay.....

Sirin... I hope you take a picture of your cookie town.

I think replacing building materials with cookies everywhere makes terrific sense. A lot more people would stay home.. until they'd finished eating home, that is! Yummmm.

We're off soon to a nearby neighborhood where the local pond is ringed with luminaries on Christmas Eve. it's a beautiful and peaceful walk around the pond's little boardwalk. We stumbled on it one year ("what's that down that road? I dunno... let's go see...") and have made it a tradition since.

Slyness.. that picture from Mt. Mitchell is stunning. Contrasts greatly with my only visit there... when it was above 90° F.

If you've got little ones out there, make sure they check out Santa's progress...

http://www.noradsanta.org

TBG...90 at Mt. Mitchell? Wow, I didn't think it ever got that hot there!

We've been to church, had supper, and are just waiting for the evening to end so Santa can come.

Peace on earth, goodwill to all, especially those in Achenblogland!

Merry Christmas everyone .... bloggers and lurkers...
Have a joyous and safe holiday. Eat, drink and be merry.

Cookietown is coming along nicely so far --right now I'm developing a row of townhouses made from graham crackers. (I don't know if graham crackers are technically "cookies" though, so I'm hoping it won't cause a scandal in the community.)

TBG, I've got the camera. I don't know if there's a way to show you guys pictures but... we'll figure something out.

Still waiting for some guests. The food is ready, and nothing is burned.

CP, I laughed out loud - "I have not yet snuck in a hip flask so that if, "O Holy Night" is sung, I can leap up and hit that high note." - I tried hitting the high note once. I think I broke something.

Yes, Graham crackers are cookies. I have a really large collection of cook books, and graham crackers recipes appear in the cookie sections of 2 of them.

Sirin, there is always flickr. From there, you just Upload and post the link.

Sirin... you can send me pictures of Cookietown at boodler [at] mac [dot] com and I'll put them on my tbgboodler blog, which exists for just that reason.

http://tbgboodler.blogspot.com

The mince, pumpkin and pecan pies are baked, the cake and cookies are iced (mostly), the dinner was cooked, consumed and the dishes done (chicken breasts with lemon & white wine gravy), and all is ready for the trek to late service and sleep, when Santa will come (or something like that, the Boy doesn't think so).

Sirin, I love the Cookie Town. We'll drop by in the black helicopter, if RD is willing. Should we be late, please do either take a picture or prepare a detailed verbal description of the glory.

Thanks for the pome, college parkian.

Merry Christmas to all Boodlers of Christmas persuasion, and happy holidays to all, whatever you may celebrate. May wonder be yours.

Okay, I'll sing "O Holy Night" for you all. Listen hard, and think peaceful thoughts. The high note will float if you listen very quietly.

Oh, Ivansmom... it sounds just lovely. Thank you.

Off to work boodle, since i will be up all night I will keep an eye out for Santa and direct him in everyone's direction.

I hope everyone has a wonderful,safe and Happy Christmas!!!

Thanks for the tune cootie Sirin et al

(Won't you take me to) Cookie Town
Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me
A town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy
Well I talk about it talk about it talk about it talk about it
Well I talk about talk about talk about movin'
Gotta move on Gotta move on Gotta move on

Won't you take me to cookie town
Won't you take me to cookie town
Won't you take me to cookie town
Won't you take me to cookie town

Spent way too much time on last minute shopping today, but in the Miata with the top down driving around Tampa was no hardship. I even had a chance to see one of my favorite odometer palindromes, 33333, but alas had no offspring riding along to subject to my nerdy observation about palindromes generally.

Didn't cook a bit today so it will be an early morning for me making pumpkin and chocolate pecan pies. The chocolate pecan is by special request of Frostdottir who thinks she'll be leaving the nest this spring and is scrambling to learn all the family culinary secrets. She has Ma Frostbitten's gravy down pat-buy it in a jar, and Aunt Frosti#1's cranberries (from NPR) "open both ends of the can and slide onto a decorative plate."

And a Christmas Eve gift-Frostdottir's bf called to say he is on a plane for Kuwait tonight and should be home for leave by the 27th. The mood is considerably lighter around here than it had been before the call.

Wishing peace to all. Fondue.

I would love to fire up the 'copter, but I've had a generous serving of eggnog. And you know what a light weight I am.

Happy Night Before Christmas all you Boodlers.

Today there is an opinion article that gets a very prominent place -- it's called 5 Myths About the Poor Middle Class, which might be just standard right-wing apologism wheeled out to make working people not feel so bad, or maybe there's some truth in it. The author is described as: Stephen Rose, an economist, is at work on "Mythonomics: Ten Things You Think You Know About the Economy That Are Wrong." Period.
There is NOTHING in the article itself or the attribution by WaPo the help me determine whether this guy actually knows anything, or if he's simply a right wing apologist. Because so little is provided to support his credentials, I assume it's simply cr@p, when then makes me ask why it was given such a prominent place. Oh, yeah, the paper needs to be "balanced".

Interesting at work last week -- colored lights all over the cubes (not provided by the company), despite half or more of the staff being hindu, zoroastrians, buddhists, and so forth from south asia. Immigrants adopting the local habits, I guess. And revealing how meaningful those habits are?

Hi, LTL - long time no see. I've heard that Christmas is celebrated in Japan and India these days - more the consumer side of things - maybe the notion of peace and goodwill too.
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/culture/christmas.html
http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/india.htm

In Russia, it's all about the New Year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_Day#Russia_Day
с Новым годом

Tomorrow night, RD, 7:30 p.m. on the dot, we'll all meet at the bunker. You can put the copter down on the pad across the street in the parking lot. We'll have fun visiting the cookie town. Remember, no nog till we get back! The bunker bar will be fully stocked, so we should be fine.

I might end up putting the cookie town pictures up on my myspace. I've never used flickr before...

Thank you so much for the confirmation that graham crackers are cookies. Now if anyone takes me to task, I'll be armed with that valuable factoid.

Cookietown is shaping up to be a thriving metropolis. I'm getting a little too obsessed with it, I think. It's growing by the hour.

Frostbitten, is it true that Miata owners are completely obsessed with Miatas? Not to generalize. But I was told that from a recovering Miata-owner who sold his because got so obsessed. He found he couldn't even go to a movie without looking to see how many Miatas were featured in the street sequences. That Miatas get into one's blood somehow.

Anyway, back to Cookietown. I'm going to start taking pictures shortly.

I hope Martooni is doing well with his pneumonia-bronchitis recovery.

I've had to pass up much of the christmas social events including church, since apparently there's not a christmas tradition that includes the joys of hearing coughing.

Visualize people caroling: "Silent Night"

My chorus: COFF! hack cough cough ah ah gasp COFF COFF COFF!
Wilbrodog's backup: "woof woof!" (cough it loud, friend!)

I can't even cough on-key or in time; regretablly I have been informed that there is no floating high note or sweetness to my staccato respiratory malfunctions.

At least now I can sneak in a few laughs before I start coughing.

TBG when it comes to winter holidays, it's obvious that Christmas is now the holiday that dares not speak its name.

It's sinful and forbidden to wish joy to the world and goodwill towards all men. It could even be unpatriotic and traitorous. I mean, gosh, are we going to be handing eggnog and christmas stockings to everybody in Gitmo Bay?

Time for a refill to refuel my cough-syrup philosophy. Merry Christmas!

And if you forget the lyrics, here's a nice site listing mumpteen carols.

http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ai251/xcarol.html#A

It just has to be said.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

You made Arts & Letters Daily:

http://www.aldaily.com/

I can't get the image of Woody Allen in Sleeper out of my head. I also remember Diane Keaton in that film. Hubba hubba.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Cards

I'm tired of jolly Santa Claus
With toy-stuffed sack and sooty boots,
Of snowmen, reindeer, sleighs and bells,
Of angels playing harps and flutes.

I'm tired of stockings hung with care
And candy canes with ribbons on,
I'm tired of Yule logs on the hearth,
And snowy woods with doe and fawn.

Of lion with lamb and cat with mouse
All friendly 'cause it is the season --
Of skiing dogs and smiling bears
Anthropomorphized beyond reason.

I'm tired of candles, bells and wreaths.
Of little elves with bright red noses,
I'm tired of Currier and Ives,
Picasso's doves and Grandma Moses.

Of children skating on a pond,
Poinsettias, cardinals, chickadees,
Mistletoe above a door,
And ornaments on Christmas trees

I'm tired of shepherds tending lambs,
Wise Men forever riding east.
Of carolers before the door
And all the family at the feast.

I'm tired of all the cards that stray
From the one message valid still -
Down all the years we yet desire
"Peace on the earth, to men, goodwill."
---nellie

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Bill everything, thanks for the link; I found the link to Paul West's stroke and aphasia recovery quite interesting. I've never read the author, but he certainly is interesting now.

http://www.theamericanscholar.org/su07/mem-west.html

Before it's too late, Happy Christmas Eve!

(I'm listening to the (almost over now) "Big Broadcast" holiday special on one of Washington's National Public Radio stations. Fun stuff, mostly programs from the '40's.

For them with fast connections, it's online at: http://wamu.org/listen/

Sorry, Wilbrod! I'm not sure where to find the close-captioned version. Perhaps I'll create one for you!

I will leave everyone with my favorite carol, The Huron Carol - there are some more updated and more politically correct versions now. A lovely haunting song.

http://www.rivernen.ca/legend_6.htm

Updated versions:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huron_Carol

Very sad note tonight, Oscar Peterson has died.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/12/24/obit-peterson-oscar.html?ref=rss

It's nearly midnight, and I've had a very nice evening with my family.

Peace to all, and to all a good night.

bc

I think it's official now -

Merry Christmas, all!

Here's a link to Nat King Cole's great version of one of my favorite Christmas songs and a lovely video montage to accompany it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaxDGfA7evA&feature=related

A Merry Christmas to you all!

Let's have Linus have the final word:

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them,

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

And regardless of our belief or disbelief, let's give kindness at all times.

bill - I still very much enjoy reading my copy of "The Gospel According to Peanuts" every now & then.

I could hear it, Ivansmom. Lovely.

bill e...thanks for that.

Just checking in to send my best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a lovely holiday season for all the boodle. And Joel, of course.

Sorry to hear that you're under the weather, Wilbrod. Hope you feel better soon.

Christmas is very quite here, even in the newspaper. During this time of the year, most of the hotel-restaurants or bigger restaurants would advertise their Christmas eve buffet dinners and Christmas day buffet dinners but not this year. There were no Christmas promotion ads in the paper. Those that did have ads for the holiday didn't use the word "Christmas". Either it's too sensitive or advertisers self censor or 25th is too close to 20th which is Hari Raya Haji Korban or Sacrifice Day, a day commemorating Ibrahim (Abraham)'s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. Last year, Haji was too close to new year. Hotels and organizations which had organized a count down to 1st had to cancel their events.

There are only 2 churches here, possibly the country. Both were built during the British times. After the British left, no churches were allowed to be built. St George is attended by Catholics. The other, St Andrews, is shared by a couple of other denominations throughout the day on Sundays. Still others have their services in residents. I've attended the Baptist Sunday Service at 5:30pm/5:45pm several times at St Andrews. Both churches are situated not far from the national mosque. The muslim service is broadcast on loud speaker. The Baptist Service, which is bilingual (English translated to Chinese), is 1.5 hrs long. The last half hour would get drown out by the muslim service. This is the time you can find out how good your concentration is.

Just back from a midnight Mass with some friends. My son is threatening to bake chocolate chip cookies for Santa knowing that I don't like them. I used to have to stay up until he fell asleep. Now I just have to get up before he wakes up. That was 4 pm today.

Sirin, either I've been unconscious for a long time or you've fit in here extremely well in a very short period of time. I may as well be the first to ask: Are you a sock puppet? :-)

Merry Christmas to all. Time for bed! Tomorrow morning when Santa Paws hauls in the chicken jerky and new, silky dog beds in from the Subaru, there will be rejoicing.

yello - My folks were bemused by the fact that I realized at a VERY young age that the presents would still be there whenever I got up, so I opted for sleeping in. Alas, my younger brothers had different plans, and I wasn't allowed to sleep through their excitement.

Wow, I think I'm getting boring old food and a chew for Christmas. Maybe some social fun.

My best wish would be for Wilbrod to be well enough again to walk me in the snow as I deserve to be walked. Tonight we had a little walk; we did go to and I was sniffing deer tracks and we did a little romp in the snow... okay, I did most of the romping.
We did do a "réveillon" tonight first which turns out to be food and drink for people and boredom for me; I don't like being out that late, haven't people heard of going to bed before midnight?

Among my wishes for the new year: In the future, Yung Joc shall remember where he's stashed his piece, and Greg Smith will bear in mind that it's probably not a good idea to use illegal drugs while awaiting trial on murder charges.
-----

"Yung Joc was charged Monday with carrying a concealed weapon after police said a loaded gun was found in his carry-on bag at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The 25-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jasiel Robinson ... told them he didn't know the weapon was there ..."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/24/AR2007122401350.html?hpid=entnews

Well, sure!

-----

"A former U.S. Army Ranger accused of killing his roommate and fellow Ranger last year in Gaithersburg has tested positive for marijuana numerous times in recent weeks, violating the terms of his release on bond, according to court documents.
... Drug tests conducted Nov. 13, 16 and 20 show that Smith has been using marijuana... A test administered last week also indicated marijuana use ..."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/24/AR2007122401878.html?hpid=sec-metro

Well, sure!

-----

Hey, these things happen. I just hope for these young men that they can learn to manage their indiscretions more, well, discreetly!

Mornin All and Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everyone gets to spend time with family and friends today and all have a wonderful day.

Merry Christmas, friends. That day has finally arrived, and it's quiet and peaceful here. Santa been and gone. The g-girl is still dreaming and her mother doing the same. I'm the only thing up and moving, and perhaps, the mice? I hope not.

Morning, boodlers, Merry Christmas, and as someone so wisely said a couple of comments ago, I love you guys!

I went out to the shopping center yesterday about six o'clock, and there were so many people. The store closed at six, and believe it or not, some folks were still running to get in. I had to pick up my daughter, and she was one of those folks. At exactly six, the store locked the entrance and cut out the lights. And the store was still full. I'll bet they didn't clear that store until midnight. Of course, we're talking Wal-Mart.

Imagine a traffic jam in a small town. Lovely image. And always there's someone in a hurry. I saw the rescue vehicle screaming up the street when we turned in for gas.

I went to the nursing home yesterday to visit some friends, and to wish them Merry Christmas. It was hard. One of them cried, and I kept talking to move him from the tears. One wasn't feeling good, just really felt bad. And the other one is really sick, but was able to wave his hand. I felt so useless and so lacking because I could do nothing for their pain. And I thought even the visit may have made matters worse. I left feeling none to happy, just wanting to make it better. But that is not within my power, only God can do that. I pray.

The apartment is so very quiet, almost as if I am here alone. So many thoughts race across my mind, but the tears aren't far away. I don't want to cry, it does not help, it does not take the pain away. Bless you good friends, and bless your families too. May the New Year bring joy, and may blessings abound.

Wilbrod, hope you get to feeling better. Take care.

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

Good morning, and Merry Christmas, Cassandra. I'm sometimes overwhelmed by my inability to make much of a dent in the grand sum of pain & unhappiness in the world. I don't know any answer other than to cry when I have to cry, laugh as often as possible, and try to make SOME corner of the world outside myself a little happier as often as I'm able. Some days work out better than others!

Merry Christmas All! Even to those whose holiday traditions differ from contemporary traditional Christianity. For example, I work with a Jehovah's Witness that does not celebrate holidays. But he won't be at work today either. All you Jews, Muslims, atheists, and FSMers might as well wagon train with the rest of us.

My son did not carry out on his cookie threat, but did something incredibly sweet as well as devious.

http://livebythefoma.blogspot.com/2007/12/last-christmas-tree.html

For me, it's back to bed until some other member of the family wants to get up and open presents.

Merry Christmas, everybody! I hope Santa is good to all.

rainforest, thanks for your description of Christmas in your part of the world. Fascinating to hear about having to concentrate to hear over the Muslim service.

Cassandra, may God's blessings be upon you all the year!

Mr. T has BYU TV on, to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Whatever you think about the Mormons, that group does sing well.

Of course, I'd really like to hear Ivansmom's O Holy Night. Maybe one day...

To all my Achenblog friends, may the peace and promise of Christmas be with you all the year long!

What Slyness said!

Merry Christmas everyone...the hordes are descending upon the mountain of gifts...delightful chaos to ensue...

Have a great day everyone!

Santa left lots of goodies! There are socks full of stuff for three kids, two dogs, one cat and one hamster. The Puppy got a whiff of its new bone so it is absolutely restless. But the Witches and Fungi are still sleeping off last night (huge) Christmas réveillon. Time to burn some some Puppy energy before unwrapping the gift.

I am finished, finally. Let the wild rumpus begin!

Rainforest,

Thank you for telling about your corner of the world.

St. Lucia dough rising. How a Siliciana saint of the Mediterranean became emblematic of High Latitude-Lutherans in Sweden, we must thank the Vikings. We are late this year, but nothing is so yummy as saffron buns in the morning with hot coffee. I have the same bottle of saffron that I purchased more than 25 years ago. I use about five crocus stamens a year to impart that pale yellow and hint of metal to the dough. Metal, yes. Your mileage may vary.

Sneaks, did you make cardamom bread? I think you said something about Swedish bread for the holidays. Lutefisk aside, the Scandinavians are master sweet-bread makers, and I don't mean the beef kind of sweat-breads.

Thanks for the Linus reminder of Christmas meaning. Let's be generous and never mind the cost. God bless everyone we love and even those we don't.

Here is what Swedes say about Lucia Day:
http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/CommonPage____11421.aspx

I adore a few evenings in the past at the Swedish Embassy with staid, blond Nordics singing Santa Lucia in earnestness. However, they lack that Italian brio the hymn really requires.

In that spirit, here is Mario Lanza singing in Italian, that Sicilian Mariner Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpP7heFjr0g

Eat your hearts out, oh Swedish singers. Sorry, but the Italians win this one. Curling, however, is yours.

Merry Christmas! I think on Christmas morning my children seem a little younger than normal. That's a good thing.

Merry Christmas morning everyone. I hope Joel is home with his family and getting some rest after chasing around the country with candidates. I further hope that all those candidates just stay quiet for a few days as a gift to all of us.

"S" is happily putting together his new telescope in between bites of Swedish bread. Yes CP, it is cardamom bread. His mother used to make it but of course there was no recipe. One of his cousins experimented until she had a reasonable approximation of it and gave us the recipe. It's a beautiful smooth dough to