A Canted Christmas

[StellaMaris]

I'm actually getting into the Christmas spirt now! Even the cheesy news stories are amusing me. We found this one about coded Christmas carols especially relevant after our pilgrimage to the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots on Dec 8th:-

Carol is 'ode to Bonnie Prince'

One of the most popular Christmas carols has a secret political code linked to the Jacobite rebellion, a Durham University professor claims.

According to head of music Bennett Zon, O Come All Ye Faithful is actually a birth ode to Bonnie Prince Charlie.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/7789477.stm
:wink:

[Rosenbaum]

I thought 23.5 Degree members might appreciate this timely warning about the dangers of Christmas-time over-indulgence:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4313978.stm
:ohwell:

Maybe go easy on the turkey!

[StellaMaris]

Yuck, Rosie!

Okay, here's a review of tomorrow's Doctor Who Christmas Special, where the Doctor meets all of his past and future incarnations. Sounds like they have discovered the deployment of simultaneous Newton Coordinates, eh?:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3919060/Christmas-Days-television-and-radio-highlights.html

I'll be watching with my glass of Meursault, although I'm still dithering between the 2006 or forking out for the 2003... such choices!

[Rosenbaum]

I'm not fully locked into any time co-ordinates at present, so when I read about your Meursault, I assumed you must be referring to the greatest Meursault, the 1942 Camusian pied-noir. I thought you must be referring to bigger choices. Duh!

However, since all time is relative or, alternatively, simultaneous, why not go for the 2015, which was an excellent year for Meursault. The 2023 was of course a vintage, but a little expensive. Nevertheless, because of the 2013 global currency crash, there were good deals to be done, if you look wisely...

[StellaMaris]

I thought the currency crash happened in 2012??

Anyway, mindful of the credit crunch, I went for the 2006 which I managed to get for free, courtesy of Lord Sainsbury's loyalty points!

But, after only three days off, I'm am now officially sick of eating... which means that I now need to find new ways of avoiding writing the book proposal which my poor 'agent' has been waiting two years for...

In the meantime, continuing with our Scottish theme, I think it's highly appropriate that Virgin Galactic are seriously considering basing their Space Port at RAF Lossiemouth:-

http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/snp-backs-lossiemouth-as-first-uk-space-port-497157

Lossiemouth is only 11 miles from Findhorn, where the world's first spaced-out community was established, becoming the site of the world's most famous vegetable patch.

Argh, I accidently mentioned food again...

[Rosenbaum]

Stella, the first mini-crisis for currency came in 2012, but the biggie hit in 2013.
I understand your sensitivities about food at this time of modest over-indulgence, but I thought everyone would appreciate the following review of food in 2008::popcorn: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_7795000/7795846.stm
Happy Holidays!
Abeline

[StellaMaris]

Thanks for that inspiring vignette, Rosie! I loved the Coca-Cola fountains... did they say that they were made by dropping a MINT into a bottle of coke? Must try that one at home...

Welp, I celebrated 20,000 words by going shopping this afternoon. Oxford Street wasn't nearly as bad as all the news programs are making it out to be.

Interestingly, I noticed that Amazon had a record year this year, while everyone else was struggling:-

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/12/amazoncom-touts.html

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but it's heartbreaking watching what the internet is doing to the old bookshops here in London - there's just no way that the shops can compete.

Furthermore, they're predicting that the e-book is set to finally take off in 2009:-

http://network.itproportal.com/articles/2008/12/27/will-e-books-orders-finally-take-2009/

I can't see it happening, though... there's something ultimately comforting about the SMELL of a new book and lying in bed turning pages...
:(

[Rosenbaum]

I sure wouldn't want to be the Christmas goat in Sweden!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7801156.stm:ohwell:

[StellaMaris]

Somehow a "Christmas goat" doesn't have quite the same romantic connotations as Santa and his reindeer...

But today we're celebrating Barbie's 50th birthday... Happy Birthday, Barbie!:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/4014779/Doll-power-Barbie-celebrates-50th-anniversary-and-toy-world-dominance.html
:D

[Rosenbaum]

I don't think one should be too cynical about Barbie. She is the empowered woman, the iconic Mary Magdalene figure for our times.

I hadn't realised that there was a Presidential Candidate Barbie. Sarah P had better watch out in 2012!

[ProfessorW]

At this time of increasing street violence, I thought that this news item (which was one of the big stories in Japan this year) might be of interest to Maniacs:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080702a7.html

[StellaMaris]

Hah! if they stopped all the trains that were graffitied in London, we wouldn't have a functioning train service at all!

[ProfessorW]

While enjoying my breakfast tea and toast this morning, I spotted the following article:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article5432002.ece

Originally, I didn't see the word "ancient" in the title. I can tell you, I had a bit of a turn! The complete destruction of American civilisation would have been a bit hard to swallow so early in the year!

I was reminded of the time when Mahatma Gandhi was interviewed by a journalist, who asked the great sage what he thought of British civilisation. After a pause, Gandhi replied that he thought it would be a good idea...

[StellaMaris]

Cool article, W. But I thought this theory has been kicking around for years?

Anyway, did you know that British housewives spend an average of 47% of their free time on the internet?:-

http://www.which.co.uk/news/2009/01-jan/britons-spend-28-of-their-free-time-online-165835.jsp