Wednesday's podcast:
Colorado and Trump, "Christmas Story" movie & Texas and a new border law.....
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Wednesday's video: Colorado and Trump..."Christmas Story" movie.....Texas border law....
Wednesday's video:
Colorado and Trump..."Christmas Story" movie.....Texas border law....
"The Christmas Story" is great because it is politically incorrect all the way!
Every year, The Christmas Story is a holiday feature. I enjoy it a lot!
The Chinese restaurant ending is great! Everything about this movie is so politically incorrect, from the old man to Mrs. Parker, to just about everything else. Remember the line about the old man being as good as an “Arab trader” when they are looking for Christmas trees? What about the lamp?
The late Roger Ebert reviewed this movie in 2000. I’m not sure why he waited so long but he nailed it. This is Mr. Ebert’s review:
One of the details that ‘A Christmas Story’ gets right is the threat of having your mouth washed out with Lifebouy [sic] soap. Not any soap. Lifebouy [sic]. Never Ivory or Palmolive. Lifebouy [sic], which apparently contained an ingredient able to nullify bad language. The only other soap ever mentioned for this task was Lava, but that was the nuclear weapon of mouth-washing soaps, so powerful it was used for words we still didn’t even know.
There are many small but perfect moments in ‘A Christmas Story," and one of the best comes after the Lifebouy [sic] is finally removed from Ralphie’s mouth and he is sent off to bed. His mother studies the bar, thinks for a moment, and then sticks it in her own mouth, just to see what it tastes like. Moments like that are why some people watch ‘A Christmas Story’ every holiday season. There is a real knowledge of human nature beneath the comedy.
Yes. This is a movie that touches every nerve of growing up. As for me, Mrs. Parker sticking that soap in Ralphie’s mouth brought back some memories of my mom freaking out over certain Spanish words that we weren’t supposed to say. The other scene when she breaks up a couple of boys fighting reminded me of a few times in my life when stuff like that used to happen.
As Mr. Ebert points out, this movie is about Christmas, BB guns, and childhood—to that last element I would add “before computer games killed it.”
Merry Christmas and enjoy this classic. I believe that it was released 40 years ago and will be enjoyed for a lot longer.
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‘The Christmas Story’ is great because it is politically incorrect all the way! - American Thinker https://t.co/xotrbKsgkC
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) December 20, 2023
Ingrid Bergman and "The Bells of St Mary's"
I love it for two reasons:
First, "Sister Benedict" reminds me of all of those wonderful nuns who've dedicated their lives to teaching children all over the world. They taught us love, responsibility and regard for our Judeo-Christian traditions. We are better men and women today because women like Sister Benedict came into our lives.
Check it out and you will see what I mean. I promise that you will love "Sister Benedict".
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Paul McCartney's "Pipes of Peace": Christmas 1914
PAUL MCCARTNEY
PIPES OF PEACE
"I light a candle to our love In love our problems disappear
- But all in all we soon discoverThat one and one is all we long to hear
- All round the world Little children being born to the worldGot to give them all we can till the war is wonThen will the work be done
- Help them to learn (help them to learn)Songs of joy instead of burn, baby, burn, (burn, baby burn)Let us show them how to play the pipes of peacePlay the pipes of peace
- Help me to learn
- Songs of joy Instead of burn, baby, burnWon't you show me to play, (how to play) the pipes of peace, (pipes of peace)Play the pipes of peace
- What do you say? (what do you say)Will the human race be run in a day? (in a day)Or will someone save this planet we're playing on?Is it the only one? (what are we going to do?)
- Help them to see (help them to see)That the people here are like you and me, (you and me)Let us show them how to play, (how to play)The pipes of peace (pipes of peace)Play the pipes of peace Ooh...I light a candle to our love In love our problems disappearBut all in all we soon discover That one and one is all we long to hear
- All 'round the world Little children being born to the worldGot to give them all we can 'til the war is wonThen will the work be done
- Help them to learn (help them to learn)Songs of joy instead of burn, baby, burn(burn, baby burn)Let us show them how to play the pipes of peacePlay the pipes of peace
- Help me to learn
- Songs of joy instead of burn, baby, burnWon't you show me to play(how to play) the pipes of peace(pipes ofPeace) Play the pipes of peace
- What do you say?(what do you say)Will the human race be run in a day? (in a day)Or will someone save this planet we're playing on?Is it the only one? (what are we going to do?)
- Help them to see (help them to see)That the people here are like you and me (you and me)Let us show them how to play(how to play)the pipes ofPeace(pipes of peace) Play the pipes of peaceOoh I light a candle to our love In love our problems disappearBut all in all we soon discover That one and one is all we long to hear......."
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
One hundred years ago today, something of a battlefield miracle occurred amid one of the world’s bloodiest conflicts. Soldiers on both sides of the Great War’s front lines let down their guard and allowed faith in the goodness of their fellow man to prevail over hatred and distrust. Warring soldiers put down their weapons, emerged from their trenches and sang “Silent Night” together.
It began with a simple call by Pope Benedict XV on Dec. 7, 1914, “that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang.” The pope’s words were deemed by many to have resonated throughout the cold trenches of Flanders, where Germans and Britons were locked in mortal struggle.
It was as if both sides grasped the hypocrisy of Christians killing fellow Christians on a day devoted to the peaceful message of Christ’s birth. No account from the witnesses recalls anyone articulating such thoughts. Yet all seemed to grasp the opportunity presented by this special day.
Those who were present in Flanders described an unusual silence that morning as the smoke cleared from incessant artillery and machine-gun fire. British troops heard the faint sound of a German band playing familiar Christmas tunes. One side broke out in a carol, answered by one from the other side. Back and forth, growing louder and more boisterous with each exchange.
Then came a German’s voice: “We good. We no shoot,” recounted British soldiers Frank and Maurice Wray, of the London Rifle Brigade. Soldiers from both sides cautiously approached one another across a no-man’s land, unsure whether this might be a setup for a surprise attack.
What each encountered was nothing more than a few lonely soldiers, anxious to set aside the fighting and celebrate Christmas with their fellow man. Some chatted. Others exchanged small gifts of food, cigarettes, beer or mementos. They sang more songs. A few tried to improvise a soccer match.
Up and down the front lines, word spread of the unofficial Christmas truce. An estimated 100,000 troops joined in.
Of course, the world knows about the awful fighting and millions of deaths that followed. But, for today at least, let’s focus on the message of hope that emerged from a battlefield far away and long ago.
“So Christmas, the celebration of love, made sure that the hated enemies turned into friends for a short time,” German Lt. Kurt Zehmisch wrote in his diary that day. “This Christmas will remain unforgettable.”
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Happy # 74 Cecil Cooper
We remember Cecil Cooper, who was born in Texas on this day in 1949.
"Coop" broke with the Red Sox in 1971 and was traded to Milwaukee in 1976. He had his biggest seasons with the Brewers, including a huge hit in the 1982 ALCS against the Angels.
Overall, he hit .298 with 241 HR, 1,124 RBI and 2,192 hits in 1,896 games. As a Brewer, "Coop" hit .303 in 11 seasons and won Gold Gloves in 1979 & 1980.
Great player.
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"Coop" broke with the Red Sox in 1971 and was traded to Milwaukee in 1976. He had his biggest seasons with the Brewers, including a huge hit in the 1982 ALCS against the Angels.
Overall, he hit .298 with 241 HR, 1,124 RBI and 2,192 hits in 1,896 games. As a Brewer, "Coop" hit .303 in 11 seasons and won Gold Gloves in 1979 & 1980.
Great player.
P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
1843: "A Christmas Carol" was published
It is one of my favorite Christmas stories. My guess is that most of us read it at some point in our youth, or maybe later.
Charles Dickens published "A Christmas Carol" on this day in 1843.
I love the story.
You can get a copy of the book: CLICK!
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Happy # 76 to Gigliola Cinquetti
Gigliola Cinquetti was born on this day in Verona, Veneto, Italy in 1947. Gigliola received attention at the young age of 16. She triumphed at the annual San Remo Song Contest in early 1964. A few weeks later, she swept the awards at Eurovision.
My introduction to Gigliola was listening to an LP that she recorded with Los Panchos, the great trio of Spanish music.
Have a nice day Gigliola!
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