Saintless

Alt: Family going to bed at 10 PM is so much worse than jet lag.

Many of you have probably given time, money and effort to help those in need over the last year, and because many of those people don’t ever get a chance to say “thank you”, please allow me. When I was little, about the time I was 8, my mother converted to become a Jehovah’s Witness, so there were no more Christmases for me until I became an adult. However, one of the last Christmases we did celebrate, when I was 5 or 6, I remember that our Christmas food and gifts were given to us by some sort of charity. I have no idea what group it might have been through, but as an adult with children, I look back to that time, and I’m very appreciative of what those strangers did for my family. So, thank you to every one of you who have shared your good fortune and good will with children and families like mine was 25 years ago.

Merry Christmas, everyone! Or Happy Holidays for those of different belief. May peace be with each of you, your families and your communities.

God bless.

Huckabee’s Christmas greeting really made me mad. It’s expected that politicians will put out political ads at Christmas time. I didn’t like Huckabee putting the subtle cross in the background of his video, and I really didn’t like him denying it was there. Adding that to all of the ruined Christmas songs around, I haven’t been too happy.

I’m one of those rare people who likes the season of Advent, loves to decorate and gives gifts because they make people smile and feel appreciated, instead of just because it’s expected, and who thinks a lot about why I celebrate Christmas.

So, of course I’m an Obama fan, but if I’m going to have to watch a political Christmas ad, this is the kind I want to watch:

Of course, I haven’t watched all of the politician’s Christmas ads, but it would be really nice if there were more like this. He speaks to Christians and non-Christians (all Americans…how novel!), and has a positive message that ties into both the holiday season and his campaign, without being obnoxious.

I’m a rare person who enjoys Christmas music. But, most people I know already can’t stand it. Which really leads me to wonder how the Republican National Senatorial Committee thinks that abusing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” with 50% outright lies and 50% twists on truth, with 100% horrid singers will help their cause.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DA-M_OzB6Y&rel=1&border=0]
(How many people actually get to the end of this? Do tell…)

For those of you who can’t get to the end, or who choose to block out the horrific experience, here is what Christmas means to conservatives:

• 12 senators failing
• 11% approval
• 10 paychecks burning
• 90,000 freezing
• no more secret ballots
• 7000 billion in new spending
• 6 troop funding cuts
• Hillary’s Woodstock museum
• 4 bucks a gallon
• Al Franken ranting
• 2 liberal Udalls
• A tax hike for every family

I really believe that they’re waging their very own war on Christmas here. Because if Christmas is about politics and twisting things to get your way, I want nothing to do with it.

Happily, I have real Christmas carols on CD, and can go back to enjoying a traditional Christmas which is about Christ, and about family, and about love of fellow mankind.

(h/t Crooks and Liars)

In 3 weeks, Christmas will have come and gone, and you’ll be putting off taking down the Christmas tree. On at least I will. You’re probably still trying to figure out some of your most important gifts to give loved ones.

In the midst of all this, take some time to appreciate what the Christmas season is all about. Whether you are religious or not, you probably celebrate Christmas. This holiday means different things to different people. But, what I’ve found to be true in nearly all cases, is that it’s a time to be with family and friends, and to appreciate what you have.

For many, it’s also a time to share what you have with those who have little or nothing. Charities seem to get the largest amounts at this time of the year. People give to Toys for Tots, the Food Bank, the Salvation Army, etc, etc. So, I thought I’d round up my favorite causes for anyone wanting a suggestion.

I’ll start with a small charity that I hope becomes a big one. It’s called the Bethlehem Christmas Project – bringing Israelis and Palestinians together. I’ve written about it before, and I think it’s an amazing thing. Ali Elhajj, one of the founders, sends updates regularly via Facebook, and here’s what I got today:

I’ve done some work to the project’s website (http://bcProject.info) to make it easier to see the trailer and sign-up for updates from us. We’re going to be blogging daily from Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, so I wanted to make it easy to get the latest news. If you look on the homepage you’ll see that I also added the latest blog entry there. I thought it would be a nice detail to make the site a little more user-friendly.

We’re heading to Bethlehem on Friday and life has been hectic! Jenni was out last night shopping and wrapping gifts until about 1am. As for me, I slept about 4.5 hours on Monday and worked on the site until about 1am.

Please pray for Jenni, Jonah and I this Friday. We have a 13 hour flight to Tel Aviv; and, if last year was any indicator, I’m sure I’ll be spending some time with Israeli security on the way in (I was born in Lebanon, so I get a little more scrutiny than most). It’s an inconvenience more than anything else. I just want to be able to make it to Bethlehem Bible College and sleep as soon as possible.

Hope you all like the site redesign. I will be writing more soon. By the way, since my first email, we’ve raised right aound $2000! Thanks for everyone who donated. We have about $2600 to go. I’ll keep you all posted.

They have $2,600 to meet their goal. I hope maybe one or two of you will help.

Utah for Obama has placed bins at the new Obama SLC HQ offices to collect items for the Utah Food Bank and Volunteers of America, Utah.

Last year, the Utah Food Bank:

• Collected and distributed over 18 million pounds of food
• provided 261 agencies and programs with food
• Met over 1.2 million emergency food requests
• Completed 3,596 home repairs for low-income seniors
• Helped 40 people with disabilities increase their independence

The goal of Volunteers of America, UT is to provide a continuum of services for individuals in need, to foster self-sufficiency and to provide opportunities for volunteer involvement. They:

• Operate nine programs in Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele, San Juan, Carbon, Grand, and Emery Counties and serve more than 4,000 individuals each year.
• Are an interdenominational Christian Church that serves people of all faiths and invite the people of all faiths to join in their work.
• Operate programs in the areas of homeless outreach, substance abuse detoxification and treatment, housing case management and senior services.

If you are coming to the Obama SLC HQ Open House, and have donations for either of these two charities, you can drop them off there.

Of course, another one that’s high on my list is the Care Packages for Utah Soldiers program. This ends December 10, so hurry if you’re going to contribute! Their site says:

We will be putting together the soldiers’ boxes on Monday 12 November 2007. Volunteers are needed to assemble the care packages at Mesa Systems, Inc. from 9 am until we finish. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old, and should contact Jennie at 801-737-0680 of feedunclesam@yahoo.com if they are interested in helping.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah is another good one. It has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. It’s not specifically Christmas related, but who could resist helping grant one of these wishes, no matter what time of the year? Their web site says:

Your group can add a new twist to a special event, whether a summer picnic or holiday party, by adopting a wish and adding new meaning to your celebration theme.

Upon special request we will be happy to send a representative to share with your organization the Make-A-Wish story you adopted.

The Greater Salt Lake American Red Cross is another place your gift of money or time would be well used.

Do you know of another charity or organization that belongs on this page? Let me know about it in the comments, please.

My 7 and 9 year old sons are dying to go Christmas Caroling with a group. Do people even do that anymore? If you know of any (especially if they are going the weekend of the 14 and 15, or Christmas Eve) and would let my sons and I tag along, please let me know.

We all probably know how the tradition of NORAD tracking Santa began. But, we probably didn’t know that Colonel Shoup’s granddaughter works for Google:

It just so happens that Colonel Shoup is my grandfather, which is why I’m so excited that, 52 years later, Google is joining the effort. This holiday season, NORAD has partnered with Google to use technology including Google Maps, Google Earth, iGoogle and YouTube to track Santa. I can remember tracking Santa with my grandfather as a child, and I’m so proud to see my company carry on his vision of doing something this special for kids around the world.

The countdown begins December 1st on NORAD’s website, where families can find a new kid-friendly game or activity every day until December 24th. And starting at 1:00 am PST on December 24th, you’ll be able to track Santa’s trip in real time. You can download Google Earth and add the NORAD Tracks Santa iGoogle gadget to your iGoogle page anytime, but make sure to come back to http://www.noradsanta.org/ on December 24th to download the special Santa Tracking file for an enhanced 3D Santa-tracking experience.

If you don’t already have Google Earth, go download it. Those kids in 1955 may have been able to use the latest technology from NORAD to track Santa, but watching him in 3D is something I’ll bet they never dreamed of.

And for all you people out there who don’t like the Christmas season, I think you should let go a little, and remember what Christmas was like as a child, or at least what you think that it should be like. Let the magic in. And track Santa in 3D this Christmas Eve!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2wrFnhqcSw&rel=0&border=0]

[Video auto starts and was removed due to complaints. Check out the web site to see it]

Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Does it get any better than Johnny Depp in a Tim Burton film?

SYNOPSIS: Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical thriller “Sweeney Todd.” Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who “shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again.” Joining Depp is Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney’s amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies. The cast also includes Alan Rickman, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison and Timothy Spall as the Judge’s wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen is a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.

All I want for Christmas is Johnny Depp.

From FederatedMedia comes a geeky Holiday Gadget Guide. My favorite item so far from the list is the Villian Chair:

Villain Chair

L.C. Angell  |  Home
If you ever plan to hide out in a secret underground lair, threatening to blow up the world, you’re going to need a bad-ass chair to match your evilness. Well, this is it. The Villain Chair ($7400) is an oversize, swiveling lounger with enough leather and steel for any bad guy.
Posted on Nov 26, 2007 05:00 AM  |  Discuss (0)

All it needs is my white kitty in my lap as I sit in it.

Even if you’re not dropping $7400 on me for Christmas this year (and let’s be honest, no one is dropping that kind of cash on me), you’ll find plenty of more moderately priced geeky gadgets for your favorite gadgety geek.

Dear Santa,

So far, I only have one thing on my list, but I thought I would get this request in early. So, if you could be so kind as to put one of these under my Christmas tree this year, with my name on it, that would make me a very happy person. I’ll even start being good!

Sincerely,
Misty Fowler

This intelligent umbrella has you covered!

The utilitarian umbrella has received a lot of upgrades throughout the years. It’s been made smaller and larger, lighter, stronger, easier to open, easier to close and even glowing. The Ambient Forecasting Umbrella, however, has received the ultimate upgrade – it’s been made smarter. It tells you when you need to take it along with you.

This umbrella has been injected with some wonderful technology in the handle. A built-in wireless receiver gets a daily weather forecast from Accuweather.com, and blue LEDs will flash to let you know if the forecast is rain or snow. The LEDs located at the bottom of the handle will flash in proportion to the chance of precipitation for your area; if there is a 100% chance, it will flash quickly, and if a 10% chance, it will flash slowly.

The umbrella itself is also incredibly well made. When opened, the umbrellas 58″ dual-canopy “gust buster” design resists strong wind gusts and keeps you fully sheltered from precipitation. Easy push-button opening action and full length storage sleeve with wrist strap.