Radio Paradise (mobile)

steeler (Perched on the precipice of the cauldron of truth)

Dec 10, 2005 - 11:10am

ankhara99 wrote:

We've taught this to our kids as well. Now when my 4 year old watches a video, if I'm slow on the fast forward button at the beginning she'll say: Can we please skip the advertisements?

My ex-wife's sister and brother-in-law did the exact opposite. Their children (ages 9 and 7 at the time) could recite the prices of the various toys they wanted (demanded). It was simultaneously infuriating and sad.

ankhara99 (Over the Rainbow)

Dec 10, 2005 - 11:06am

rgj13 wrote:

Another single mom friend of ours taught her kids from an early age that advertisers are just trying to trick us into wanting stuff that's not all that important. They still get a little grabby, but they're little media critics, too.

*poof*

We've taught this to our kids as well. Now when my 4 year old watches a video, if I'm slow on the fast forward button at the beginning she'll say: Can we please skip the advertisements?

rgj13 (The City)

Dec 10, 2005 - 10:30am

oldslabsides wrote:

Maybe the question should be: can Christmas be any more commercial?

To which the answer would be yes, of course. Commercialism and consumerism always find a way to get more pernicious, no?

An acquaintance of ours is a single mother who can't afford to go all out for her kids; she has a way she keeps the values square: she gives each of them one thing they want, one thing they need, and one thing to read.

Another single mom friend of ours taught her kids from an early age that advertisers are just trying to trick us into wanting stuff that's not all that important. They still get a little grabby, but they're little media critics, too.

*poof*

(former member)

Dec 9, 2005 - 11:16pm

aharamanx wrote:

Quit talking about it and do it, I say. I'm certain you would enjoy it. I'll be in Belfast in April.

I have a box, it's hooked to the DVD & VCR - I haven't seen a television show in ... ??? A few years. I will watch the new Dr. Who episode, (BBC 12/25/05), no matter what I have to do.

javahnagila (Spaced Coast of Florida)

Dec 9, 2005 - 11:01pm

aharamanx wrote:

Which is precisely why I have never, ever lived in a house with a telly (TV) and why I remain (thankfully) ignorant about such things.

NB: No one in my household has ever suffered from the lack of exposure to the world according to "the box".

no telly! what, do you live on a rock? in the irish sea?!!

my wife has been talking about a trip to Ireland for a few years now.
I've always wanted to go to England & Ireland!

javahnagila (Spaced Coast of Florida)

Dec 9, 2005 - 10:51pm

aharamanx wrote:

I will publicly admit my ignorance, for which I am eternally thankful in matters such as these, and ask you, is that thing in the package with the hat a turd? If the answer is yes, my next question is why?

may I answer that with a disgusting - YES!
I don't get the whole South Park thing, the creators are funny guys, but the ignorant, stupid, gross, stuff they do on that show is wrong...fine for DVD, but it should not be on TV.

My son was seven, would go to his friends house (8) and she would be watching that crap (no pun intended), that's fine if her Dad lets her watch, but not my son.

People wonder why the world is so screwed up. Junk like that on TV...gansta rap blastin' out of low riders, "take that reindeer off your lawn!", nobody has any respect for anyone else....I MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!

zipper

Dec 9, 2005 - 4:19pm

dionysius wrote:

While nits are being picked, I might as well pick on one of my favorites as well. There was never a Year Zero. In the flawed chronology we inherited from a monk who couldn't count, Dionysius Exiguus (Dennis the Menace, as I call him, and one of the guys my online name refers to), the Year 1 Before Christ was succeeded immediately by the the Year 1 Anno Domini. No "0" came in between them; this is the reason that the milennium properly began on January 1st 2001, NOT 2000. We had to wait until two thousand years had passed completely. I wore myself out trying to explain this to people five years ago.

It was Little Dennis who screwed up our exact dates; Jesus was probably born a few years before 1 AD. I for one would like to go back to the Roman practice of naming years by the names of the eponymous serving consuls, but then we need to add another layer to bureaucracy, and who needs that?

It's all in how you explain it. For example, you turned 1 at the end of your first year and 45 on your last birthday; you are now in your 46th year, which will end on your 46th birthday. Likewise, the end of the year 2000 was the end of 2000 years, making the beginning of 2001 the dawn of a new millenium. I only had one local friend at the time who got it also.

now don't hate me for calling you 46.

EDIT: For someone who doesn't get it, ask him if he was a year old the day he was born.

ScottFromWyoming (Powell)

Dec 9, 2005 - 3:13pm

dionysius wrote:

No "0" came in between them; this is the reason that the milennium properly began on January 1st 2001, NOT 2000. We had to wait until two thousand years had passed completely.

I know but if the 3 kings showed up in year 1 it sounds like they're late. So being a little bit wrong actually (IMO) improved the precision of the sentence.

...and I understand and agree with your nit about NYEve 2000 being the end of the millennium? But that's a harder party to sell. Anyway I tried 'splainin' it to someone and they came back with "You celebrate your millennium and I'll celebrate mine. "

Ah. Sure. A millennium just ended. Right there! And another one! :drink: :woohoo:

dionysius (The People's Republic of Austin)

Dec 9, 2005 - 2:12pm

ScottFromWyoming wrote:

ScottFromWyoming (Powell)

Dec 9, 2005 - 1:23pm

miamizsun wrote:

By the fourth century, the pagans were worshipping the god of the sun on December 25, and the Christians came to a decision: if you can't stop 'em, join 'em. They claimed (contrary to known fact) that the date was Jesus' birthday, and usurped the solstice holiday for their Church.

Even though it was only a few hundred years after the fact, the specific date had become lost, and the holiday was celebrated at different times in different areas (that's my understanding, anyway). Same goes for Easter (the holiday keeps its pagan name)...

*****

It's interesting that the writer invokes Puritans as being the definitive Christian interpretation. Of course they're as nutz as any in history. The gift-giving, if I recall correctly, began in year 0 (We 3 Kings, Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, anybody?).

Sure the holiday has been co-opted from what we grew up with and it will be again. Still, the original message of peace and love is sincere (the blog link posted below does have a good handle on it) and I'll stick my neck out too and say that when I see "Merry Christmas" I recognize it for what it is: a simple greeting. I don't get all chapped seeing "Happy Hanukkah" tho so maybe I'm just not paying attention.

(former member)

Dec 8, 2005 - 3:20pm

I believe in Father Christmas
Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer

They said thereÂll be snow at christmas
They said thereÂll be peace on earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the virginÂs birth
I remember one christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that christmas tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire

They sold me a dream of christmas
They sold me a silent night
And they told me a fairy story
Âtill I believed in the israelite
And I believed in father christmas
And I looked at the sky with excited eyes
Âtill I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn
And I saw him and through his disguise

I wish you a hopeful christmas
I wish you a brave new year
All anguish pain and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear
They said thereÂll be snow at christmas
They said thereÂll be peace on earth
Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell
The christmas you get you deserve