Let’s use this as an open thread.

It doesn’t look like we will be getting any of the white stuff.  I can’t remember the last time we got significant snow on Christmas Day.  How is everyone celebrating Christmas and the holidays?  Lots of friends and family or is this a quiet time?

155 Thoughts to “Merry Christmas to All! Happy Holidays!”

  1. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ………

    Well….we can all think of ‘christians’ who make this all come true.

    Thanks for that post, BS.

  2. @Steve Thomas
    “A transvestite who parades about the PX will not have the respect of his troops who see him doing it.”

    Cross dressing worked for Klinger.

  3. @marinm

    Go hang out near his driveway and catch him coming home from work. Say howdee neighbor. He lives locally.

  4. marinm

    MH, that’s a little TOO stalkerish for me. 😉

    The Walker PDF is interesting in that the only ‘hit’ a community takes (to the author’s conclusion) is this maliable ‘reputation’ construct. If that’s the only hit it actually makes sense to have cities enforce immigration laws. I think the author had a weak ending. 🙁

    Yes, the Army really does work like M.A.S.H. 😉

  5. Ghandi’s followers aren’t too peaceful either…..

  6. Cato the Elder

    I was reading the Chinese press over the weekend (sidebar: generally speaking foreign press is much superior to our own, even in a communist country) and there was an economic columnist lamenting how there was a structural imbalance between the types of jobs available in China (heavy manufacturing, construction) and the education of the workforce (Chinese kids are graduating with degrees in math and science and don’t want to go to work on a construction site). It’s the inverse of the problem we have here – in that manufacturing is leaving and the workforce isn’t qualified to fill the highly skilled jobs we have.

    Here’s a stimulus idea – buy up all the foreclosed properties in really depressed areas like Detroit, etc. and offer Chinese students with a 4 year degree or better a free home if they immigrate to the U.S.

    Rejuvenate urban blight? Yes we can. Add hundreds of thousands of well paid workers to the tax rolls? Yes we can. Make our own financial institutions healthier by transferring non-performing assets? Of course, I wouldn’t expect the ChiComs to sit still while we pillage their best and brightest but it’s a nice thought.

  7. You are certainly opening up a can of worms now, Cato. You are basically throwing out the question of why the Chinese who live under a repressive regeime have so many brightest and best and we who live in an open society need to import brightest and best.

    Have we doomed ourselves? Who all is having the most kids? The brightest and best or those who are do-less?

    The Chinese have been doing population control for several decades. Americans find that repugnant. Yet we need their brightest and best. What’s wrong with this picture?

  8. Cato the Elder

    MH you’ll appreciate this – it talks about how Asians in general school their kids as opposed to the U.S. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/weekinreview/12rosenthal.html?_r=2&src=me&ref=general

  9. Emma

    @BS in VA It is possible to be Christian and still exhibit normal human failings. All 12 of Jesus’s disciples managed to fail him in some way because they were essentially human. God knew that his raw materials were not going to be top-shelf.

    Why single out Christians, Morris Davis? Many other faiths strive for some level of perfection but fail, too, because they are human institutions–unless you can convince me that Mohammed’s grand vision involved suicide bombers. And are you yourself really in a position to judge someone else’s religious piety?

  10. Steve Thomas

    “Cross dressing worked for Klinger.”

    Pinko, that gave me quite a chuckle. However, if you were the MASH fan I was, you’d know that it didn’t work for Klinger. His objective was to get kicked out of the Army, and everyone knew it, but he was there till the end. I think after Radar left, Klinger became the clerk, and dressed in regulation uniform

  11. marinm

    The Klinger thing had me thinking and it came up as a topic….

    Funny story today. Was talking about the impact of DADT and transgenders or whatever at the PX and my boss told me about a situation where a investigator had reason to believe a Marine was lesbian so he called her (Friday) to tell her that he had enough information on her to get her kicked out and to report to his office (Monday). But, because she was very smart she went straight to the medical building and told the on-call shrink that because so many rumors had been circulating about her sexuality that she was now questioning it and was afraid of violating the UCMJ. She was given an honorable medical discharge 4 days later.

    CATO, that NYT article was really good. Thank you.

    Hope everyone has full bellies and had a good time with friends and family.

  12. Steve Thomas

    Having just spent the last three years in an intense study of both Old and New Testament scriptures, theological commentaries, instructional DVD’s, Church Seminars, sermons, Life Groups, and the Bible version of trivial pursuit, I would say I am in absolutely no position to judge another’s piety, seperate the goats from the sheep, or any of that sort of thing. While I am happy to share my personal testimony with anyone who asks, I’ll not leap to the defense of all Christians, or Jews, or Muslims or any other group and start debating points of whether this group or that is represenative of the whole, nor would I condemn a whole group by the same rationale. All I can do is do my best to try not to end up on the threshing room floor, and remember that the opposite of Judgement is Mercy.

  13. BS in VA

    @Emma
    I either saw or read about the religious issues in Indonesia (maybe Malaysia CRS). Anyway, on that island nation all major religions had significant numbers of followers. The study concluded that the Christians, Muslims and Hindi were all conflicted with each other and violence between those groups was not rare. Only the Bhuddists seemed to be at peace with each other and with all others of the other religious groups. Now I may be way off here but, I think the Christians, Muslims and Hindi worship gods and the Bhuddists try to follow the teachings of a wise person who is not a god. Draw your own conclusions.

  14. Wolverine

    On a lighter note. A little girl of my acquaintance — about 7 or so — was getting on a plane in an African city, heading back to America for almost the first time in her life. O.K., so it was one of my daughters. Her seat was in the front row facing the bulkhead. She leaned over to the young African-American man sitting next to her and confided to him that there was a rumor that the Harlem Globetrotters were on this flight. The man unfolded his unusually long legs, which had been crammed up against the bulkhead, leaned back toward her with a large grin on his face, and said: “I heard that rumor too. I think it may be true.” (Yep, you guessed it. The Globetrotters had just finished a round of exhibitions in that African city.)

  15. @Steve,

    I like what you say but I find myself being more critical of those who are Christian because I am Christian. I totally agree with you about judgement. However, when I see Christians being mean as snakes…I take note. I guess it is human nature. Their hereafter is up to the Lord. Their here and now…well…I guess they belong to the masses.

  16. Steve, is there really a biblical trivial pursuit?

    How tough is it?

  17. punchak

    @BS in VA

    Bali, Indonesia, seems to be a place where Hinduism, Buddhism and amimism blend together in a
    peaceful way. There are shrines, temples, offerings of fruit and flowers to gods of any sort, anywhere you go. Every day there’s entertainment; dancing, comic shows, parades, whatever. Of course, the Balinese don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. Food grows on trees. And your wardrobe consists of a T-shirt and a sarong whether you’re male or female.

  18. punchak

    Sorry – “animism”

  19. e, are you snowed in somewhere?

  20. Lafayette

    Moon-howler :@Steve,
    I like what you say but I find myself being more critical of those who are Christian because I am Christian. I totally agree with you about judgement. However, when I see Christians being mean as snakes…I take note. I guess it is human nature. Their hereafter is up to the Lord. Their here and now…well…I guess they belong to the masses.

    I couldn’t agree more, Moon. I’ve known quite a few of these snakes in my day. I like to call them “Asps”. 😉

  21. Gainesville Resident

    e :
    Three giant spaceships to attack Earth in 2012!
    http://english.pravda.ru/science/mysteries/22-12-2010/116314-giant_spaceships-0/

    Thanks for posting that. I particularly liked the part about all the things we’ve allegedly found on the moon and kept classified!

  22. I tend to find myself more critical of those that threaten or commit violence in the name of religion. I don’t judge other Christians as I tend to be a poor Christian. I’m not to worried about the little hypocrisies of Christians. Blowing people up and threatening to behead people in the name of religion? THAT I can criticize…

  23. marinm

    http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/27/markets/oil_commodities/

    $5/gal gas sounds good to me. I’ve always wanted an H1 or H2 Hummer and would be willing to buy at 30% current blue book if anyone wants to sell before the gas rationing hits. 🙂

    If it’s purple or any other fu fu color I’m not interested!

  24. Steve Thomas

    “Steve, is there really a biblical trivial pursuit?”

    MH, yes indeed there is. It comes with two decks of cards, one for adults and one for kids and teens. If you are not biblically well-read in both testaments, it is very challenging.

  25. Lafayette

    Cargo, I understand what you are saying. However, I think bullying Christians fall into the category you speak of to some degree. Trust me we have some of those types in our area. Moon and I have both been seriously called “Godless” by some of these “Good church going Christians”. This senseless comment was simply because we did not share their views on an issue. I take grave exception to such throwing of stones and behavior.

  26. Lafayette

    Steve, where can the game be purchased? I would love to play the biblical version.

  27. Steve Thomas

    @Moon,

    I try not to be critical of anyone, regarding their faith. I try to follow the example of Saul/Paul. He was trained as a Pharisee, a “keeper of the law”, and pursecuted those he thought were living outside the law. On the road to Damascus, he was confronted, judged, found guilty and shown mercy, and told to go and live by example. Like I said, I am happy to share my personal testimony, “build my case” so to speak, with anyone who is willing to listen. I will tell them how I came to believe what I believe, and the basis upon which that belief rests. If that person says “yes, you are right” it means little. If someone says “no, you are wrong”, I will ask them to show me where I am wrong. It is not for me to tell someone they are right or wrong, only to pray that the truth is revealed to both of us, whenever or whatever that may be. In the meantime, I am to “love my enemies” and try very hard to make sure I say only those things which will build up my brothers and sisters, and not tear them down. Not an easy task, when you consider I was once a political brawler. Now, I am much more interested in the “productive debate”. When the objective of the discussion becomes “destroy the other party” rather than “defeat a flawed argument”, no one wins. It’s like punching a wall when you are mad. The wall didn’t make you angry, and chances are you will end up hurting yourself as much as you hurt the wall.

  28. Steve Thomas

    “Steve, where can the game be purchased? I would love to play the biblical version.”

    Lafayette,

    I have seen them in Christian Book stores. There’s one in the same shopping plaza as Toy’sRus and PartyCo that should carry it. We got ours at a yardsale (Go Dave Ramsey!)

  29. Thanks, Steve. I think I had better save my money. Well-versed R not us. I would have to play the kids version and even then I might get my butt kicked.

    Laf, sounds like you might get your butt kicked also, although NOT by me.

  30. Lafayette

    Don’t count on that, Moon. 🙂 I actually do quite well on quizes on the bible. One result was a Biblical Scholar. I had awesome teachers at Manassas Christian and preachers that could keep you interested in the service. I never missed a Sunday in Brentsville when in high school, even when my parents may have stayed home. I went to I’ll put my ear plugs for the laughter when you read this.

  31. Gainesville Resident

    marinm :
    http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/27/markets/oil_commodities/
    $5/gal gas sounds good to me. I’ve always wanted an H1 or H2 Hummer and would be willing to buy at 30% current blue book if anyone wants to sell before the gas rationing hits.
    If it’s purple or any other fu fu color I’m not interested!

    Hummer’s really come in purple??

  32. marinm

    Not sure if purple was a stock color but customized you can just do about anything…

    http://truckin.automotive.com/54548/0508tr-custom-pink-hummer-h2/index.html

    If I take a job in DC I’d like it to have armor plating as well but I can’t be too picky at the price I want to pay!

  33. marinm

    My gunny here says he could’ve appreciated that while on recruiting duty in South Side Chicago. It’s nice (the rear is a little too SWAT’ish for me) but this thing is designed more for the Columbian drug drealer market than an IT guy that just wants to do my part to help global warming (by running my V8 all the time to heat up the air — brr its cold outside).

    Much appreciate the link.

  34. So what’s the price tag on one of those babies?

  35. marinm

    Inspired by the Gurkha military vehicle, the KNIGHT XV is an ultra-luxurious handcrafted, Bio-fuel powered fully armoured SUV. The KNIGHT XV is powered by a V10, 6.8-litre engine and sits on a super duty Ford modified platform chassis. It provides 400 hp and 498-ft lbs of torque.

    The KNIGHT XV is priced at $310,000 USD. Only 100 will be made available as a limited first run. Each vehicle takes 1,500 hours to build by hand.

    The KNIGHT XV offers interior appointments including Wilton Wool luxury carpeting; Andrew Muirhead leather; 6-way electric leather boardroom-style seating; Tandem sunroof glass with privacy shades; Personal side-mounted lap top stations; LED cabin lighting; Alpine AM, FM, CD, DVD navigation and Bluetooth equipment; TV Monitors; Night vision and rear op camera system and Playstation 3 (PS3). The cabins 283-cubic-foot interior is larger than the interior of most SUVs on the road today and can comfortably seat six professional basketball players.

    It’s basically the SUV version of KITT sans turbo boost and self driving computer.

  36. Big Dog

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/business/2010-washington-realestate/?hpid=topnews

    This afternoon on the the WaPo website.

    In the Washington region it appears:
    1) PWC (and I assume the two cities are included) home sales were down more than
    any other jurisdiction in 2010.
    2)PWC, though, had the highest increase in median sales price and fewest average days
    on the market in 2010.

  37. Big Dog

    There will be a celebration in Staunton, Virginia this week to celebrate
    the birthday of Woodrow Wilson (b-12-28-1856).

    Think Glenn Beck will come as a clown?

  38. Big Dog, too funny re Glenn Beck. Those dowagers of Staunton would tear that boy up. They love WW and the birthplace. My grandmother was one of those. She would have belted Glenn Beck up side the head with her cane.

    As for PWC and the homesales–that is sort of like saying PWC and the cities had a fire sale and everyone came and bought something. Corey had better quite bragging about it and do the math.

    Why would anyone want to say their house is now worth half what it was worth 3 years ago? That is not a good feeling, no matter now Corey wants to spin it.

  39. marinm

    It wouldn’t be a bad feeling if taxes went down to match the values. If I’m a long term owner what do I really care about the value of my home other than the cost to insure it and to pay taxes on it.

    Now, the year I want to sell is when I want it to be priced above market. 🙂

    I just think that if my value dropped 50% then my taxes should’ve gone down 50%. Somehow the fiscal conservatives at the BOCS feel that when values go down taxes should stay flat. Hrm…

    1. @Marin,

      The county services aren’t based on the value of your home. Those have not changed.

      In a county like PW, there is a lot of turnover. People move in, people move out. Maybe there are non-long term owners out there. I expect they would like to be able to get the money out of their house that they put in to it. Many people cannot sell their house because they owe more than the house is worth.

      Regardless of dreams of freedom of government Marin, real world says this is a bad thing.

  40. BS in VA

    @ Marin
    Using your logic, my house value goes down 50% and my property taxes should go down equally by 50%. Now follow that logic to the next step: The County’s revenue goes down because property taxes went down so they have to reduce their expenditures. So they cut the police and fire departments by 50%, reduce the number of teachers and school support staff by 50%, close the libraries 50% of the time, the courts reduce their staff because Prince William cut their contributions by 50%, extend the school hours because the reduced number of school buses have to make two trips making kids start later and stay longer, etc.

  41. Need to Know

    @Big Dog

    The housing market data are actually worse than that. The Post reported year-to-date changes. If you look at year-over-year (compare this November to November 2009) it’s much worse. Home sales were down 35.8%. Average days on the market (time it takes to sell a home) is up nearly 20%. In October, year-over-year home sales in Prince William County were down 42.5%. More bad data on the way.

    Yet, Corey Stewart and four other members of the BOCS feel it is imperative to accomodate Mike Lubeley, Brookfield Homes, and other developers by approving developments such as Avendale, and give them an update to the land use chapter of the Comprehensive Plan beyond their wildest longings.

  42. Cato the Elder

    Most people I know in the business are telling me we have an inventory problem in PWC, with people/banks holding property off the market in anticipation of higher prices in Feb. The time on the market issue could also be explained by the massive number of short sales out there where the contract gets ratified then the bank dicks around for three months. Because of this, you need to break the time on market numbers out between “active” and “under contract” for them to have real meaning. Not saying the numbers are good, but there are a lot of distortions in the housing market right now like short sales and people playing games with shadow inventory that makes for difficulty in seeing the true picture.

  43. Lafayette

    Cato-You said it. The other problem with the banks besides the “short sale” hold ups. The banks are holding on to foreclosed properties in PW for upto two years. The banks are holding out to get the max $ on these houses. However, a house that has sat empty for a year or two can’t be too desirable those wishing to live the dream of home ownership, due to the money that would have to be sunk into these properties.

  44. Raymond Beverage

    House values are an interesting to watch: my little 1400sq ft – now 30 yr old split level – sitting on 1/3 acre in Manassas has seen a high value of almost 1/2 million, to the last year’s assessment of what I figured was closer to “Fair Market Value”.

    The “value” is not so much in the house, but in the land. And that most likely applies to all of us.

    Marin mentioned long-term homeowners, and I be one of them. 16 years now, and this is “Fort Home” in my Army retired years. Don’t anticipate moving until I have to, or some crazy developer decides to over me bags and bags of money in order to redevelop my neighborhood.

    One factor in real estate value to watch also is those older neighborhoods to see, since most local governments use a standard computer software to do assessments, is if the house will be depreciated at the 30 year point. By all standards, unless there is significant remodeling to raise the value and reported to include in the assessment, there should be a reduction in value. This is true even in the “Fair Market” standard used.

    I for one may be a lone voice in my City to say stop with the flat tax rate. Critical services need funding, so may be the time to raise my tax a few pennies to increase police services and add a few more Level 1 Staff Postitions back into government so there are more workerbees.

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