Journal Entries
Freebie Films - Cows and Silent-Film Humour
Posted Dec 26, 2012
Freebie Film Tip #Whatever: Bad Jokes from 1919, and Romance from 1912
A87781369
Worth a chuckle or two.
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Latest reply: Dec 26, 2012
Holiday Greeting - Contains Present
Posted Dec 25, 2012
Happy Holiday, everyone!
That's what Google is wishing with its Doodle. I believe these are the people whose motto is 'Don't be evil'? They're doing a good job.
Like Bill and Ted, they want us to be excellent to each other. So they publish cheerful Doodles.
Of course, we get Grinches. The Grinches that stole the holiday spirit this year come from all-too-predictable places. They complain that the Doodle doesn't say, 'Merry Christmas' instead of 'Happy Holiday', an expression I've heard all my life.
There's this thing, folks - it's called paranoia. It's what happens when you always suspect an ulterior motive in everything the other guy does or says. Even if he's wishing you the happy returns of the season.
Gaah.
This mentality begins with holier-than-thou-ism. It started in one column with one Barry Schwartz, who complained that this might make the Christians feel offended. He complained that the NorwegianGoogle Doodle said, 'God Jul fra Google!'. Which he said was 'Merry Christmas'.
Well, yeah. If 'Yule' means 'Christmas'.
Mr Schwartz reminded me of the old Yiddish tale about the two rabbis. One rabbi quoted the old saying, 'Baruch ha-Shem, yom-yom.' Which means, 'Praise the Deity every day.'
The other rabbi said, 'Oh, no. I don't say "Baruch ha-Shem, yom-yom."'
The first rabbi made big eyes. 'You DON'T? You don't say, "Baruch ha-Shem, yom-yom"?'
No, said the other rabbi in triumphant one-upsmanship, 'I say "Baruch ha-Shem", every HOUR, every MINUTE. . . '
I think you see what I mean. Just in case you'd like to say it to someone, here are holiday greetings in a few different languages:
Felices Fiestas!
Trevlig Helg!
Boas Festas!
Sarbatori Fericite!
Frohes Fest!
Prettige feestdagen
Beannachtaí na Féile
Sretni praznici!
And, just in case you are bored children this Christmas Day, settle yourselves down and colour in your colouring books:
http://www.thecolor.com/Coloring/Christmas-Tree.aspx
That's it. Be quiet now, and stop bothering the grown-ups. They may still be arguing about 'Happy Holiday'. 
Discuss this Journal entry [28]
Latest reply: Dec 25, 2012
Freebie Film Tip for Cat-Lovers
Posted Dec 24, 2012
Here's a freebie film tip for you cat-lovers, just in time for Christmas Eve. We liked it: A87781134
Discuss this Journal entry [3]
Latest reply: Dec 24, 2012
Top Ten Reasons to Love h2g2
Posted Dec 23, 2012
Top Ten reasons why I love h2g2:
10. No matter how confusing the GuideML gets, somebody always manages to send you a 
.
9. There is no topic too big - such as, say, the size of the universe - or too small - like a broken coffeepot - that you can't start a discussion about it on ASK.
8. Wherever you go, 2legs is bound to show up and get blamed for something.
7. We have more nutty smileys than anybody on the Web.
6. If you don't like the tenor of a discussion topic, wait two more posts. h2g2 discussion topics are like the British weather: subject to frequent, unannounced change.
5. We have Edited Guide Entries that mention such exotica as vampire watermelons. And people remember that we do.
4. We have Edited Guide Entries on naughty subjects, but we don't get infantile about it. Well, not very.
3. We expand one another's horizons constantly. In other words, if one h2g2er knows it, pretty soon everybody else will, whether they wanted to or not. 
2. It is impossible for Evil Outside Forces to penetrate h2g2. Just when an agent provocateur thinks he's made inroads into our forum culture, somebody is guaranteed to come along with an astute observation, such as 'Dunno why everyone's going on about people buying guns in America. They've sold dynamite to coyotes for years.'
F19585?thread=8298881&post=110700178#p110700178
1. Most of all, I love h2g2 because the people on it care about you - no matter how confused or silly you are.
Thanks for a great year, h2g2ers. Here's to more to come!
Discuss this Journal entry [13]
Latest reply: Dec 23, 2012
It's That Time of Year Again - Update on Mob (Musical) Violence
Posted Dec 22, 2012
Yes, folks. It's that time of year again. The time when no public place in the US is safe from people singing.
Time to celebrate the proper use of a flash mob with this beautiful, classic clip. If you will remember, a couple of years ago, this choir took over the Food Court, to general delight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE
People are still doing it. Here's a group of people who used Facebook and a mall to organise some community hopefulness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll8bvfarxio
What they can do in Boise, they can do elsewhere. The Food Court is still not safe for music-haters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaUmfJvMqs8
I have no idea where Pickering is, but it's blessed with a gifted choir. I don't know in what beleaguered suburb the next video takes place, but it is infested with smart-alecks.
They called it 'extreme carolling'. The neighbours called it 'disturbing the peace', and called the constabulary, who were good enough to watch the show - even the rap part:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci-eQUfvQ8I
Yeah, I know they're legends in their own minds, but I laughed until the tears came. I suspect you will, too, even if you've got kids you would murder for doing something like that.
Go sing to somebody. But don't do it at 4 am, or they might call the cops.
Discuss this Journal entry [3]
Latest reply: Dec 22, 2012
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