December 25, 2017

At the Sunny Christmas Café...



... we can have a cozy chat.

88 comments:

zipity said...

Currently a face slapping -16F with a -36F windchill at 10:00 am central time in lovely Fargo, ND.

Merry Christmas.

Seeing Red said...

Merry Christmas!

2018 is going to be really interesting!

tcrosse said...

From our Tory friends at the Telegraph:

Brigitte Macron inundated with letters from mature women who say she has inspired them to be seductive. Are the French ready for #MoiAussi ?

MayBee said...

Merry Christmas Althouse and Meade!
Merry Christmas, internet friends!

Big Mike said...

It was, briefly, sixty degrees day before yesterday but it got very seriously windy last night and today’s high will only be half that. I have not figured out what woke me in the middle of the night. Not reindeer! (No chimney.) If something blew against the house it must have blown away again.

AllenS said...

Reporting from west central WI, -- I currently have -10º with a wind out of the NW. Have the wood burner going. Comfortable.

AllenS said...

... just waiting for noon so I can have a beer or two.

tim in vermont said...

. just waiting for noon so I can have a beer or two.

It will be noon in 15 minutes in the Canadian Maritimes.

AllenS said...

Anyone looking at Drudge? What's up with the pic of the pope kissing little baby Jesus... where?

rhhardin said...

There's enough sun for the 15w solar panel to charge the battery that runs the radio. It's up to 13.23v already, on its way to 14.5v if the sun holds out, in the daily charge cycle.

It's aided by UV reflection from the snow.

Solar panels are more efficient when cold.

AllenS said...

Oh what the hell, it's noon somewhere.

tim in vermont said...

Well, I went for a nice swim on Christmas Eve and looked at the stars doing a gentle backstroke.

Bob Boyd said...

A Merry Christmas to Ann and Meade and everyone in this wonderful little community.

tcrosse said...

I was enduring a particularly tedious reading of Twelve Days of Christmas when all of a sudden I flashed on another counting song from my childhood, Green Grow the Rushes Ho.
It lends itself to a more boisterous rendition, in keeping with the Season.

Heartless Aztec said...

Might almost reach 60* here in North Florida today. Merry Christmas to Althouse, Meade and all the commenters.

Mr Wibble said...

Just opened presents from my mom. Two books: The Home Blacksmith, and Mastering the Fundamentals of Blacksmithing. The latter one I've been looking at for a while, and planned to buy after the new year, so SCORE!

Humperdink said...

Looking at the 10-day for NW PA, the high temp will not exceed 20 for that time frame. Can't convince spouse to look at SW FL or AZ for the winter months. Maybe this will do it.

Gahrie said...

It's supposed to hit the low 70's here today. One of the biggest reasons I still live in California.

CStanley said...

Our youngest just finished building a Lego Friends House, complete with a working porch swing and a swivel office chair. They've come a long way since the bricks of my youth.

Our oldest noted that Legos are one of the toys that parents just set out under the tree and then sit back and let the kids do the construction on Christmas morning, rather than parents staying up late assembling toys. Win-win.

Bay Area Guy said...

My favorite Xmas present this year was reading the cards written by my kids to each other. Wow. Nothing better than seeing your offspring reasonably well-adjusted and close to each other. That and the Pennsylvannia Dutch Egg Nog with brandy, of course.

Merry Christmas to Althouse, Meade and the always witty and insightful Commentariat.

Tank said...

55 here in SE NC. Perfect for walking the visiting grand dog.

Tank said...

Santa got me a hedge trimmer. What is better than a new power tool?

mockturtle said...

Just opened presents from my mom. Two books: The Home Blacksmith, and Mastering the Fundamentals of Blacksmithing. The latter one I've been looking at for a while, and planned to buy after the new year, so SCORE!

So, Mr. Wibble, will we be seeing you soon on Forged in Fire?

Yancey Ward said...

On Saturday we got back above 60 here in Oak Ridge, TN but it started to turn cooler later that day. High today is supposed to be 36 which is actually colder than is normal this time of year. I don't miss living up North as I did most of my adulthood.

Big Mike said...

What is better than a new power tool?

A new nonstick griddle so I can make pancakes in the morning. (The old one didn't work well on our new cooktop.)

Mr Wibble said...

So, Mr. Wibble, will we be seeing you soon on Forged in Fire?

LOL, no way. My goal is to buy land somewhere, build a house, and furnish it entirely with things I make.

William said...

Merry Christmas to all my dear friends here. The thing that makes you especially endearing is that I don't have to buy you presents or send you Christmas cards. We have just the right level of intimacy........I'm not good at intimacy, and I find good will especially challenging. I'm just hoping that today of all days some woman comes forward and reveals how some revered, beloved public figure molested her when she was a little girl. Christmas isn't made for people like me.

Lucien said...

It's 52 in Pasadena this morning. Almost warm enough for shorts. Maybe I'll garner a pair as a present.

mockturtle said...

William says: I'm just hoping that today of all days some woman comes forward and reveals how some revered, beloved public figure molested her when she was a little girl.

Like Santa Claus?

wild chicken said...

Almost 20 above in Missoula and we got a good snow. I'm sick for Christmas, which is a blessing. I can now skip the harrowing drive out i-90 to the in-laws' for Xmas chaos.

Honestly, I couldn't have planned it better.

Lucien said...

Somebody apparently sent a box of manure to Secretary Mnuchin. This is viewed as a sign of disrespect and disapproval.

I think of it as trying to pay taxes early, in the form of ShitCoin.

Clyde said...

The U.N. got a lump of coal in its stocking:

Nikki Haley negotiates $285M cut in ‘bloated’ UN budget

I guess she meant it when she said, "We will remember it when, once again, we are called up to make the world’s largest contribution to the UN, and we will remember it when many countries come calling on us to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit."

I don't know about you, but that made me smile. Merry Christmas!

320Busdriver said...

Merry Christmas all

It's 60 here in San Diego

Would still prefer to be home where it's 8

Clyde said...

That's only about a 5% decrease from last year's record $5.4 billion budget, but you know that they all wanted increases to their department budgets. Bureaucracies always do; it's an iron law. They would have squealed like stuck pigs if their budgets had merely been frozen at the same level. The only bad thing is that the cuts probably will come from whatever minor good services the U.N. provides. The parasitic kleptocrats in charge will maintain their lifestyle, no matter what.

Humperdink said...

Heading into the woods later today on my tractor to check the gas pressures on my wells. Need to make sure they are high enough to get me through the next arctic blast.

Celebrated Christmas yesterday with my kids and 6 of the 9 grand kids. What a day! No greater Christmas present than to see all of the children grown up and contributing to society (as opposed to me supporting them). Or even worse, society supporting them.

traditionalguy said...

Try 70F and sunny in Fish Hawk, Florida. Christmas dinner on the lanai with all the brandy I can drink.

Patrick said...

It's a little warmer here in St. Paul than down the road where Allen lives. I'll be in that vicinity on Saturday, when my wife's extended family gets together. Merry Christmas everyone, and all the best in the new year.

Humperdink said...

Your living large Tradguy. We spent Thanksgiving 100 miles south. On the downside, traffic was murderous.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Merry Christmas to all!

Humperdink said...

*You're*

n said...

70 and mostly sunny on the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island.

mockturtle said...

Lucien writes: I think of it as trying to pay taxes early, in the form of ShitCoin.

Shitcoin. I like it!

Humperdink said...

This weekend, I was in the championship finals for our ten (10) member family Fantasy Football League. I was beaten like a rented mule by my 11 years grandson. Wise guy. Just to liven it up, I trashed talked him all week. I felt like Dez Bryant.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

One of those threads in which the folks discover that temperatures vary by location.

FullMoon said...


"Santa moving south due to global warming

A Canadian government website claims Santa Claus signed an international agreement to relocate his workshop to the South Pole to escape the effects of man-made global warming in the Arctic.

The website for Policy Horizons Canada, a government website, notes that due to “rapidly melting Arctic ice and growing human operations in the North, Santa Claus has signed an agreement with the International community to relocate his village next year to operate in an exclusive zone in the South Pole.”

Policy Horizons was created to advise government officials on emerging public policy issues. The group put out a series of Christmas-themed blog posts that tie into emerging liberal policy concerns.



“Santa’s relocation agreement marks the first time that the international community agrees on a common legal definition of climate change that includes refugees as corporations, as well as individuals,” reads the Horizons website.

“This deal is expected to lead to the deployment of a global climate change refugee visa system that in the near future could help to more easily relocate individuals and corporations facing the impacts of climate change,” the website continues.

Politicians and environmentalists have been claiming for years that man-made global warming will increase the number of peoples displaced by extreme weather events and violent conflicts.

A recent study even claimed temperature changes drove increased applications for asylum in Europe. A June study predicted 2 billion “climate change refugees” by the end of the century if nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Most famously, the United Nations Environment Program predicted there would be 50 million “climate refugees” by 2010. When that didn’t come to pass, the UN quietly removed a web page containing the information, and pushed the prediction to 2020.


Michael K said...

We spent the morning at my son's who is home for Christmas the first time in four years. Got home from the Thomas fire Friday, a surprise. Watched the grand kids open presents.

I got a trail camera to photograph the wildlife around our home in Tucson where we will be tomorrow night.

Humperdink said...

"One of those threads in which the folks discover that temperatures vary by location."

I suspect the temperature data in this thread is far superior to that used in AGW studies. And we are even asking for grant money.

Drago said...

"I suspect the temperature data in this thread is far superior to that used in AGW studies."

Well, that's because you do not have an agenda of establishing complete control over people's lives like the globalist AGW alarmist liars.

You see, if you were them, you would first put your thermometer near a building heat vent in a city, read that artificially inflated temperature, then "manipulate" the data in order to make it "more correct" (always in one direction) and then put it all into equation black boxes which most certainly cannot be shared for independent verification, testing and attempted duplication of results!

In fact, that would defeat the entire purpose of the exercise!

FullMoon said...

The (best ever) President of the United States of America says:

"The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well - nobody is going to beat us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

hawkeyedjb said...

Last night we were trying to decide where to go for Christmas eve services. We settled on a nearby Episcopalian church, which featured a wonderful choir rendition of Vivaldi's "Gloria" followed by a traditional service with lots of Christmas hymns. Great organ, wonderful cantor and choirmaster. It was true High Church, which I love. The last high church service I attended was at the American Cathedral in Paris.

I am unable to kneel, due to my new bionic knee, so I forewent the Communion. All in all, a wonderful evening.

Drago said...

Btw, though my wife is a St Olaf grad, I have to admit the PBS broadcast of the St Thomas Christmas concert last night was quite good.

No one tell her I said so!

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I suspect the temperature data in this thread is far superior to that used in AGW studies.

Suspicion always makes for a good basis upon which to build knowledge. It's got about as good a track record as superstition.

As long as you go by belief and emotions. Much better than facts. Just ask the Kansas Republicans!

Michael McNeil said...

Here along the Central Coast of California (Santa Cruz County) it may get up to 65° F. today. A couple of nights ago it froze though.

tcrosse said...

The church of St Agnes in St Paul does an old-fashioned Tridentine mass, with music and theater. A nearby Lutheran college sends its students there to see what the Reformation was all about. As fallen-away Catholics we like the Mass of our childhoods.

Greg Hlatky said...

Looks like this thread has been ruined.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Did you pee on it or something, Greg Hlatky?

Drago said...

Btw, Benjamin Netanyahu was quite gracious in his invitation for Christians to visit the Holy Lands.

The fact that the invitation causes leftist heads to explode is really quite revealing.

Those darn israelis and Christians everywhere simply refuse to go away silently and allow the leftist/islamist alliance to create their latest version of utopia.

Well, there's always Next Year so hope springs eternal!

YoungHegelian said...

For some people, this Christmas means more than a new PlayStation.

mockturtle said...

Re YH's link: In 2014 when the Islamic State group seized the city ordering people to convert, pay taxes, leave or die, Mr Abud and thousands of other Christians fled Mosul.

Some may not know that, where there is a Muslim majority, non-Muslims are forced to convert or pay the jizya [or be killed]. This was true since Islam's founding.

mockturtle said...

The church of St Agnes in St Paul does an old-fashioned Tridentine mass, with music and theater. A nearby Lutheran college sends its students there to see what the Reformation was all about. As fallen-away Catholics we like the Mass of our childhoods.

Tcrosse: I could understand how the Latin Tridentine mass would be more aesthetically pleasing but it would seem less relevant than one in English. Is the homily delivered in Latin, as well?

I'm not a Catholic but enrolled my younger daughter in a Catholic middle school and we attended mass regularly [I was not even a Christian at that time]. Christmas Eve midnight mass was beautiful. Again, aesthetically and emotionally pleasing but short, IMO, on the Gospel message.

Greg Hlatky said...

Is the homily delivered in Latin, as well?

No. And with a 1962 Roman missal you can follow the Mass just fine.

Fabi said...

The presents from my children were thoughtful and practical, including an olivewood wine tool and a book entitled The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck. Top that!

wildswan said...

In the bleak mid-winter far out on the great Plains
Temperature minus six as we left for Mass. Sang in a choir. Got a bottle of amazing wine. Lego toys for kids mushrooming out from the tree. Pillow fight last night. Merry Christmas to all.

YoungHegelian said...

@mockturtle, @Greg,

There are multiple churches that do the Tridentine Mass in the DC area, one of them very near where I live. I, too, dust off the old Missale Romanum, & follow along. If you've had any Latin at all, liturgical Latin isn't too difficult, so that helps.

It's nice to hear the Gregorian chant in their original context. But, ya know, I do miss the hymns (the classic ones, not those recent & appalling St. Louis Jesuit fakey-chant but in English) hymns. Sadly, at a many a regular mass nowadays, it's tough to find the old standards.

mockturtle said...

I'm very fond of Gregorian chants, as well.

Humperdink said...

Disappointed I didn't get my "Hide the Decline" vanity license plate for Christmas.

tim in vermont said...

Is peeing on a mattress worse that burning a flag? Asking for a friend....

Greg Hlatky said...


After 30+ years of being lapsed, I recently returned to the Catholic faith of my youth. If I hadn't found a traditional parish with the Latin Mass, things might have been different.

While many others may feel differently - and I respect those who have those preferences - to me the Pauline Mass is an awful show with awful rites and awful music. With the Tridentine Mass, I feel closer to the awesome act the Mass is meant to represent.

tim in vermont said...

Hah! It’ s my Mac that won’t let me hotlink. Works from my phone! I guess I better run the updates.

tim in vermont said...

The Washington Post is in a lather over the “coordinated attacks” on Mueller. The one thing I don’t see is a claim that anything said about his team is untrue.

AllenS said...

What is better than a new power tool?

2 new power tools.

walter said...

Nativity scene causes topless protest.
The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Tank said...

Two new power tools would be ... Nice!

tcrosse said...

Tcrosse: I could understand how the Latin Tridentine mass would be more aesthetically pleasing but it would seem less relevant than one in English. Is the homily delivered in Latin, as well?

The Latin Mass is indeed relevant if you already know the words. Homily is in the vulgate, of course.

Breezy said...

Merry Christmas everyone! Snowed here in NE this am then the sun peered through about midday, enabling everyone to come for dinner safely. Thankful for the NE road crews...:)

Big Mike said...

@Tank, how’s the wife doing?

Malesch Morocco said...

Merry Christmas Meadehouse. You brighten my every day!

Michael K said...

Dinner with my Bernie bro daughter and boyfriend.

She is starting to sound like Trump is OK.

She agrees government is corrupt.

She agrees that politicians should not get rich on $150,000 salary,

Oh Oh, Democrats may be in trouble.

Curious George said...

"AllenS said...
What is better than a new power tool?

2 new power tools."

Nah, one old machine. I just added a 1930 Tannewitz Model J 16" table saw to my vintage woodshop. Cool thing is that it was from Boys Tech High School in Milwaukee. A lot of cabinet makers and patternmakers learned their trade on it I'm sure. It really is a work of art. All 1700 pounds of it.

walter said...

Great Scot!,
How much Korbel are you down?

Bruce Hayden said...

"Almost 20 above in Missoula and we got a good snow. I'm sick for Christmas, which is a blessing. I can now skip the harrowing drive out i-90 to the in-laws' for Xmas chaos."

Still too cold for my partner. Which is why we go south to AZ for the winter. Rest of the year we are maybe 100 miles down river from you. MT there should break freezing Tues, and get into the 40s the rest of the week. As contrasted with here in AZ, where the low is in the 40s, and the high in the low 70s this week. First Christmas in the new house, so first warm climate Christmas in maybe 5-6 years. Making up for it later this week with a trip to see family in CO. Extended Christmas this year - 24th with her daughter and her extended family, 25th also be together, 26th with her son and his family come not here, and 27th with my family. No snow (or even chance of it) means no excuses for anyone not showing up.

Christmas doesn't feel quite right, by the desert here. Christmas lights gets in the cactus. Etc. But I remain unconvinced that Joseph and Mary faced all that much snow that night in Bethlehem. But then, while we pretty much know when in the year Jesus died (because of the connection between Easter and the Passover), Christmas is a very different story. Is is coincidental that Christmas is a couple days after the winter solstice? Or is it causative, is the solstice part of why we celebrate Christmas when we do? Etc. In the church I belong to back in CO, we light candles, and turn down the lights for singing "Silent Night", and then turn them back up for the concluding "Joy to the World". That seems very similar to the renewal that some other cultures observe and celebrate around the solstice. Plus, I always thought that it was a bit weird that Christmas and New Years were only a week apart. I am thinking that maybe the problem is that they both were originally connected to the solstice, but calendar slippage to very the centuries, due to Leap Day ever 4 (or so) years may be the reason why.

rehajm said...

Yet another data point for why Democrats should not be in charge of things they don’t understand: 143 million receiving a tax cut under the new law.

tim in vermont said...

I don’t get the hate over policy differences. Especially over something as easily reversible as tax rates.

Tank said...

@Big Mike

Only fair, thanks for asking.

Rusty said...

OK
Day After X-mas.
-4 here in the beautiful fox valley. I'm not leaving the house.
Mamosas and scrambled eggs and then play with the 3D printer for the rest of the day.

Gahrie said...

Christmas doesn't feel quite right, by the desert here.

Imagine celebrating Christmas in Australia...it's the middle of summer there.

rhhardin said...

The Dell Inspiron 1200 that was my main computer since 2005 finally died.

About ten hours of work moving everything to a newer faster machine (still XP) is just about done. Audio recording schedules, orchestrating math problem solutions in a bunch of other machines, signing up for stuff on the new machine. Big project.

My netnews Netscape broswer from 1995 still works.

There were lots of backups but scattered all over in different places.

Saint Croix said...

Merry Christmas!