Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, December 8, 2019
Pregnant by someone to whom she is not married… unwed, refugees, homeless… foreigners in a foreign land.
Yeah.
What a story, eh?
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Yeahbut… Jesus, when did we see you as a thief, child molester or murderer in prison, eh?
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
That’s just tough shit for some, eh?
Church nativity depicts Jesus, Mary and Joseph as family separated at border
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/church-nativity-depicts-jesus-mary-joseph-family-separated-border-n1097891
Repulsed by report of staff raping women at Florida federal prison, Rubio demands inquiry
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man?, - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: borderline, cages, children, Chip Taylor, Christmas, faith, Jesus, pregnant, prisoners, refugees, religion, unmarried | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, November 1, 2019
Some years ago, while attending university, during the Christmas season, I portrayed “Santa” on a local television station.
The show was aptly called “Letters to Santa,” and was a LIVE TELEVISION BROADCAST PRODUCTION, which aired, appropriately enough, in the late afternoons after grade-school children were out of school for the day.
The show’s tenet was simple enough, children would send their letters to Santa, care of the television station – some of which would be read during the show (live, on the air), in conjunction with live participants who would attend with their parents to tell the Jolly Old Elf if they’d been naughty, or nice, and what they’d like for Christmas.
The show’s Executive Producer (who has long since gone to the great broadcasting center in the sky) did his best to prepare me for the role, which included off-the-air role-playing scenarios, and other tips and tricks for how to handle the attendees, and studio viewing audience, which also included how to effectively deal with children who might be fearful, belligerent, timid, crying, or demonstrating any other of the numerous emotions for which they’re renown for demonstrating – including their parents, who can sometimes also act like their children.
Fortunately, such a topsy-turvy scenario didn’t present itself… as best I recollect.
Because it was important to him, to the station (for community relations purposes) – and to the parents – to not place the parents in a untenable scenario by being perceived as an anything-you-want wish-granting jolly old elf (whose promises to children the parents might not be inclined, or able to keep), it was crucial to give as non-committal an answer as possible when the children sat on Santa’s knee to make their requests – however scant, or numerous they may have been.
While most children were reasonable in their requests – and honest about their year-long behavior – some children (very few) were not, and had lengthy lists with seemingly endless self-centered wants. Again, like standard normal distribution in statistics tells us, those children were very few, just as were the ones who had no requests for themselves.
Of course, there were a few occasional socially-related requests such as getting mama, or daddy out of prison or jail, wanting family members to get well (some who had terminal illnesses), and the like.
Not very many wanted world peace, or any such thing.
And naturally, there were a few who, for whatever reason, simply didn’t “believe in” the Jolly Old Elf.
I guess for some parents, it easier to tell their children a lie, than it is to present a simple truth – there is NO “Santa Claus” who flies around the world in a reindeer-driven sleigh delivering toys to children. Besides, Jolly Old St. Nicholas might get arrested for Breaking & Entering if he was able to scoot his corpulent carcass down a soot-laden chimney… which might be in use during the winter.
That wouldn’t end well.
But the 1952 song “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus,” written by native Mississippian Jimmy Devon Boyd (1939-2009), does a well-enough job of explaining the truth about the matter, anyway.
Speaking of which, the song was banned in Boston by the Catholic Church the year it was released, which claimed it was overtly sexual.
Of course, that only made the recording by the then-13-year-old boy sell better.
But… if you stop to think about it, Santa Claus is banging your wife!
And, it gives an entirely new meaning to “Ho, ho, ho!”
There’s a reason that Jolly Old Elf is so jolly!
And, that’s exactly what the Catholic Church taught. (Never mind the pedophile priests.)
PRO TIP: Write a Christmas-themed song. It’ll provide money to you annually, and for your heirs – 70 years after your death. Not a bad deal, eh?
Anyway… back to the Santa story.
It took me aback to Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Round, round, get around, I get around. | Tagged: Boston, Catholic Church, Christmas, history, humor, Jolly Old Elf, Jolly Old Saint Nick, microwave, Mississippi, MS, music, popcorn, Santa, Santa Claus, sex, song, story, stovetop, Xmas | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Musicians and artists are the voices of the prophets.
They ARE our prophets.
Their consciences are often our nation’s collective voice of conscience. For many radio stations, the only profit they care about is traded on Wall Street, and their consciences are not tethered to trouble, or pricked by care for others’ problems. Their profit is all that matters, for their god is green and cold, and easily fits into any wallet. It has crowded out natural love in the calculi of their now-inhuman hearts.
And, for one reason, or another, it seems that these days, there are very few voices “crying in the wilderness,” or elsewhere, about social injustice.
But three years ago – in 2015 – musician/artist Chip Taylor wrote a song entitled “Refugee Children.” It should be heard by everyone, though it certainly hasn’t.
Whether one is a believer in the story of the virgin birth, or any god, the basic fundamental element of that ageless story is that a small family with a young pregnant bride were refugees, homeless, with only the clothes on their backs.
Any well-read person, regardless of any religious belief, or not, should be familiar with the story told in Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man?, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: asshole, Chip Taylor, Christmas, faith, greed, heroes, Japanese American internment, Joseph, Mary, Merry Christmas, Merry F'n Christmas, money, POS45, refugees, Wall Street, WWII | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, December 14, 2017
Saint John of the Cross (1542–1591), aka ‘San Juan de la Cruz’ in Spanish, was a Spanish mystic most well known for writing the highly-regarded book “The Dark Night of the Soul,” which explores Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Uncategorized | Tagged: Catholic, Christ, Christian Mysticism, Christmas, doubt, faith, God, history, holiday, hope, Jesus, Juan de la Cruz, love, mystic, saint, St. John of the Cross | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Saint Nicholas spoke out against heresies and was imprisoned for a time for his Christian beliefs. His faithfulness is exemplary, but charity remains his signature virtue. What started with Nicholas tossing a few bags of coins into a poor family’s yard has been transformed over centuries of retelling, embellishing, grafting, and adapting into the magical tales of Ole Saint Nick (Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Kris Kringle), whose yearly ambition is to deliver gifts to every girl and boy. We may not Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man? | Tagged: Catholic, Christ, Christmas, faith, God, hope, Jesus, Jolly Old Saint Nick, love, Saint Nicholas | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Welcome to Alabama, where the legal concept of respondeat superior apparently does NOT apply.
Some would call this murder.
If a person driving drunk kills someone, nowadays, they’re charged with murder – even though they did not plan, or intend upon killing someone (the element of premeditation, or forethought).
But why isn’t Huntsville Hospital charged with murder? (It’s kinda’ difficult to charge a corporation with murder, but it’s quite possible that the officers can be indicted or charged.)
And why aren’t those directly responsible (those in the Recovery Room who were responsible for Gracie’s care) charged with Murder?
It’s painfully obvious some things MUST change in Alabama regarding healthcare.
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Girl disabled, later dies, after tonsillectomy at Huntsville Hospital; Alabama public hospitals‘ liability capped at $100,000
By Challen Stephens | cstephens@al.com on December 03, 2012 at 1:03 PM, updated December 03, 2012 at 4:18 PM

Randy Smith and Deedee Smith talk about raising a child with disabilities while Gracelynn, 5, sits in her wheelchair during an interview in their home Monday, November 19, 2012 in Athens, Ala. (Eric Schultz / eschultz@al.com)
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Four years ago, Gracie knew a few dozen words and had just learned to walk backwards. But Gracie had a little trouble breathing at night. Doctors said it would only get worse, so they decided to remove her tonsils.
The surgery lasted less than 15 minutes.
In the recovery room at Huntsville Hospital, Gracie was standing on her bed calling for her mother. “We were told she was having difficulty coming out of anesthesia,” said her father Randy Smith. Nurses said the girl needed to rest to recover. In the recovery room, the family says, she was allowed to stop breathing for more than 10 minutes.
Dan Aldridge, attorney for the Smiths, said Gracie “was not connected to the customary monitoring equipment that sounds an alarm if vital signs reach a dangerous zone.” He said the nurses, three of them, were in the recovery room. At one point, her mother voiced concern. “I was told, ‘Mom, now don’t wake her up, if we get her up, we will never calm her down,” said Dee Dee Smith. “My response was she was not breathing.”
Dee Dee said one of the nurses touched the girl’s foot. It was cold. Aldridge said “code” was called. Medical staff poured into the room. Gracie would spend the next 18 hours in a coma. When Dee Dee finally got to hold her girl again, the girl’s eyes were open but Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, End Of The Road | Tagged: Alabama, Athens, Birmingham, Bureau of Labor Statistics, child, Christmas, dead, Dee, died, disabled, fraud, funeral, girl, Gracie, harm, hospital, Huntsville, Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital System, hurt, immunity, incompetent, liability, limited, Medicaid, PACU, pediatric, peds, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, public, respondeat superior, Santa Claus, Smith, Smiths, surgery, tonsillectomy, twin, unequal | 7 Comments »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, December 3, 2012
Today was a good day at work.
I cried.
The last time I recollect crying at work was at least 6 or more years ago when a patient of mine – a young black male, who was his mother’s only son – had been murdered, and as I looked into her bloodshot, tired, hollow, intently peering and watery eyes, volumes were communicated though we neither said a word.
I couldn’t bear her gaze, and after what seemed ages, I averted my eyes, and departed behind a nearby curtain in the Trauma ICU to cry. There, my tears flowed like twin rivers, swollen by a storm, albeit an emotional one, which was joined by the two smaller tributaries of my nostrils. Gazing over the city from atop the 11th story of the teaching hospital through tear-drenched eyes, I wondered… was this what dear Mother Mary felt like when she gazed upon her only son as he hung from that cross?
Today, I wept for Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man? | Tagged: Anal cancer, Bathroom, cancer, Cervarix, Cervix, Christianity, Christmas, Colonoscopy, Colorectal cancer, Conditions and Diseases, Crazy Horse, Fallopian tube, Gardasil, Gastroenterology, Genital wart, health, healthcare, healthinsurance, history, holiday, HPV, Human papillomavirus, Irritable bowel syndrome, It Was a Good Day, Large intestine, Mary, Mother's Day, New Mexico, On This Day in History, patient, Sex organ, Sexually transmitted disease, shopping, suffering, surgery, Tears, Toilet, Toilet paper, United States, Wart | 6 Comments »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, December 22, 2011
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Posted in - Even MORE Uncategorized!, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: Christmas, Hades, holidays, Kim Jong-il, Merry Christmas, North Korea, Republicans, Taste (sociology) | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Governor Bentley’s office recently Tweeted the following message December 14, 2010 @14:50: Amend the Ethics law so that teachers are allowed to receive seasonal gifts. http://tinyurl.com/7n6w6jj
The reader should be aware that Dr. Bentley was a representative legislator from Tuscaloosa whom helped write, approve and pass the bill that became law when it was signed by then-governor Bob Riley, also a Republican.
As any citizen ought, I held great hope for numerous good things to happen to Alabama when the people elected Robert J. Bentley, MD (R), as the next governor.
However, it seems that Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: Alabama, Bentley, Bob Riley, Cam Ward, Christmas, Ethics Commission, Gerald Dial, idiots, law, Mercedes-Benz, Republicans, Robert Bentley, Robert J. Bentley, teacher | 2 Comments »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wow!
Can you imagine it!?!
Here we are, on the twelfth day of the New Year!
January is almost half way over!
You know what that means…
Springtime is on its way!
And, as promised, today is the fourth of the weekday installments in our Ten Great Tips for 2011!
Let’s see that #4 is!
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Posted in - Uncategorized | Tagged: Burj Khalifa, business, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Classroom, Dialectical behavior therapy, Fireworks, holiday, holidays, New Year, New Year resolutions, New Year's Eve, Religion and Spirituality, Self-criticism | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Hi! Welcome back!
It’s good to see you again, this Tuesday morning!
We’re already eleven days into the New Year, and things are off to a great start!
Let’s take a look at our third of Ten Great Tips for 2011!
Here’s 3#!
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Posted in - Uncategorized | Tagged: Chinese New Year, Christmas, Classroom, Fireworks, holidays, New Year, New Year's Eve, New Year's resolution, Technology, YouTube | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, January 6, 2011
A dear, retired professor friend of mine shared something with me via e-mail recently, which made my day when I read it!
I’d like to share it with you… Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man?, - Uncategorized II | Tagged: Barcelona, Bologna, Canon law, Catholic Church, Christmas, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Gregory IX, Spain, University of Barcelona, Vatican Library | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, December 26, 2010
Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Uncategorized | Tagged: audio, audio post, Christmas, Dixie, iphone, phone, Post by Voice, snow, sound, Tennessee, TN, White, winter, wonderland | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, December 19, 2010
Merry Christ Mass. Or if you prefer… Merry Christmas!
Some assert that no Mass is needed, that perhaps the day of the celebration of the LORD’s birth should be called “Christ Day.”
However, an examination of the origin and derivation of the word – its etymology – reveals something entirely fascinating.
First, it should be understood that Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man? | Tagged: Christ, Christianity, Christmas, Commodus, faith, gospel, historical, history, Jesus, Latin, liturgy, religion, Roman Empire, Stromata, Tiberius, tradition | 2 Comments »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Saturday, December 18, 2010
Advent: Christ comes so the world may be shaken
As we enter the last few days before we rightly give our hearts over to the joy of Christmas, we might take a few minutes in prayer over two brief passages from the past about the meaning of Advent.
Here’s the first. The great Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote that:
“We have become so accustomed to the idea of divine love and of God’s coming at Christmas that we no longer feel Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man? | Tagged: Advent, Alfred Delp, Charles J. Chaput, Christ, Christianity, Christmas, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas, faith, God, holiness, Jesus, religion, theology | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, November 22, 2010
From our “Useless Junk Aimed at the Stupidly Über Wealthy” Department:
With “Black Friday” looming in a few days, it’s not too early to begin thinking about what you’ll get for that person whom “has everything”!
Perhaps you work …Click HERE to Continue toward Thanksgiving Turkey Land, or LaLa Land…
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Posted in - Even MORE Uncategorized!, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated | Tagged: aircraft, airplane car, automobile, Black Friday, car, Christmas, Dominican Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement, expensive, Federal Aviation Administration, flying car, gift, gift giving, gifting, GNP, Great Depression, Great Recession, junk, Light-sport aircraft, Multinational corporation, North American Free Trade Agreement, Option (finance), plane car, regifting, shopping, super car, Terrafugia, toy, United States, Visual flight rules, Wall Street, winged car | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Monday, December 28, 2009
“We wish you a Merry Christmas… and a Happy New Year!”
So ends the traditional holiday song heard by most this time of year.
However, do you know the other lyrics?
“Oh bring us some figgy pudding, Oh bring us some figgy pudding, Oh bring us some figgy pudding, and bring it out now!
“We won’t go until we get some, We won’t go until we get some, We won’t go until we get some, and get some right here!”
“Bring it out now,” and “We won’t go until we get some?”
Sounds to me like a blackmail threat.
Please!
Call 9-1-1 ! NOW!
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Uncategorized | Tagged: 9-1-1, 911, blackmail, cajole, caroling, cheer, Christmas, Christmas carol, Christmastime, figgy pudding, good cheer, Happy New Year, lyrics, Merry Christmas, music, song, terrorism, traditional, traditional holiday, We wish you a Merry Christmas | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, December 17, 2009
I sing in our parish choir. Though I’m a new member of the parish and choir, I’m not new to singing, having sung and been musical since a young child. As a matter of fact, I earned scholarship to attend university on the trumpet. So I definitely know my way around any musical rehearsal or activity.
Recently, we performed at “Santa’s Village,” a Christmas seasonal and decorative activity of Alabama’s Constitution Village in downtown Huntsville. As well, we’ve been “invited” to perform at “Bridge Street Town Centre,” a recently-constructed shopping center, er… excuse me, a “premier mixed-use lifestyle center,” adjacent Cummings Research Park.
Our choir director recently sent out an ‘oh, by the way…’ e-mail message stating in part that there was “some more info about… the release form that needs to be signed and returned” and that “you cannot perform without it.”
After browsing that SEVEN pages of corporate crap… I made the following observations and remarks.
- “Performers are responsible for ensuring that their audience does not block customer traffic, access to vendor stalls, or cause a safety hazard.”
Should we bring our own bouncers, too? (Y’all keep in line, ’cause introducing… “The St. Mary’s Bouncers!”)
- “Juggling knives, swords, sharp sticks or other objects deemed dangerous are strictly prohibited. All dangerous activity will be stopped. Failure to comply will result in a call to Huntsville Police Department and removal from the grounds.”
Dang! There goes crowd control!
- “Drinking of alcoholic beverages or performing while intoxicated or under the influence of controlled substances is prohibited.”
There goes having a beer with a sandwich, and wine with the meal.
- “All signage displaying the name of the act must be professionally made or computer generated. They cannot be handwritten.”
For years, painters have hand-written signs all over this town and America. Would it be acceptable for a computer to print a hand-written font… say, Comic Sans or Chalkboard, for example, be acceptable? And what about Chinese or Japanese? That ancient and classic form of writing is one of the world’s highest forms of calligraphic art which is done exclusively by hand.
- “I give permission to Bridge Street…. including… recordings or videos, without charge and without reservation, all or a portion of my story… I waive any rights…”
Nope. “Audemus jura nostra defendere.” It’s Alabama’s state motto, and means, “We dare defend our rights.” Women? Wanna give up that right to vote? Any non-white folks wanna’ voluntarily reduce themselves to the 1/3 person they were before Emancipation? Nope. I didn’t think so. I think I’ll keep my rights. Isn’t that what our troops are fighting for? Voluntary surrender our rights to some corporate mogul? I don’t think so.
- “… will indemnify, defend with counsel acceptable to… Wells Fargo Bank…”
Wait just a dog-gone minute. Didn’t I pay for their bail-out? And now you want me to have legal counsel “acceptable to…” you? I don’t think so! What’s next? Perhaps my choice of breakfast food is not acceptable. We private citizens accept responsibility. Why can’t corporations?
You know, I’m all for singing and having a good time – such as what we enjoyed at Constitution Hall Village – and we weren’t required to so anything but show up and sing.
This is not fun.
Count me out.
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Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know | Tagged: audience, Bridge Street, caroling, choir, Christmas, Christmas carol, corporate, crap, crowd, Cummings Research Park, hazard, holidays, legalese, music, performer, performing, release, responsibility, rights, safety, Santa, Santa's Village, seasonal, sing, stupidity | Leave a Comment »