Get Your Bill O'Reilly Ornament

in

Two iconic figures are trying to put the "Christ" back in "Christmas," but in two very different ways.

According to the AP, Pope "Eggs" Benedict said today that Christmas is polluted by consumerism (which it is). His solution: bring the Nativity scene back.

"Assembling the Nativity scene in the home can turn out to be a simple but effective way of presenting the faith to pass it on to one's children," Benedict said.

Bill O'Reilly, on the other hand, recognizes that:

  1. Christmas is already lost to consumerism
  2. American's economy needs Christmas to be recognized as a consumer holiday

O'Reilly is now asking stores to promote "Christmas sales," rather than "holiday sales," to place the Christmas brand back on the sales floor. After all, O'Reilly doesn't want Christmas to become a secular holiday, just like Benedict (except the Pope doesn't want to sell-out Christmas either).

O'Reilly's shenanigans aren't really about Christmas. He's waging a war against political correctness. While many politically correct terms are over-the-top, O'Reilly's missing the logic behind the language here.

The terms "holiday sales" or "happy holidays" aren't bashing Christmas. Kwanzaa, Chanukah and New Year's Day are also celebrated this time of year and need to be marketed for sales. Thus, instead of saying "Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Day Sale" we say "holiday sale." It rolls off the tongue a bit faster.

And here's the real kicker: While O'Reilly called out Target, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Sears and Costco for not using "Christmas" in their sales language, the Fox Shop offered the following "holiday" ornament:

The language was later changed to "The O'Reilly Factor Christmas Ornament." That reminds me, I need to go out a chop down a holiday tree. While I'm away, be sure to watch Jon Stewart's response to O'Reilly's criticism this week about a Daily Show Christmas spoof that aired last year.

Got Published Again in the Weekly

in

I'm achieving my extra-occupational (formerly extra-curricular) goals.

I have a new article published in the Bellingham Weekly. It's on page 19 with a jump to page 33. I am glad to be building rapport with the editor there. I need to keep pitching stories to the Weekly, with sights set on eventually pitching stories to regional publications - then, world domination!

Actually, I think signing up for an Italian language class at WCC is next. I don't want to get ahead of myself. I'll work on world domination later.

Down With the S.H.I.T.

in

"I am not afraid of execution," said S.H.I.T. (Saddam Hussein in Trial). That's probably a good thing because I think it's coming to him.

S.H.I.T. and his council, which includes former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, have argued that he cannot get a fair trial while Iraq is occupied by the U.S. I don't think the guy and get a fair trial anywhere and he shouldn't expect to. It's amazing that he can even stand trial. I don't recall any fair trials under his regime. I only seem to recall genocide.

There have been many critics, including myself, who have been quick to hold the U.S. accountable for its actions in war (see previous post). However, it is amazing (and honorable) that the U.S. let the guy live to stand trial - and now S.H.I.T. is complaining about it. Look at these quotes, courtesy of the AP:

"I am not afraid of execution," said Saddam, who then addressed the judge, saying, "I realize there is pressure on you and I regret that I have to confront one of my sons. But I'm not doing it for myself. I'm doing it for Iraq. I'm not defending myself. But I am defending you."

"When the revolution of the heroic arrives, you will be held accountable."

"This game must not continue, if you want Saddam Hussein's neck, you can have it! I have exercised my constitutional prerogatives after I had been the target of an armed attack."

What is up with S.H.I.T referring to himself in third-person in that last quote? I thought only rappers did that. Anyway, I'm quite sick of the guy complaining. He's lucky to be alive, and, regardless of when or where he stands trial, the verdict will be the same. His Michael Jackson-esque courtroom antics won't change the fact that justice will be served sooner than later.