Monthly Archive: December 2013
The Virtual Musical Advent Calendar, December 24: Silent Night
My favorite rendition of Silent Night is the one sung by my mother.
Miracles of Great Silence: Christmas, Francis, Right and Left
A Christmas message concerning Pope Francis, political tribalism, and the coming year.
Yuletide Tuesday questions, Hallmark edition
You don’t even want to know how many day planners I bought and barely used.
The Virtual Musical Advent Calendar, December 23: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Our last three days of this Advent Calendar will be closing out over the next three days, as we celebrate Christmas Eve, Christmas and St. Stephens Day in quick succession. This is therefore our last “regular day,” and I thought I’d post a few songs that I associate with the Episcopal church my parents, wife, and son have called home.
Monday Trivia, No. 145 [Mark Thompson wins!]
A dramatic comparison between objective and per-capita listings for this weeks’ puzzle.
Russia Takes Another Step On A Long Road
Two punk rock artists are released from a prison in Siberia. Do we still care? Burt Likko thinks we should.
This, a Thousand Times This
Ken White explains perfectly why it is a disservice to the concept of free speech to attempt to case the Duck Dynasty brouhaha as a free speech issue, even if other values suggest that...
The Virtual Musical Advent Calendar, December 22: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Has there ever been a more ironically titled Christmas song than Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas? So saccharine is the promise of the phrase “merry little Christmas” that it was not until I was an adult that I realized how achingly sad its message truly is.
Jews and the Paradox of a Secular Christmas
New Dealer looks at his complicated relationship with the holiday that is both secular and not so secular.
Thanks, Obama
Yesterday our flight was delayed for about an hour and a half. Then, once on the tarmac and runway, we were out there waiting for another hour. It was hot, it was uncomfortable. We...
The Virtual Musical Advent Calendar, December 20: Good King Wenceslas
More than any other Christmas song, Good King Wenceslas is a mutt of an endeavor. Unlike other carols of more straightforward lineage, John Mason Neale’s classic is practically duct taped together.
In Defense of Duck Dynasty
Duck Dynasty is just one chapter in a long story about a family and the larger community they represent. Why Duck Dynasty matters and why the latest controversy about Phil Robertson’s comments should be taken in context.
The Virtual Musical Advent Calendar, December 20: Angels We Have Heard on High
Three very different versions of the classic French carol.
