Wanna bet if this were done by the dad two things would have happened: His name (and mugshot) would be all over the news, and he would have rot in jail.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11579355

Just saw this today. Not sure why it's weeks late.

"... this cultural moment when nickel-and-dime religious bigotry is held up as a brave and principled stand."

Bet she celebrates birthdays so some cultural moments are okay but others not so much.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/carolyn-hax-requiring-use-of-merry-christmas-is-the-cheap-bigotry-du-jour/2016/01/27/0ad22020-c12b-11e5-9443-7074c3645405_story.html?tid=pm_pop_b

I'm a Haxphile so I don't know how I missed this post too but I'm not seeing that she is against Christmas, birthdays or any other cultural moments.

One lady wanted to say Happy Holidays in a newsletter to include Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, and New Years and be inclusive but the president of the homeowners association said that it is the Christmas season and that she should write Merry Christmas instead. I agree with Carolyn and the letter writer - be inclusive when you know that you are addressing a diverse audience - and really the only people offended should be religious bigots that Want to exclude people because even Christians celebrate Christmas and New Years so they certainly aren't being excluded or asked to celebrate holidays that go against their Christian beliefs.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/01/29/venezuela-is-on-the-brink-of-a-complete-collapse/

Feel the Bern!

The question is which fails first: the government or the economy.

Jen, Point out to me where only those saying "Merry Christmas" were invited (as in who were "excluded").

Do the neighborhood 'birthday parties' take into account those who object to celebrating "birthdays"? I don't think so.

Christmas might be a fairly new cultural holiday but it has been accepted by a large number of people and since we are not "excluding" anyone from celebrating it welcome to the next "cultural" war.

We ain't going anywhere so see you next year.

Happy Birthday!

http://www.ibtimes.com/one-three-americans-had-their-health-records-breached-2015-hackers-follow-money-2281011

That's fantastic!

I'm sorry Bob but I'm just not understanding you today except that perhaps you feel strongly that we should all say Merry Christmas.

I've said Happy Holidays since I was a little girl - and often say Merry Christmas or Happy Chanukah too.

I would like everyone to feel blessed.

Merry Christmas!

And thank you! It really is my birthday!😘

Feel the Bern!

The question is which fails first: the government or the economy.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie at January 31, 2016 8:43 AM

It's amazing how many politicians (and economists) are apparently unaware of the implications of globalized economy and the ease of moving goods around the world via containerized shipping.

Back when shipping products across the ocean was done manually, it was prohibitively expensive. So, raising taxes or the cost of labor in one country had little effect as producers could not easily or cheaply offshore production. Producers had to suck it up. Making the product overseas with cheaper labor meant shipping it with expensive and unreliable systems (with high loss rates to damage and theft). Shipping in those days could make up 75% of the final consumer cost of an overseas-produced product, negating the advantage of producing it with cheaper labor overseas.

Today, with containerized freight, shipping works out to be less than 10% of the final consumer cost of an overseas-produced product.

A global economy means that high wages or taxes can drive producers to overseas manufacturing with few adverse consequences to the consumer price of the product and the business overall.

And, no, Trump's proposed protectionism is not the answer.

It's time our politicians (and our voters) got some solid economic lessons. And not from Karl Marx.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/communist-manifesto-among-top-three-books-assigned-in-college-2016-01-27

Interesting idea:

http://www.unz.com/runz/will-harvard-become-free-and-fair/

Rather low threshold, if you ask me:

http://pointsandfigures.com/2016/01/31/the-new-york-times-is-dumber-than-i-thought/

A heart-felt Happy Birthday Jen!

"... really the only people offended should be religious bigots that Want to exclude people because even Christians celebrate Christmas and New Years so they certainly aren't being excluded or asked to celebrate holidays that go against their Christian beliefs."

"... nickel-and-dime religious bigotry ..."

Using the phrase "Merry Christmas" is, not to my knowledge, a phrase used to exclude, hurt, or offend anyone. But many freely use the "bigot/bigotry" towards those of us that do say Merry Christmas.

So the gloves are off. I am not excluding anyone, saying something intended to hurtful, and so on.

I do not have to accept being called a bigot and will politely call BS on those that pick and choose what expressions are acceptable unless there is a good reason to do so.

Live and let live. Accept the greeting in the manner it was obviously intended. (Let me know when the calendars change "Christmas" to "Holiday".)

Bob, I see the disconnect. Do you feel better when someone says happy Chanukah to you or Merry Christmas? How do you feel when someone says happy Kwanza? You probably feel better when someone says Merry Christmas. Any friendly greeting is appreciated but if someone knows that you are a Christian and pointedly uses a greeting that doesn't include Christmas during the Yule season you just might think that they are sending you a message.

That may be how non-Christians feel when greeted with Merry Christmas.

Last one Jen and then we will wait until next Christmas (gasp! sorry! "Holidays") to continue.

You are over-thinking this.

As I said above, "Accept the greeting in the manner [as] it was obviously intended."

"... nickel-and-dime religious bigotry ..."

I do not like being called "bigot" for acknowledging the holiday for what it is. Check your calendar.

Insulting someone is juvenile and sometimes a juvenile needs to be called on being insulting.

(How do you feel about modern day animal sacrifice? Is it cruel? Should you prohibit it being done in the USA? If so why?)

Hope you had a nice birthday (for real).

and pointedly uses a greeting that doesn't include Christmas during the Yule season

And how does hearing Merry Christmas feel to all the descendants of the few people who celebrated Yule who managed to avoid slaughter by those christians?

By saying Merry Christmas you are endorsing genocide.

Now, you wanna keep whining about who has it worse when they are not greeted with a "proper" holiday greeting?

Lujlp,

You and Jen can keep polishing that turd but it won't turn into a diamond. Christmas in the US is a national holiday. It has next to nothing to do with Christianity. Was is Jesus who saved Frosty? I don't think so. Jesus gets saved from a blizzard by a magic raindeer who drinks too much? Not quite. Forcing people to say Happy Holidays is the passive aggressive way to be exclusionary while pretending to be inclusive.

If my internetz skillz were better I'd post a link to a mock Christmas card titled 'Putting the Christ back in Christmas' with Jesus buggering a rather shocked Santa.

You have to think of it like a game Ben, taking complaints like Jen's seriously would drive rational people to madness.

So just make an even more outrageous and convoluted reason to be upset with her position and drop it out there to see how she reacts

Love you guys!

The PC and "I need a trigger warning." crowds don't realize how simple-minded they are.

Naturally we should not celebrate "President's Day" 'cause you know they had slaves. "Flag Day" supports an imperialist nation. "MLK Day" appears to be not inclusive enough.

It's really funny except we've let them get away with it like ignoring little children being naughty.

So I think you will gradually see a hardening of senses and more calling 'em out.

If colleges and MSM wants to give them power so be it, but the woman that gives me crap for opening a door for her will get a "FU" as I go my way. Enough.

I am but a man Lujlp. Made of flesh and blood. There is only so much sanctimonious holier than thou BS I can take.

Sadly I've lost my Christ in Christmas card. Thankfully I still have the Season's Greetings from Chernobyl (Get your glow on!).

I wrote back and said our association comprises all homeowners, whether they be Christian, Jewish, African American, etc. It’s important to be welcoming and inclusive.

So, African-Americans don't celebrate Christmas?

Boy, Run DMC is gonna be so disappointed. No more chicken and collard greens in Hollis Queens. No more whole wide world filled with cheer.

And why is it important to be "welcoming and inclusive?" I find that if I'm welcoming and inclusive, people drop by and ask me for favors. If I'm aloof and distant, I don't have to drive them to the airport or help them move.

Sadly I've lost my Christ in Christmas card.

I used to have a sign that read

"NO TRESPASSING

Proselytizers will be persecuted"

Someone stole it

Prediction for 2/21/2021

Conan will point out that killjoy is one word instead of two and insist that this is in some sense indicative of a lack of understanding of the English language.

I will explain that the extra space was a typo and he will reject that explanation as disingenuous.