Merry Christmas!

The word "Christmas" literally means Christ's Mass, or the Mass (celebration) of Christ, and refers to the celebration of the Lord's Supper. "Christ" is a Greek word meaning anointed or one set apart by God for a special purpose; it is equivalent to the Hebrew word "Messiah." The Jewish people expected the arrival of the Messiah, promised by God, as a great deliverer of the people.

"Christmas" occurs nowhere in the Bible. The earliest recorded occurrence of the word is 1038 A.D. Christians at this time considered the Mass (Lord's Supper) to be the most important part of the celebration of Jesus' birth, so the celebration became known as Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

A Partridge in a Pear Tree!

In the song "Twelve Days of Christmas," the "partridge in a pear tree" is possibly symbolism for Jesus Christ, the ultimate gift, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25th.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Two Turtle Doves!

It has been suggested that in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas," the "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments. Together they bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and His creation of a people to tell the world the story of God.

There are several legends about the origin of Christmas trees. In regards to when they were first brought to the U.S., however, most likely that happened thanks to German immigrants around 1700. They became popular in the general population in the U.S. in the 1850s, when President Franklin Pierce arranged for the White House's first Christmas tree. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge established the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn.

Cats and Dogs

Poor pets, more unfortunate victims of the recession. Less people are adopting, more people are giving theirs away to pet shelters, and charity/government funding for shelters has dropped.

Three French Hens!

In the song "Twelve Days of Christmas," "3 French hens" possibly signifies the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love (see 1 Corinthians 13:13).

Four Calling Birds!

"Four calling birds" in the classic song could represent the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus.

Five Gold Rings!

It has been suggested that "Five gold rings" in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" song represents the first five books of the Bible (in the Old Testament): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books (also known as the Torah) gives the history of humanity's sinful failure, God's response, and his creation of a people to be a light to the world.

A Triple Brady Bunch

Incredible: this family has 18 kids...and they're not ready to stop yet! The mother has given birth every 18 months, on average, since she and her husband married. Apparently they're already on a TV show on TLC.

6 Geese A-Laying!

Most Americans have turkey (as well as stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, and pumpkin pie) for their Christmas meals. But turkey wasn't always the traditional meat for Christmas.

Many Christmas food customs in the U.S. come from those in the UK. In Medieval England, peacock or boar was the main course; turkey was later imported into the country and became the main course for the upper classes in the 1700s. But the goose was the traditional bird of choice through the 19th century, especially for the working classes -- hence the references in A Christmas Carol, in which Bob Cratchit's kids retrieve their Christmas goose from the baker because they didn't have an oven to roast it themselves. Today, the Christmas meal in the UK is usually roast turkey, goose, or chicken with stuffing, potatoes, and mince pies and Christmas pudding.

In the U.S., there is a variety of food traditions depending on state/region:

New England has Lumberjack Pie (mashed potato crust, filled with meats, onion, and cinnamon); the Pennsylvania Dutch serve Sand Tarts (thin, crisp sugar cookies); North Carolina has Moravian Love-Feast Buns (faintly sweet bread); Virginia has oyster and ham pie; Louisiana has Creole Gumbo; New Mexico has Empanaditas (small beef pies with pine nuts and raisins).

It has been suggested that the "6 geese a-laying" refers to the six days of creation that describes God as the Creator and Sustainer of the world (on the 7th day, he rested -- see Genesis 1).

NY Budget

Read here for information on the proposed budget for New York...besides potential layoffs and cuts to health care and schools, new taxes would apply to shopping, sporting events, alcohol and soda, movie tickets, and digital music downloads.

The Dangers of Sushi

Speed-the-Plow is doing well on Broadway, but one of its main actors, Jeremy Piven (of Entourage fame), is bowing out early. Apparently he has too much mercury in his system (6 times the normal level), for which Piven's sushi habit is to blame.
William H. Macy will be replacing him until the show ends its run in late February.

This Off-Broadway show is slated to begin on Broadway in March: Rock of Ages. Of note, it is beginning its Broadway run with discounted prices already in place.

7 Swans A-Swimming!

It wasn't until the 19th century that Christmas achieved the popularity it enjoys today. The way it is celebrated and the fanfare which with Americans greet it is due to efforts by such people as Washington Irving, Charles Dickens (author of A Christmas Carol), Thomas Nast, and Clement C. Moore (author of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ).

Irving's Knickerbocker's History of New York (1809) contained many references to a congenial St. Nicholas character that resembled an elf-like Dutchman with a clay pipe. He borrowed from the New Amsterdam (New York) St. Nicholas legends that said St. Nicholas went down chimneys to give out gifts.

Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (or "The Night Before Christmas" or "'Twas the Night Before Christmas") was first published anonymously in 1823. The Santa Claus figure we have known since the mid-nineteenth century to today is drawn largely from this poem (his physical appearance, mode of transportation, number and names of his reindeer, and the night of his visit). American ideas about St. Nick varied significantly around the country before this poem; the classic narrative also influenced ideas about him outside of the U.S.

Political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santas from 1863 to 1886 in Harper's Weekly, based on descriptions in Irving's and Moore's works (a fat, bearded Santa with fur clothing and a clay pipe). The name of the character also changed from St. Nicholas to Santa Claus (see how similar Santa Claus is to the German Sankt Niklaus and Dutch Sinterklaas).

In the U.S., the holiday first became popular in New York, and residents proclaimed St. Nicholas as the patron saint of the city. In the 1870's, it was declared a national holiday.

It has been suggested that in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas," the "7 swans a-swimming" represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit (prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion).

Also see Christmas in America, by Penne Restad, Oxford University Press, 1995.

8 Maids A-Milking!

Milk and cookies. A classic snack for kids after school, as well as for Santa on Christmas Eve. Oreos, chocolate chip, whatever kind you leave -- when's the last time you woke up on Christmas morning and the plate of cookies wasn't empty (barring a few crumbs, perhaps)? It's quite evident he loves them. But nowadays there's growing concern about Santa's waistline (see this British article about keeping the jolly old man fit) and whether he should be given the sugary treats. (He probably consumes at least several million while traveling around the world in one night.)

In our era of incessant lawsuits, it's never a bad thing to take necessary precautions against incurring a suit, even from Father Christmas himself. This is where the Christmas Cookie Liability Waiver comes in. Its various clauses offers legal protection in the event that Santa charges you didn't leave him healthier alternatives to the milk and cookies, or that you failed to tell him that your cookies have the potential to cause overeating or become habit-forming, or that you failed to list the nutritional information and ingredients, or that you didn't notify him that eating an excessive amount of the cookies could make him more overweight.

Find a copy of the liability and indemnification agreement, from the Center for Consumer Freedom, here:
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/downloads/pro/docs/041225_christmas.pdf

Make sure Santa signs it before he tucks into the milk and cookies you provide. Then again, maybe you should just leave him mince pie, rather than cookies, like they do in Britain. He'd probably get a kick out of that, too.

In the song, the "8 maids a-milking" could represent the 8 Beatitudes (see Matthew 5:3-10).

9 Ladies Dancing!

What is the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols? It's a format, invented in 1880 in the United Kingdom, for a type of Christian worship service commemorating Jesus' birth. It is typically used at Christmas. There are 9 Bible lessons, or readings (in which the story of humanity's fall, the promise of the Messiah, and Jesus' birth is proclaimed), and after each lesson are carols and hymns.

The most famous Nine Lessons and Carols occurs at King's College, Cambridge, on Christmas Eve, featuring the Choir of King's College. Broadcast annually, the service always includes the same lessons but varies the carols.

In the song, the "9 ladies dancing" could represent the nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) -- see Galatians 5:22.

Royal Penny-Pinchers

Today's 'Page 6' in the New York Post briefly describes Queen Elizabeth's financial plight. Her shocking measures for trimming expenses include conserving electricity (turning off lights in vacant parts of her palace), not letting food go to waste, and urging her relatives to be mindful of excess.

Apparently the issue of the Civil List -- the taxpayers' money that the Queen and her family (and staff) use for living expenses -- was broached back in September, according to various British news sources. Several members of the Public Accounts Committee said the royal family's Civil List (7.9 million pounds a year, or $16 million) shouldn't be raised during this time of financial hardship for households across the country, and that the Queen should live more frugally. And the fact that taxpayers support the royal family at all also remains controversial.

Acorn Paucity and Hyper Squirrels

CNN's article on the mysterious acorn shortage is here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/12/acorn.shortage/index.html?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail.

At first I thought she was joking, but my friend in Washington, D.C., was completely serious when she commented that the squirrels in her backyard lately have taken to "jumping about like acrobats and acting exceedingly and somewhat abnormally hyper." I live in a concrete jungle and rarely glimpse any sign of animal life besides pigeons and rodents, so I can't corroborate my friend's claim. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled while in Florida for this phenomenon.

Chapters 7 and 11

According to this New York Times article, bankruptcy filings in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut are increasing at a faster rate compared to other parts of the United States. Additionally, the NYC courts filed 36 percent more filings during 2008's 3rd quarter compared to the third quarter of 2007.

From the article: 'Bankruptcies among businesses are likely to continue piling up for months, said Michael P. Richman, chairman of the bankruptcy practice group in the Manhattan office of Foley & Lardner, a law firm.
"A lot of us in the profession believe that once we get through the Christmas and holiday shopping season, that there will be a literal wave of new Chapter 11 cases, largely in the retail arena,” Mr. Richman said. “We’re going to see a continued increase on a regular basis for a long period of time, a period of time that’s going to outlast the recession, I think, for years." '

10 Lords A-Leaping!

As noted in day 12's posting, in the Middle Ages the Christmas holiday (and other English Church Holy days, or holidays) turned into times of revelry and excessive drinking and feasting. Even after the Reformation the festivals were "Bacchanalian" Christmases in that they had ceased to be Christian holidays and instead were dominated by misrule and wanton behavior.

It was to this that the Puritans and Pilgrims in the first century of colonial life reacted so strongly, and in this context it is easy to see why they forbid that type of public celebration and for a time substituted former holidays with serious gatherings for Church and State matters. Also, they considered both Christmas and Easter holidays invented by man to memorialize Jesus, not prescribed in the Bible or celebrated by the early churches, and thus not proper Holy days.

[The Pilgrims: a small band of English who in 1620 sailed on the Mayflower and settled in Plymouth, MA. The Puritans: a much larger group of English, led by John Winthrop, who started the Massachusetts Bay Colony ten years after the Pilgrims arrived in the U.S. Both groups were English Protestants who wanted to purify the English Church by simplifying the creeds and ceremonies, maintaining strict religious discipline, and generally applying the principles of the Protestant Reformation.]

It has been suggested that the "10 lords a-leaping" from the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" represents the Biblical 10 Commandments.

(See Christmas in America, by Penne Restad, Oxford Univ. Press, 1995)

Ponzi Scheme

Read this article for an update on the damage caused by the fraudulent New York investor Bernard Madoff. Such high-profile names who invested with Madoff include Steven Spielburg, HSBC, and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Jolly Journeying

Read here for some tips for surviving while traveling this holiday season.

More and more airlines are charging for such essentials as checked luggage (sometimes the first bag), seats, and for making the reservation to begin with. Top that off with security screening delays, grumpy personnel at the gates, and delayed or canceled flights, and it's no wonder these tips were invented -- "flying day" just isn't that fun anymore.

After viewing these guidelines, I programmed my airline's phone number into my phone (in case of emergency rescheduling). But I'm not expecting the worst-case scenario because it's always best to have a positive outlook. In fact, after passing through the "expert" security screening lane, I'm looking forward to a hazard-free airplane flight. Here's wishing you a peaceful trip with no tussles in the midst of the general holiday bustle.

Minicattle, Moonvertising...

Click here for the New York Times Magazine's interactive feature called The 8th Annual Year in Ideas. Inventions and concepts are ordered from A to W (no, not Z).

Highlights: automated anesthesia (with minimal oversight, it also may make anesthesia safer for patients and cuts down on costs); the Bus-Wait Formula; Cold-Shoulder Science; Mahlangu Hand-Washer; Timesculpture; Two-Tier Teacher Contract; Wage Gap Divides Men Too.

11 Pipers Piping!

Ever wondered what "wassailing" meant, as in the song's line, "Here we go a-wassailing, among the leaves so green"? There are two types: the House-Visiting wassail and the Orchard-Visiting wassail. The House version, as the name suggests, was when people went door-to-door singing Christmas carols. The Orchard version refers to the practice in England when people used to sing to trees in apple orchards (in regions where they produced cider) in order to promote a bountiful harvest for the next year.

In the song "Twelve Days of Christmas," it has been suggested that the "11 pipers piping" refers to the 11 faithful apostles. The twelfth, Judas Iscariot, is not included because he betrayed Jesus to the Romans and religious leaders.

Twelve Days of Christmas

I'm starting my official countdown for Christmas today. I am particularly looking forward to decorating the tree and to caroling with my family (yes, family, you must participate--there will be no evasion this year). And I'm also eagerly anticipating a climate where one doesn't have to be anxious about the possibility of snow. You can tell I'm not a Northerner at heart.

As for the countdown, each day I'll be posting something Christmas-related to enhance the Christmas spirit (that seems to be diminished around here this year). And I promise it won't be flimsy like advice not to bother seeing Four Christmases in the theater (it has some funny moments but overall isn't that amusing, although it is better than Vince Vaughn's Christmas film last year, Fred Claus). That tidbit was just a freebie.

Starting backwards, from Day 12, since there are twelve more days until Christmas:

The "Twelve Days of Christmas" do not refer to the days preceding December 25, but the days following Christmas. They begin the evening of Christmas Day and end the morning of January 6. The period is also referred to as Christmastide or Yuletide (remember that word from "Deck the Halls"?). The twelve days count the time from the birth of Christ (celebrated on Christmas, Dec. 25) to the coming of the Magi, or Wise Men (on Twelfth Day, Jan. 6).

Christmastide was a time of feasting and celebrating in the medieval ages. The last night, the Twelfth Night (Jan. 5), was the merriest because it signaled the end of the Christmas season. Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night refers to this custom.

The song "Twelve Days of Christmas" is considered an English carol but may actually be French in origin. Although it's debated, some have suggested the song includes references to the basic teachings of Christianity, with each day containing a teaching. The "true love" is God Himself, and the "me" who receives the presents is every baptized person who is part of the Christian Faith. The "twelve drummers drumming" on the 12th Day represents the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed.

YouTube Partners

Spending lots of your time on YouTube can pay off. Literally. Read the New York Times article on how some devotees ("YouTube partners") have earned thousands of dollars and fans alike, thanks to embedded advertising in the online content.

On another note, Google, the owner of YouTube, has found it difficult to make a profit from the site. The article explains that most videos are posted by anonymous users who may not own the copyrights to the content they upload, and Google has been "wary of placing advertisements against content without explicit permission from the owners." Google bought the site for $1.65 billion several years ago, and they make money by selling advertisements next to the videos on the site. Posting videos is free.

Cria = Baby Alpaca

Hankering to see baby animals but can't get to the zoo? The Web site ZooBorns has your fix! There are hundreds of adorable pictures on here for all kinds of animals, from ferrets and red pandas to wallabies and gorillas.

You can sort images by animal or by zoo/aquarium. The site is regularly updated to report baby animal births from around the U.S. (see the gorilla, I mean infant, reported in the Dec. 12 posting). And you can also learn what certain animals are called when they're babies. [Partridge = cheeper; platypus = puggle]

Click here: www.zooborns.com/zooborns.

In other news regarding the animal kingdom, there's a new study in Science showing that elephants in zoos live shorter lives than their counterparts in the wild and that bringing elephants into zoos "impairs their viability." (There's stress, obesity, diseases...just like with humans.) But other experts are criticizing the results. Read the New York Times piece here.

Etymology

Etymology is the study of word origins. Today I'm looking at the term "lame duck"; example given, President Bush is a "lame duck" because his term is ending shortly. It's a common term in political discourse these days, as everyone knows. But "lame duck" doesn't have a political or American origin. Rather, it is from the London Stock Market, and it indicated investors who had no assets and could not pay their debts.

This summary from a very helpful etymology Web site (www.phrases.org.uk) notes some of the earliest written mentions of the term, from the 18th century. During that same time period, the terms "bull market" and "bear market," which we still use today, existed; but now "lame duck" is rarely used in the stock trading context and has been adapted for the political landscape.

Newsweeklies

Newsweek magazine is making significant changes, according to the WSJ, to accommodate the economic and cultural climate: slashing its 2.6 million circulation by 1 million (this reduces printing and delivery costs, as well as playing toward its new "elite" image), laying off staff, adding more photos and more controversial stories (rather than straight news) to the magazine, and putting more original content on their Web site (because many readers go to the Web rather than print for their news). The number two newsweekly (after Time magazine) has also lost a great deal of advertising this year; all across the board, of course, advertisers are paying less for ads and ad sales are down.

As for the increasing provocative content, here's a paragraph from the WSJ article:

"This week's cover story, "The Religious Case for Gay Marriage," is a case in point. The story spawned an organized campaign to get readers to cancel their subscriptions and elicited so many angry emails that Newsweek Chief Executive Tom Ascheim had to open a new email account to handle the added volume, a company spokesman said."

As for Time, they will no longer be publishing their Canadian edition after Dec. 2008. The Canadian edition, which has been published for over 65 years, has mostly included U.S. and international editorial content since the 1970s.

Read this article on the decline of perks at Time, Inc.

And lastly, here's an article on poor newspapers.

Joyeux Noel in NYC

One of my favorite and most gratifying traditions when in New York during the short interval between Thanksgiving and Christmas is visiting the Christmas tree at the Metropolitan Museum (see picture I managed to snap while the hyper-vigilant security guard had his eyes turned--no flash). The "Angel Tree" is exactly the same year after year, and that’s an excellent thing because personally I could never get tired of feasting my eyes on the gorgeous sight. There are dozens and dozens of brightly painted, exquisitely carved antique figurines on the tree and around the base of the tree (terra cotta heads, wooden bodies, according to the Met.'s official book on the subject). Flying about the leaves are angels and cherubs. At the bottom of the tree and in the middle is the Nativity scene; around the rest of the tree's base is a hodgepodge of miniature characters from all walks of life (peasants and Arab traders and royalty) and animals. It is an immensely peaceful experience to be in the wonderful and captivating Christmas tree's presence.

Another favorite expedition that doesn’t fail to get me in a festive mood is attending the holiday markets. These fairs are scattered around the city — Bryant Park, Union Square, Columbus Circle, and Grand Central Holiday Fair in Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal — although I prefer Union Square’s and Bryant Park’s colorful booths because of their better selection of wares and their proximity to my residence.

The high-quality holiday markets in NY offer items not found in stores; oftentimes the vendor is a local artisan (maybe with an online business) who may not even have a business card. But despite lacking a card and a brand name, these artists know how to make unique and tasteful products. (These aren’t boring street fairs, like the summer street fairs in NYC, where it’s the same rubbish from stall to stall and the most exciting deal is cheap socks.)

At the holiday markets, vendors display leather-bound journals and leather bags, hand puppets and marionettes (including marionette hanging tree ornaments), aromatic soaps and lotions, jewelry dress stands, glass-blown tree ornaments, novelty candles (with fruit, flowers, and figurines suspended inside), winter hats, pottery, precious jewel-encrusted belts, paper lanterns, children’s clothing, and lots and lots of jewelry. Oh, and even hanging sculptures of Green Men (my favorite booth this year). Gifts range in price for those with a tight budget to hefty spenders.

Go here for info. on locations, dates, and times for 2008.

Online Magazines

Google recently announced its venture to digitize the entire Life magazine archives. Now it is digitizing numerous magazines (articles and photos). Just go to Google Book Search: http://books.google.com/

(About 7 million books, full texts, are also at Google Book Search.)

Happily Ever After on ABC

A show named Fables will be on TV in the near future, according to this article. The fairy tale and folklore characters will be residing in modern New York. But rather than a comedy, this ABC show is set to be a drama. Hopefully Fables, which is based on a comic book, will have more success than many of the new shows that aired (and have already been axed) on various networks this season.

Tough Times

Possibly the "most severe" downturn since the end of WWII?
This New York Times article talks about how it will take at least 6 more months of hard times before the economy stabilizes again, noting that "a similar pattern occurred in the other great postwar recession, in 1974..."

A smidgen from the article:

"Some economists predict that the economy could lose as many jobs in the first six months of 2009 as the entirety of 2008. Nearly two million jobs have been lost since the start of the recession last year, two-thirds of them since September. Still, some forecasters say the pessimistic talk may be overblown, and possibly a problem in itself."

Chris Varvares, president of Macroeconomic Advisors, comments in the article, “The numbers are giving us a darker view than is actually the case." He continues, “There is such a thing as self-fulfilling prophecy."

A government stimulus package, which many assume will be helpful because it may create jobs and stimulate spending, is expected to be announced in the first or second month of 2009 after Obama takes office.

Sensational Great White Way

Here’s an update about the current state of Broadway.

While it’s true that many shows are closing soon, and some prematurely, it’s not true that 75% of Broadway will be closed this month or in January, a rumor that Cloris Leachman started a few weeks ago when she apparently said that on Dancing with the Stars.

For one thing, new shows will continue to be opening, despite the current economy, so there will still be many shows available come 2009.

Also, it’s not unusual for shows to be ending their runs in Dec. or January. The holiday season is usually a robust time. Typically ticket sales are considerably slower right after the New Year during the blisteringly cold, quiet winter months of January and February, and since it’s a matter of expenses outweighing income, some shows need to close.

Of course the current economic climate has had a great deal to do with lackluster sales for some shows and premature closings for other shows. Some shows are ending when they had planned to (if they had a “limited engagement” rather than “open run” and were only being shown for a few months), but rather than choose to extend their release and re-sign their talent or hire new replacements (which can happen in better economic times), they are shuttering right on schedule. It takes a great deal of capital to produce a show (which is why more than one producer or investor is involved), and even during non-recession times, it’s difficult to make a return on the initial investment and actually not lose money. In fact, according to this article, 80% of shows don’t recoup their investment!

So the feat of recouping their initial investment has enabled some shows, such as Boeing-Boeing and All My Sons, to end in January as scheduled but also to “end on a high note rather than forge through the challenges of January and February in a weak economy,” Playbill reported.

Fewer people are attending the theater because fewer people want to spend $110 or more on a ticket (especially when they can see a film for $10). I recently walked by the Times Square TKTS booth — everyday it offers discounted tickets to Broadway and off-Broadway shows (typically 25% or 50% off) for same-day performances — and was surprised to see the high number of shows and some of their discounts listed on the marquee. Typically newer shows don’t make the TKTS marquee, but instead older shows with middling sales so that the theater will be filled up; so that’s why I was at first surprised when I saw Shrek and Equus (which both just came out) up there. Equus tickets were already being sold for 50% off.

Here are the ones slated to close in early January as of now: Young Frankenstein, Boeing-Boeing, 13, Spring Awakening, Hairspray, Grease, and Spamalot. Some like Young Frankenstein and Boeing-Boeing have plans for national tours. Hairspray and Spamalot have had much longer runs than Young Frankenstein (one of the most exorbitant productions in recent Broadway history), but all three are splashy musicals and popular among tourists (and prematurely closing). Yet compared to Wicked and Jersey Boys, these shows only have middling sales (they are always at TKTS and being marketed with discounts) and it’s become too difficult for them to survive in the current economy.

Here are some shows scheduled to open in February and March 2009: Guys and Dolls (previews start on Feb. 3 and it opens on March 1); Blithe Spirit, starring Rupert Everett and Angela Lansbury, beginning Feb. 26; 9 to 5 (previews from April 7, open-ended run begins April 30), with Allison Janney; Mary Stuart (previews from March 30, open-ended run starts April 19); Vanities, A New Musical; Dividing the Estate (runs November 20 to January 4); Hedda Gabler (previews from January 9, runs January 25 to March 29), with Mary-Louise Parker; and maybe, just maybe, a Flintstones musical in the future!

Go here for a complete list: http://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/whatson/closing.htm
And here for Playbill's inside track:
http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/80060.html

Modern Grinches

A sign denouncing religion as myth and superstition that "hardens hearts and enslaves minds" was removed from in front of the Legislative Building in Olympia, Washington, in less than the one hour it had been sitting there. It was later found in a ditch.

According to a CNN article, the Freedom From Religion Foundation erected the sign in order to exercise their rights to freedom of speech and religion. Foundation co-founder Dan Barker (ironically a former evangelical preacher) said the sign is also a "signal of protest," because "if there can be a Nativity scene saying that we are all going to hell if we don't bow down to Jesus, we should be at the table to share our views."

He continued in the article: "Most people think December is for Christians and view our signs as an intrusion, when actually it's the other way around," he said. "People have been celebrating the winter solstice long before Christmas. We see Christianity as the intruder, trying to steal the holiday from all of us humans."

The article includes Christian Coalition of America president Roberta Combs' comment: "Although a number of humanists and atheists continue to attempt to rid God and Christmas from the public square, the American people are overwhelmingly opposed to such efforts."

Hopefully that truly is the case and opposition to both anti-religion and anti-Christmas campaigns continues.

Amsterdam Gone to Pot

Amsterdam is closing many of its "coffee shops" or marijuana cafes, sex shops, and brothels in its city center in order to clean up the increasing organized crime taking place there. According to the CNN article, such businesses that "generate criminality" will be affected, like peep shows, massage parlors, gambling parlors, and souvenir shops that drug dealers use for money-laundering.

The city's move strikes me as amusing — as does a city council member’s comment that the change “will be more in line with our image as a tolerant and crazy place, rather than a free zone for criminals.” It really shouldn't be shocking or profound that such city-wide tolerance for prostitution, marijuana cafes, etc., encouraged and harbored crime. Why wouldn't criminals be drawn to a place where certain actions deemed crimes in most places are not illegal in Amsterdam? These things are illegal in other countries not just because they are detrimental to individuals and society but because making them legal opens the doors to a flood of more problems. Who’s going to notice shady dealings against a backdrop of general shadiness?

So how bad is the crime there? I browsed online for some information and discovered a 2007 Dutch article claiming that Amsterdam is the second most criminal town in the Netherlands but also the most attractive city in the country to live in, according to the Foundation Atlas for Municipalities. High rates of poverty and tourists contribute to the crime level, as does a “revenge-war amongst top criminals” that has led to multiple deaths.

This Dutch site’s headline is, “If you think Amsterdam is safe, then think again!” It notes that there is scant information about crime in the city made available for the public, and that in turn lends a false sense of security. The site warns that there is a shortage of policemen, and that street robberies have increased in quantity and in violent nature.

A New York Times article in Feb. 2008 explains that the “city council has voted to clean up the historic but notorious district, which has become bloated with expanding sleaze” and that “there is new evidence that criminal gangs, including East Europeans and Russians, have encroached on the area, making it meaner, more violent and more in the grip of the underworld of international sex traffickers.”

From Amsterdam’s perspective, of course, their problem is not with the prostitution and marijuana but the violence and organized crime including money laundering, murder, and sex trafficking — so they’re still allowing prostitution (but only in two areas in the district) and some “coffee shops” in order to maintain Amsterdam’s tolerant reputation. But what they’re missing is that this tolerated activity helped bring about the other crime they’re denouncing, so even if the organized crime is removed now, what’s to prevent it from returning? A simple reduction in prostitution and marijuana cafes is not going to deter crime in the long haul.

The city is planning to spend over $40 million on swanky hotels, restaurants, and art galleries to refurbish its image so that visitors won’t be embarrassed to visit the city center. If it’s true there is a dire need for more policemen already, surely the city needs to address this issue by hiring and training police before the city upgrade begins and more tourists arrive. And more tourists could lead to more crime if the police aren’t capable of curbing it.

Lastly, note that prostitution is legal there, but marijuana is technically illegal in the Netherlands. Before reading this article I’d been under the general impression that it is legal. The reality is that smokers aren’t prosecuted for possession of small amounts and that it’s sold openly in “coffee shops.”

NY Times Book Reviews

The New York Times regularly runs book reviews, and two recent reviews caught my attention (the first two listings below). The newspaper also has recently debuted a list of outstanding books for 2008, and I've listed the ones that struck me as appealing below (marked as on the New York Times list).

HAVE YOU SEEN . . .?” A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films; By David Thomson

The opening lines of the New York Times review sufficiently hooked and persuaded me to read the book in the near future: “It was with equal parts awe and exasperation that I read David Thomson’s latest book, a slab called “ ‘Have You Seen . . .?’: A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films.” Awe? Absolutely. Like people who run for president or build entire homes only out of discarded bottles or cans, Thomson has set himself an almost ludicrous task and pulled it off: he has written a volume of 1,000 short essays, each 500 or so words long and devoted to a single film, which in sum constitute both a de facto history of the art form and a snob-­friendly, intellectually luxe consumer guide, though the word “guide” almost devalues this passionate, illuminating, rich and eccentric book.”

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS: How Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits
By Les Standiford

Read the New York Times review here.

DEAR AMERICAN AIRLINES; By Jonathan Miles.

The review starts off with: “Jonathan Miles’s fine first novel takes the form of a letter to the titular air carrier, which has stranded Benjamin R. Ford, the book’s middle-aged protagonist, in O’Hare Airport on the way to his estranged daughter’s wedding.”
Ranked on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2008.

A MOST WANTED MAN; By John le Carré

The most recent novel from the prolific master of spy fiction (who was once a spy himself). At 76, the New York Times alleges, le Carré “is still sharp, still fizzing with ideas, and fueled by a new righteous fury.”

Read the New York Times book review here. Ranked on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2008.

DESCARTES’ BONES: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason; By Russell Shorto

From the review: “As it turns out, the skull of the philosopher was separated mysteriously, at an early date, from the rest of his bones. This macabre fact provides Shorto with the makings of a detective story but also with an irresistible metaphor. Descartes’s chief contribution to modern science and philosophy was his radical focus on epistemology, on defining the boundaries of what we are capable of knowing with certainty.” Ranked on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2008.

A SECULAR AGE; By Charles Taylor.

From the review: “Taylor seeks to prove that God is still very much present in the world, if only we look at the right places and allow the mind to open itself to moral inquiry and aesthetic sensibility rather than traditional theology as the gateway to religion.” Ranked on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2008.

Quirky Personalized Gifts

Are you eager to get your own Bobblehead like Dwight from The Office? Or maybe you know of someone who would appreciate one for Christmas? Go to this site for a company that creates customized Bobbleheads: http://www.webobble.com/.

If you're shopping for different kinds of personalized gifts, here are other sites:
M&M's (http://www.mymms.com/customprint/);
Keds shoes (http://www.keds.com/text/kedsstudio/?kwid=G_Customized_Keds);
Fortune Cookies (http://www.customfortunecookies.com/);
Jigsaw Photo Puzzles (http://www.positivelypuzzled.com/);
Jones Soda (http://www.myjones.com/); and
Postage (http://www.usps.com/postagesolutions/customizedpostage.htm)

Media Losses

I’ve posted previously about how magazines and newspapers are folding and cutting jobs. New developments: Newsday is cutting 5 percent of its workforce, or around 27 positions, and trimming its freelance budget. The New York edition of Time Out is for sale (price of up to $40 million) because investors want to generate profit on their 13-year investment. The New York edition is supposedly more successful than the original London title, founded in 1968.

The reorganizations, closings, resignations, and layoffs have extended to the book publishing business, as well — although book sales for the year are actually slightly up, retail sales in Oct. and Nov. had weakened significantly and industry leaders are calling this the “worst retailing environment in memory,” according to a New York Times article.

An update: layoffs at Simon & Schuster and at Thomas Nelson; a freeze on raises at Pearson (part of Penguin); delay of pay increases at HarperCollins; at Random House, pensions for existing employees are frozen and no longer offered to newcomers, the Bantam and Doubleday divisions were shuttered and their imprints were redistributed to other divisions, and several other imprints at the company are merging; and layoffs at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which recently ceased publishing any new authors and purchasing any new books.

Regarding TV networks, NBC has laid off 500 workers, and CNN also dismantled its science, space, environment, and technology unit in Atlanta and laid off producers (including long-time correspondent Miles O'Brien). It will be integrated into other broadcasts.

Read Business Week’s article on media predictions for 2009.

HuffPo on Exhaustion

I have to admit I was just a little surprised to actually enjoy and agree with an article in the Huffington Post, particularly one written by founder Arianna Huffington -- that's probably because the HuffPo was so liberally biased regarding the recent election and it's liberal to begin with; and because of the less-than-flattering profile I read of Arianna in the New Yorker magazine -- but nevertheless, I did like Arianna's "Rendell, Napolitano, and Exaltation of Exhaustion" piece today.

For background info.: Ed Rendell (D-Penn.) took heat and later apologized for his comments about Janet Napolitano (D-Ariz.).
Arianna explained the fallacy underlying Ed Rendell's assessment that Janet Napolitano is a "perfect" choice as the Homeland Security Secretary because Napolitano doesn't have a life or family, and can work 20 hours a day.

"But I do think it is emblematic of a pervasive misperception in America: the idea that to be a success you have to drive yourself into the ground, and that making work the be-all and end-all of your life is a good thing...
"The prevailing culture tells us that nothing succeeds like excess, that working 80 hours a week is better than working 70, that being plugged in 24/7 is expected, and that sleeping less and multi-tasking more are an express elevator to the top."

Of course there are always tradeoffs when holding high-stress jobs. But as Arianna rightly points out, people are happier, physically healthier, and more productive when not chained to their desk day in and day out and when they have balance in their lives. She also notes that contrary to the perception Rendell created, Napolitano actually does have interests outside of work.

"To be Governor and to do your job well," said Rendell, "you can't have a life."

Arianna concludes: "I beg to differ. To be Governor and do your job well, you have to bring more balance to your life -- learn to unplug and recharge. Judgment and wisdom are more than ever what is needed in our leaders, and round-the-clock stress and exhaustion is conducive to neither."

Film Locations

This article from Budget Travel explains where some of the popular 2008 movies (including The Other Boleyn Girl, Prince Caspian, Get Smart, Sex and the City) were filmed and also suggests similar entertaining and aesthetic locations to explore. http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2008/11/03/AR2008110302173.html?wpisrc=newsletter

Book Fair

If in NY this weekend, here's something you may want to attend: the 2008 Independent and Small Press Book Fair, to be held at the General Society building (20 W. 44th Street between 5 and 6 Ave.). Numerous (over 150) independent book publishers will be displaying their products, and writers and publishers will be hosting free lectures and readings.

These programs include How to Publish Your Own Book with Ellen Lupton; How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye with Katharine Sands; The Art of the Memoir: How to Tell and Sell your Life Story with David Henry Sterry; a Literary Trivia Smackdown, and panels on the Future of Publishing.

During troubling times for books, independent and small presses are surviving by following alternative publishing models, such as promoting limited editions (treating books as collectible objects) and making digital books more interactive.

Admission to the fair is free. Hours: Saturday, December 6, 10-6 PM; and Sunday, December 7, 11-5 PM. Visit www.nycip.org/bookfair for more information.

FDA News

More people than ever search online for health information these days. In acknowledgment, the FDA has partnered with the popular health site WebMD.com in an effort to broaden consumers' access to FDA news. Since an estimated 50 million people visit WebMD.com each month, it's an ideal way for the FDA to reach consumers (who wouldn't necessarily visit the separate FDA.gov site for additional information).

On www.webmd.com/fda, a new online consumer resource, visitors to WebMD.com can learn about FDA-approved products (food, medicine, cosmetics), how to report safety problems with these products, and link to the FDA consumer Web page for timely consumer update articles (www.fda.gov/consumer). These update articles will be regular features in WebMD.com's bi-monthly magazine, which is distributed to physician offices nationally and reaches nearly nine million people.

Not Invincible

Even the almighty Google is responding to the current economic downturn by shedding workers, reducing hiring, tightening budgets, curbing employee pet projects, and trimming the notoriously generous amount of perks it offers to employees. These multiple perks include free physician care, free meals, laundry facilities, volleyball courts, and subsidized personal trainers. In the New York office, Google has recently cut back on the hours its free food service is open, and dispensed with the traditional afternoon tea. (Are we on a cruise ship?) Darn, now I'll never know how a Google tea party compares with one at Alice's Tea Cup!

Of course, not all of Google's slower revenue growth this year is purely a result of the recession. Just as with other companies, rapid growth isn't infinitely sustainable and has to reach a peak at some point, and revenue has been falling for a few years anyway. There's also more competition for the world's most popular search engine. According to the WSJ, Google's boom years were mainly coming from sales of search ads, the small text ads that are displayed next to search results.

Engineers were previously allowed to spend 20% of their time pursuing pet projects in order to develop new products that would reduce Google's reliance on selling these ads associated with online searches. But many of Google's new products haven't generated significant revenue and so the search ads still make up the bulk of their revenue. This failure to find other revenue sources -- and the weaker online advertiser spending that is affecting all media -- have Google heads concerned and shifting towards stricter management policies. Read more here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122826503489174369.html?mod=testMod.