Therapy, Comedy Rolled Into One

Seinfeld's back on TV! This time, however, he'll be in a reality series.

Higgins

Higgins likes Little House on the Prairie and grapes and ice cream. He's also a baboon.

Broadway Boulevard

Mayor Bloomberg plans to close part of Broadway to vehicle traffic in an experiment to start around May and last through the year; it may become permanent if it reduces traffic congestion and improves general traffic flow. As a result, parts of Times Square and Herald Square will become "pedestrian malls" replete with tables, chairs, and flora.

Tropicana

The unappealing design on the Tropicana orange juice boxes (that was around for seemingly only 30 seconds) was trashed by the company after so many people complained. The beloved 'orange with a straw stuck into it' image is back and gracing cartons all over the world.

Music, Dolls, Clowns, Art

I've neglected to post about entertainment sources I've enjoyed over the past month. Here are some highlights.


In January I went to the Big Apple Circus. It's a small circus, but has acrobats, jugglers (twin jugglers!), clowns (of course), horses, trained dogs, trapeze artists, and a man who pretends to be a music box figurine. It's a shame there weren't any elephants or fire-breathers or clowns being shot from cannons. However, it was an entertaining show anyways, and since it travels around the U.S., you can potentially see it yourself even if you're not in NYC.


Music in the Air, a musical from the 1930s that was revived at the City Center in NYC, ran for a very short time in early February, but a friend and I managed to see it. Here is the official site. It's a shame the musical is not staged more often today, as the plot was cute with witty dialogue, the costumes and scenery were bright and vivid, and the music was jovial and well-sung. Kristin Chenoweth, Douglas Sills, and Marni Nixon (who dubbed the singing voices of the actresses starring in My Fair Lady, The King and I, and West Side Story) were among the major stars.


A friend and I went to see these guys do standup/improv comedy at the PIT: "Dave and Ethan." Their comedy is built around their double dating episodes (which they film and post on YouTube). They both played up their disparate personalities -- as one's an aggressive dater and one's more of a gentleman -- and sang to the audience, and it was a fun show.


At the Morgan Library, one of the current exhibitions (through May 24) is called "On the Money: Cartoons from the New Yorker." There are dozens of cartoons displayed (all relating to money) from the earliest years of the magazine through the present day. It's a pleasure to see how each cartoon (and caption) reflects the attitudes and concerns of the particular time period in which it was drawn. Overall, our cultural attitude hasn't shifted that much -- money always was and continues to be important to our society. But the particular scenes chosen by the artist and the particular jokes evoked from the scenes are interesting because when matched to their date of execution, they shed light upon our nation's collective conscious and its nuanced variations over the decades.


Just recently I went to the Ziegfeld Theater on 54th St. to see Coraline 3D. (The Ziegfeld is a luxurious, single-screen movie house that fits 1,200 people. Although it was opened in 1969, its grandiosity and decor makes me think of movie houses even before that date. It's named for Florenz Ziegfeld, famous for his Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway.)
You can see the film without it being in 3D, but if your local theater offers it in 3D, you should take advantage of it because the extra dimension really enhances the film. I hadn't seen any films in 3D since I was around 10 or 12. There weren't a great deal of objects suddenly catapulting from the screen towards you, like in an action/adventure movie involving falling boulders and venomous snakes, but the 3D was a great choice for this particular film anyway because it was animated (the characters were all puppets) -- so the characters appeared more alive and 'real.'

Homeowner Stability

About.com's description of Obama's initiative to stop foreclosures.

When Tax Evasion Isn't Criminal

Swiss Bank UBS admitted to defrauding the IRS. It will be paying hundreds of millions and disclosing the names of certain Americans deemed suspects of tax evasion to settle a federal investigation. From the NY Times:
"UBS had fiercely resisted turning over the names, even after some executives were indicted and implicated in the offshore private banking business. Swiss law distinguishes broadly between tax avoidance, tax evasion and tax fraud. Unlike in the United States, tax evasion is not a criminal offense under Swiss law." (emphasis added)

Happy Valentine's Day!

NY Fashion Week

...to change location...
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/02/fashion_week_finally_has_a_new.html

Stem Cells Reverse MS

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4387326/Multiple-sclerosis-symptoms-can-be-reversed-by-stem-cell-treatment.html

Embryonic Stem Cell Study

Read Geron's press release about the first study of a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy in humans!

Chia

For the truly Obama-crazed:

Chia-Obama

2008 in Archeology

A round-up from National Geographic Online: the top archeological discoveries in 2008.

Inca skull surgeons

Royal accessories and weapons (likely) belonging to Alexander the Great

Unknown culture in Mexico

Stonehenge declared a cemetery

Mayan underworld

Ex-Presidents

How quickly we forget.

Approval ratings for ex-presidents have improved since the officials left office, according to this article. Both Carter and Bush, Sr., are viewed more favorably these days... This makes sense for several reasons. For one thing, many Americans aren't old enough to remember what it was like to live under those presidents.

For another, we're in the middle (or beginning) of a deep economic downturn and we're involved in wars overseas, to mention a few major issues troubling consciences today; even if these crises aren't really as bad as the crises facing Americans years ago, people today don't recall those past crises as vividly as they worry about what's occupying us in the present. George W. Bush's rating is so low currently, that many feel whoever preceded him must have done a better job. After all, humans are nostalgic -- our minds will enhance past memories, and oftentimes a particular memory we think about so longingly was really not as idyllic as we now think.

2009!

Happy New Year! It's the last year in the first decade of 2000.
More posts to follow this year...

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.