2012
Ornithologists urged city dwellers to feed the birds. Without human assistance, the birds will die, due to record frosts in central Russia.
21 December 2012
RIA-Novosti
2012
According to the calendar of the ancient Mayans, 21 December 2012 was the end of the so-called Cycle of the Long Count, the Age of the Fifth Sun, which began in August 3114 BC. On that date, the calendar ends, this gave pessimists reason to believe that the Mayans predicted the end of the world. However, the promised apocalypse never arrived.
21 December 2012
RIA-Novosti
The jolly fellow in the picture isn’t Santa Claus per se, he’s the Norwegian Julenisse. He doesn’t come down the chimney; he knocks on the front door to leave his gifts. His reindeer don’t fly… they’re ordinary sorts. He doesn’t come from the North Pole; he lives in the forest near Pasvik in Sør-Varanger in the far north of the country (his home has the largest concentration of Brown bears in Norway). He talks with Santa and Dede (and all the other holiday wizards)… so, he KNOWS who’s who and what’s what.
My good wishes to all my friends, but especially to my secular friends… I bow before you and apologise for all the nastiness that “Christians” have heaped on you. My faith teaches me to love my neighbour… no matter what their faith, yes, even if their faith is in humanity, and not in a god. My God teaches me to accept you as you are… I have no warrant to “convert” anyone. Take my hand… come, it’s a joyful season, isn’t it?
BMD
Voices from Russia 
22 December 2012. The “Tea Party Patriots” Called the Late Senator Inouye “Irresponsible”… I DO Beg to Differ
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Bob Dole, China, Daniel Inouye, Gerald Ford, Ike, Jacob Javits, Lincoln, moral, Nelson Rockefeller, political commentary, politics, poster, Rocky, Tea Party Patriots, Theodore Roosevelt, TR, United States, USA, Vietnam War
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The so-called “Tea Party Patriots” preferred the coward Willard Romney to the war hero Daniel Inouye. If that isn’t indicative of skewed standards and turning things on their heads, I don’t know what it is. Senator Inouye served in combat and was maimed in the service of his country, but the “Tea Party Patriots” hated him for his defence of the social safety net, his dogged fight for equal rights for ALL Americans, and for his willingness to admit America’s sins. Rather, the “Patriots” lionised Willard Romney, who had his megabucks corporate daddy buy him a spurious “clergy” deferment during the Vietnam War, who hides his money in overseas tax shelters (increasing all of our taxes), who sent and sends American jobs to China, and who wanted to waste trillions on warmongering in foreign parts. There’s something basically wrong and perverted with such thinking…
Lincoln, TR, Rocky, Ike, Jake Javits, Gerald Ford, and Bob Dole… their centrist/moderate Republican Party no longer exists. The Tea Party Patriots and their ilk are Hard Right feral beasts, intent on ravening this country (indeed, the whole world) for their personal profit and benefit. That’s EVIL beyond measure… and there’s no more to be said on such, is there? Ye cannot serve both God and Mammon… and don’t forget Who said that…
BMD