24 December 2012. There’s Good Shit Out There… Afghan Villager Offers Tea to American Soldiers

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With all the vile Republican propaganda about “evil Muslims” and “Muslim terrorists”, here’s the truth. A kind Afghan villager brings American troops occupying his village a glass of tea as a sign of hospitality. Unlike American rightwing money-worship, most Afghans are taught to be generous to strangers and to share what they have. In fact, most of the countries excoriated by the likes of Rush Limboob, Sarah Palin, and the rest of the Fox News apparat have long histories of hospitality and of kindness to the stranger. Fancy that…

BMD

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24 December 2012. RIA-Novosti Infographics. Decorating the Kremlin Holiday Tree

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The decorations on the premier Russian New Year’s/Christmas tree haven’t seen an update for some time. However, in anticipation of New Year 2013, the Office of the President decided to change the usual scheme, which was traditionally in the colours of the Russian flag. Our RIA-Novosti Infographic shows how the Kremlin Christmas tree will look this winter. According to the design project, gold items join the red, blue, and white (silver) decorations; instead of bell-shaped ornaments, balls in “clusters” of various sizes… from 0.5 to 2 metres (1.7 to 6.6 feet) in diameter… will deck the tree. Ornaments will be in three tiers, at the levels of 8 (26 feet), 17 (56 feet), and 34 (112 feet) metres. The main colour of the first tier will be red, the second will be blue, and the third will be silver. A wreath, also in the colours of the tricolour, with a total length of 1.5 kilometres (0.94 mile), will decorate the tree in four tiers. The garland of 4,500 Christmas lights are in intertwined threads of right, white, and blue bulbs, along with some of the ornaments. The rest of the balls will be on the branches according to the colour scheme. On top of the tree, a ruby ​​star shines in the colour of the stars on the Kremlin towers.

24 December 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/infographics/20121224/178268294.html

Editor’s Note:

Don’t lecture me with any of that “war on Christmas” bullshit. This is a “New Year’s” Tree… it’s a tree for everybody, not just Christians. There… let’s put that one to rights even before it pops up its pointed little head…

BMD

 

24 December 2012. Fr Alexander Atty of STS Too Weak to Serve

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Fr Alexander Atty of STS, who’s very well-known in Orthodox circles here in the Northeast, is too weak from cancer to serve liturgy. Keep him in your prayers, light a candle for him, and ask your priest to mention his name at the Proskomidi. He’s a real lion…

BMD