Show Notes 12-23-2017

Saturday Show 12-23-17

Trump calls on media to stay for prayers: 'A good solid prayer and they'll be honest'
Prior to a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, President Donald Trump asked HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson to start the meeting with a prayer and the president also asked reporters to stay for the prayer, saying they "need the prayer more than I do" and that it might help the media to "be honest."
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Judge dismisses emoluments clause lawsuit against Trump
A federal judge in New York dismissed one of the lawsuits against President Trump’s business dealings, ruling Thursday that a watchdog group didn’t have standing to challenge whether the president’s continued connection to his hotel chain violates the Constitution’s emoluments clause.
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Rabbis Protest Trump’s Re-Nomination of Obama LGBT Agenda Architect Chai Feldblum
A coalition of rabbis is criticizing the Trump administration for re-nominating radical sexual identity activist Chai Feldblum to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
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Chappaquiddick' Trailer Reveals Unsavory Ted Kennedy
If anybody feared that the upcoming Chappaquiddick movie would be a whitewash of Ted Kennedy, the recently released trailer should disabuse them of that notion. Legal Insurrection describes the movie as the "portrait of a weasel."
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Alaska's Pebble Mine moves closer to fruition as permitting process begins
A proposed gold and copper mine that nearly got buried by the Obama administration moved closer to reality when its developers filed new permits with the federal government.
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Trump's making American mining great again
Lost amid this week’s tumultuous vote on a tax-cut bill, President Trump signed an executive order that may be even more important: guaranteeing America has a reliable supply of the critical materials needed to produce modern-era weapons as well as popular consumer goods.
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Religious Leaders: 'Gender Ideology Harms Individuals and Societies,' Rejects 'Reason
In a Dec. 15 open letter entitled "Created Male and Female," religious leaders of various denominations in the United States denounced "gender ideology" as a rejection of reason and science, which "harms individuals and socieities," especially children.
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How to win the war on Christmas: Just surrender
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. To practicing Christians and even some nonbelievers who just like the season's hope and joy, Christmas is the capstone of the year.
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86-year-old woman with dementia warms up to Santa ─ and makes him cry
An 86-year-old woman deep in the throes of dementia came out to the surface briefly when she encountered her beloved Santa in a photo studio in a New Mexico mall.
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Why Would Christians Go Christmas Caroling Outside an Abortion Clinic?
A young woman sits in the waiting room of American Women’s Medical Center on Chicago’s northwest side, waiting to be called back to the operating room for her procedure. Even now, she’s unsure about the choice she’s made.
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A beautiful example of American defiance in World War II
The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the U.S. during World War II. It involved 610,000 Americans, 55,000 British, and 72,000 Free French, fighting along Europe’s Western Front for nearly 40 days. There were 89,000 American casualties and over 100,000 German casualties.
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Amazing Grace (For the New Year)

Considered the most popular Christian hymn, John Newton’s word began:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Saturday Show 12-17-16

'AMAZING GRACE' HAD AMAZING ORIGIN
These were the words of John Newton, a former slave ship captain, who died Dec. 21, 1807. At age 11, his mother died and he went to sea with his father. Young John Newton fell in love with Mary Catlett while on shore leave, but overstaying his visit, he missed his ship’s departure.
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When Was the Last Time Hanukkah Started on Christmas? When Will it Happen Again?
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins on Christmas Eve. Because the Hebrew calendar is a lunar calendar, the 8 days of Hanukkah change every year. When did it last overlap with Christmas and when will it next occur?
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Associated Press Will Partner with Facebook to Flag ‘Fake News’
The Associated Press announced Thursday that it will join Facebook to help “identify and debunk” news stories being shared online that are false.
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FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler Announces Resignation
Tom Wheeler, the Democratic chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has announced he will resign at the beginning of Donald Trump's presidential term, per Bloomberg.
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Egypt Delays UNSC Vote on Contentious Israel Resolution After Trump Voices Opposition
In an unusual turn of events, Egypt on Thursday abruptly delayed its plan to call for a vote on a U.N. Security Council resolution critical of Israel, after President-elect Donald Trump tweeted his opposition to the measure.
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Obama enrages Israel on way out the door
Israeli officials are furious with President Obama for allowing the U.N. to pass a resolution Friday demanding the Jewish state “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.”
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Local Atlanta TV Reporter Shames Dishonest Mainstream Media by DEBUNKING “Russian Hacker” Story
The bogus “Russian hacker” story that is being pushed by the left and our dishonest mainstream media has ZERO evidence to back up the claim that Russia hacked the DNC and John Podesta’s email to help Trump win.
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Russian expert warns Trump holds 'position of strength'
One of the most influential and highly quoted Russian intellectuals, Prof. Valery Solovei, says Russian officials will have to face an abrupt new reality on Jan. 20 when Donald Trump is inaugurated president of the United States, a new report in Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin documents.
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Russia Preparing to Return 3,000 Older Tanks Into Service
The Russian government plans to refurbish up to 3,000 T-80 main battle tanks and return them to service with the Russian Army. The move may sound impressive, but it's actually a sign of Russia's diminishing economic and military power.
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The Marines Are Equipping Hundreds of Infantrymen with Silencers
The U.S. Marine Corps has equipped a battalion's worth of infantrymen with suppressors. The result are combat units better able to hear one other on the battlefield, meaning they can spread out farther and cover more ground.
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The Military's Painstaking Guide to Cutting Its Own Weapons In Half
Maintaining the strongest military force on the planet is no easy task. You need a huge budget, knowledgable personnel, devoted soldiers, brilliant engineers, and high-tech tools and weaponry.
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Pew Report: Jews and Christians More Educated Than Atheists and Muslims
A new study by the Pew Research Center found that worldwide, Jews have the most years of formal education, followed by Christians, with atheists, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus trailing behind.
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Racist and offensive' Native American mural asked to be removed from Durham post office
For years, Durham’s post office has been at the center of controversy over a mural some local residents find racist and offensive. It depicts a Native American holding a torch, apparently ready to set a Dover settler’s house on fire.
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National Geographic Features 'Transgender' 9-YEAR-OLD
To the sound of thunderous praise from the Left, National Geographic has decided to bring in the New Year by celebrating a nine-year-old boy's sexual confusion.
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Merry Christmas

      To all our loyal listeners: The Uncooperative Radio Show wishes you, your family and

                                          Very Merry and Holy Christmas!

Show Notes 12-24-15

Thursday show 12-24-15

A Visit from St. Nicholas
Clement Clarke Moore wrote his immortal poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, for his family on Christmas Eve 1822. He never intended that it be published, but a family friend, Miss Harriet Butler, learned of the poem sometime later from Moore's children.
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The Night Before Christmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
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A time when no one was afraid to say Merry Christmas
When the first World War began, British women suffragists sent an open Christmas letter “To the Women of Germany and Austria” as the first Christmas of the war approached. Pope Benedict XV, Dec. 7, 1914, begged for a truce, asking: “that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang.”
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Rep. Fincher Introduces Bill to Combat Radicalization in Federal Prisons
U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN) introduced legislation last week to combat the ongoing radicalization of inmates in federal prisons. “Over the years, our Federal prisons have become a breeding ground for radicalization.
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Heavily redacted Benghazi emails released on Christmas Eve
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released a handful of sensitive documents Thursday morning dealing with terrorism suspect Anwar al-Awlaki and the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya.
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Christmas Eve danger: Troops attacked as tourists flock to Bethlehem
Four Palestinians were killed on Thursday, among them three who Israel said were carrying out attacks on soldiers in the West Bank, as tourists and Christian faithful were gathering in Bethlehem for Christmas celebrations.
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Official: VA Changes Policy on Declaring Veterans Dead
The federal government has acknowledged that it wrongly declared more than 100 veterans dead and suspended their benefit payments, and says it is changing its policy of confirming deaths.
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Obama: ‘Bisexual Men and Women in Uniform Make Our Country Stronger’
President Barack Obama, who is vacationing in Hawaii, released a pre-Christmas statement yesterday, celebrating the fifth anniversary of his having signed legislation that allows openly homosexual, lesbian and bisexual individuals to serve in the U.S. military.
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SEAL: How a Failed Mission to Rescue Bergdahl Caused Irreparable Loss
The juxtaposition of two American military men who could stand in the same courtroom in the coming months couldn't be set in more stark relief. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl faces a general court-martial for walking off of his base in eastern Afghanistan in 2009.
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Washington’s Christmas Poem: ‘Assist Me to Sing the Morn, On Which the Savior of Mankind Was Born’
George Washington, the first president of the United States and a Founding Father of our nation, was a devout Christian baptized shortly after his birth by his parents, who were members of the Church of England.
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Show Notes 12-17-15

Thursday show 12-17-15

HEY GUN GRABBERS: Here Are 8 Times ARMED Civilians Stopped Mass Murderers
Islam declared war on unarmed civilians. It is the Muslim way, after all. What should we do? Despite their heartfelt desire, Police and Sheriff’s Deputies cannot be everywhere to protect us.
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Who's Profiting From $1.2 Trillion of Federal Student Loans?
Jody Sofia borrowed $92,500 to get a degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. Now she’s in default, her outstanding balance having ballooned to almost $144,000, and she spends her days fielding calls from government-contracted debt collectors.
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Merriam-Webster Declares 'Ism' as Word of the Year for 2015
Merriam-Webster has picked a small but powerful suffix as word of the year: ism. But not just any ism. The top isms to earn high traffic spikes and big bumps in lookups on the dictionary company's website in 2015 over the year where socialism, fascism, racism, feminism, communism, capitalism and terrorism.
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DEAFNESS WAS NO BARRIER TO BRILLIANCE
Twenty years after composer Johann Sebastian Bach died, Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, and baptized on Dec. 17, 1770.
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Show Notes 12-13-15

Sunday show 12-13-15

COP21 climate change summit reaches deal in Paris
A deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C has been agreed at the climate change summit in Paris after two weeks of intense negotiations.
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Jihad free zone signs appear around Southern California
The anonymous artist has posted several “Jihad Free Zone” signs across southern California, including in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Culver City, near the campus of UCLA and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, he writes on the Facebook page.
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National Geographic names Virgin Mary most powerful woman in the world
The magazine, the official journal of the National Geographic Society, boasts a global circulation of 6.4 million. Written by Maureen Orth and photographed by Markosian, National Geographic’s December cover story, “How the Virgin Mary Became the World’s Most Powerful Woman,” details how Mary’s “image and legacy are found and celebrated around the world.”
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Non-Muslim high school girls wear hijab to promote acceptance of Islamic beliefs
More than a dozen non-Muslim girls at an Illinois high school agreed to wear a traditional Islamic head scarf on Wednesday as part of “Walk a Mile in Her Hijab.”Non-Muslim high school girls wear hijab to promote acceptance of Islamic beliefs.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/13/non-muslim-high-school-girls-wear-hijab-to-promote-acceptance-islamic-beliefs/

30000 cases of Chagas reported in US
A hazardous insect from Latin America known as the triatomine bug, or “kissing bug,” has found its way to more than half the United States, serving as a reminder that a porous border lets in more than just human beings.
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Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis)
About 6 million to 7 million people are estimated to be infected worldwide, mostly in Latin America.Vector-borne transmission occurs in the Americas. The insect vector is a triatomine bug that carries the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi which causes the disease.
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German TV channel films ISIL  slave trade in Turkey
German television station ARD has produced footage documenting the slave trade being conducted by the radical terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) through a liaison office in Turkey.
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Trump's Muslim moratorium backed by conservative icon
Donald Trump’s call for a temporary ban on all Muslim entry in the United States is getting enthusiastic support from a conservative icon, as legendary activist Phyllis Schlafly called for the grassroots to support his plan.
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Sensitive principal bans Santa and other religious symbols
Santa Claus is banned. The Pledge of Allegiance is no longer recited. “Harvest festival” has replaced Thanksgiving, and “winter celebrations” substitute for Christmas parties. New principal Eujin Jaela Kim has given PS 169 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a politically correct scrub-down, to the dismay of teachers and parents.
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Star Wars t-shirt lands 7th grader in hot water at Texas school
A Texas 7th grader said he was forced to cover up his T-shirt depicting a wartime soldier holding a gun. Specifically, that would be a Stormtrooper holding a “rebel blaster” on a "Star Wars" T-shirt.
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When did Santa become associated with North Pole?
Seeking U.N. sanctions against Iran, Dec. 21, 1979, President Jimmy Carter stated in a speech: “Henry Longfellow wrote a Christmas carol in a time of crisis, the War Between the States, in 1864.
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Thursday Show 12/25/2014

Thursday Show 12/25/14

Washington’s Christmas Poem: ‘Assist Me to Sing the Morn, On Which the Saviour of Mankind Was Born’

George Washington, the first president of the United States and a Founding Father of our nation, was a devout Christian baptized shortly after his birth by his parents, who were members of the Church of England.

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New York’s New Fracking Ban Draws Cheers, Jeers

On December 17, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ended a six-year moratorium by announcing an indefinite statewide ban on fracking, which uses a high-pressure mixture of chemicals and water to release natural gas and oil from shale formations deep underground.

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EPA: Get Merry With a Smoke-Free Fire This Christmas

You really should go dashing through the snow to your local hardware store in search of a "moisture meter," the perfect gift for that environmentally paranoid person on your Christmas list. Those people are so hard to please, aren't they?

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Unratified by the US, Controversial UN Arms Treaty Enters Into Force

As United Nations officials welcome the Christmas Eve entry into force of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), its progress in the U.S. remains hampered by significant Senate opposition and funding prohibitions included in appropriations legislation.

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New NLRB rules give unions access to workers’ email addresses and phone numbers

The NLRB earlier this month issued new rules for how and when union organizing elections can take place within workplaces. Under the new rules, unions will have access to employees' private information as they make their sales pitch, and employers will have less time to respond to workers' demands before a unionization election can take place.

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Thanksgiving Prayer

Brian and Susan Bonner wish everyone a wonderful Christmas Season and hope that you and yours have things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend. God Bless you.

A prayer for Thanksgiving: By Susan Frances Bonner

Dear God, we are your creations, we are your children; hear our prayers of Thanksgiving.

In our time of want: we Thank You for the food on our table, the warm clothes that we wear and those that help provide us with sustenance.

In our time of spiritual and moral need; we Thank You for family and friends and the insight to turn to you, our Lord, our God for guidance.

In our time of hopelessness, we Thank You for lifting us up upon your broad shoulders, giving us hope and helping us to be all that we can be.

Dear God, Thank you for our lives, our loves and the wisdom to look to you for divine strength. Amen

Show Notes 12/29/2013

Sunday Show 12/29/13 

At least 10 dead after explosion at Russian railway station
A suicide bomber struck a busy railway station in southern Russia on Sunday, killing at least 15 others and wounding scores more, officials said, in a stark reminder of the threat Russia is facing as it prepares to host February's Olympics in Sochi.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/29/at-least-10-dead-after-explosion-at-russian-railway-station/

Hobbit and Frozen in Christmas fame as newcomers stumble
A pair of holdovers continue to dominate the domestic box office this holiday weekend while a crowded slate of wide openers are faltering.
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/12/28/hobbit-frozen-to-win-christmas-frame-as-newcomers-stumble/?intcmp=features

Is a national ID headed for your wallet and purse?
Just as you were wrapping your mind around the idea that under Obamacare and the accompanying changes in the health-care system, your medical records will be floating around in some online repository, available to far too many people, you’re being told you’ll soon have a National Identity Card and a Western Hemisphere-compliant travel document whether you want it or not, if you plan to drive in the United States.
http://www.wnd.com/2013/12/national-id-headed-for-your-wallet-purse/#SJKbbACXaXv5HUf6.99

Obama sends wishes to those celebrating Kwanza
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are sending those celebrating Kwanzaa their hopes for a prosperous and healthy new year.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-sends-wishes-those-celebrating-kwanzaa#sthash.11DLlx0M.dpuf

Show notes 12/27/2012

Uncooperative Radio Show Notes: Thursday 12/27/12

6 surprising facts Reindeer

Reindeer and Caribou are two names for the same species (Rangifer tarandus), with reindeer generally referring to the domesticated variety that are herded by humans and pull sleds.

http://www.livescience.com/17621-surprising-facts-reindeer-caribou.html

Rudolph's red nose explained

Most people know Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose — but why? Medical researchers say they've now found the answer

http://www.livescience.com/25649-rudolph-red-nose-reindeer-explained.html

Dem Congressman: Government Has The Right To ‘Legitimate Violence’ Against Rebellious Citizens, But Not The Other Way Around

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said only the federal government should have “high-capacity” gun magazines and that the “state ought to have a monopoly on legitimate violence.”

http://patdollard.com/2012/12/dem-congressman-the-state-has-legitimate-right-to-violence-against-rebellious-citizens-but-not-the-other-way-around/

Maryland legislation may place school resource officers in every elementary school

New emergency legislation has been introduced in Maryland to place school resource officers in every elementary school.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/12/25/md-legislation-may-place-school-resource-officers-in-every-elementary-school/

States’ rights war over Obamacare

President Obama, Majority Leader Harry Reid’s Democrat-led Senate and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. don’t care that a majority of Americans favor repeal of Obamacare. 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jul/4/states-rights-war-over-obamacare/#ixzz2GISMmG6D

Feinstein to Introduce Updated Assault Weapons Bill in New Congress, December 17, 2012

Summary of 2013 legislation

http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/assault-weapons

Show Notes 12/23/2012 Merry Christmas Patriots!!

Uncooperative Radio Show Notes: Sunday 12/23/12

Winter Solstice

The time around December 21 or 22 is a very important day for our planet and its relationship with the sun. December 21 is one of two solstices, days when the rays of the sun directly strike one of the two tropical latitude lines.

http://geography.about.com/cs/calendarsseason/a/winter.htm

Iowa court rules boss can fire employee he considers an ‘irresistible attraction’

A dentist acted legally when he fired an assistant that he found attractive simply because he and his wife viewed the woman as a threat to their marriage, the all-male Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/22/iowa-court-rules-boss-can-fire-employee-considers-irresistible-attraction/?test=latestnews#ixzz2FvKJe76r

Alabama terror case involving 2 Americans could hinge on relationship with jihadist

The terrorism case against an Alabama man accused of planning to wage violent jihad in Africa may hinge on just how well he knew a man on the FBI's most-wanted terrorist list.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/23/alabama-terror-case-involving-2-americans-could-hinge-on-relationship-with-well/#ixzz2FvLXQk5D

Texas town allows teachers to carry concealed guns

In this tiny Texas town, children and their parents don't give much thought to safety at the community's lone school — mostly because some of the teachers are carrying concealed weapons.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/texas-town-allows-teachers-carry-concealed-guns

I was anti-gun, until I got stalked

“You need to arm yourself.”

I blinked at the Portland police officer in my living room. This uniformed bear of a man — packing a gun, a nightstick, a radio and who knew what else — was responding to an ongoing stalker problem that had started several months earlier.

http://www.salon.com/2010/10/21/buying_gun_protect_from_stalker/

Top 10 Worst School Massacres

It is always tragic when a large number of people lose their lives, but it is worse when the deaths are of children. This is a list of ten of the worst massacres at schools.

http://listverse.com/2008/01/01/top-10-worst-school-massacres/

Show notes 11/18/2012

Uncooperative Radio Show Notes: Sunday 11/18/12

New Mexico coyote hunting contest sparks protests

The terms of the competition are simple: Hunters in New Mexico have two days this weekend to shoot and kill as many coyotes as they can, and the winners get their choice of a free shotgun or a pair of semi-automatic rifles.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/new-mexico-coyote-hunting-contest-sparks-protests

Pelosi Unsure on 11th & 14th Amendments: ‘Whatever It Is, I’m with the Constitution’

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) confused the 14th and 11th Amendments when suggesting the president could bypass Congress and unilaterally raise the debt ceiling, saying, “Whatever it is, I’m with the constitution.”

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/pelosi-unsure-11th-14th-amendments-whatever-it-i-m-constitution

Twinkies are being sold on the Internet like exquisite delicacies.

Hours after Twinkie-maker Hostess announced its plans to close its doors forever, people flocked to stores to fill their shopping baskets with boxes of the cream-filled sponge cakes and their sibling snacks  Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and Zingers.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/last-ever-boxes-twinkies-offered-ebay

'Twilight' finale has bright, if not blinding, opening

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2, the final installment of the cinematic vampire love story, took a decisive No. 1 at theaters, collecting $141.3 million, according to studio estimates from Hollywood.com.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2012/11/16/twilight-box-office-lincoln/1709119/

EPA tells Americans to finish their leftovers

In the olden days, the phrase was "waste not, want not." Nowadays, it's mostly waste not.
The Environmental Protection Agency -- observing "America Recycles Day" on Thursday -- is challenging Americans to make "smarter, more sustainable food management choices," and that includes finishing, freezing or giving away your leftovers.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/epa-tells-americans-finish-their-leftovers

In Montana, Crow tribe sees perils to 'fiscal cliff'

The Westmoreland Coal Co. gets $2.26 from the IRS for every ton of coal it mines off the Crow Indian reservation in Montana. That mine, in turn, supports the tribe through millions in taxes and royalties -- and 100 jobs with an average salary of $75,000.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2012/11/18/crow-tribe-fiscal-cliff/1706695/

Atheists' move halts Christmas tradition in California, churches go to court to get it back
 Damon Vix didn't have to go to court to push Christmas out of the city of Santa Monica. He just joined the festivities.

The atheist's anti-God message alongside a life-sized nativity display in a park overlooking the beach ignited a debate that burned brighter than any Christmas candle.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/18/atheists-move-halts-christmas-tradition-in-santa-monica-churches-go-to-court-to/?test=latestnews#ixzz2CcQ1izJr

All things New Year

Happy New Year everyone, may your days be brighter this year.

http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm

Auld Lang Syne is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scottish tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

"Happy New Year!" That greeting will be said and heard for at least the first couple of weeks as a new year gets under way. But the day celebrated as New Year's Day in modern America was not always January 1.

The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring).

The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison. The Romans continued to observe the new year in late March, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun.

In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the new year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days.

Although in the first centuries AD the Romans continued celebrating the new year, the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. But as Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. New Years is still observed as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denominations.

During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.

Other traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. That tradition also dates back to the early Babylonians. Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to 1886. In that year, members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers. It celebrated the ripening of the orange crop in California.

Although the Rose Bowl football game was first played as a part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, it was replaced by Roman chariot races the following year. In 1916, the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival. The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth.

Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus.

The use of an image of a baby with a New Years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the effigy since the fourteenth century. Traditionally, it was thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. For that reason, it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends. Parties often last into the middle of the night after the ringing in of a new year. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man.

Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune.

Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by consuming black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically accompanied by either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day.

The origins of some of our Christmas traditions

Usually I provide direct links to all of the stories on the blog, but today, because it's the magical time of Christmas and I am starting up the blog again; you can find the links. Merry Christ-mas!!!!

a) The Christmas Tree; from Wikipedia

In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the time of the personal union with Hanover, by George III's Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in early 19th century, but the custom hadn't yet spread much beyond the royal family. Queen Victoria as a child was familiar with the custom. In her journal for Christmas Eve 1832, the delighted 13-year-old princess wrote, "After dinner...we then went into the drawing-room near the dining-room...There were two large round tables on which were placed two trees hung with lights and sugar ornaments. All the presents being placed round the trees..". After her marriage to her German cousin Prince Albert, by 1841 the custom became even more widespread throughout Britain. In 1847, Prince Albert wrote: "I must now seek in the children an echo of what Ernest [his brother] and I were in the old time, of what we felt and thought; and their delight in the Christmas-trees is not less than ours used to be".

A woodcut of the British Royal family with their Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, initially published in the Illustrated London News December 1848, was copied in the United States at Christmas 1850, in Godey's Lady's Book (illustration, left). Godey's copied it exactly, except for the removal of the Queen's tiara and Prince Albert's mustache, to remake the engraving into an American scene. The republished Godey's image became the first widely circulated picture of a decorated evergreen Christmas tree in America. Art historian Karal Ann Marling called Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, shorn of their royal trappings, "the first influential American Christmas tree". Folk-culture historian Alfred Lewis Shoemaker states, "In all of America there was no more important medium in spreading the Christmas tree in the decade 1850-60 than Godey's Lady's Book". The image was reprinted in 1860, and by the 1870s, putting up a Christmas tree had become common in America.

Several cities in the United States with German connections lay claim to that country's first Christmas tree: Windsor Locks, Connecticut, claims that a Hessian soldier put up a Christmas tree in 1777 while imprisoned at the Noden-Reed House, while the "First Christmas Tree in America" is also claimed by Easton, Pennsylvania, where German settlers purportedly erected a Christmas tree in 1816 and In his diary, Matthew Zahm of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, recorded the use of a Christmas tree in 1821, leading Lancaster to also lay claim to the first Christmas tree in America. Other accounts credit Charles Follen, a German immigrant to Boston, for being the first to introduce to America the custom of decorating a Christmas tree. August Imgard, a German immigrant living in Wooster, Ohio, is the first to popularise the practice of decorating a tree with candy canes. In 1847, Imgard cut a blue spruce tree from a woods outside town, had the Wooster village tinsmith construct a star, and placed the tree in his house, decorating it with paper ornaments and candy canes. The National Confectioners' Association officially recognises Imgard as the first ever to put candy canes on a Christmas tree; the canes were all-white, with no red stripes. Imgard is buried in the Wooster Cemetery, and every year, a large pine tree above his grave is lit with Christmas lights. German immigrant Charles Minnegerode accepted a position as a professor of humanities at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg in 1842, where he taught Latin and Greek. Entering into the social life of the Virginia Tidewater, Minnigerode introduced the German custom of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas at the home of law professor St. George Tucker, thereby becoming another of many influences that prompted Americans to adopt the practice at about that time


b) The Yule log

From Jamestown.com

The yule log happens to be one of the oldest Christmas traditions. In fact, it was created long before the act of Christmas came into existence. It originated in Scandinavia to celebrate the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days. This celebration meant that the darkest days were over and the rebirth of the sun has begun.

The burning of the yule log not only took place in the Scandinavian countries but also as far west as Ireland to the south in Greece to as far north as Siberia. The flames represented the light of the sun, but in later years, when it was incorporated into the Christmas holiday it represented the light of the Savior.

Many of us have heard about the burning of the yule log during Christmas, but few of us are aware of the reason for this ritual. Originally the burning of the yule log began during the winter solstice and lasted for a period of three days. As long as the log burned, people did not have to work. If that were the case today, I would be burning one continuously and long after the winter solstice ended. But today it is more symbolic than it is an actual ritual.

People chose their yule log based on many ideas and beliefs. Different types of tree wood represented different things to the people that burned them. Some chose the wood of the aspen for spiritual understanding. Others chose the wood of the mighty oak as it represented strength, wisdom and healing. The wood of the pine urged a coming year of prosperity and growth. And for those wishing for a family, opted for the wood of the birch representing fertility along with new beginnings. The ash, the most common, invoked protection.

Each year a new log is brought into the home and lit for the yule festival. It is a time of celebration, feast and family. In those days, fireplaces were quite large and could host the trunk that was brought in for burning. Usually they would soak this log in water for days or choose a very green log to ensure a long and consistent burn. The yule log is never allowed to completely burn as a piece is saved to start the new one the following year. Not only did this bring good luck, is also represented continuity and the eternal light of heaven.

The remaining piece of unburnt yule log was left in the house through the year to protect it from fire, lightning or hail. The ashes were sprinkled in wells to keep the water safe. Some ashes were also placed at the roots of fruit trees and vines to help them bear a good harvest the following year.

In some cultures, these logs were also used to predict bad luck. If the fire was ever allowed to go out before the night was over, it meant tragedy would strike the home in the coming year. If the flames cast someone’s shadow without a head, it supposedly meant that person would die within a year.

It was a ritual of the past that many held true to tradition and belief. In today’s world, fireplaces are no longer large enough to host a tree trunk to be used during the festival period. Many places do not even have a fireplace anymore, thus comes the creation of the symbolic yule log many of us have today.


c) Egg Nog

From cocktails.about.com

The word itself does not have much appeal, the guttural sound and the thought of drinking egg doesn’t sound very appetizing to most. There are differing opinions as to the origin of the name for this famous drink. One version says that nog derives from an Old English word for strong beer, hence “noggin”. Another version attributes the name to Colonial America where colonists referred to thick drinks as “grog” and eggnog as “egg-and-grog”. Either way, we know it today as Eggnog.
Europe:
It is believed that the eggnog tradition began in Europe as an adaptation of the various milk and wine punches often served at social gatherings. In the 17th century, eggnog was used as a toast to one’s health and was consumed by the well-to-do of society as milk and eggs were scarce commodities in Europe.

When the brew was brought to the “New World,” colonists added a new twist, rum. The rum Americans could get from the Caribbean was considerably less expensive than the other liquors shipped from England. And so, along with the readily available supply of milk and eggs in the colonies, the rum version quickly became a popular drink for people of all classes. As a rich, spicy and (oh yes) alcoholic drink, eggnog soon became a familiar item during the holiday season across the growing nation. Each region would adapt the drink to their personal tastes. Even George Washington devised his own version of the brew which only the most courageous would partake using rye whiskey, rum and sherry.
In the south, Southern taste replaced rum with bourbon. And when the brew reached Latin America even more adaptations were made; in Puerto Rico coconut juice or milk was added, in Mexico eggnog became a harder liqueur to be sipped with the addition of Mexican cinnamon and rum or grain alcohol, and in Peru it was made with the Peruvian pomace brandy called pisco.

d) Christmas Lights

From inventors.about.com

The tradition of using small candles to light up the Christmas tree dates back to at least the middle of the XVIIth century. However, it took two centuries for the tradition to become widely established first in Germany and soon spreading to Eastern Europe.

Candles for the tree were glued with melted wax to a tree branch or attached by pins. Around 1890, candleholders were first used for Christmas candles. Between 1902 and 1914, small lanterns and glass balls to hold the candles started to be used.Albert Sadacca was fifteen in 1917, when he first got the idea to make safety Christmas lights for Christmas trees. A tragic fire in New York City involving Christmas tree candles inspired Albert to invent electric Christmas lights. The Sadacca family sold ornamental novelty items including novelty lights. Albert adapted some of the products into safe electric lights for Christmas trees. The first year only one hundred strings of white lights sold. The second year Sadacca used brightly colored bulbs and a multi-million dollar business took-off. Later, a company started by Albert Sadacca (and his two brothers Henri and Leon) called NOMA Electric Company became the largest Christmas lighting company in the world.

e) Apple Cider

From drinkfocus.com

Historians largely agree that apple trees existed along the Nile River Delta as early as 1300 BC, but it is unclear whether cider was ever produced from the fruit.

When the Romans arrived in England in 55 BC, they were reported to have found the local Kentish villagers drinking a delicious cider-like beverage made from apples. According to ancient records, the Romans and their leader, Julius Caesar, embraced the pleasant pursuit with enthusiasm. How long the locals had been making this apple drink prior to the arrival of the Romans is anybody's guess.

By the beginning of the ninth century, cider drinking was well established in Europe and a reference made by Charlemagne clearly confirms its popularity.

After the Norman Conquest of 1066, cider consumption became widespread in England and orchards were established specifically to produce cider apples. During medieval times, cider making was an important industry. Monasteries sold vast quantities of their strong, spiced cider to the public. Farm laborers received a cider allowance as part of their wages, and the quantity increased during haymaking. English cider making probably peaked around the mid seventeenth century, when almost every farm had its own cider orchard and press. The industry later went into decline, due to major agricultural changes. Cider regained its popularity during the twentieth century, but demand was largely for the mass-produced variety. Only in recent years has traditional cider making finally triumphed.

American history tells a different tale. Early English settlers introduced cider to America by bringing with them seeds for cultivating cider apples. During the colonial period, grains did not thrive well and were costly to import. On the other hand, apple orchards were plentiful, making apples cheap and easily obtainable. As a result, hard cider quickly became one of America's most popular beverages. Consumption of cider increased steadily during the eighteenth century, due in part to the efforts of the legendary Johnny Appleseed, who planted many apple trees in the Midwest.

However, a series of events led to cider's fall in popularity. The introduction of German beer with its faster fermentation process quickly made beer popular because German immigrants were able to set up large breweries for producing great quantities of beer. The production of apple cider was still limited to small farms. The religiously based Temperance movement then caused many church-going farmers to give up cider. Some even went as far as to chop down their apple trees. Then Prohibition became the law and pretty much destroyed the market for apple cider.

Today, with the growing popularity of microbreweries, the tide has turned. Traditional cider making is experiencing a major resurgence in both America and Europe

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