Thursday Open Thread | Christmas Jams 2017

Posted on December 7, 2017 by SouthernGirl2

Carol of the Bells” is a popular Americanized version of a Ukrainian Christmas carol. It is a choral work by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych as “Shchedryk“ and translated, or rather, adapted to English by Peter J Wilhousky who wrote and Americanized the lyrics. Leontovych’s composition was in turn, set to the words of an ancient Ukrainian carol performed during the celebration of the New Year.

The song is recognized by a four-note ostinato motif (see image to the right). It is a holiday favorite throughout the English-speaking world, having been arranged hundreds of times for different genres, styles of singing and settings. For example, it was been covered by artists and groups of many genres: classical, jazz, rock, and pop. It has also been featured in films, television shows, and parodies.

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
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72 Responses to Thursday Open Thread | Christmas Jams 2017

  1. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    Kevonstage had something to say about the Anchor’s Clap back

    https://youtu.be/A4RjrNmFX6A

    Reply
  2. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 7:19 pm

    @rikyrah @ametia

    I looked outside my door and it’s SNOWING! Snowing in Texas! Oh my goodness!

    Reply
  3. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 6:48 pm

    I’m so sad, y’all.

    Reply
  6. eliihass says:
    December 7, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    Democrats will never, ever get it it seems… Always falling right into that trap, desperate for approval.. …with unappreciated, hollow, grand, empty gestures wrapped around self-serving and opportunism.. and absolutely nothing to do with what they pretend it’s all about in the end..

    The republicans are certainly worse, but they play the game better…delve right into the muck …strategically, and for what it’s worth in the end, with ‘result’ and convincing their folks to go along..

    Pity..

    The very same women who endlessly flirt with and sniff around ‘handsome’ ‘powerful’ married guy …the same women who drape themselves all over another woman’s husband – flattered by his attention … while very resentful, hostile to and unsupportive of his wife ..

    The very same women who’ve slept their way up the political ladder..

    The so-called ‘feminists’ and ‘black girl magic’ folks who are infinitely more interested in and far more invested in the attention and validation of, and endless, furious social media battles on behalf of the ‘handsome’, ‘powerful’ guy …but have absolutely no time for, or interest in his wife .. no matter how battered or maligned .. or in dire need of the sisterhood and feminist support they never offer her… never come to her defense, but quick to jump right in for the guy..

    Complete hypocrites all …lacking any self awareness …as they endlessly spout their faux-feminism and pretend to ‘rebel’ against the so-called ‘patriarchy’ …the very same patriarchy they actively exploit and enable when it suits their purposes…and continue to eagerly feed, side with, and swoon over at the expense of the wife married to the guy …if patriarchal guy is packaged ‘handsome and powerful’.. it’s all then excused away …And they’d even go as far as siding with and defending patriarchal hubby against his poor, long-suffering wife when push comes to shove..

    So much for all that blather about ‘feminism’ and ‘sisterhood’..

    These very same hypocrites all sanctimonious and trying to claim the ‘moral high ground’..? LOL..

    Please..

    Consistency please..

    Is can’t only be offensive and ‘sexual harrasment’ when the guy is ugly or fat …or after you’ve extracted the favors you wormed your way in for .. or after you’ve calculatedly insinuated yourself into his orbit – and hotel room …when his wife isn’t around or looking…

    Or after he’s lost interest, or you realize he’s playing/ed you as much as you’ve played him… Furious that he’s only used you in typical narcissistic form, just to stroke his own ego ..and entirely for his own shallow needs and aggrandizement …and selfish, miscellaneous purposes and the entrails of his midlife crisis.. while you’re at first thoroughly flattered by his attention once you get it …gleeful that the handsome, powerful, married guy isn’t so into his wife after all ..because you got him to take interest in you…you ‘conquered’…he flirted with you, paid you some attention .. After you made sure to position yourself firmly around him as often as possible.. even ingratiating yourself with his staff and buddies … we all know the drill if we are being honest.. We see it… we recognize it all for what it is… no matter how it’s played..

    The sooner we all start having honest conversations about the brazen deception, calculation and complicity and stuff, the better ..

    And please, spare us the whole faux and selective ‘moral’ outrage ..

    And while we’re at, there will be no progress made either, as long as the culpable and their enablers preemptively keep trying to shut down folks and keep screaming ‘no slut-shaming’… when shameless, over-indulgent, calculating you-know-whats …have been unapologetically slutting with other women’s husbands… But heaven forbid you call folks out…or hurt their feelings…

    Deceptively conflating real and serious incidents of assault and harassment – of which there are real and often voiceless victims …with selective and willful attempts to self-servingly and schemingly entice and corner with ones feminine wiles, isn’t going to move the conversation forward.. or end the problem..

    We can’t pick and choose …and only when we feel like it…

    Women who are honest, know the deal..

    I normally ignore Chris Matthews and his never-ending Kennedy fetish; But his bit about the late Robert Kennedy musing about his endless escapades with women who weren’t his wife …and concluding that women who had affairs with married man generally don’t mind being ‘used’, but being ‘discarded’ …that really struck me..

    Which is perhaps why those married powerful men who indulge, generally do their darnedest to keep the footsie-playing random women around them …women who aren’t their wife …strategically and sufficiently ‘appeased’ …and strung along… careful not to let them feel ‘discarded’.. Or else ..

    No ‘I love you more than anything my love and soulmate’ …and no ‘you are the most important thing in my life’.. and no too much affection with or gushing about the wife in public …just carefully worded generic ‘tributes’ if they have to be made …just enough without offending all the other women they wish to keep interested and strung along …or they risk losing their adoring audiences, and worse, risk triggering ultimatums and tell-alls from those women who feel ‘used and discarded’.. some of them even married themselves …but still intent on being ‘important/relevant’ to another woman’s husband..

    While we’re at it, at what point do we stop glossing over and romantizing certain men …bad men, and terrible husbands who effectively hurt and do grievous damage to their wife …irreversibly, emotionally and psychologically …selectively given a pass and a blind eye to their shenanigans instead …again and again, no matter how immoral and passive-aggressively callous we find out they really are..

    If Al Franken has to resign from the Senate for squeezing a woman’s hip and touching another’s butt, etc., at what point do folks finally stop celebrating and writing odes to all those now mostly dead immoral fake heroes who’ve gone on and left their families in tatters and with far too many secrets to try to hide and protect etc… Selfish men who are treated as heroes even as they’ve more or less left their wife and kids humiliated and in so much pain.. The wife and kids suffer for their dysfunction and self-indulgence … As the world endlessly touts them ‘heroes’..

    One doesn’t have to be a brash adulterer like that megalomaniac buffoon or the Alabama pedophile to be despicable and deserving of scorn..

    Uniformity of disgust and scorn and punishment …no more selective outrage at immorality..

    No more passes offered certain men for their immorality and indiscretions…

    And if one is a slut, they ought to expect to be roundly and deservedly slut-shamed .. And please, if you sniff around a married man, expect absolutely no pity.. At least, not from people like me..

    Reply
    • Ametia says:
      December 7, 2017 at 2:35 pm

      The Dems ain’t worth SHIT. they really THINK their feigning the moral high ground & grandstanding is all voters need in 2018? SO OUT OF TOUCH

      Reply
      • eliihass says:
        December 7, 2017 at 3:25 pm

        Hard to take these folks seriously Ametia, when they lack the necessary savvy required to navigate the very political set-up they inhabit …and claim to be part and parcel of…How on earth do we begin to even consider or elevate any of these people to the presidency when they can’t even successfully navigate basic stuff like this..

        How on earth do you keep losing not just the narrative, but the argument, the battle and the war …even when the opposition is clearly the criminal enterprise …a wholly owned subsidiary of Satan himself…and the clear perpetrators of evil and a multitude of wrongdoings every time…

        Yet you preemptively offer up your own …sacrifice one of yours …and in this instance, the very guy the opposition specifically wants gone because he’s a real thorn in their flesh …a very effective thorn too..

        Don’t even get me started again about the fake moral-outrage.. so much hypocrisy and endless double standards…

        Like we’re so stupid and don’t know the difference …

        Like the woman who’s hash-tagging #MeToo at the same time she’s posting on her social media about how she’d love to make-out with some married male public figure…

        I’d shared a while back about the now former Editor of a women’s magazine – a self-described ‘feminist’ …who was always more interested in the ‘powerful, handsome’ hubby of the high-profile wife she only barely patronized …’Feminist’ editor even posted on her social media account about how the powerful man would be her ‘free pass’ if she had the chance..

        Reply
  8. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 11:45 am

    Michael Slager sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Walter Scott….

    Thank God for #FeidinSantana filming the shooting of #WalterScott. If not for his video #MichaelSlager would have gotten away with murder.

    A Change Is Gonna Come

    Reply
  10. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 11:24 am

    Breaking News: #MichaelSlager sentenced to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of #WalterScott

    Reply
  11. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 11:23 am

    Does Trump have ‘a full understanding’ of his new Israel policy?
    12/07/17 08:40 AM
    By Steve Benen

    When Donald Trump delivered remarks yesterday announcing his new U.S. policy in Israel, the president seemed eager to tell the world how impressed he is with himself. “While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise,” he said, “they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.”

    Ordinarily, when a president announces a dramatic shift in foreign policy, he’ll explain why the change advances U.S. interests. Yesterday, however, Trump didn’t bother. Indeed, a Washington Post report suggested he may not fully understand what he just did.

    Several advisers said he did not seem to have a full understanding of the issue and instead appeared to be focused on “seeming pro-Israel,” in the words of one, and “making a deal,” in the words of another. […]

    The debate came to a head at a White House meeting Nov. 27 to hash out the waiver issue. According to people briefed on the meeting, Trump repeated his earlier assertions that he had to follow through on his campaign pledge, seemingly irritated by objections over security and the break with previous policy.

    “The decision wasn’t driven by the peace process,” one senior official said. “The decision was driven by his campaign promise.”

    Reply
  13. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Senator Franken is resigning. 😢

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      December 7, 2017 at 11:07 am

      Yeah, most Democratic Senators won’t fight for the social safety net and the last 80+ years of Democratic achievement, but when one of their own has allegedly groped women without their consent they form a lynch mob.

      There I said it.

      Reply
      • Liza says:
        December 7, 2017 at 11:09 am

        I hope that Blondie Gillibrand doesn’t think this will be the foundation of her 2020 presidential campaign.

        Reply
      • Liza says:
        December 7, 2017 at 11:17 am

        Because she will become the biggest blonde joke ever. Stupid bitch.

        Reply
      • Liza says:
        December 7, 2017 at 11:24 am

        I’m really angry about this.

        For God’s sake, we have a criminals in the White House trying to suck the life blood out of this nation, we have a corrupt Congress trying to legislate the biggest tax scam in the history of the world, we have the entire world looking at us as though we have all gone insane, but let’s put unwanted groping at the very top of our list of priorities.

        Reply
      • Liza says:
        December 7, 2017 at 11:29 am

        I read in Politico that the last straw for all of those good Democratic Senators was when a woman came forward to say that Al Franken forced her to kiss him over ten years ago in 2006.

        The last straw.

        Reply
      • Liza says:
        December 7, 2017 at 11:36 am

        Twitter is letting her have it. Good.

        Reply
      • Liza says:
        December 7, 2017 at 11:41 am

        I meant to say, Twitter is letting Kirsten Gillibrand have it.

        Reply
      • eliihass says:
        December 7, 2017 at 1:32 pm

        There was more than Kirsten Gilibrand in this mix..

        And none of them as I made clear long, long ago, will be getting my support or vote …

        It’s all so disgustingly calculated and manipulative …

        Reply
  14. Liza says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:54 am

    The Democrats think they will stake out the moral high ground on the sexual harassment issue.

    But the majority of voters are going to say, “Who gives a sh!t”?

    But the Democrats can say they stood for something.

    Actually, sexual harassment has been around for a very long time. But I guess we should ignore that and cheer them on for being so “moral” in 2017.

    Is there anyone out there besides me who would like to see them get this riled up about POLICE KILLINGS AND BRUTALITY? Just asking…

    Reply
  15. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:53 am

    Paul Ryan eyes Medicare cuts, and he thinks Trump may help
    12/07/17 11:06 AM—UPDATED 12/07/17 11:11 AM
    By Steve Benen

    …………………………………………………………..

    House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said Wednesday that congressional Republicans will aim next year to reduce spending on both federal health care and anti-poverty programs, citing the need to reduce America’s deficit.

    “We’re going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and the deficit,” Ryan said during an appearance on Ross Kaminsky’s talk radio show. “… Frankly, it’s the health care entitlements that are the big drivers of our debt, so we spend more time on the health care entitlements – because that’s really where the problem lies, fiscally speaking.”

    Ryan said that he believes he has begun convincing President Trump in their private conversations about the need to rein in Medicare, the federal health program that primarily insures the elderly.

    There’s a lot to this, but let’s focus on just two angles. The first is recognizing the audacity of Paul Ryan’s shameless scam.

    The House Speaker apparently expects Americans to believe it’s important to “tackle the debt and the deficit,” despite the fact that Ryan voted for both of George W. Bush’s tax cuts, both of George W. Bush’s wars in the Middle East, Medicare Part D, and the Wall Street bailout – none of which Republicans even tried to pay for.

    More to the point, if the Wisconsin congressman had even the slightest interest in balancing the budget, he wouldn’t be championing a tax plan that adds $1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. It’s a bit like listening to an arsonist demand money to rebuild the home he just burned to the ground: the person responsible for creating the problem shouldn’t whine about how eager he is to get others to fix the problem.

    But the other part of this is Trump’s intentions. It’s quite likely that he’s president today because he promised the nation that, his party’s orthodoxy notwithstanding, he wouldn’t cut the core pillars of the social-insurance state.

    Trump has already expressed a willingness to ignore part of that commitment, embracing the Republican Party’s health care plan, which included brutal Medicaid cuts. The president’s budget also included cuts to Social Security, though they targeted disability insurance, not retirees’ benefits. (Trump’s far-right budget director, Mick Mulvaney, told an incredible story in September in which he bragged about tricking the president into ignoring his campaign promise.)

    And now Paul Ryan wants Trump to agree to Medicare cuts, and the Speaker believes he’s “begun convincing” the president to go along with the plan. Given Trump’s willingness to ignore so many of his other commitments, and the ease with which the president takes aim at the interests of those he vowed to protect, it’s likely Ryan is correct about the efficacy of his pitch.

    Reply
  16. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:39 am

    THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/6/17
    Watchdog or lap dog? Trump team stonewalling tests GOP Congress
    Rep. Adam Schiff talks with Rachel Maddow about how Trump team members have made up lame excuses for not answering questions in the Trump Russia investigation, which they will get away with if Republican leadership lets them.

    Reply
  17. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:33 am

    BANANA IN THE TAILPIPE

    THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/6/17
    RNC re-embraces Moore, Democrats call for Franken resignation
    Senator Mazie Hirono talks with Rachel Maddow about how why she thinks Sen. Al Franken should step down, and how so many Democrats coordinated to speak out at the same time.

    Reply
  18. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:19 am

    THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/6/17
    Russia desire to end sanctions clear in Trump Russia scandal
    Rachel Maddow rounds up the different points in the Trump scandal where, while the Trump team side may be obfuscated, the Russia side is clearly motivated by a desire to end the sanctions imposed after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

    Reply
  19. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 10:10 am

    THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/6/17
    California ripped by wind-driven wildfires
    Rachel Maddow reports on devastating wildfires that are being driven across California by gusts of Santa Ana winds.

    Reply
  27. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:52 am

    Found at BJ:

    Trump has broken with tradition…no physical and report from Bethesda.

    Reply
  28. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:50 am

    New: MSNBC Reverses Decision To Fire Contributor Sam Seder. @ryangrim scoops https://t.co/dM2ELqbHzb— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) December 7, 2017

    Reply
  29. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:45 am

    Get it done @CoryBooker @repjohnlewis @DevalPatrick. ROCK THAT VOTE!

    https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/938778956391698433

    Reply
  30. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:39 am

    I’m not saying that Franken shouldn’t ULTIMATELY resign.
    But, right now?
    Over this bullshyt?
    BEFORE, he’s had his hearing before the Ethics Committee?
    PHUCK OUTTA HERE.
    The Democrats fall for this bullshyt
    EVERY DAMN TIME!
    AND, I’m sick of it!
    Pajama Boy has paid out 80k+
    Then, there’s the one who paid ouf 150k?
    Where are the PHUCKING DEMOCRATS ON THAT?
    The Dems fall for the Banana in the Tailpipe
    EVERY DAMN TIME!!

    Reply
  31. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:36 am

    For @SenFranken In the words of Chaka Khan. STAY!

    Reply
  32. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:33 am

    First 30 seconds of Trump’s speech today vs. last 30 seconds.

    Some serious speech slurring going on.

    Is he on drugs? Did he have a minor stroke?

    The American people need to know if our President is mentally fit to lead. pic.twitter.com/Smr6Xjdqee

    — Millennial Politics (@MillenPolitics) December 7, 2017

    Reply
  33. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 8:29 am

    This Bish Here

    “Elevating skills over pedigree creates new pathways to employment and tailored training and a gateway to the middle class.” #WorkforceDevelopment https://t.co/PIJzxlsU8z pic.twitter.com/zxQCF4Jzak

    — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) December 7, 2017

    Reply
  37. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2017 at 7:56 am

    The blood hounds have been unleashed to punish Al Franken about Jeff Sessions. Handle your business in the Senate. Do not resign.

    Reply
  39. Liza says:
    December 7, 2017 at 7:05 am

    This video is actually from the California fires showing how close they are to LA.

    https://twitter.com/dorseyshaw/status/938485896713789441

    Reply
  40. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 7:02 am

    This guy is as rotten an appointment as the rest of Dolt45’s group. Cutting programs for homeless veterans 😠😠😠

    https://mobile.twitter.com/politico/status/938543368052838400

    Reply
  41. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2017 at 5:26 am

    Good Morning, Everyone 😄😄😄

    Reply

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