A Christmas Song That Means Something: The Pogues, “Fairytale of New York”

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Official video for Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl

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Lyrics:

It was Christmas Eve, babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me
“Won’t see another one”
And then he sang a song
‘The Rare Old Mountain Dew’
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen-to-one
I’ve got a feeling
This year’s for me and you
So, Happy Christmas
I love you, baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true

“They’ve got cars big as bars
They’ve got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you;
It’s no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me Broadway
Was waiting for me

“You were handsome!” “You were pretty
Queen of New York City”
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging
All the drunks, they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing ‘Galway Bay’
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day

“You’re a bum, you’re a punk”
“You’re an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead
On a drip in that bed”
“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas, your arse
I pray God it’s our last”

The boys of the NYPD choir
Still singing “Galway Bay”
And the bells are ringing out
For Christmas day

“I could have been someone”
“Well, so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you”
“I kept them with me, babe
I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone
I’ve built my dreams around you”

The boys of the NYPD choir
Still singing “Galway Bay”
And the bells are ringing out
For Christmas day

#ThePogues #FairytaleOfNewYork

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379 comments
1
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:18:54pm

re: #117 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

David Schuler’s online Christmas card, an homage to the health care industry, involves a drone photograph of 600 head of cattle lined up in the shape of an electrocardiogram readout and a heart.

Watch Now: Western Nebraska rancher sends season’s greetings to health care workers — with help from cows (Goes to the Scottsbluff, Nebr. Star-Herald)

The article also includes journalist picks for interesting Christmas displays in Scottsbluff and Gering)

(more)

This one has the image: madison.com

2
The Pie Overlord!  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:21:47pm

They have changed the lyrics in more recent performances.

“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot!”

is now

“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy braggart!”

3
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:23:49pm
4
The Pie Overlord!  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:24:10pm

Here is a cheap lousy braggart with nothing else to do on Christmas Eve but be a big giant crybaby

5
jaunte  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:25:55pm

I can tell I’m getting old by how young everyone in this video looks.

6
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:25:57pm

Thank you Secret Santa.

7
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:26:45pm

re: #4 The Pie Overlord!

Here is a cheap lousy braggart with nothing else to do on Christmas Eve but be a big giant crybaby

[Embedded content]

By the way did Trump ever set up an account on Parler?

8
Charles Johnson  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:27:29pm

re: #2 The Pie Overlord!

They have changed the lyrics in more recent performances.

“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot!”

is now

“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy braggart!”

I wouldn’t have done this. It’s a dead-on accurate depiction of how people talked. But I understand why they did.

9
Charles Johnson  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:28:38pm
10
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:33:07pm
11
LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:33:55pm

re: #4 The Pie Overlord!

Here is a cheap lousy braggart with nothing else to do on Christmas Eve but be a big giant crybaby

We’re almost done with this shit show thank goodness. This time next month he’ll be just another crazy dipshit on Twitter tweeting conspiracy theories.

12
thedopefishlives  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:34:01pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Christmas is a rough time of year for many people. My mom struggles with it mightily; her dad died shortly after Christmas in 1990. She loved him dearly, and this time of year is really hard on her.

13
LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:34:06pm

re: #10 Belafon

Good.

14
nowherenorth2  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:34:22pm

Merry Christmas to everyone on this site for helping me stay sane and for pointing me to information when I needed it.

15
LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:34:59pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

I hear ya Charles. It’s our first without my Grandma. Definitely tough for my Mom. I just want the year to end and hopefully next year to be a whole new beginning.

16
PhillyPretzel  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:36:38pm

re: #15 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

It is hard on a lot of people but at least here at LGF we can talk about it and there are those who understand.

17
A Mom Anon  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:39:18pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

My birth family isn’t gone, they just don’t give a shit. My parents spend holidays with a cousin and her husband and barely acknowledge us. I would buy gifts and receive none in return. They haven’t seen their grandson for a decade or more, not just the holidays. Last year was kind of my end of trying. I spent last Christmas in bed crying. This year I did plan a nice meal and got some stuff for my in-laws and my husband’s niece had a baby two weeks ago so I got the little guy some books and a baby size teddy bear. My in laws, even though MIL and I have had our differences have been better to me than my own family. Tomorrow I have my husband and son with me on Christmas, as it’s mostly been since forever. I am grateful for that but it’s still rough. Big hugs, from our home to yours. And thank you for this place and the people who have found their way here. ❤️

18
Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:43:10pm

re: #10 Belafon

[Embedded content]

Jail the Fuckers (note capitalization, since these are specific fuckers). That’s what would happen to me if I lied to a court.

19
thedopefishlives  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:43:15pm

re: #17 A Mom Anon

{{{A Mom Anon}}}

And also a hug to everyone who is having a hard Christmas/holiday season because of family who are gone in one way or another. Y’all got family right here, at least.

20
Dave In Austin  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:51:24pm
21
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:51:39pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

For me, Christmas is just a day to sleep in even if I only sleep in just one minute…and I watch a couple classic movies…

22
William Lewis  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:52:01pm

re: #9 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

I’m at work tonight, as I prefer. In the hotel biz, it’s always good to be the one who can on holidays and the extra pay is nice too.

I’ve never been fond of Christmas; good enough memories from growing up but I was always glad when the 26th rolled around and the carols stopped.

Tomorrow I’ll got over to my Ex’s, give presents to my boy and have a chicken dinner with them. Then at 11:00 I’ll do the overnight shift and collect a second day’s holiday pay and be happier with that paycheck :) and wait for the government money so I can buy new tires for the truck.

One more week of 2020 left to go.

23
plansbandc  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:53:32pm

Will spend Christmas with dude and we will drive around a bit tomorrow. Family in Colorado is not gathering due to the plague. Dude’s sister traveled to Colorado to be with her friend. We tried to encourage her not to go, but she’s been alone with her dogs since the plague began and needed to go.

I hope everyone has a nice Christmas, or at least as nice as it can be due to the circumstances. Thank you Charles for this site. I’m grateful to everyone here. You are the best support I’ve ever had on the internets.

24
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:55:08pm

My Christmas Eve dinner was two bowls of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and lots of blueberries mixed in. Made me feel like Fats Domino singing about that three-ill on the hill…

25
Dave In Austin  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:56:02pm

Tacos tonite.

26
plansbandc  Dec 24, 2020 • 6:56:46pm

re: #24 🌹UOJB!

Mac and cheese for us.

27
jaunte  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:01:21pm
28
The Pie Overlord!  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:02:15pm

re: #24 🌹UOJB!

My Christmas Eve dinner was two bowls of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and lots of blueberries mixed in. Made me feel like Fats Domino singing about that three-ill on the hill…

re: #25 Dave In Austin

Tacos tonite.

re: #26 plansbandc

Mac and cheese for us.

The Chinese foods have been eated. Z says that my General Tso’s Chicken is better than the takeout. But it is a bunch of work!

Tomorrow I am making a chocolate cream pie. I forgot to buy sprinkles when I went shopping yesterday so I will have to use grated dark chocolate for the topping. I decided to go with the blind baked crust because the Oreo crust is just too intense.

29
thedopefishlives  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:06:41pm

re: #28 The Pie Overlord!

Mrs. Fish is going to do quiche and all the breakfast meats (bacon and sausage), possibly sausage gravy. Then there will be ham for, I believe, lunch. Which leaves a mighty pile of leftovers for dinner and the weekend.

30
stpaulbear  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:06:48pm

re: #24 🌹UOJB!

My Christmas Eve dinner was two bowls of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and lots of blueberries mixed in. Made me feel like Fats Domino singing about that three-ill on the hill…

31
plansbandc  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:07:12pm

re: #28 The Pie Overlord!

Grated dark chocolate is better. NOM

32
Barefoot Grin  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:09:02pm

I know this is terribly sexist, but when I grow up I want to marry a high-ranking female Democrat in Michigan.

33
thedopefishlives  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:09:47pm

re: #32 Barefoot Grin

I know this is terribly sexist, but when I grow up I want to marry a high-ranking female Democrat in Michigan.

A man who likes women with spirit. I respect that. It’s why I married Mrs. Fish.

34
Teukka  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:09:50pm

re: #30 stpaulbear

[Embedded content]

Thanks. Now I have that song on my brain…

35
jaunte  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:11:46pm
36
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:13:11pm

re: #28 The Pie Overlord!

Grandma Bacon made French Silk pies with grated white chocolate on the top.

SINFULLY DEE-LISH-US!

37
PhillyPretzel  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:15:31pm

Merry Christmas for those who celebrate it and for those of us who do not enjoy the day off.

38
mmmirele  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:19:10pm

re: #11 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

We’re almost done with this shit show thank goodness. This time next month he’ll be just another crazy dipshit on Twitter tweeting conspiracy theories.

You know what would serve him right is if Twitter decided, that since he wasn’t president anymore, that his @realdonaldtrump account had to be archived to preserve all the tweets and he had to get another account. Reason: “the tweets were part of his governance and they need to be preserved without deletion or alteration.” Or some such. And then he had to start all over again.

39
jaunte  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:20:44pm
40
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:27:35pm

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and a great day to those who don’t.

I’ve been doing well with our locked-down Christmas right up until tonight when I made a nice Christmas Eve dinner for Mr. C. and myself. We should have 12 to 14 people here eating, drinking and being merry. We will do Zoom Christmas tomorrow afternoon with most of them, but of course, we should all be together again then instead of on Zoom. Sigh. But, I remind myself that we will be able to gather and party (at least outdoors) in just a few months, and it is better to better to miss those dear to you than not to have dear ones to miss. So, I’m doing some aggressive blessings counting.
Tonight we’ll drink a toast to Dr. Fauci’s birthday as well. Because, why not?

41
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:28:50pm

Ah, typical of the Irish. Sad songs about love, happy songs about war.

42
gocart mozart  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:31:41pm
43
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:33:20pm

re: #42 gocart mozart

[Embedded content]

Ummm, yeah. Sure. Very clear message there.
/

44
I Would Prefer Not To  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:34:40pm

In my family, this has been a holiday tradition since 1941

45
plansbandc  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:36:07pm

re: #44 I Would Prefer Not To

Gritty makes it art.

46
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:36:20pm

re: #42 gocart mozart

[Embedded content]

Not how the branch in the upper left looks like an assault rifle.

Garrison is over the line with this one.

47
I Would Prefer Not To  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:39:48pm

re: #46 🌹UOJB!

Not how the branch in the upper left looks like an assault rifle.

Garrison is over the line with this one.

I have no idea if he for or against the pardons and the bailout.

48
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:40:43pm

re: #47 I Would Prefer Not To

I have no idea if he for or against the pardons and the bailout.

Based on the Q shit relatives post they want Democrats slaughtered en masse.

49
jaunte  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:41:43pm

re: #42 gocart mozart

Garrison’s leader is failing him.

50
Teukka  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:42:36pm

re: #48 🌹UOJB!

Based on the Q shit relatives post they want Democrats slaughtered en masse.

I’ve seen shit where Q’s call for “the greatest genocide ever” on democrats over on Parler…

51
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:42:55pm

re: #42 gocart mozart

[Embedded content]

Re: Garrison “cartoon”

Huh. So Trump, influenced by a (visual) planetary (kinda) conjunction, brings a Veto, Pardons, and a Bailout to one pissed off anthropomorphic dead Tree of Liberty in the forest, who just wants a blood sacrifice.

I’m very confused. Can someone help me?

52
thedopefishlives  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:43:29pm

re: #51 austin_blue

Re: Garrison “cartoon”

Huh. So Trump, influenced by a (visual) planetary (kinda) conjunction, brings a Veto, Pardons, and a Bailout to one pissed off anthropomorphic dead Tree of Liberty in the forest, who just wants a blood sacrifice.

I’m very confused. Can someone help me?

The Tree of Liberty demands the blood of the unbelievers.

53
b.d. (We Won!)  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:44:59pm

re: #51 austin_blue

Re: Garrison “cartoon”

Huh. So Trump, influenced by a (visual) planetary (kinda) conjunction, brings a Veto, Pardons, and a Bailout to one pissed off anthropomorphic dead Tree of Liberty in the forest, who just wants a blood sacrifice.

I’m very confused. Can someone help me?

Being confused about that is a really good sign of being sane.

54
Patricia Kayden  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:48:14pm

Thread

55
marcusgorillius  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:48:42pm

re: #14 nowherenorth2

Merry Christmas to everyone here at LGF. You’ve been a port in a storm for me during a really shitty year. Here in NW Pa. ( that’s the Alabama section of the state ) I’ve been surrounded by Trumpers all year. All their crying and bitching has made has really put me in the Christmas. Happy holidays to all😊

56
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:50:50pm

re: #52 thedopefishlives

The Tree of Liberty demands the blood of the unbelievers.

Yeah, but it’s fucking DEAD, Jim!!!

57
Teukka  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:51:19pm

And now for something completely different:

58
Decatur Deb  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:51:46pm

re: #55 marcusgorillius

Merry Christmas to everyone here at LGF. You’ve been a port in a storm for me during a really shitty year. Here in NW Pa. ( that’s the Alabama section of the state ) I’ve been surrounded by Trumpers all year. All their crying and bitching has made has really put me in the Christmas. Happy holidays to all😊

Back to you from the Pittsburgh part of Alabama. We have a Stillers bar.

59
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:52:16pm

We’re listening to Handel’s Messiah this evening. On vinyl. One forgets how often one has to jump up to turn a record over.

60
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:52:48pm

Yes, you want to google it:

61
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:53:00pm

re: #57 Teukka

And now for something completely different:

[Embedded content]

Swedish/Finnish Santa is very different than the American version…

62
William Lewis  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:53:14pm

re: #48 🌹UOJB!

Based on the Q shit relatives post they want Democrats slaughtered en masse.

Tis why I recently picked up a very nice inside waist band holster for my pistol. Surprise, motherf****r!

63
GlutenFreeJesus  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:54:07pm

re: #20 Dave In Austin

64
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:55:10pm

re: #57 Teukka

And now for something completely different:

[Embedded content]

Something to replace the Julbock?

65
Sherlock Hound  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:55:11pm

re: #12 thedopefishlives

Christmas is a rough time of year for many people. My mom struggles with it mightily; her dad died shortly after Christmas in 1990. She loved him dearly, and this time of year is really hard on her.

I’ve never loved Christmas. After my mom passed in 1994, I wasn’t in the spirit. I stopped putting up decorations. I was the only one to enjoy decorations. And then I didn’t enjoy them anymore.

66
plansbandc  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:55:39pm

67
William Lewis  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:57:09pm

re: #57 Teukka

And now for something completely different:

[Embedded content]

You need to read - you, yes, you everyone here- this now:
I, Cthulhu, or, What’s A Tentacle-Faced Thing Like Me Doing In A Sunken City Like This (Latitude 47° 9′ S, Longitude 126° 43′ W)? by Neil Gaiman.

Please enjoy what has become a quiet holiday tradition in the tor.com offices: the reading of Neil Gaiman’s original story: “I, Cthulhu, or, What’s A Tentacle-Faced Thing Like Me Doing In A Sunken City Like This (Latitude 47° 9’ S, Longitude 126° 43’ W)?”

Merry Christmas!

I.
Cthulhu, they call me. Great Cthulhu.

Nobody can pronounce it right.

Are you writing this down? Every word? Good. Where shall I start—mm?

Very well, then. The beginning. Write this down, Whateley.

I was spawned uncounted aeons ago, in the dark mists of Khhaa’yngnaiih (no, of course I don’t know how to spell it. Write it as it sounds), of nameless nightmare parents, under a gibbous moon. It wasn’t the moon of this planet, of course, it was a real moon. On some nights it filled over half the sky and as it rose you could watch the crimson blood drip and trickle down its bloated face, staining it red, until at its height it bathed the swamps and towers in a gory dead red light.

Those were the days.

Or rather the nights, on the whole. Our place had a sun of sorts, but it was old, even back then. I remember that on the night it finally exploded we all slithered down to the beach to watch. But I get ahead of myself.

And so on :D

68
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:57:55pm
69
Semper Fi  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:58:43pm

re: #62 William Lewis

Tis why I recently picked up a very nice inside waist band holster for my pistol. Surprise, motherf****r!

May I ask, what is it?? (the pistol)

70
Sherlock Hound  Dec 24, 2020 • 7:58:51pm

re: #43 calochortus

Ummm, yeah. Sure. Very clear message there.
/

And unmistakable desire.

71
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:00:56pm

re: #70 Sherlock Hound

And unmistakable desire.

There are a lot of very strange people out there. As far as I know, I don’t actually know any of them. For which I am grateful.

72
Semper Fi  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:00:59pm

re: #65 Sherlock Hound

I’ve never loved Christmas. After my mom passed in 1994, I wasn’t in the spirit. I stopped putting up decorations. I was the only one to enjoy decorations. And then I didn’t enjoy them anymore.

Millions of Mom’s make Christmas what it is.

73
William Lewis  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:02:24pm

re: #69 Semper Fi

May I ask, what is it?? (the pistol)

Tristar imported Canik S120 - a very exact clone of a CZ75B 9mm.

74
Sherlock Hound  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:04:11pm

re: #71 calochortus

There are a lot of very strange people out there. As far as I know, I don’t actually know any of them. For which I am grateful.

We’ve always said, on LGF, that the conservative movement worships a death-God.

75
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:07:13pm

re: #74 Sherlock Hound

We’ve always said, on LGF, that the conservative movement worships a death-God.

Which is weird.

76
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:08:16pm

Every Christmas my wife makes hundreds of chocolate truffles and gives them out as gifts to friends. I’m eating a Kahlua filled one right now. Mmmmmmm…

77
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:15:02pm

My youngest daughter (the biology teacher) is teaching her sister the various organs of dungeness crab as they clean it for crab salad for tomorrow.

78
retired cynic  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:15:35pm

re: #77 Dread Pirate Ron

snork

79
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:15:35pm

re: #76 Dread Pirate Ron

Every Christmas my wife makes hundreds of chocolate truffles and gives them out as gifts to friends. I’m eating a Kahlua filled one right now. Mmmmmmm…

She Who Must Be Obeyed is more of a baker. Lots of small loaves of spiced pound cakes with chocolate chips and cranberries. Most go to neighbors. The rest Get In Me Belly, Ye Wee Pastries!

80
plansbandc  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:17:13pm

re: #79 austin_blue

Spiced pound cake???? GIMMEEEEEE

81
Romantic Heretic  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:20:21pm

re: #52 thedopefishlives

The Tree of Liberty demands the blood of the unbelievers.

And your blood will satisfy Khorne as well.

The American Faith is as bloodthirsty as that of the Aztecs.

82
calochortus  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:22:26pm

I’m out for the evening.
Hasta mañana Lizards

83
TedStriker  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:22:38pm

re: #74 Sherlock Hound

We’ve always said, on LGF, that the conservative movement worships a death-God.

re: #75 calochortus

Which is weird.

Because they fancy themselves as the ones that would be doing the killing, never grokking the fact that, as soon as the people they would put into power were to initiate such atrocities, they’d be just as likely to be put against the wall as their enemies if they did or said the “wrong” things.

Serious students of human history, they ain’t.

84
Sherlock Hound  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:23:23pm
85
Romantic Heretic  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:24:58pm

re: #60 Belafon

Yes, you want to google it:

[Embedded content]

I did, and wish I hadn’t.

Keeeerist Almighty!

86
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:27:04pm
87
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:27:17pm

re: #80 plansbandc

Spiced pound cake???? GIMMEEEEEE

Now, now, let’s use our indoor voice and ask nicely, shall we?

Good!

In fact, beg. Salivate and grovel like a dog. Give me those needy eyes, and

WORSHIP YOUR ETERNAL LORD CTHULHU!!!

(Oops, sorry, got carried away. I blame Teukka.)

88
Teukka  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:34:07pm

A blast from the bast:

89
Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:37:29pm

90
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:54:13pm

re: #88 Teukka

A blast from the bast:

[Embedded content]

It amazes me that a century can destroy a country’s communal sense of memory of abject disaster.

A friend of (SWMBO) She Who Must Be Obeyed’s mother, from the same small town of Ballinger, Texas, was 10 when the last plague arrived there with a train of returning soldiers from Europe in early 1919. It tore that rural farming community UP.

SWMBO’s future grandfather was a 21 year old unmarried postman who delivered mail to outlying farms with his Gov’t issued Model T. If the mail piled up, he would hail the house.If there was no answer, he would alert the Health Department who would send a team to investigate, and, as was often necessary, collect the bodies.

I learned this from a woman who was born in 1908 and told the story to me when she was 96 and still sharp as a tack. She lived until 2011.

If we can’t make oral and written history, History, it isn’t history. If it isn’t taught, it isn’t learned, and it turns to dust.

91
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 24, 2020 • 8:57:56pm

re: #39 austin_blue

Christmas Eve dinner is typical TexGringo:

Tamales, two salsas, and black beans.

Baked stuff with sprinkles for dessert. Wine.

Tonight it is fried cabbage and sausage for us. My wife is doing that now.

Tomorrow it will be T-bone steaks.

Merry feasting y’all.

92
austin_blue  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:01:29pm

I apologize for killing the thread.

A merry ChanuKwanzMas, and a happy Solctivus to those so inclined.

Be safe. For dog’s sake BE WELL. There’s light at the end of the tunnel and this time it’s not an oncoming train.

93
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:05:49pm
94
Belafon  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:18:33pm
95
William Lewis  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:24:58pm

re: #94 Belafon

[Embedded content]

There’s a beautiful short story at the end of the most recent Dresden Files book which revolves around Christmas Eve and assembling a bike for his daughter. I thought of that when I saw the picture :)

96
Ace Rothstein  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:25:13pm

At Christmas dinner tonight, I had to explain to my red hat stepfather why it takes sunlight eight minutes to reach earth.

97
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:31:33pm

re: #96 Ace Rothstein

At Christmas dinner tonight, I had to explain to my red hat stepfather why it takes sunlight eight minutes to reach earth.

The time my idiot brother in law said that the Sun revolves around the Earth because the Bible says so…

98
Hecuba's daughter  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:46:09pm

To all who celebrate the holiday — Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

And the best gift will be a few days late but on Jan 6, Pence will announce that Biden is President and Kamala is VP! Certainly the best gift we all can receive to end the misery of 2020!

99
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 9:48:00pm

re: #98 Hecuba’s daughter

To all who celebrate the holiday — Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

And the best gift will be a few days late but on Jan 6, Pence will announce that Biden is President and Kamala is VP! Certainly the best gift we all can receive to end the misery of 2020!

I got a feeling Pence is going to chicken out and force THE GRASSHOLE to take his place.

100
Eclectic Cyborg  Dec 24, 2020 • 10:02:18pm

If you are home and comfortable and healthy right now, be thankful. You have things many others are desperate for.

I do hope this time next year we’ll be in a much better place as will our country.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. Thanks for helping me through this amazing bitch of a year.

101
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 10:09:53pm

Why the hell are fireworks and guns going off here in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles?

102
TedStriker  Dec 24, 2020 • 10:16:40pm

re: #101 🌹UOJB!

Why the hell are fireworks and guns going off here in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles?

Because dumbasses, that’s why.

103
Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo  Dec 24, 2020 • 10:39:09pm

There also has to be some accounting for the cost of Covid disinformation, a cost that is measured in tens of thousands of lives. Think Julius Streicher at Nuremberg. Follow his path, share his fate.

104
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 24, 2020 • 10:56:01pm

re: #101 🌹UOJB!

Why the hell are fireworks and guns going off here in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles?

I just heard a bunch of booms outside. Is this a new thing for Christmas Eve?

105
prairiefire  Dec 24, 2020 • 11:32:08pm

re: #104 Dread Pirate Ron

Yes

106
Nyet  Dec 24, 2020 • 11:35:12pm
107
prairiefire  Dec 24, 2020 • 11:37:29pm

RIP Kristy McColl!

108
🌹UOJB!  Dec 24, 2020 • 11:42:16pm

These people are beyond any chance of redemption

109
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 25, 2020 • 12:04:22am

I let my dog out and a creature was stirring but it wasn’t a mouse. It was a skunk, as soon as I smelled it I turned on my Torchy™ flashlight in turbo mode to flush him away before the dog got it.

110
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 25, 2020 • 12:11:21am

Season 9 of Letterkenny is out in Canada, it may be on Hulu by now.

111
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 25, 2020 • 12:25:03am

Santa has filled the stockings!

112
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 12:51:24am

As the investigation of misuse of funds by a Catholic charity contracted by the state continues …

This involves the purchase of $80,000 worth of Chicago Cubs tickets with charity funds.
Democratic state senator Sara Howard weighs in on the World-Herald brushing under the rug more church malfeasance:

113
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 12:55:44am

re: #112 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

I’m sure buying Chicago Cubs tickets in particular has nothing to do with Gov. Pete Ricketts’s family owning the Chicago Cubs.

114
Dread Pirate Ron  Dec 25, 2020 • 12:59:07am

re: #112 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

Being a pirate I don’t really have a problem with is fundraising if he turned a profit.

115
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:13:29am

re: #114 Dread Pirate Ron

Being a pirate I don’t really have a problem with is fundraising if he turned a profit.

I, too, am fine with taxing churches that turn profits, particularly those which divert money meant for foster families for orphaned children. As a matter of fact, I’m fine with jail for such religious profiteers.

116
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:16:47am

re: #3 Belafon

This assassination threat needs to be flagged to Twitter.

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

117
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:23:28am

re: #116 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

A7dTosyxK+futdFaCml1q1JYhjFi1ROFSGI/6ZKFomk4QoSdl2cDftlaYDExyS6iCnE8QIbTRK5kX6787M0xoQ==

118
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:25:31am

My wife notes she’s scared of Santa.

Although our chimney was removed years ago and roofed over, which might afford some protection against Santa breaking into our house, she’s still concerned he might try one of the doors or windows.

Plus, he knows when you are sleeping.
And he knows when you’re awake.
He even knows when you’ve been bad or good.

What is this guy, CIA or something?

/s

119
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:27:11am

re: #118 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

My wife notes she’s scared of Santa.

Although our chimney was removed years ago and roofed over, which might afford some protection against Santa breaking into our house, she’s still concerned he might try one of the doors or windows.

Plus, he knows when you are sleeping.
And he knows when you’re awake.
He even knows when you’ve been bad or good.

What is this guy, CIA or something?

/s

Some priests from the Vatinca can help against Santa, that old Delvi, the goddamned Lucifre.

120
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:32:08am

re: #15 LeftyRambles2413 (HappyWarrior)

I hear ya Charles. It’s our first without my Grandma. Definitely tough for my Mom. I just want the year to end and hopefully next year to be a whole new beginning.

I will call my mother later today.

There will not be many more holidays with my mother as she is already eighty. At that point, I will be the oldest person in my family (but no one will be calling me).

121
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:41:23am

re: #2 The Pie Overlord!

They have changed the lyrics in more recent performances.

“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot!”

is now

“You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy braggart!”

George Carlin explained in a monologue that a “faggot” was not necessarily a homosexual, more of an effeminate male, and as I recall from our High-School era jargon, there was a distinction.

122
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:44:28am

re: #51 austin_blue

Re: Garrison “cartoon”

Huh. So Trump, influenced by a (visual) planetary (kinda) conjunction, brings a Veto, Pardons, and a Bailout to one pissed off anthropomorphic dead Tree of Liberty in the forest, who just wants a blood sacrifice.

I’m very confused. Can someone help me?

I am especially impressed by the assault rifle-shaped branch pointing at the planetary conjunction

I could spend all day diving the sublime meanings hidden herein…

123
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Dec 25, 2020 • 1:50:03am

re: #118 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

My wife notes she’s scared of Santa.

Although our chimney was removed years ago and roofed over, which might afford some protection against Santa breaking into our house, she’s still concerned he might try one of the doors or windows.

Plus, he knows when you are sleeping.
And he knows when you’re awake.
He even knows when you’ve been bad or good.

What is this guy, CIA or something?

/s

Arlo Guthrie “The Pause of Mr. Claus”

124
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 2:10:26am

In the early morning on Christmas Eve.

Pair of Nazi Headstones Removed From Texas Cemetery (NBC Dallas-Ft Worth)

Two German WWII graves bearing Nazi swastikas have been removed from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery and replaced with new headstones.

The pair of headstones had become a long controversy over whether they were historical artifacts worth preserving or emblems of hate that should be destroyed, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

The cemetery director, Aubrey David, led several workers to the graves of German prisoners of war Alfred P. Kafka and Georg Forst at around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday.

“Clearly, it took a long time for this to happen, and it’s obviously the right thing to have been done,” said Michael L. “Mikey” Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which advocates against unwanted religious proselytizing in the armed services.

(more)

125
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 25, 2020 • 2:10:53am

Rolling out the good stuff for early Christmas morn:

L’Ensemble Choral du bout du Monde - Joyful Mysteries

..

126
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 25, 2020 • 2:17:18am

Top tenor of his day, singing in the original:

Georges Thill - Cantique de Noel - O Holy Night

(and frankly singing it as it should be, rather than the maudlinly slow versions that became popular in the faux-religiosity American style.)

127
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 2:45:28am
128
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 3:11:13am

Hemant Mehta addresses the scandals surrounding Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias which are cropping up now, even though he died in May (21:47), over his false claims of having three doctorates (he didn’t), claims he was a visiting scholar at Cambridge University (he wasn’t), and sexual harassment and assault (because Christian minister).

Let’s Talk About All the Ravi Zacharias Scandals

129
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 25, 2020 • 3:31:42am

re: #128 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

That RZIM released an early version of the investigative report they commissioned is pretty telling. They know they have to get ahead of the eventual blowback.

130
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 3:51:36am

re: #129 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

That RZIM released an early version of the investigative report they commissioned is pretty telling. They know they have to get ahead of the eventual blowback.

And line up their lawyers for lawsuits.

As Mr. Mehta points out, if they were actually interested in transparency, they would release the woman involved in “Scandal #2” concerning his alleged harassment of a married woman followed by her husband suing Mr. Zacharias.

Lots of Christians are in the comment section attacking Mr. Mehta right now making excuses for Mr. Zacharias, the usual variety of “just like Moses or King David he fell short of the Glory of God” (he was no Moses or King David), accusing him of not engaging in Mr. Zacharias’s apologetics arguments (aside from being the same old stale arguments dressed up in word salad, the video isn’t about apologetics, it’s about a person who allegedly abused authority and trust, &c).

131
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:09:07am
132
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:19:58am

Via Houston Public Media, the Medæval Bæbes with a rendition of “Gaudete” (XVI Century Christmas carol written in Latin, recorded live, 3:01)

Skyline Sessions: Mediaeval Baebes - “Gaudete”

133
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:27:27am

re: #130 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

Fundamentalists are of course avoiding learning the real lessons from Ravi’s scandal, as they do with all of Trump’s scandals and malice.

Their refrain is that Ravi is “only human” and that “we all sin”, etc.

But the real problem is one of not connecting to reality.

They don’t want reality.

134
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:32:19am

Utah Outcasts goes after Rep. Louie Gohmert, who claims the election was rigged and we need to follow God, not the Constitution, in our government (caution for coarse language, 10:01)

Louie Gohmert Wants to Toss Out “Bad Votes”

135
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:37:19am
136
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:42:54am

re: #135 Nyet

Their desperation is……delicious. 😂

137
fern01  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:43:28am

re: #25 Dave In Austin

Tacos tonite.

That was our Christmas Eve dinner. Went down a treat.

138
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:51:52am
139
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:53:25am
140
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 4:58:55am

re: #139 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

nonsense, those are magical, not natural reindeer

141
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:02:25am

re: #140 Nyet

nonsense, those are magical, not natural reindeer

There are a lot of really upset people in that thread, especially Christians (apparently Santa’s reindeer appear somewhere in the Gospels), and people saying he’s destroying Christmas for children (because apparently children read Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Twitter feed or something).

Happy Birthday, Issac Newton. Physics is the reason for the season.

142
fern01  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:04:38am

re: #118 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

My wife notes she’s scared of Santa.

/s

Many moons ago my daughter asked could Santa leave the presents by the mail box because she didn’t want those reindeer on our roof - it might collapse while we were sleeping.

143
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:07:19am

LOL

144
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:09:32am
145
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:09:46am

I don’t get why Tyson’s lightweight “sciency” humor pablum is so popular, especially considering other things he writes.

146
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:15:17am

re: #145 Nyet

I don’t get why Tyson’s lightweight “sciency” humor pablum is so popular, especially considering other things he writes.

When he’s speaking about astrophysics, he’s speaking about what he knows best.

As for the rest of it, he’s a Twitter influencer.

He’s sure stirred up a lot of wingnuts, like this homeschooler Trump supporter:

147
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:19:59am

re: #146 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

And this one. Stay mad.

148
A Cranky One  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:51:46am

Bah, humbug.

Always hated the Rudolph song.

re: #126 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

Top tenor of his day, singing in the original:

[Embedded content]

(and frankly singing it as it should be, rather than the maudlinly slow versions that became popular in the faux-religiosity American style.)

Thanks for posting this! First decent version of the song I’ve heard in years.

Wishing all lizards a happy, restful and restoring holiday.

149
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:53:37am
Splendid news, everyone! Or terrible news, everyone! You know, depending on your perspective. This story came out in the Christian Post last week, so technically it’s old news, but we figured all y’all have probably been playing hooky from your Christian Post reading for … ever … so it’s new news for you.

Anyway, in honor of Christmas, we regret/are thrilled to inform you that the most common category of religious belief among American youngs is now “nope.” Indeed, according to the American Enterprise Institute’s new study from its Survey Center on American Life, the most common religious affiliation among those 18-29 in America is “none.”

YOU DID IT, KIDS! YOU KILLED GOD! Or at least 34 percent of the youngs, who picked “none.”

(more at Wonkette)

Merry Christmas, Youngs! You Killed God.

150
A Cranky One  Dec 25, 2020 • 5:56:27am

I’d like to meet this person.

boredpanda.com

151
Decatur Deb  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:03:02am

re: #149 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

(more at Wonkette)

Merry Christmas, Youngs! You Killed God.

Gods can die, but more often they transform. You want to be really sure that you’re going to like what they transform into.

152
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:10:48am

re: #151 Decatur Deb

Gods can die, but more often they transform. You want to be really sure that you’re going to like what the transform into.

Donny and his Latter Day Apprentices.

153
i(m)p(each)sos  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:14:50am

It’s Shane MacGowan’s 63rd birthday today, or so the radio tells me. Thanks for the music!

154
jeffreyw  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:24:08am

Good morning!

155
Eclectic Cyborg  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:24:33am

Maybe Rudolph was/is gender fluid.

/

156
A Mom Anon  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:25:24am

re: #149 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

My kid is one of those heathens. I couldn’t be more proud.

When he was younger, still in middle school, he had a best pal that was very religious. His parents were divorced and he lived with his dad down the road from us. They were inseparable until Dad came to our house one day and didn’t like a painting I have in my living room called The Magic Circle by John Waterhouse. It wasn’t long after that he sent his son back to live with his mom. My son tried to talk to him at school but the kid said our family was satanic and he wasn’t allowed to be around my son anymore. Before that my kid had gone to church with them and stuff and it was fine by me. I don’t think you could pay my kid to walk into a church now. Because of judgmental ass bonnets. So he was driven away from religion by Christians. Or so called Christians, I should say.

157
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:29:01am

Morning Lizardim from the cold and snow-covered wild north country. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my scaly friends, of any religious or nonreligious persuasion. I’m so thankful to have this community to help keep me sane in a year in which I’ve literally seen people go crazy from not having a firm anchor to stay grounded.

158
b.d. (We Won!)  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:38:03am

re: #155 Eclectic Cyborg

[Embedded content]

Maybe Rudolph was/is gender fluid.

/

Flying reindeer are a different breed that don’t shed their antlers. For a smart guy, Neil sure can be a dumbass sometimes.

159
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:40:27am

The explosion in a field was large enough to be seen by satellites.

Explosion near Lyons, Nebraska caused by gas line rupture, Northern Natural Gas says (Omaha World-Herald)

A pipeline rupture caused an explosion in a field near Lyons, Nebraska, Thursday large enough to be seen by satellite.

The Lyons Fire Department reported to the explosion about 3:30 p.m., said Mike Loeffler, a spokesman for Northern Natural Gas company.

The Oakland Fire Department also responded and through Facebook asked that people stay clear of the area to allow emergency vehicles through.

No injuries were reported and there was no need for evacuations or road closures, Loeffler said.

Northern Natural Gas personnel were on the scene soon after the explosion and worked to close valves that would allow the fire to burn out on its own.

(more)

Lyons is near the border with Iowa, about halfway between Omaha and South Sioux City.

160
Eclectic Cyborg  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:41:07am

If nothing gets figured out before then, Trump will cause his third Government shutdown next week.

That would tie him with Reagan for the most under a single Presidency, however Trump would become the first President to trigger three shutdowns in ONE term.

161
Eventual Carrion  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:44:36am

For me. Christmas 2020

Happy holidays to all. My gifts. I will find a way to combine them to make a merry holiday and new year.

162
Dave In Austin  Dec 25, 2020 • 6:53:37am

Merry Christmas all. Please have a safe and distanced day.

163
A Mom Anon  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:02:14am

So the husband went a tad nuts on the Funko Pop! Rock/Metal figurines….

Lemmy and the Warpig
Building a wall of Funko…
And Metallica, Ozzy and Guns and Roses
164
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:04:44am

re: #158 b.d. (We Won!)

Flying reindeer are a different breed that don’t shed their antlers. For a smart guy, Neil sure can be a dumbass sometimes.

For the win

165
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:05:08am

Nebraska drivers looking to show their wild side will have four new specialty license plates to choose from starting Jan. 1.

Three new wildlife options are a Nebraska bighorn sheep, sandhill crane and ornate box turtle. The fourth option, championed by Bike/Walk Nebraska, includes a trail scene and the words “The Good Life is Outside.”

The alpha-numeric specialty plates are $5 per year and custom message specialty plates are $40 per year.

Revenue from the wildlife plates will benefit the Wildlife Conservation Fund, which supports conservation of Nebraska’s at-risk, threatened and endangered species. Funds from the trail plate will benefit trail maintenance at Nebraska’s state parks.

The new plates join a fifth by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission featuring a mountain lion, which was introduced in 2016 and benefits Game and Parks’ conservation education fund.

starherald.com

166
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:08:17am
167
A Mom Anon  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:09:02am

re: #163 A Mom Anon

He’s been collecting these since June and hid them in his car, lol. I already have a Kurt Cobain, Angus Young, Rosie the Riveter and Deadpool. I got a Papa Nihil(Ghost) for the kid, and dear god, you could spend a lot of money on these things. I was reassured by The Husband that he spent 12 dollars on the most expensive one. He went and did side jobs to pay for them. This is why we’re married for close to 30 years.

168
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:09:18am
169
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:09:52am

re: #160 Eclectic Cyborg

If nothing gets figured out before then, Trump will cause his third Government shutdown next week.

That would tie him with Reagan for the most under a single Presidency, however Trump would become the first President to trigger three shutdowns in ONE term.

I believe it will be his fourth. (Forbes)

Paul Ryan, oversaw not one but three government shutdowns during the first two years of the Trump administration - including the first to occur when the federal government was controlled by one party in over 40 years.

170
plansbandc  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:10:21am

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! Off to walk the dog and look for wildlife…

171
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:10:36am

re: #161 Eventual Carrion

[Embedded content]

Happy holidays to all. My gifts. I will find a way to combine them to make a merry holiday and new year.

Single barrel rocks

172
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:10:47am
173
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:11:22am

So, my Christmas gift from Mrs. Fish was entirely on-brand. It was a Grogu doll. Yes, that’s right, I’ve joined the club.

174
Eclectic Cyborg  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:13:09am

re: #172 Backwoods_Sleuth

So he’s going golfing again.

Got it.

175
mmmirele  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:13:49am

re: #101 🌹UOJB!

Why the hell are fireworks and guns going off here in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles?

Probably not for the same reason fireworks are being popped off here in my east Mesa neighborhood—easy accessibility. I blame the two fireworks stands within a half-mile of my house, selling fireworks in the runup to New Year’s. I was thinking that Mary, mother of Jesus, would have grabbed a shepherd’s crook and started shouting, ” I JUST GOT HIM TO SLEEP WILL YOU CUT IT OUT?” and then walking off, muttering under her breath, “Silent Night for baby…”

176
plansbandc  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:14:54am

re: #163 A Mom Anon

Love the Rockstar POPs.

I just got my first POP! It is Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets. My favorite player of any sport.

(Do have the Toy Story micropops, but that’s different. :D)

177
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:15:41am
178
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:17:33am

re: #174 Eclectic Cyborg

So he’s going golfing again.

Got it.

For the rest of us its the safest thing he could be doing

179
A Mom Anon  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:18:01am

re: #176 plansbandc

They’re just ridiculous and I love them. I wish they’d make Soundgarden and Foo Fighters ones. But Lordy, they have a category for damn near anything. Movies, TV, Books, Gaming, Famous People, etc. l love the Stephen King one with Molly the Thing of Evil, lol.

180
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:18:49am

WTVF-TV with video

Vehicle explosion on Second Avenue was intentional, Metro police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A large explosion was reported in downtown Nashville early Friday morning.

The blast was felt across much of Davidson County around 6:30 a.m. Metro police said the explosion has been linked to a vehicle outside 166 Second Avenue N.

The explosion is under investigation by Metro police and federal authorities. During a press conference, Metro police said they believe the explosion was an “intentional act.” Officers were investigating the report of a suspicious vehicle when the explosion occurred.

Three people have been taken to the hospital, but officials say none of the injuries have been reported as critical.

(more)

181
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:19:44am

re: #175 mmmirele

Probably not for the same reason fireworks are being popped off here in my east Mesa neighborhood—easy accessibility. I blame the two fireworks stands within a half-mile of my house, selling fireworks in the runup to New Year’s. I was thinking that Mary, mother of Jesus, would have grabbed a shepherd’s crook and started shouting, ” I JUST GOT HIM TO SLEEP WILL YOU CUT IT OUT?” and then walking off, muttering under her breath, “Silent Night for baby…”

I am rolling on the floor here and Mrsdm is looking at me wondering what’s wrong with me. (Tbf I cause her to do that a lot)

182
A Mom Anon  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:21:57am

re: #181 Dangerman; Not a Dr. & don’t play one on TV

Seriously, who makes a bunch of noise around a sleeping baby? An asshole, that’s who. 😄

183
BigPapa  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:22:00am

Intentional act? This can only mean one thing: the Stupidest Man on the Internet will have a story blaming Antif/BLM for it before this hour is done.

184
Jay C  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:22:16am

A local resident with a tidy précis of the Nashville explosion:

Weird, though: while the authorities are speculating that this was a car-bomb situation (in an RV(?)), the blast seems to occurred in a residential neighborhood near Nashville’s “historic district” - usually these sort of *attacks*(?) are aimed at specific targets: I could understand trying to blow up City Hall/Government building/police station, etc.: but the building most damaged seems to be residential lofts.

ETA: seeing comments below, makes more sense now.

185
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:23:14am

re: #175 mmmirele

Probably not for the same reason fireworks are being popped off here in my east Mesa neighborhood—easy accessibility. I blame the two fireworks stands within a half-mile of my house, selling fireworks in the runup to New Year’s. I was thinking that Mary, mother of Jesus, would have grabbed a shepherd’s crook and started shouting, ” I JUST GOT HIM TO SLEEP WILL YOU CUT IT OUT?” and then walking off, muttering under her breath, “Silent Night for baby…”

Or “stop that unholy racket” (goddammit)

186
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:23:28am

Never mind.

187
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:23:34am

re: #180 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

WTVF-TV with video

Vehicle explosion on Second Avenue was intentional, Metro police say

(more)

This was intended to hurt first responders. Textbook terrorism.

Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said police received a report of a suspicious vehicle and upon investigating the report, officers called the hazardous devices unit. When the unit responded to the area, the vehicle exploded.

188
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:24:10am

re: #187 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

This was intended to hurt first responders. Textbook terrorism.

Never mind my previous. Editing.

189
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:27:09am

re: #188 thedopefishlives

Never mind my previous. Editing.

I should have highlighted both key points.

Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said police received a report of a suspicious vehicle and upon investigating the report, officers called the hazardous devices unit. When the unit responded to the area, the vehicle exploded.

190
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:30:13am

re: #187 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

This was intended to hurt first responders. Textbook terrorism.

We’ll have to see what the police and fire investigators determine, but RVs blowing up on Christmas in the early morning aren’t normal.

The police say three people were injured.

191
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:32:20am

re: #190 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

We’ll have to see what the police and fire investigators determine, but RVs blowing up on Christmas in the early morning aren’t normal.

The police say three people were injured.

Agree.

I’m curious how many reports are received for “suspicious vehicles” annually.

Who was injured? Was it the first responders?

192
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:32:38am

re: #180 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

WTVF-TV with video

Vehicle explosion on Second Avenue was intentional, Metro police say

(more)

Nashvillian here.

Oh, boy….

This was about 0630 this morning; I was still asleep, but my brother was staying overnight and he was up, heard the explosion, and said it sounded like it was right over us…and we’re about 5-6 miles away (there have been reports of people hearing or feeling the explosion as far away as Murfreesboro, over forty miles away).

From ground zero at Second Avenue North and Commerce, much of downtown is shut down and full of Metro PD, FD and various state and fed TLAs. The local news outlets are all over this and probably will be for days.

193
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:34:53am
194
Dangerman  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:35:38am

re: #190 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

We’ll have to see what the police and fire investigators determine, but RVs blowing up on Christmas in the early morning aren’t normal.

The police say three people were injured.

Some people are already saying trump will pardon the Nashville bomber. //

195
BigPapa  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:35:41am

I thought this might have been an RV sized LP gas tank firing off. Now seeing the damage and authorities comments, Occams Razor points to fuckery. I hope noboby died.

196
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:36:43am

re: #195 BigPapa

I thought this might have been an RV sized LP gas tank firing off. Now seeing the damage and authorities comments, Occams Razor points to fuckery. I hope noboby died.

That was my thought too, until the comment was pointed out about the first responders arrived and then the vehicle blew up. If that was an accident, that was a hell of a cosmic coincidence.

197
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:36:45am

re: #195 BigPapa

I thought this might have been an RV sized LP gas tank firing off. Now seeing the damage and authorities comments, Occams Razor points to fuckery. I hope noboby died.

When I saw the first pictures, my hunch was a bomb; when I heard audio, it confirmed my suspicion, because I’ve heard enough high-order explosions on MythBusters over the years and this was one.

198
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:37:51am
199
Kilroy was here  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:37:56am

Honest Trailers - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Just here to spread the truth..
Oh, and Merry Christmas..

200
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:39:02am

And Channel 2 just said the FBI took over the incident command.

201
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:39:08am
202
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:40:37am
203
A hollow voice says,1st round on points. Onward!  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:46:20am

re: #154 jeffreyw

[Embedded content]

Good morning!

Merry Christmas, everyone! (2020 doesn’t deserve red berries.)

204
jaunte  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:47:21am
205
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:48:28am
206
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:49:14am
207
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:49:46am

You know, the location of ground zero just seems to be random to those unfamiliar with downtown Nashville, because, while there are apartments and condos in that stretch of Second Avenue North, it’s mostly commercial tourist-trap stuff (restaurants and shops). It wasn’t close to any of the really “important” stuff (the Metro and fed courthouses are several blocks away in different directions, and the closest skyscraper to the explosion is the AT&T “Batman” building, which was within sight, but still a couple of blocks away).

However, one thing I did notice when they showed where it was: it was right in front of AT&T’s downtown central office/microwave relay station.

Could be a coincidence, but it also may not be.

208
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:52:15am

Not sure what to think of this. First, it’s the Post. Second, Dr. Birx sure needed a long time to make an explanation after she was caught out making a trip for Thanksgiving after she recommended people not do that.

209
A hollow voice says,1st round on points. Onward!  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:53:00am

re: #158 b.d. (We Won!)

Flying reindeer are a different breed that don’t shed their antlers. For a smart guy, Neil sure can be a dumbass sometimes.

Nah, the publicity pictures are done earlier in the year (no time in December). Of course they’ve shed their antlers by the time they have to get to work — flying a sled is grueling work even without them!

210
jaunte  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:53:02am

re: #207 TedStriker

When I heard the location I assumed it was where Nashville’s “libs” lived.

211
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:53:22am

re: #207 TedStriker

You know, the location of ground zero just seems to be random to those unfamiliar with downtown Nashville, because, while there are apartments and condos in that stretch of Second Avenue North, it’s mostly commercial tourist-trap stuff (restaurants and shops). It wasn’t close to any of the really “important” stuff (the Metro and fed courthouses are several blocks away in different directions, and the closest skyscraper to the explosion is the AT&T “Batman” building was within sight, but still a couple of blocks away), but one thing I did notice when they showed where it was: it was right in front of AT&T’s downtown central office/microwave relay station.

Could be a coincidence, but it also may not be.

If the point was hurting first responders alone it makes perfect sense.

212
Michele: Out of the closet, Into the fire  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:55:09am

Merry Christmas Lizards from my home (away from home) to yours.

213
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:56:11am

re: #210 jaunte

When I heard the location I assumed it was where Nashville’s “libs” lived.

Like I said, there’s residences and a hostel in that stretch, but there are much more dense and high-profile residential targets downtown: the condo buildings in the Gulch and on Church Street and elsewhere.

214
Hecuba's daughter  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:56:28am

re: #118 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

My wife notes she’s scared of Santa.

Although our chimney was removed years ago and roofed over, which might afford some protection against Santa breaking into our house, she’s still concerned he might try one of the doors or windows.

Plus, he knows when you are sleeping.
And he knows when you’re awake.
He even knows when you’ve been bad or good.

What is this guy, CIA or something?

/s

NSA, not CIA!

215
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:58:05am

re: #208 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

Not sure what to think of this. First, it’s the Post. Second, Dr. Birx sure needed a long time to make an explanation after she was caught out making a trip for Thanksgiving after she recommended people not do that.

[Embedded content]

My thoughts on this: The proper time to put out this story is at the time you make the trip; publicly announce where you’re going and why, and that you’re taking precautions. Alternatively, once the trip becomes public knowledge and you start getting pushback, then do it. This story is old news, and her putting this out there after she’s already announced she’s retiring is disingenuous.

216
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 7:59:03am

re: #211 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

If the point was hurting first responders alone it makes perfect sense.

Don Aaron with Metro PD is giving another conference right now; he said that a “shots fired” call came into the Central Precinct at about 0600. When Metro responded, they found no evidence of a “shots fired” incident, but noticed the suspicious vehicle, so they called in the bomb squad and began getting people away from the area. Then, the BOOM at about 0630.

This was a fucking trap for the cops.

217
Mattand  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:00:01am

Merry Christmas, y’all. Have a great day.

218
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:00:09am

re: #216 TedStriker

Don Aaron with Metro PD is giving another conference right now; he said that a “shots fired” call came into the Central Precinct at about 0600. When Metro responded, they found no evidence of a “shots fired” incident, so they called in the bomb squad and began getting people away from the area. Then, the BOOM at about 0630.

This was a fucking trap.

I hope they can trace that call. That’s somebody who was in on it.

219
jaunte  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:00:42am
220
jaunte  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:00:52am
221
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:01:35am

re: #216 TedStriker

Don Aaron with Metro PD is giving another conference right now; he said that a “shots fired” call came into the Central Precinct at about 0600. When Metro responded, they found no evidence of a “shots fired” incident, so they called in the bomb squad and began getting people away from the area. Then, the BOOM at about 0630.

What made them go from shots fired to bomb squad? Was there a suspicious vehicle report as well?

222
NO SMOCKING GUN!  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:01:49am

Happy holidays everyone!

223
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:02:26am

re: #211 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

If the point was hurting first responders alone it makes perfect sense.

If the AT&T office was the intended target, so does workplace violence.

On the issue of the call (suspicious vehicle called in, followed by the explosion as the fire department arrived), we’ll have to wait to see.

As of yet, SMOTI’s Twitter feed only has the report of the explosion; nothing about blaming it on radical Muslims, antifa, radical atheists who hate Christmas, BLM, or other usual conservative scapegoats. On the left you might see people blaming Trump supporters.

We’re left in the fog of journalism where speculation runs rampant until a preliminary report comes out. Unfortunately, in that time, plenty of propagandists can start filling heads with whatever story they want to push.

In these days of the modern Internet, people seem to want an answer right now, but investigations still take the same amount of time they’ve always taken.

224
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:03:33am

re: #221 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

What made them go from shots fired to bomb squad? Was there a suspicious vehicle report as well?

Yeah, refresh for my edit.

When MPD didn’t see any evidence of a “shots fired” incident when they got there, they noticed the suspicious RV, called in the bomb squad, and starting putting up a perimeter and getting people out of nearby buildings and off the street.

225
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:05:57am

re: #223 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

AT&T strikes me as a 5G nut. Unless it’s workplace violence. Or your average nut. Or. Or. Or. 😳

226
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:06:18am

re: #223 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

It would be irresponsible not to speculate./

227
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:06:48am
228
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:07:08am

re: #223 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

If the AT&T office was the intended target, so does workplace violence.

On the issue of the call (suspicious vehicle called in, followed by the explosion as the fire department arrived), we’ll have to wait to see.

As of yet, SMOTI’s Twitter feed only has the report of the explosion; nothing about blaming it on radical Muslims, antifa, radical atheists who hate Christmas, BLM, or other usual conservative scapegoats. On the left you might see people blaming Trump supporters.

We’re left in the fog of journalism where speculation runs rampant until a preliminary report comes out. Unfortunately, in that time, plenty of propagandists can start filling heads with whatever story they want to push.

In these days of the modern Internet, people seem to want an answer right now, but investigations still take the same amount of time they’ve always taken.

But, if someone was trying to send a clear message, the iconic AT&T “Batman” building was a couple of blocks away, within sight but not really close to the RV.

229
Belafon  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:07:14am

On January 3rd, BBC America is showing a new show called The Watch, based on Ank Moorpark City Watch, from the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.

The Watch Season 1 Trailer 🔥 Premieres January 3rd | BBC America

230
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:08:10am
231
Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:11:08am
232
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:11:49am

re: #231 Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo

[Embedded content]

That will DEFINITELY wake you up in the morning. I hope those EOD’s were wearing their brown pants.

233
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:11:53am

It looks like a bunch of buildings were damaged.

234
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:12:00am

A local holiday rescue story from WHYY:
whyy.org

Summary: Three kittens were stuffed into backpack. A worker in the recycling plant noticed a moving and crying backpack and opened it up. The kittens are being adopted and will have a good holiday and hopefully a good life.

235
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:13:50am
236
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:14:03am

re: #233 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

It looks like a bunch of buildings were damaged.

[Embedded content]

Oh, yeah, this was a bomb.

237
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:14:12am

re: #231 Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo

Seems like one of those slow-rolling ANFO blasts.

238
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:16:44am

re: #234 PhillyPretzel

A local holiday rescue story from WHYY:
whyy.org

They really screwed the pooch, we, kittens by not naming them Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

239
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:18:58am
240
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:20:15am

re: #236 TedStriker

[Embedded content]

Oh, yeah, this was a bomb.

Let us know what the news says about ways people can help.

241
Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:22:46am

re: #239 Backwoods_Sleuth
Best reply ever.

242
jaunte  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:23:41am

re: #241 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance

What is giving it that weird color?

243
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:24:04am
244
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:24:57am

re: #242 jaunte

What is giving it that weird color?

It’s like they roasted it to medium rare.

On a positive note, this would work your jaw muscles like crazy.

245
Nyet  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:25:36am

WHYY, WTVF… those abbreviations seem to want to tell us something.

246
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:26:01am

re: #237 Dr Lizardo

Seems like one of those slow-rolling ANFO blasts.

When I heard that characteristic WHOMP that I’d heard so many times on MythBusters (particularly when they blew up the concrete truck), I thought the same was likely, but, while it looks bad from the pics and video so far, the damage doesn’t seem to line up with that possibility, unless the bomb was botched.

If it were a proper ANFO bomb, Second Ave would look like the remains of the Murrah building.

247
Backwoods_Sleuth  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:26:10am
248
Jay C  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:27:22am

re: #245 Nyet

WHYY, WTVF… those abbreviations seem to want to tell us something.

Inorite?
I see those call letters of WTVF, and can’t help thinking it stands for “What The Fuck TV”….

249
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:30:30am

re: #248 Jay C

Inorite?
I see those call letters of WTVF, and can’t help thinking it stands for “What The Fuck TV”….

I see What The Virtual Fuck?

250
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:30:38am

re: #245 Nyet

WHYY is the PBS station in Philadelphia, PA.

251
mmmirele  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:31:12am

re: #128 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

Hemant Mehta addresses the scandals surrounding Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias which are cropping up now, even though he died in May (21:47), over his false claims of having three doctorates (he didn’t), claims he was a visiting scholar at Cambridge University (he wasn’t), and sexual harassment and assault (because Christian minister).

[Embedded content]

It’s worth pointing out what’s changed in the last couple of days. Zacharias’ outfit, “Ravi Zacharias International Ministries” hired a law firm which did NOT have experience in investigating these sorts of things. Perhaps stung by the criticism, the firm gave RZIM a report that is *damning*.

Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) notified staff, donors, and supporters on Wednesday that there is “convincing and credible” evidence that Ravi Zacharias “engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of many years.”

A preliminary report from the law firm hired by RZIM confirms reports from CT, World, and blogger Steve Baughman that international apologist Ravi Zacharias, who died earlier this year, sexually abused numerous women.

The final report is forthcoming, and RZIM has committed to releasing it to the public. The investigators at the law firm Miller & Martin have told the board, however, that many victims have “spoken candidly and with great detail,” confirming the allegations of massage therapists who worked in two Atlanta spas that Zacharias partially owned. The team has uncovered other misconduct as well. The investigation is ongoing and the investigators are continuing to pursue leads.

christianitytoday.com

Steve Baughman is a lawyer, atheist and banjo aficionado who collected information and posted it on his raviscam.com website. He also self-published a book with the same information in it. What Baughman did *not* know is what “Christianity Today” dug up after Zacharias’ death in May: Zacharias masturbated in front of three of the massage therapists at the spas he was part owner of. One therapist said he’d done it about 50 times. Now there are indications that more is to come out.

Zacharias continues to have an immense fan club, which may or may not include Mike Pence, who spoke at Zacharias’ funeral. Holy crap you can’t even talk to these people. They have Ravi as this idol who “explains Christianity so that the scoffers are shut up.” Thing is, Zacharias never did any of that confrontational apologetics like some other people Anonymouse and I know of. He very carefully stayed within the bubble of the Evangelical Industrial Complex and never put his ideas out there for real scholarly criticism. But people loved him because he was socking it to the atheists and skeptics. I’ll be honest, I disliked what he was doing (just as I generally dislike apologetics in general) because I ultimately think that believing in Jesus is a matter of faith and some things are Just Not Explainable. And I also recognize that I don’t have a corner of truth, either.

I suggested several times on Twitter yesterday that since Zacharias’ reputation is now or will become shit shortly, that RZIM should be dissolved and its money given to sexual abuse charities because “you cannot polish this turd.” The guy was the Evangelical version of Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein, and he even had one of his victims sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Interestingly, some of the RZIM employees are now going out and apologizing to Lori Thompson, the woman that Zacharias groomed and had a sexting relationship with. Then, when Thompson wanted out, Zacharias threatened suicide. He then sued Thompson and her husband, and settled out of court for $250,000 and a non-disclosure agreement. At the time, the RZIM employees were told that Thompson was extorting money from Zacharias, but that simply was not the case. However, there are still asshats online who are saying that Thompson is just as guilty as Zacharias, refusing to recognize the power differential between a woman and a man, a guy with a lot of power in Evangelicalism and suchlike and his grooming behavior. I’ve chewed a few of them out. And no, I’m not sorry for comparing Zacharias to Cosby and Weinstein. In fact, if he was still alive, I’d be urging the DA in the county where the spas were to investigate Zacharias for sexual assault.

(sorry for the long rant, I know Lori Ann Thompson and she’s been through an awful lot at the hands of the Ravi fan club.)

252
🌹UOJB!  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:32:01am

re: #199 Kilroy was here

I prefer this version!

MAD tv rudolph trilogy

253
A Three Hour Tour  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:32:30am

re: #243 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

[Embedded content]

Is there a second or third source confirming this extraordinary account?

254
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:32:50am

re: #248 Jay C

Inorite?
I see those call letters of WTVF, and can’t help thinking it stands for “What The Fuck TV”….

It simply means “Television Five”; WTVF was once WLAC-TV, until the FCC made American General/Life & Casualty sell it off in 1975 (they chose to keep ownership of the WLAC AM & FM stations):

Ever since its inception, WLAC-TV’s analog signal was short-spaced to Memphis’ WMC-TV also on VHF channel 5 (coincidentally, WMC-TV began on channel 4 and was immediately short-spaced to WSM-TV in Nashville, now WSMV). WLAC-TV was owned alongside WLAC radio (1510 AM) and later WLAC-FM (105.9 FM, now WNRQ). The call sign reflected the initials of the insurance company. It immediately took the CBS affiliation from WSIX-TV (channel 8, eventually WKRN-TV on channel 2) because WLAC (AM) had been Nashville’s CBS Radio affiliate since 1928. With WLAC-TV, Nashville became one of the smallest cities in the United States to have three fully separate network-affiliated commercial television stations. American General Corporation, a Houston-based insurer, bought L&C and WLAC-AM-FM-TV in the 1960s.

WLAC-TV was sold in 1975 to the Hobby family (owners of KPRC AM-TV and the now-defunct Houston Post), who changed the station’s call letters to the current WTVF on December 1 (the call letter change was brought on due to an FCC rule in place at the time forbidding TV and radio stations in the same city, but with different owners from sharing the same call letters). American General/L&C eventually sold WLAC-AM-FM to other interests and the other stations have had several owners over the years. In 1983, the Hobbys reorganized their broadcast holdings as H&C Communications after the Post was sold. Landmark Communications, based in Norfolk, Virginia, bought WTVF from the Hobbys in 1994.

en.wikipedia.org

255
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:34:17am

re: #216 TedStriker

Don Aaron with Metro PD is giving another conference right now; he said that a “shots fired” call came into the Central Precinct at about 0600. When Metro responded, they found no evidence of a “shots fired” incident, so they called in the bomb squad and began getting people away from the area. Then, the BOOM at about 0630.

This was a fucking trap.

Yep. Classic “soft target” tactic, going after first responders. So you need to ask yourself, which people have an established history explicitly going after first responders?
Looking at the photos of the damage, the bomb seems oversized. Which people tend to overkill much (incompentence or compensation is beside the point)?

re: #221 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

What made them go from shots fired to bomb squad? Was there a suspicious vehicle report as well?

More like they run the plates, and it comes back too iffy for the cops comfort, or law enforcement officer instincts, something about it all feels enough off for them to NOPE and call bomb squad…

256
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:34:23am

re: #247 Backwoods_Sleuth

257
austin_blue  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:36:26am

re: #190 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

We’ll have to see what the police and fire investigators determine, but RVs blowing up on Christmas in the early morning aren’t normal.

The police say three people were injured.

Maybe the shitter was full?

‘Tis the season, and all…

258
Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:38:03am

Faux News wasted no time bringing in an ex-CIA type to speculate on a possible “foreign component,” as though this would be the natural and obvious first concern of investigators. The Faux shill just takes this “foreign component” for granted from the first word of the segment, as though no other possibility is even worth considering.

259
Barefoot Grin  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:38:13am

If it turns out to be linked to a Trump supporter Trump won’t be able to condemn it. I mean, he just won’t be able to bring himself to say anything more than “well, people are mad about the stolen election, you can’t blame them.”

260
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:39:16am

re: #258 Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo

A foreign component in fucking NASHVILLE?! Come on, man. Just come on.

261
Barefoot Grin  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:39:24am

This is the kind of thing Trump has managed to stir up:

262
Decatur Deb  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:40:16am

re: #175 mmmirele

Probably not for the same reason fireworks are being popped off here in my east Mesa neighborhood—easy accessibility. I blame the two fireworks stands within a half-mile of my house, selling fireworks in the runup to New Year’s. I was thinking that Mary, mother of Jesus, would have grabbed a shepherd’s crook and started shouting, ” I JUST GOT HIM TO SLEEP WILL YOU CUT IT OUT?” and then walking off, muttering under her breath, “Silent Night for baby…”

Setting off fireworks on Christmas is a Mid-Eastern thing. Would have been good to know that when the Palestinian Christians outside the Church of the Nativity lit up midnight mass. Arafat was attending that year, so things were already a little tense.

263
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:41:04am

re: #244 Yeah Sure WhatEVs

It’s like they roasted it to medium rare.

On a positive note, this would work your jaw muscles like crazy.

It looks like maybe some kind of sauce.

264
Belafon  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:41:38am

re: #243 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

[Embedded content]

Fifteen minutes should have given the police enough time to get identifying information: pictures, vin number, license plates, though I suspect those were removed.

265
gwangung  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:43:29am

re: #264 Belafon

Fifteen minutes should have given the police enough time to get identifying information: pictures, vin number, license plates, though I suspect those were removed.

I’m thinking missing license plates would signal “suspicious” from the get go…

266
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:43:48am

re: #254 TedStriker

They also have a very funky, very 70s building:

267
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:44:09am

re: #265 gwangung

I’m thinking missing license plates would signal “suspicious” from the get go…

Yes indeed, and once identified as suspicious, I doubt they would want to approach closely enough to grab a VIN. I imagine they will get that from the wreckage, if it wasn’t similarly removed.

268
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:44:18am

re: #264 Belafon

Fifteen minutes should have given the police enough time to get identifying information: pictures, vin number, license plates, though I suspect those were removed.

CCTV. And it wouldn’t be the first time that a terrorist or mobster goes through the trouble of erasing VINs and removing license plates, only to leave something which points towards them even more directly than a VIN or license plate would…

269
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:44:40am

re: #253 A Three Hour Tour

Is there a second or third source confirming this extraordinary account?

Not directly involving the person alleging a PA was telling people to leave the area; that would be consistent with police concerns there could be explosives in an area though.

Massive downtown Nashville explosion an ‘intentional act’, police say (The Tennessean)

In a second update, Metro police spokesperson Don Aaron said officers were first called to the scene for reports of shots fired in the area. The force of the explosion knocked an officer to the ground.

Three people were hospitalized with injuries, police said.

The fire department confirmed a bomb squad was on the scene with an active investigation by Metro police and federal agencies.

Mayor John Cooper has toured the scene and estimates twenty buildings were damaged, along with water mains.

The Tennessean has descriptions from other witnesses in the area describing the explosion.

270
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:46:06am

re: #258 Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo

Faux News wasted no time bringing in an ex-CIA type to speculate on a possible “foreign component,” as though this would be the natural and obvious first concern of investigators. The Faux shill just takes this “foreign component” for granted from the first word of the segment, as though no other possibility is even worth considering.

So they’re going to rerun their play of the Oklahoma City bombing then. Working up to “Arab terrorists.”

271
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:46:55am

In the meantime, doing my random browse of the Twitterverse and I found this:

272
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:48:16am

re: #267 thedopefishlives

Yes indeed, and once identified as suspicious, I doubt they would want to approach closely enough to grab a VIN. I imagine they will get that from the wreckage, if it wasn’t similarly removed.

Unless the bombers were very thorough, the VIN on many vehicles (especially medium- and heavy-duty vehicles) is also stamped on the engine block and frame/unibody.

273
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:48:48am

If license plates are removed on the vehicles do not forget about the VIN numbers. Most VINs are visible from the front windshield if they are not blocked.

274
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:48:57am

re: #272 TedStriker

Unless the bombers were very thorough, the VIN on many vehicles (especially medium- and heavy-duty vehicles) is also stamped on the engine block and frame/unibody.

That’s true, or at least some other identifying serial numbers that can be connected back. Wasn’t that how they ID’d the truck Timothy McVeigh blew up in Oklahoma City?

275
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:49:42am

re: #272 TedStriker

And Mercedes-Benz has them on the back of the vehicle where the license plate usually goes.

276
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:49:51am

re: #274 thedopefishlives

That’s true, or at least some other identifying serial numbers that can be connected back. Wasn’t that how they ID’d the truck Timothy McVeigh blew up in Oklahoma City?

(IIRC)

277
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:50:05am

re: #272 TedStriker

Unless the bombers were very thorough, the VIN on many vehicles (especially medium- and heavy-duty vehicles) is also stamped on the engine block and frame/unibody.

Axle too. IIRC, that’s how the authorities tied the Ryder truck back to Tim McVeigh.

278
A Three Hour Tour  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:51:01am

re: #269 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

Not directly involving the person alleging a PA was telling people to leave the area; that would be consistent with police concerns there could be explosives in an area though.

Massive downtown Nashville explosion an ‘intentional act’, police say (The Tennessean)

Mayor John Cooper has toured the scene and estimates twenty buildings were damaged, along with water mains.

The Tennessean has descriptions from other witnesses in the area describing the explosion.

I’m questioning the PA announcements of a fifteen minute countdown until explosion.

That detail does not match other accounts so far.

The suspicious account also treats there being actual shots fired as a fact. Police accounts say there was no evidence of shots fired.

279
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:51:06am

Point being: If you’re blowing up a truck bomb, you should probably just assume there’s a number somewhere in the debris that will identify it. In other words… don’t.

280
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:51:23am

re: #261 Barefoot Grin

This is the kind of thing Trump has managed to stir up:

281
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:51:26am

re: #277 Dr Lizardo

Axle too. IIRC, that’s how the authorities tied the Ryder truck back to Tim McVeigh.

You also have serial numbers on various parts of the car. Or would that be the VIN in US lingo? I would also look at the street address, exact number, and look around at what is located there.

282
Rightwingconspirator  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:52:10am

re: #267 thedopefishlives

Yes indeed, and once identified as suspicious, I doubt they would want to approach closely enough to grab a VIN. I imagine they will get that from the wreckage if it wasn’t similarly removed.

They will recover serial numbers from scattered parts. If stolen, they will know from when and where. If not somebody is about to get raided. The response to this is going to be all out, just like after Oklahoma city.
Relates to this story perhaps?
White supremacists plotted to attack US electric grid by shooting into power stations, FBI says
usatoday.com

MINNEAPOLIS — White supremacists plotted to attack power stations in the southeastern U.S., and an Ohio teenager who allegedly shared the plan said he wanted the group to be “operational” on a fast-tracked timeline if President Donald Trump were to lose his re-election bid, the FBI alleges in an affidavit that was mistakenly unsealed.

My bold

283
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:52:24am

re: #281 Teukka

You also have serial numbers on various parts of the car. Or would that be the VIN in US lingo? I would also look at the street address, exact number, and look around at what is located there.

Individual part serial numbers are also present; engines and transmissions have their own serial numbers as a complete unit, separate from the VIN.

284
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:52:36am

re: #281 Teukka

You also have serial numbers on various parts of the car. Or would that be the VIN in US lingo? I would also look at the street address, exact number, and look around at what is located there.

VIN = Vehicle Identification Number (or the serial, as you said, of the complete vehicle).

Also, what dopefish said about components having their own serials.

285
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:53:35am

re: #279 thedopefishlives

Point being: If you’re blowing up a truck bomb, you should probably just assume there’s a number somewhere in the debris that will identify it. In other words… don’t.

Yep. Even a nuke leaves tell-tale signatures in the fallout and debris, you can easily track back which era, which country, and sometimes which facility that manufactured the fissile material. All it takes is a gamma spectrometer, some time and intelligence which I don’t doubt for a second NSA and CIA collects.

286
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:55:07am

re: #285 Teukka

Yep. Even a nuke leaves tell-tale signatures in the fallout and debris, you can easily track back which era, which country, and sometimes which facility that manufactured the fissile material. All it takes is a gamma spectrometer, some time and intelligence which I don’t doubt for a second NSA and CIA collects.

And as you’ve gathered from the discussion, the FBI has been through all this - more than once, actually, since there’s also the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in addition to the infamous OKC bombing.

287
Hecuba's daughter  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:55:20am

re: #246 TedStriker

When I heard that characteristic WHOMP that I’d heard so many times on MythBusters (particularly when they blew up the concrete truck), I thought the same was likely, but, while it looks bad from the pics and video so far, the damage doesn’t seem to line up with that possibility, unless the bomb was botched.

If it were a proper ANFO bomb, Second Ave would look like the remains of the Murrah building.

When the Oklahoma City bombing happened, my colleagues were all certain that it was Muslim terrorists. My reaction was that it was premature to assign blame and we needed to wait for a real investigation. Of course, there is always idle speculation — but as others have mentioned, so far, there is no obvious suspect. And usually the information in initial news reports is incorrect anyway. By the end of the day, we may actually have a somewhat accurate story.

288
sagehen  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:55:21am

re: #219 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Video

Reminder that we owe Ukraine a debt of gratitude.

Zelensky standing firm against Trump is how we got the impeachment, and it saved Joe’s candidacy.

Zelensky winning the election was a big surprise; the guy he replaced had been all-in on Trump’s plot, and Z’s election threw the whole thing into chaos, which is why Trump’s team got sloppy.

289
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:55:24am

re: #283 thedopefishlives

Individual part serial numbers are also present; engines and transmissions have their own serial numbers as a complete unit, separate from the VIN.

That’s probably what I was remembering from the OKC bombing. I think it was a serial number from the axle of the Ryder truck McVeigh rented that conclusively tied it back to him.

290
Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:55:39am

re: #282 Rightwingconspirator

They will recover serial numbers from scattered parts. If stolen, they will know from when and where. If not somebody is about to get raided. The response to this is going to be all out, just like after Oklahoma city.
Relates to this story perhaps?
White supremacists plotted to attack US electric grid by shooting into power stations, FBI says
usatoday.com

My bold

The “shooting into power stations” idea was one of the suggestions, er, warnings, in G. Gordon Liddy’s notorious Omni article back in the 80s. He even specifically suggested using .458 mag. rifles, though today’s terrorists would have .50 BMGs.

291
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:55:43am

re: #285 Teukka

Yep. Even a nuke leaves tell-tale signatures in the fallout and debris, you can easily track back which era, which country, and sometimes which facility that manufactured the fissile material. All it takes is a gamma spectrometer, some time and intelligence which I don’t doubt for a second NSA and CIA collects.

Funny you should say that, because Metro and the TLAs on the scene supposedly deployed radiation detection equipment at/near the scene earlier (presumably to rule out a dirty bomb), but I’ve not seen or heard anything else about that in the past couple of hours.

292
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:56:25am

re: #289 Dr Lizardo

That’s probably what I was remembering from the OKC bombing. I think it was a serial number from the axle of the Ryder truck McVeigh rented that conclusively tied it back to him.

I just wiki’d it. For both OKC and the ‘93 WTC, the VIN itself was stamped onto the axle of the truck, which was a heavy-duty part that didn’t disintegrate in the blast. From there, it was simple to look up the registration and nail the bastards.

293
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:57:03am

re: #286 thedopefishlives

And as you’ve gathered from the discussion, the FBI has been through all this - more than once, actually, since there’s also the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in addition to the infamous OKC bombing.

Yep. And we’ve been through it in Sweden, organized crime has gotten a taste for settling disagreements with bombs…

294
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:57:16am

re: #275 PhillyPretzel

And Mercedes-Benz has them on the back of the vehicle where the license plate usually goes.

So does Smart. They also stamp the number on the passenger side floor under the carpet, and on the driver’s side door pillar, as well as the plate on the dashboard, stamped on the wall inside the front equipment compartment, and engraved on the battery box in the rear.

Depending on vehicle make and model, it could be tough to get all the places where the VIN is stamped/engraved/plated.

295
Jay C  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:57:47am

re: #277 Dr Lizardo

Axle too. IIRC, that’s how the authorities tied the Ryder truck back to Tim McVeigh.

And also, I believe, the World Trade Center bombers in 1993.
Although, IIRC, those mooks made it easier for LE by making a stink trying to get the deposit back on the van they’d rented to use as a bomb….

296
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:58:41am

re: #294 Anymouse 🌹🏡😷

True. Being in my field of work I have good idea were most manufacturers put their VINs.

297
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:59:02am

re: #290 Shiplord Kirel: Fan of USPS, Goodyear, and Oreo

The “shooting into power stations” idea was one of the suggestions, er, warnings, in G. Gordon Liddy’s notorious Omni article back in the 80s. He even specifically suggested using .458 mag. rifles, though today’s terrorists would have .50 BMGs.

I used to listen to Liddy back in the early-mid oughts (along with Limbaugh and Beck), when I was in my “conservative” phase; looking back, he’s always been an asshole with an ego the size of Jupiter.

298
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 8:59:56am

re: #297 TedStriker

He does. You can see it in his autobiography.

299
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:01:52am

re: #295 Jay C

And also, I believe, the World Trade Center bombers in 1993.
Although, IIRC, those mooks made it easier for LE by making a stink trying to get the deposit back on the van they’d rented to use as a bomb….

Heh, yeah I remember that little detail. JFC, you rent a van you use as a bomb, then go and try to get your money back. I mean, hey….I have nothing against being frugal, but in this case, frugality clearly prevailed over common sense. Which, at least that time, was a good thing.

300
wrenchwench  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:04:14am
301
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:05:09am

re: #300 wrenchwench

[Embedded content]

That looks about as big as the mama raccoon that tries to raid our outdoor kitteh’s food bowl.

302
jeffreyw  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:09:21am
303
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:09:32am

I’m surprised nobody has appeared on Faux or Newsmax to blame the liberals yet; I mean, really, the War on Christmas just fired its first shot.///

304
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:09:49am
305
A Three Hour Tour  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:09:57am

re: #303 thedopefishlives

I’m surprised nobody has appeared on Faux or Newsmax to blame the liberals yet; I mean, really, the War on Christmas just fired its first shot.///

Give it time.

306
Sherlock Hound  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:11:31am

“Balloon Boy“‘s parents pardoned.

State pardon by the governor—Trump wasn’t involved, for once!

307
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:11:33am
308
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:13:26am

re: #305 A Three Hour Tour

Give it time.

Yeah, sooner or later they’ll realize “their” side are the ones urging martial law, war and genocide, and need to damage control…

309
steve_davis  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:14:15am

cat does a lot of this, but seems perfectly normal. when spring gets here, i may see how she responds to getting walked on a leash.

310
Anymouse 🌹🏡😷  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:15:58am

I’m off to bed. I imagine later there will be more reliable information about what happened in Nashville this morning.

311
Eventual Carrion  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:16:41am

re: #260 thedopefishlives

A foreign component in fucking NASHVILLE?! Come on, man. Just come on.

That’s where I am on this. Why Nashville? I can believe a domestic or foreign attack, but why Nashville? Seems a bit over the top for a disgruntled employee (although right now nothing is beyond possibilities), or as has been mentioned an attack on responders is a distinct possibility (SovCit kinda shit).

312
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:18:03am

Greets and saluts this Christmas day from the soggy and windblown NYC metro area. Lots of power outages and trees down across region due to the strong winds overnight. Tropical force winds reported, including 69 mph at Teterboro. It got to 50 mph here, and it was worse than some recent hurricanes. House shook and shuddered a few times with the gusts.

But that’s not the worst of the news today. It’s that there was a likely terror attack in Nashville this morning. A suspicious vehicle report was called in and an RV exploded as police were responding. Multiple blocks around downtown were damaged with shattered glass, facades damaged, and at least 3 people injured. No motive or suspects at this time.

There are multiple music venues in the vicinity, including the legendary Ryman auditorium in walking distance. The block itself where the explosion occurred has numerous bars and restaurants. Not sure what the target was, but the timing may suggest that this occurred prematurely or meant to cause property damage and not personal injury.

This is just the beginning of the investigation, so lots of noise with speculation and not much in way of concrete fact.

What we do know is that local businesses affected now have one more mess to deal with that adds to their burdens during a pandemic.

313
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:18:49am

re: #176 plansbandc

Love the Rockstar POPs.

I have Pinky and The Brain POPs in a closet somewhere.

314
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:21:40am

re: #311 Eventual Carrion

That’s where I am on this. Why Nashville? I can believe a domestic or foreign attack, but why Nashville? Seems a bit over the top for a disgruntled employee (although right now nothing is beyond possibilities), or as has been mentioned an attack on responders is a distinct possibility (SovCit kinda shit).

I recall the initial speculation regarding transnational terrorists involved in the OKC bombing and my first reaction was to laugh like J. Jonah Jameson and reply, “Really? In Oklahoma City? You can’t be serious - nah, that’s gotta be some domestic nutjob.”

If it were NYC, or maybe L.A. or San Francisco (but definitely NYC) I could see an international terrorist angle. Nashville? Not so much.

315
BlueSpotinAL  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:24:22am

Merrier Christmas with mimosas.

316
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:26:07am

re: #314 Dr Lizardo

I recall the initial speculation regarding transnational terrorists involved in the OKC bombing and my first reaction was to laugh like J. Jonah Jameson and reply, “Really? In Oklahoma City? You can’t be serious - nah, that’s gotta be some domestic nutjob.”

If it were NYC, or maybe L.A. or San Francisco (but definitely NYC) I could see an international terrorist angle. Nashville? Not so much.

Nashville is very cosmopolitan compared to much of the rest of the state (excluding Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville).

Because of its relatively low cost of living and large job market, Nashville has become a popular city for immigrants.[106] Nashville’s foreign-born population more than tripled in size between 1990 and 2000, increasing from 12,662 to 39,596. The city’s largest immigrant groups include Mexicans,[107] Kurds,[108] Vietnamese,[109] Laotians,[110] Arabs,[111] and Somalis.[111] There are also smaller communities of Pashtuns from Afghanistan and Pakistan concentrated primarily in Antioch.[112] Nashville has the largest Kurdish community in the United States, numbering approximately 15,000.[113] In 2009, about 60,000 Bhutanese refugees were being admitted to the U.S., and some were expected to resettle in Nashville.[114] During the Iraqi election of 2005, Nashville was one of the few international locations where Iraqi expatriates could vote.[115] The American Jewish community in Nashville dates back over 150 years, and numbered about 8,000 in 2015, plus 2,000 Jewish college students.[116]

en.wikipedia.org

317
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:26:17am

re: #314 Dr Lizardo

I recall the initial speculation regarding transnational terrorists involved in the OKC bombing and my first reaction was to laugh like J. Jonah Jameson and reply, “Really? In Oklahoma City? You can’t be serious - nah, that’s gotta be some domestic nutjob.”

If it were NYC, or maybe L.A. or San Francisco (but definitely NYC) I could see an international terrorist angle. Nashville? Not so much.

Or when I called the 22 July 2011 very likely a right-wing thing when after the truck bombing in downtown Oslo, news came in about the AUF facility on Utøya. Oh my dog did the rightoids in the channel I was in throw fits over that one…

318
PhillyPretzel  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:26:42am

re: #315 BlueSpotinAL

And sideways too. I see you are already in holiday mode.

319
A hollow voice says,1st round on points. Onward!  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:26:57am

re: #314 Dr Lizardo

I recall the initial speculation regarding transnational terrorists involved in the OKC bombing and my first reaction was to laugh like J. Jonah Jameson and reply, “Really? In Oklahoma City? You can’t be serious - nah, that’s gotta be some domestic nutjob.”

If it were NYC, or maybe L.A. or San Francisco (but definitely NYC) I could see an international terrorist angle. Nashville? Not so much.

After the OKC bombing, my first thought was mideastern terrorists (times we were living in). My second was, in Oklahoma City? Could they even find it on a map?

Anything can happen, but foreign involvement isn’t near the top of the list.

320
Hecuba's daughter  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:27:18am

re: #308 Teukka

Yeah, sooner or later they’ll realize “their” side are the ones urging martial law, war and genocide, and need to damage control…

But in Tennessee? Deep red Tennessee? The mayor is Democratic — but it certainly doesn’t seem that this is an attack against a “Democratic” establishment.

321
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:27:36am

re: #312 lawhawk

Or, that it was meant to specifically target cops who were responding to suspicious vehicle call. All of this is speculation and none of it can be confirmed at this time.

The timing of the explosion and cops responding to a suspicious vehicle incident raises the likelyhood of terrorism significantly. This might end up being an unfortunate incident where a RV propane tank blew up as an accident - bleve explosion could cause significant damage - even a small 40lb tank.

But like I said, speculation and investigation just beginning to get underway now.

322
A hollow voice says,1st round on points. Onward!  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:30:16am

re: #320 Hecuba’s daughter

But in Tennessee? Deep red Tennessee? The mayor is Democratic — but it certainly doesn’t seem that this is an attack against a “Democratic” establishment.

Remember, an unknown number of trumpsters is now up in arms (yes, literally) about how the repugs betrayed DT.

323
wrenchwench  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:30:25am
324
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:30:56am

re: #316 TedStriker

I visited there a few years ago, and it’s a great town (anything smaller than NYC where I grew up is a town - heh). The music scene is so vibrant and visiting during the summer meant just walking outside you got exposed to every kind of music you could think of and Broadway/2d Street corridor is rocking in normal times.

It’s very much an international city as compared to just a few miles away where you get quite rural and deep red. Music industry has much to do with the cosmopolitan nature and influx of people from around the world.

325
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:33:13am

re: #320 Hecuba’s daughter

But in Tennessee? Deep red Tennessee? The mayor is Democratic — but it certainly doesn’t seem that this is an attack against a “Democratic” establishment.

You forget that a significant part of the people that hold such beliefs tend to have a delusion issue to various degrees (not limited to Q’s), and that you may become a target of one of their cells simply because they for some reason believed you to be a “lib”, connected to the “illuminati”, “deep state”, whateva.

Like, we had a case in Sweden wher this guy

Still at large, has active Interpol Red Notice.

got into his head that a guy was a “commie”, and he and his buddies beat him to death. And it isn’t the first time that things like that happen with extremists…
326
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:33:48am

re: #321 lawhawk

Or, that it was meant to specifically target cops who were responding to suspicious vehicle call. All of this is speculation and none of it can be confirmed at this time.

The timing of the explosion and cops responding to a suspicious vehicle incident raises the likelyhood of terrorism significantly. This might end up being an unfortunate incident where a RV propane tank blew up as an accident - bleve explosion could cause significant damage - even a small 40lb tank.

But like I said, speculation and investigation just beginning to get underway now.

While I’d agree that a RV-size propane tank going off would cause a lot of damage, flash, and noise, especially in a relatively confined urban canyon, just look at the pics I posted above; that ain’t because of a RV-size propane tank going off. The roadway was cratered.

Metro and the feds are now working this as an intentional act; who, why, and how is yet to come.

327
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:35:02am

re: #326 TedStriker

While I’d agree that a RV-size propane tank going off would cause a lot of damage, flash, and noise, especially in a relatively confined urban canyon, just look at the pics I posted above; that ain’t because of a RV-size propane tank going off. The roadway was cratered.

Metro and the feds have determined this is an intentional act; who, why, and how is yet to come.

One generally doesn’t call the FBI or the ATF if it’s an LP tank. I think, of all the plausible scenarios, that one is one we can rule out.

328
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:35:39am

Surveillance camera footage of vicinity immediately before explosion.

329
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:37:31am

re: #328 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Surveillance camera footage of vicinity immediately before explosion.

So the PA announcement was real; I assume something set up by the police when they identified that they had a bomb on their hands. Holy shit.

330
Dr Lizardo  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:39:55am

Back in a bit. Gonna watch the new Pixar flick, Soul. Looks promising.

331
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:40:35am

re: #326 TedStriker

I haven’t said this yet, but - I’m glad you and yours are safe. This shit is serious business.

332
A Three Hour Tour  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:42:48am

re: #328 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Surveillance camera footage of vicinity immediately before explosion.

No countdown to detonation on the PA announcement. Witness exaggerated or misremembered what he heard.

That’s why I wanted at least two accounts, preferably three, verifying that detail.

333
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:44:44am

re: #324 lawhawk

I visited there a few years ago, and it’s a great town (anything smaller than NYC where I grew up is a town - heh). The music scene is so vibrant and visiting during the summer meant just walking outside you got exposed to every kind of music you could think of and Broadway/2d Street corridor is rocking in normal times.

It’s very much an international city as compared to just a few miles away where you get quite rural and deep red. Music industry has much to do with the cosmopolitan nature and influx of people from around the world.

Not so much the “music industry”, but, rather, the hospitality/service (tourism, hotels, restaurants. etc.) and construction industries is where you’ll see a lot of our immigrants. Before COVID, Gaylord Opryland Hotel (where my mom was recently “forcibly retired” from in October after 35 years when Marriott closed the hotel commissary and did away with her head steward position [to their credit, Marriott gave her ten weeks of severance and paid their share of healthcare premiums through the end of the year]) had hundreds of immigrants working there, many from Central and South America, Laos, and Cambodia (my mom loved working with “her” Laotians and Cambodians in the commissary and on the General Jackson).

334
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:46:58am

re: #260 thedopefishlives

A foreign component in fucking NASHVILLE?! Come on, man. Just come on.

Is there a conspiracy theory out there about Islamists really hating country and *western* music?

We know that Nashville has both kinds.

335
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:48:29am

When you wake up on Christmas 2020 and read the news. A relatable mood.

336
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:48:29am

re: #263 thedopefishlives

It looks like maybe some kind of sauce.

I was always under the impression that brisket was a particularly tough cut - and thus that was the reason it was usually slow cooked for a fairly long period.

337
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:48:57am

re: #334 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

Is there a conspiracy theory out there about Islamists really hating country and *western* music?

We know that Nashville has both kinds.

Nice Blues Brothers reference lol.

Seriously, times have changed, because rock and other genres have gained quite a toehold here in recent decades; for example, Jack White has had his homebase here for years (Third Man Records and such).

338
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:50:18am

re: #336 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

I was always under the impression that brisket was a particularly tough cut - and thus that was the reason it was usually slow cooked for a fairly long period.

You’re quite correct. I believe it also comes with a fat cap that needs to be trimmed before cooking.

339
unproven innocence  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:54:49am
340
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:55:50am

re: #339 unproven innocence

Bombing in Nashville

[Embedded content]

Look up ———-^

341
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:55:51am

re: #300 wrenchwench

Most mammals that are active in winter put on full outer and under coats of fur for the weather in addition to an insulating fat layer. My brother’s “shed cats” did that and looked pudgy as well. One would also play in the snow with my niece and not notice it at all.

I think the only thing about snow/ice that annoyed them was getting it in between their toes or their foot pads icing up a bit.

342
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:56:01am

re: #335 thedopefishlives

When you wake up on Christmas 2020 and read the news. A relatable mood.

[Embedded content]

Commercial/Office district?

343
Rightwingconspirator  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:56:11am

Looks authentic. There was an evacuation warning.

YouTube

344
Rightwingconspirator  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:58:02am

As if an isolated or “bubble” Christmas was not surreal enough, 2020 just shows it’s still punching.

345
BigPapa  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:58:21am

re: #343 Rightwingconspirator

Looks like the vehicle/explosion was just at the edge of FOV.

346
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:58:51am

re: #345 BigPapa

Looks like the vehicle/explosion was just at the edge of FOV.

Yep. Made the camera ring for a pretty good while, though. I was surprised it came back online.

347
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 9:59:51am

re: #346 thedopefishlives

Yep. Made the camera ring for a pretty good while, though. I was surprised it came back online.

Not ring, it is more likely smoke or dust obscuring the view.

348
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:00:39am

re: #347 Teukka

Not ring, it is more likely smoke or dust obscuring the view.

You can see pixelation in the time window where it’s coming back. Likely the sensors maxed out and the control software eventually reset them.

349
unproven innocence  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:00:50am

re: #340 TedStriker

Already broken news, I see.

350
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:01:39am

re: #343 Rightwingconspirator

Looks authentic. There was an evacuation warning.

[Embedded content]

Video

That’s sounds too official to be the perps; the tones with the message sounds like it’s from a police vehicle.

351
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:02:44am

re: #350 TedStriker

That’s sounds too official to be the perps; the tones with the message sounds like it’s from a police vehicle.

Reminds me of the time my family drove to my grandmother’s during a tornado. Police vehicles were circling the town with a message “Tornado sighted, take shelter immediately” playing over their speakers.

352
BigPapa  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:03:36am

That’s a day/night cam with microphone. The blast of light fried its IR cut filter, that’s why it never went back to color. Might take a service call LOL.

353
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:04:39am

re: #352 BigPapa

That’s a day/night cam with microphone. The blast of light temp fried its IR cut filter, that’s why it never went back to color. Might take a service call LOL.

Okay, so now I know what will happen to my Ring doorbell if someone blows up my house. Got it.///

354
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:06:16am

re: #309 steve_davis

[Embedded content]

cat does a lot of this, but seems perfectly normal. when spring gets here, i may see how she responds to getting walked on a leash.

You need to start working on her being used to wearing a harness now then.

My experience with that is that most cats find a harness extremely discomforting and will basically sit or lie there until you take it off.

355
BigPapa  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:06:22am

re: #353 thedopefishlives

Okay, so now I know what will happen to my Ring doorbell if someone blows up my house. Got it.///

I’m here to help. Ring hasn’t made an explosion proof camera yet!

That’s probably a vandal proof cam at best but they do have explosion proof. Might still need a hard reboot.

356
ericblair  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:09:55am

re: #354 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

You need to start working on her being used to wearing a harness now then.

My experience with that is that most cats find a harness extremely discomforting and will basically sit or lie there until you take it off.

Or go bananas and nearly strangle themselves. Just saying.

357
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:10:34am
358
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀 No Capt'n😷Trips  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:11:06am
359
Charles Johnson  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:12:19am
360
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀 No Capt'n😷Trips  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:15:30am
361
Charles Johnson  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:16:05am
362
Belafon  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:16:51am

re: #358 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀 No Capt’n😷Trips

> 64% don’t understand quarks.

363
b.d. (We Won!)  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:18:22am

re: #361 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Well, it wasn’t ANTIFA. ANTIFA sleeps in….

364
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:18:27am

Mayor of Nashville has indicated that the message heard on the video I posted above was being broadcast from the RV that ultimately exploded.

This was intentional.

This was an act of domestic terrorism.

365
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:20:11am

re: #364 lawhawk

Mayor of Nashville has indicated that the message heard on the video I posted above was being broadcast from the RV that ultimately exploded.

This was intentional.

This was an act of domestic terrorism.

The only thing I can imagine is that it was targeted at police/EOD. A message like that would scare away ordinary citizens and draw responders like a magnet. Still wondering where the 15 minutes bit comes in, but the police confirmed it, it seems.

366
Charles Johnson  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:21:36am

The warnings make it very unlikely it was anything other than domestic terrorism.

367
A Three Hour Tour  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:23:56am

re: #360 FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀 No Capt’n😷Trips

[Embedded content]

Okay, credible confirmation of extraordinary detail achieved.

368
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:24:08am

re: #364 lawhawk

Mayor of Nashville has indicated that the message heard on the video I posted above was being broadcast from the RV that ultimately exploded.

This was intentional.

This was an act of domestic terrorism.

Yeah, I caught our (relatively new) police chief say that the messages were from the RV before I went to eat my Christmas dinner; if the tones/message caught in that video were from the RV, whether recorded or transmitted from a remote location, that shows some level of sophistication and forethought.

Weird fucking shit and it’s only going to get weirder.

369
EstebanTornado1963  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:24:40am

This is a coordinated event used as an excuse for trump to try and declare martial law

370
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:25:20am

re: #369 EstebanTornado1963

Please stop it.

Just stop.

The truth will be made clear in time, but you ain’t helping.

371
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:25:29am
372
Eventual Carrion  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:25:39am

re: #359 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Well yeah, that would raise suspicions.

373
Teukka  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:28:13am

re: #369 EstebanTornado1963

This is a coordinated event used as an excuse for trump to try and declare martial law

re: #366 Charles Johnson

The warnings make it very unlikely it was anything other than domestic terrorism.

re: #370 TedStriker

Please stop it.

Just stop.

Yep. That’s about what we know, location, size, prior warning (shot-across-the-bow sort of bombing, could indicate reluctance on perps part), have to wait for more CCTV and technical evidence to say anything more than “domestic terrorism NOS” (Not Otherwise Specified).

374
TedStriker  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:30:46am

re: #373 Teukka

Yep. That’s about what we know, location, size, prior warning (shot-across-the-bow sort of bombing, could indicate reluctance on perps part), have to wait for more CCTV and technical evidence to say anything more than “domestic terrorism NOS” (Not Otherwise Specified).

One thing I thought of is that prior warning this morning and how the (P/R)IRA gave similar warnings before bombings (though they tended to call police and/or the press IIRC).

375
lawhawk  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:33:11am
376
FormerDirtDart 🍕🐀 No Capt'n😷Trips  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:33:19am
377
thedopefishlives  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:35:05am

re: #370 TedStriker

Please stop it.

Just stop.

The truth will be made clear in time, but you ain’t helping.

Yeah, I know speculating about it on the Internet is fun, but the thing we have to remember is that this is home to many people, including some we know (as in, the person quoted above, perhaps others). At this point, speculating on the who and why is irresponsible. We have enough information to clearly identify it as an incident of domestic terrorism; now is the time to let the professionals go to work. It’ll probably only be a matter of a few days before details are known. McVeigh and Nichols were charged in connection with the Oklahoma City bombing after two days. Mohammed Salameh was arrested five days after the WTC bombing when he tried to get his deposit back on the truck they used.

378
Yeah Sure WhatEVs  Dec 25, 2020 • 10:44:53am

re: #338 thedopefishlives

You’re quite correct. I believe it also comes with a fat cap that needs to be trimmed before cooking.

Trim after cooking. It helps moisten the meat while cooking. Otherwise you wind up with whatever that is Cornyn made.

379
austin_blue  Dec 25, 2020 • 11:01:43am

re: #246 TedStriker

When I heard that characteristic WHOMP that I’d heard so many times on MythBusters (particularly when they blew up the concrete truck), I thought the same was likely, but, while it looks bad from the pics and video so far, the damage doesn’t seem to line up with that possibility, unless the bomb was botched.

If it were a proper ANFO bomb, Second Ave would look like the remains of the Murrah building.

Exactly. This was a show attack. A countdown broadcast on a PA for 15 minutes?

If you want too kill people, you don’t start yelling “Run away! I’m a bomb!”

This reminds of IRA attacks during the Troubles more than a Taliban car bomb.


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