Anyone still working

[Machinist]

Anyone banging a store yet? I know christmas eve.....sacrafices have to be made once on a great while.... Surprisingly alot of people here....
Merry Christmas all!!!!!!!!!

Machinist

[21forme]

I'll probably make one more trip before the end of the year...

[aslan]

I didn't buy a single Christmas gift this year. The only gift I'm giving is coming up here to NYC and helping my wife close down her mother's apartment with its 39 years of accumulations. She didn't die--just moved to a nursing home. The hardest part, besides the enormous clutter, is figuring out what sentimental things to pitch and what things to keep. The best thing happened today--we found the key to the vault, which we had searched for for days and thought had been stolen.

Funny. I think this is the first year I didn't buy a gift for someone. Anyway, I will be getting up early in the morning for celebrating the birth of Jesus at the local church here. For me, that's the most important thing.

I was walking down the street today and traffic was stopped up and people were all blowing their horns. Merry Christmas. But then I went into a local Italian eatery and the owner was greeting everyone with a hearty merry Christmas! That was music to my ears. I've been too busy with the drive up here and the attention to the grinch's congressional Christmas bombshell today, that I haven't really gotten into the spirit. But tomorrow will be the day! Church to celebrate Jesus' birthday and then a visit with the wife's relatives. I must be getting old. haha No more hoping for that 3 speed Schwinn bicycle, or that left-handed first baseman's mitt. haha Merry Christmas everyone. I hope everyone gets what they need, and especially I hope everyone is happy and able to enjoy the presence of their loved ones during this Christmas season. God bless our troops overseas who can't be home for Christmas. And "`God bless us every one.' said Tiny Tim, the last of all."

[psyduck]

Originally Posted by aslan

God bless our troops overseas who can't be home for Christmas.

What are the troops doing overseas? Shouldn't they stay home in the first place? Which god will bless those they kill on a regular basis?

My wish has always been peace on earth!

[Automatic Monkey]

I'll be working in about 6 hours. Romans 14:5-6

[Leaveawinner]

I worked Christmas Eve and will be working today. I don't know about the casino though. Last I saw they were still dealing great cards. The guard did say they aren't closed for Christmas so I guess it's okay to stop by.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by psyduck

What are the troops doing overseas? Shouldn't they stay home in the first place? Which god will bless those they kill on a regular basis?

My wish has always been peace on earth!

My wish is the same as yours, but I have long recognized that peace is not achieved by unilaterally refraining from war. The peace that I seek is beyond the peace that comes from the absence of war. The peace I seek is a peace that cannot abide the killing of my fellow countrymen, my family, or my friends. May God save us all from evil and treacherous men, and may I assist in the process to the best of my ability to do so. That is why the Christmas Scriptures read "Glory to God, and on earth peace toward men of good will." (Luke 2:14) So then, even in the conflict of war, men can have inner peace, by knowing that they please God, even in the ugly necessity of defending precious human life.

[StandardDeviant]

Originally Posted by psyduck

What are the troops doing overseas? Shouldn't they stay home in the first place? Which god will bless those they kill on a regular basis?

My wish has always been peace on earth!

We could adopt the "just guard the borders" security model and bring the troops home, but the world would be a much more dangerous place and the changes needed to successfully implement that model aren't very palatable.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by StandardDeviant

We could adopt the "just guard the borders" security model and bring the troops home, but the world would be a much more dangerous place and the changes needed to successfully implement that model aren't very palatable.

Does that mean when we are attacked, we longer go after the perpetrators, but simply continue to guard the borders? How many more 911's can be tolerate?

But I do agree that we may have lost sight of our original mission, that of defeating the perpetrators and bringing them to justice. They are in Pakistan and we are in Afghanistan. We are going after their aiders and abettors instead of them themselves on the theory that they will be welcomed back. If we can't pursue them where they are, haven't we already conceded defeat?

I say, go after the perpetrators of 911, not the Taliban. If for some reason we cannot pursue them into Pakistan (you'll have to explain that one to me), then we can wait them out. It's no different than any other criminal we pursue onto foreign soil. If the government of Pakistan wants to protect them, then are they not declaring war on us? That's one to think long and hard about.

[psyduck]

The problem with religion is everyone claims god is on his side to justify his own evil act. The net result is a violent cycle in which everyone seeks revenge under the name of god. That is why the world has been in an endless mess.

No religion makes sense to me, but I have no problem when people say merry christmas to me. I take it as a holiday for all of us to enjoy.

So Happy Holidays to everyone on this greatest BJ site!