Hither and thither 12/31/09

Another batch of very varied variouses as we gather to bid "adieu" to 2009.

• While The Season is still fresh in our minds (and straining our seams), my DAOD shares with us a Christmas food timeline. 
• In case you missed it in the previous meta, Julie's boys did an excellent lego Nativity last year.
  
• In that same spirit, would you like to hear President Obama explain the true meaning of Christmas to a bunch of kids? Let it load without playing, then listen from about 12:24 to 14:25.

• If I had harbored any notions of doing a year-in-review — I hadn't — Dave Barry's year in review would have blown it out of my mind. Hysterical; had me in tears. Sample: "On the domestic front, the struggling Chrysler Corp. declares bankruptcy, but its CEO confidently predicts that the company will come back 'bigger, better and stronger than ever' thanks to its 2010 product line, spearheaded by the all-new Dodge Despair." And "President Obama, in the first serious test of his presidency, announces that he will send U.S. troops to rescue Democratic members of Congress pinned down in town hall meetings by constituents firing hostile questions concerning the administration's health-care plan, which turns out not to be wildly popular outside of the immediate Capitol Hill area."
• Of course you om nom nom. But do you om nom nom properly? Here's how.
• Tom Hanks has been many things. But... James Bond? Cracked me up, anyway. (Includes one brief hand of hand-cupped, implied nudity.)
• No point in me saying poorly what others have already said better. Here's Charles Krauthammer on Obama's response to terrorism, and then Victor Davis Hanson on the same. And while Obama smugly awards himself a grossly-inflated (but probably modest, to his mind) "B+," here is one British writer who awards him a more appropriate "F."
  
• It's no wonder the Washington times is calling this "the pooh-pooh presidency."
• More blistering still, the man, Dick Cheney: "...it is clear once again that President Obama is trying to pretend we are not at war. He seems to think if he has a low key response to an attempt to blow up an airliner and kill hundreds of people, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gives terrorists the rights of Americans, lets them lawyer up and reads them their Miranda rights, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if we bring the mastermind of 9/11 to New York, give him a lawyer and trial in civilian court, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he closes Guantanamo and releases the hard-core al Qaeda trained terrorists still there, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gets rid of the words, “war on terror,” we won’t be at war. But we are at war and when President Obama pretends we aren’t, it makes us less safe. Why doesn’t he want to admit we’re at war? It doesn’t fit with the view of the world he brought with him to the Oval Office. It doesn’t fit with what seems to be the goal of his presidency – social transformation—the restructuring of American society. President Obama’s first object and his highest responsibility must be to defend us against an enemy that knows we are at war."
• When will I say "The system worked well"? When this bunch of ideologically-lunatic juveniles hands the two branches of the US government back to some adults who read and respect the US Constitution... even a little! However...
• ...since, unfortunately for the US, O and the Dems will remain in power for months, some common-sense ideas for cutting personal spending might be appropriate at this juncture.
  
• Change in mood: here are two for my DAOD/BSIL's cats in the not-too-distant future:

• Here's an article detailing how to get the most out of the Logos iPhone app.
  
• Wow, Barbie... that's a lot of plastic. 
• Did you know that New Zealand nad knights? Maybe Rachael Starke did. I didn't. Evidently all you have to do is be a Godsend to the local economy and tourist industry, and you're in!
  
• Figuring out the following took me a second. But it was worth it.

• This cracks me up —  but don't use any terms you don't recognize without looking them up first, cuz.
  
• Omigosh. Ugliest. Shoes. Ever? Reader Susan alerted me to these. Three models refused to wear them in a fashion show, and were excluded.
  

• Hm; how do I get one of these for my posts?
• Something every set of parents in the world — except one — can be thankful for: this isn't your kid.

• Very cool Lego commercial, in case you haven't seen it.
• Some rugby player decided to tell the world he's embracing ruinous, sexually perverted desires, and goes on and on about himself and his feelings about himself and about himself sacrificing his wife on the altar of his perversion... and British pastor Gary Benfold doesn't view any of it very sentimentally. Benfold, of course, is right.
• I sympathize with (almost) everyone who has trouble making decisions. Is that you? You're in luck. Here's a flowchart to help you in your produce selections.
  
• New pc you got for Christmas giving you problems? Watch your temper. Srsly.
  
• Umm, I like to hike, but... pass.

• Perhaps you weren't brave enough (or dumb enough) to endure the entire two-hour Star Wars Holiday Special. Who could blame you? However, you still have a chance. You can see two hours of cringes crammed into about five minutes right here. No need to thank me.
• There are great reasons for home delivery, and great reasons for hospital delivery. Here is a couple who's glad they had a hospital delivery. Amazing story.
  
• As you think about returning to your mundane, imperfect job, consider that even the best job in the world has its perils.
• Then with these lovely parting images, I wish you a Happy New Year.