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arcana imperii :: the book of j

31.12.07

new year's eve ~ noche vieja

«En la puerta del sol como el año que fue,
otra vez el champán y las uvas y el alquitrán de alfombra están.
Los petardos que borran sonidos de ayer
y acaloran el ánimo para aceptar que ya, pasó uno más.

Y en el reloj de antaño como de año en año
cinco minutos más para la cuenta atrás
hacemos el balance de lo bueno y malo
cinco minutos antes de la cuentra atrás.

Marineros, soldados, solteros, casados, amantes,
andantes y alguno que otro cura despistao.
Entre gritos y pitos los españolitos, enormes,
bajitos, hacemos por una vez, algo a la vez.

Y en el reloj de antaño como de año en año
cinco minutos más para la cuenta atrás
hacemos el balance de lo bueno y malo
cinco minutos antes de la cuentra atrás.

Y aunque para las uvas hay algunos nuevos
A los que ya no están echaremos de menos
y a ver si espabilamos los que estamos vivos
y en el año que viene...

Uno, dos, tres y cuatro empieza otra vez que que la quinta es la una y
la sexta es la dos y así el siete es tres.

Y decimos adiós y pedimos a dios que en el año que viene a ver si en vez de un millón, pueden ser dos.

En la puerta del sol como el año que fue otra vez el champán
y las uvas y el alquitrán de alfombra están»


Un Año Más,
as sung by Ana Torroja during a Girados tour concert in A Coruña

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25.12.07

happy holidays to all


bon nadal i feliç any nou!
god jul och gott nytt år!
god jul og godt nytt år!
glædelig jul og godt nytår!
gleðileg jól og farsælt komandi ár!
hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta!
maligayang pasko at manigong bagong taon!
nollaig chridheil agus bliadhna mhath ùr!
nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda!
nollaig shona agus blian nua fe mhaise!
fröhliche weihnachten und ein gutes neues jahr!
joyeux noël et bonne nouvelle année!
¡feliz navidad y próspero año nuevo!
noeliniz ve yeni yiliniz kutlu olsun!
buon natale e felice anno nuovo!
prettige kerstdagen en een voorpoedig nieuwjaar!
kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket és boldog új évet!
feliz natal e bom ano novo!
mele kalikimaka me ka hauoli makahiki hou!
koa kirihimete a kia hari te tau hou!

«idah saidan wa sanah jadidah»
«de christmas akhtar de bakhtawar au newai kal de mubarak sha»
«meri kurisumasu soshite akemashite omedeto!»
«christmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad va sâle-no mobârak»
«chag molad sameach veshanah tovah»
«shub naya baras»

καλά χριστούγεννα και καλή χρoνιά πολλά!
C Pождеством Хpистовым и Лучший Новый Год!

natale hilare et annum faustum!

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22.12.07

Democratic response

The following is a transcript of the Democratic response by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to President Bush's radio address:

HARRY REID:
Good morning. I'm Nevada Senator Harry Reid, the Majority leader of the United States Senate. Last November, Americans elected a new Democratic Congress to end business as usual in Washington and change America. This week marked the end of our first year in the majority, and in that time, Democrats have put working families first, given our troops the care and support they deserve, and made our country safer.

For working families: We cut middle class taxes; raised the minimum wage for the first time in ten years; helped families avoid foreclosure on their homes; made college more affordable for millions of students; and passed historic new energy legislation to lower gas prices, raise fuel economy standards on cars and trucks for the first time in 32 years, and begin to stem the tide of global warming.

To make America safer: We passed the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission — to secure high-risk cities like Las Vegas — and provide first responders additional resources; and we improved security at our borders and ports so that we know who and what is coming into our country from overseas.

For our men and women in uniform: We passed an across-the-board pay raise; provided better protective combat gear; and funded the largest increase in veterans' health care in 70 years.

We have made progress in all of these areas this year — but that doesn't mean I am satisfied. Like you, I am frustrated by the direction of our country. We helped middle-class families make ends meet — but a possible recession still looms and millions may still lose their homes to foreclosure — including tens of thousands of Nevadans. We gave back to our men and women in uniform who are sacrificing so much — but because of President Bush, they remain in Iraq without a clear mission or endgame, and our Armed Forces are stretched to a breaking point. And we took steps to secure our country from terrorism, but Bin Laden remains free, Al Qaeda is growing stronger, and the President's focus on Iraq has allowed conditions in Afghanistan to deteriorate.

We need to do more to solve all these problems, but time after time, when Democrats have fought for change, President Bush and Republicans in Congress have stood in the way. We tried to give health care to 10 million poor children, but Republicans sided with tobacco companies. We tried to promote cleaner energy sources — by turning to the sun, the wind, and geothermal — but Republicans sided with the big oil companies. We chose to invest in priorities here at home, but Republicans chose to send billions more of your taxpayer dollars to Iraq.

This year has shown that Washington is divided between Democrats who want change and Republicans who are satisfied with the status quo. Republicans broke the all-time, two-year obstruction record in just one year with 62 filibusters.

Much of what we read in the papers or see on the news focuses on who's winning — Democrats or Bush Republicans. But this isn't a game to be measured by which party wins and loses. Democrats believe winning means solving our nation's problems. When we work together, we can. But Democrats can't do it alone. In January, we will return to Congress with much more to do for you and all Americans.

I hope the new year will find Republicans willing to join us to get that work done. I am glad to be back home in Searchlight, Nevada this weekend to spend the holiday season with my family and friends. On behalf of the United States Senate, which I have the honor of leading, I wish you and your family a season of health, happiness and joy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our courageous men and women serving in the military, and with those families who have an empty place at the table this year, awaiting their safe return from war. This is Senator Harry Reid. Thank you for listening.

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18.12.07

enough!

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quotation of the week

«There is nothing so agonising to the fine skin of vanity as the application of a rough truth.»
~Edward Bulwer-Lytton

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9.12.07

quotation of the week ~ at a crossroads

«[...]
no sé si hacer
o más bien deshacer
si hacerlo mal o hacerlo bien
hacer por hacer
sólo pa deshacer
lo que nunca sé hacer

no sé si hacer
o más bien deshacer
si hacerlo mal o hacerlo bien
hacer por hacer
sólo pa deshacer
sólo por deshacer

nunca hacer por hacer

[...]»
~hacer por hacer, miguel bosè

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6.12.07

the ignant Sherri Shepherd video (II)

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5.12.07

ignant Sherri Sheppard's ignorance hit new depths

Since starting her co-hosting role on The View, Sherri Shepherd has had her share of «Huh?» moments. Most famously, the actress said she wasn't quite convinced that the earth was round.

A new quote burning up the viral world may become even more infamous, as Shepherd on Monday's «View» got into a discussion about religion timelines with her fellow hosts. The ensuing discussion went in a head-scratching direction.

While talking about religion, Whoopi Goldberg suggests that ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus didn't have Jesus Christ or christianity.

«They still had Christians back then», Shepherd retorts, claiming that the religion existed 300 years before Jesus Christ was born. «They had Christians and they threw them to the lions», she continues.

«I think this might predate that», Goldberg added.

«I don't think anything predated Christians», Shepherd replied. [Excuse me, but how ignorant must one be to make such a statement. This baffles, enrages and troubles me greatly].

In September, during a similar discussion about religious and scientific beliefs, Goldberg asked Shepherd if she thought that the world was flat.

«I don't know», Shepherd answered, adding that if her son asked her whether the world was flat or round, she'd «go look it up».

source: aol.

So again, we see an ignorant theist and celebrity, earning thousands if not millions of dollars, lacking even basic education in history and science, co-hosting a show that influences the thoughts of millions of females and certainly a male or two almost daily. It also legitimises bad manners as all hosts speak at the same time and stifle proper communication and discussion. I find it stunning that the live audience did not boo Ms Shepherd off the stage. I would sack her and force her to attend junior and high school as well as university (again?) before ever allowing her to utter another word in public. She should also loose custody of her children to prevent them from growing up in the sea of ignorance that must be their theist home.

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3.12.07

quotation of the week

«Some people are born on third base and go through life
thinking they hit a triple».

~Barry Switzer

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