Francis in 1223 sought permission from Pope Honorious III to do something “for the kindling of devotion” to the birth of Christ. As part of his preparations, Francis “made ready a manger, and bade hay, together with an ox and an ass,” in the small Italian town of Greccio.
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The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 25, 2023
More Bach for the day, Christmas day coronations, when the arrogance of power married messianic presumption, John McGahern’s attempt to shine a few fantasy lights.
Here’s Why, Scientifically Speaking, Sloppy Gift-Wrapping Is Better
Consumers in the U.S. spend billions of dollars a year on wrapping gifts, in most cases to make their presents look as good as possible. But beautiful presentation doesn’t lead to a better-liked gift. A study showed that those who received a sloppily wrapped gift liked their present significantly more than those who received a neatly wrapped gift, regardless of what was inside. Yay for the sloppy!
Night of the Pies: Christmas Eve, 1967
My after-school job my senior year of high school was in a bakery attached to a supermarket in my home town, a sort of Jurassic Publix setup. On the night before Christmas Eve, we had orders for a little over 400 pies. The baker asked if I would work with him through the night and, needing the money for my college fund, being locked in an empty supermarket to bake 400 pies for twelve hours at overtime rates seemed like a wonderful idea.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 24, 2023
The perfect night for Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center, the Bach Festival returns, John Eliot Gardiner on the creator of Music in the Castle of Heaven.
Trump Claims Constitution Gives Him Immunity. Judges May Not Agree.
Former President Donald Trump has claimed he is immune from prosecution – specifically on the federal charges that he tried to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election. He says that his actions in connection with the 2020 election were part of his official duties, and he also argues that because he was not convicted during either of his impeachments, he cannot be tried in a criminal court for his actions.
Florida State Sues Atlantic Coast Conference, Banking on $1 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Legal Coffer
Florida State University on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, alleging the conference has “persistently undermined its members’ revenue opportunities” and damaged FSU. The Seminoles became the first undefeated champion of one of the Power 5 football conferences to be left out of the College Football Playoff. Gov. Ron DeSantis recommends the state offer $1 million for any legal action about the snub.
17-Year-Old Palm Coast Boy Killed in Mudding Crash in Flagler Estates When SUV Flips Into Waterlogged Ditch
A 17-year-old Palm Coast boy was killed and another injured in a mudding crash in isolated and unlit Flagler Estates shortly after midnight this morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Four other youths in the vehicle escaped injuries.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 23, 2023
The toy drive for Toys for Tots culminates today at European Village, the Saturday Flagler Beach market, an analysis of the massacre of civilians in Gaza and Robert Fisk on the siege of Beirut.
Grief and the Holidays
The holidays negatively affect many people’s mental health as the holidays for many are stark reminders of grief and of whom – or what – they have lost. About 10% of bereaved adults are at risk of prolonged grief disorder, and those rates appear to have increased in the aftermath of the pandemic.