Minor Wisdom

Dear Saints: Don’t worry about those last two games. But please change your pants.

Lately Saints fans are down on their team. After starting with 13 consecutive wins, the Saints have lost back-to-back games at home. This weekend, they go to Carolina to face the Panthers, who have played pretty well the last couple of weeks. If trends continue, then heavens to Betsy!, the Saints may lose home-field advantage for the NFC playoffs.

Here’s my decidedly non-expert advice to the Saints, based on not having watched the last game:

1. Look forward to this coming road game, because in your case, home-field advantage is overrated. This year, you’re 7-0 on the road and 6-2 at home. Regardless of the outcome of the Carolina game, you’re guaranteed to have a better road record than home record this regular season.

2. Don’t be concerned with home-field advantage in the playoffs. See # 1 above.

3. Do, however, change your pants. Wearing the gold pants, you’re undefeated. Wearing the black pants, you’ve lost two in a row. If you dress like you dressed when you were winning, you increase your chances of winning. This isn’t superstition; it’s science.

Ralph Stanley, a capella

A bit hat tip to Dead Mule at Southern Appeal for this one: Ralph Stanley on a book tour, singing a few songs a capella.

A skeptic confronts the implication of Christmas

Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson has doubts about the Incarnation—whether Jesus really was who he said he was. But despite his doubts, he ponders its implication if it is true. Whether you’re a believer or a doubter, his reflection is worth reading.

Isaiah 9:1-6

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,will be burned as fuel for flames.

For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

How to find videos for the Hostilidays

There are many ways, but one way is to search for videos involving the Bee Gees and Christmas. Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.

Link to my Christmas newsletter

For the past few years, I’ve been doing a blog-style Christmas newsletter. It’s like any other blog, except the frequency of posting is once per year. The blog format seems ideally suited for something like this—frankly I wonder why more bloggers don’t do it. Anyway, in case you’re interested, here’s a link to this year’s edition. It’s multi-media, folks! (That means it has photos and an MP3.)

The archives (“Christmas Past”) contain links to past editions—another bonus of doing it bloggy-style. All of them include photos, so anyone who views them can see how I’ve aged.

Some cheese for the Hostilidays

I know that the old Batman TV show was on-purpose cheesy. But this is way past run-of-the-mill cheesy — we’re talking Limburger here.

I went in search of a Hostilidays video, but found this instead.

The Hostilidays have been strangely quiet. Must be El Niño. I went looking for something truly awful; instead I found this. It won’t send you off jimmying the gun cabinet open to blow your brains out. But I offer it here in the hope that it will offend someone. Anyone.

Tom Goldstein comes clean

At the recent DRI Appellate Seminar, Tom Goldstein spoke on how we, too, could become A-1 experts on Supreme Court practice. So imagine how shocked, SHOCKED I was to learn that Tom has been involved in some scandals. But in this video, Tom demonstrates why, in such unfortunate circumstances, coming clean is the best thing.

Freedom Highway by the Staples Singers

The Jim Morrison imitator was nice, but here’s some real soul for your Saturday-evening blues.