Category Archives: Open Thread

Break’s Over

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I was listening to Morning Edition this morning when they played a story on HumanLight. For those too lazy to click on links, HumanLight is a Humanist (secular) winter festival that celebrates reason, hope and compassion. It is an attempt to include agnostics, atheists and humanists into the “holiday season.”

I hate this season, and I am constantly looking for new traditions to replace the ones I’ve lost since my parents passed away. So I listened to this report and found myself saying, “hell yeah, this could totally be it!” when I heard the song from the story. It was Tom Waits meets Ellis Paul singing seventh grader poetry. I found my interest in the festival waning.

I like the idea of a non-religious festival celebrating humanistic ideals. I do not like the idea of soppy poetry with gruff lyrics. My favorite Christmas Song, Fairytale of New York, is not your typical “holiday song” but it has more meaning to me than Silent Night.

So while I search for replacement traditions, fill me in on your own: When do you open presents? What kind of presents do you give and receive? How does your family celebrate this season?

Open Thread: Bastard Rules and Regulations

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Given the debates during the open threads, I think I am going to have to establish some sort of rules for discourse. These rules would only apply to Open Threads. If I post something “inflammatory” and its not an open thread, I don’t expect the rules of debate to apply. There may be some exceptions–But i’m not sure what they may be. Given the communal nature of a blog, I’m inviting everyone and anyone to help flesh them out.

So what should these rules be? Should there be any rules that are universal to the blog itself?