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For the Media: Nothing but Coal This Christmas

“He’s making a list. He’s checking it twice. He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.” When it comes to the mainstream media, Santa definitely has them on the naughty list. The whole biased crew of them should expect nothing but coal in their stockings this Christmas.

Media bias is nothing new. But in 2017, it shifted into overdrive. Donald Trump’s inauguration as president set off a year of outright media hostility that is unprecedented in its scope.

Yes, the media have always attacked conservatives with shoddy facts and outright opinion dressed up as news. But in 2017, that morphed into something else altogether: vile hatred of those they disagree with. Sure, the media have always painted conservatives as “evil and heartless,” but it always seemed it was some sort of game they were playing.

Their treatment of Trump is different.

The media decided early on that Trump was the singular enemy who must be destroyed. The members of the media anointed themselves as just the ones to do it. And their venom has extended to anyone who dares to support the president.

Here are just a few reasons that the media deserve a stocking full of coal.

A focus on Russia, without evidence … After months of investigations, congressional hearings, and nonstop coverage in the press, there has not been any concrete evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government to affect the election.

Did the Russian government try to sow discord in the United States leading up to the election? Absolutely. Did Russians do things to attack both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton? Absolutely. Did the Russians collude with Donald Trump? No evidence has been presented to that effect in public, despite the attempts by the media, like Brian Ross at ABC and Manu Raju at CNN, to proffer fake news saying it happened.

Downplaying the real collusion … When stories have been published showing real collusion between agents of the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee, with foreign agents liaising with the Kremlin, those stories have been glossed over by the mainstream media. Moreover, those actually covering the story have been ridiculed for the focus.

Here’s what we know that the media has glossed over: The Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC reportedly paid a law firm to hide payments from the FEC that ultimately went to Fusion GPS, a shady opposition research shop that then paid a retired foreign spy to investigate its American political rival with the help of the Kremlin.

That “investigation” found its way to the FBI through Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and reportedly formed the basis for obtaining FISA warrants for the Obama administration to spy on political opponents.

No bias by investigators … There have been scattered stories in the media about the bias of the FBI agents investigating the 2016 election and Clinton emails. We also know that some of those agents and others with outright partisan leanings have made it onto special counsel Robert Mueller’s team.

Heck, there is even a text from one of those FBI agents seeming to plot an “insurance policy” in case Trump was elected. Those are concerning developments. If the shoe were reversed and these agents were biased toward, say, Barack Obama, the media would be in overdrive. Instead, they mock those pointing it out. This approach is right out of the Saul Alinsky playbook.

Inciting violence … When a man walked onto a baseball field where Republican members of Congress were practicing and opened fire, he did so because he hated Republicans. He hated their policies and saw it as his duty to kill them.

For too long the left-wing media have painted Republicans and conservatives as heartless, evil people who want to hurt their fellow Americans. Nobody does this more so than Rachel Maddow at MSNBC. Is it any wonder, then, that a look at the social media of the killer showed that he was a superfan of Maddow and parroted her talking points? There is a very strong case to be made that the domestic terrorist was radicalized by watching the Maddow show.

There are a whole host of other reasons that the media deserve coal from jolly old St. Nick this year. These were just the main reasons.

To be sure, there are people of good will who work for outlets in the mainstream media. But taken as a whole, the media deserve nothing but coal this year. (For more from the author of “For the Media: Nothing but Coal This Christmas” please click HERE)

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Remembering Our Old School-Style Parents at Christmas

It occurred to me that like millions of lower- to middle-class American families back in the day, my parents did an awesome job at Christmastime. With little money, they always found a way to give their kids happy Christmases.

As the nine-year-old eldest, I babysat my four siblings. I knew that Mom and Dad did not have a lot of money. And yet I never thought we were poor or felt shortchanged at Christmas. I don’t remember my three brothers and sister ever feeling shortchanged at Christmas. How awesome is that? Given their financial challenges, my parents had to be magicians to pull off that trick. Somehow, they performed their magic every year. I kind of took it for granted. Looking back, all I can say is “wow!” . . .

One Christmas, when we were still living in the Baltimore government housing project, I found a used bicycle hidden deep in the closet. I knew that the bike was my Christmas present. I was elated because I knew that Mom and Dad could not afford it. Mom was disappointed that I had seen the bike. I told her I was a big boy and wanted to help her and dad play Santa, setting up the gifts Christmas Eve for my younger siblings. She said, “Okay”.

Old-school American parents were awesome. They were responsible early in their adulthood, doing whatever needed to be done. My Baby-Boomer generation seems to be pretty spoiled and self-focused.

At 29 years old, my dad had fathered his five kids and tried to be a stand-in father and role model for my Aunt Bummie’s five boys. They loved my dad and envied me for having him. (Read more from “Remembering Our Old School-Style Parents at Christmas” HERE)

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Chuck Norris Asks: ‘Tis the Season to Stress

It should be the season to be jolly, yet sadly, too many folks are describing this time of year as more stressful than magical. Welcome to what is commonly known as the “holiday blues.”

A telephone survey conducted by the American Psychological Association recently demonstrated that – compared to other times of the year — out of 786 individuals polled, 44 percent of women and 31 percent of men felt more stress during the holidays. In addition, 51 percent of women and 42 percent of men said purchasing and giving gifts only added to their distress.

Although the holidays continue to be a time of joy for many, we must also acknowledge that the holiday season can trigger symptoms of anxiety and depression. There are many contributing factors to such feelings. Just the time change alone is said to cause as many as a third of people with a history of a major depressive disorder to experience a worsening of their symptoms. Depression is the world’s most common mental ailment, affecting approximately 16 percent of adults at some point in their lives.

If we have learned anything about the stresses of this time of year, it is that we cannot force ourselves to be happy just because it is the holiday season. People are faced with a dizzying array of demands. Schedules can become overloaded; stress is at its peak. It is hard to stop and regroup.

As pointed out in a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, any kind of stress can strain relationships and cause us to withdraw from others. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a 2015 study found daily hassles like working, running errands, and money troubles negatively influence romantic unions, causing people to feel less satisfied and more alone in their relationships. When people are anxious and fatigued, it becomes more challenging to see someone else’s point of view. This may explain why family feuds seem more likely to arise during the holidays. (Read more from “Chuck Norris Asks: ‘Tis the Season to Stress” HERE)

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Journalist Shot Dead at Child’s Christmas Pageant

A Mexican journalist has been shot dead while he attended his son’s school Christmas pageant as attacks on the country’s press continue unabated.

Gumaro Pérez Aguilando was attending the school event in the town of Acayucan on Tuesday, when a pair of gunmen burst into the building and killed him in front of a classroom full of schoolchildren, witnesses told local media.

His death marked the 12th murder of a media worker in Mexico in 2017, according to the press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The killing puts Mexico alongside Syria as the most murderous country for journalists, according to RSF.

Pérez covered police matters for several publications and founded the news site La Voz del Sur in the violent city of Acayucan, in Veracruz state, where drug cartel and organised crime activities have been rife. He also worked in the communications department of the local government.

Pérez had not reported any threats against him, said Ana Laura Pérez Mendoza, president of the State Commission for the Care and Protection of Journalists. (Read more from “Journalist Shot Dead at Child’s Christmas Pageant” HERE)

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Christian Carol Singers Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Convert People to Christianity

A priest’s car was also set alight by suspected Hindu extremists in a shocking attack in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India where Christians make up just 0.3 per cent of the population.

The group of carol singers, which was comprised of around 30 Catholic priests and parishioners, was performing in the city of Satna when they were attacked by the right-wing Bajrang Dal group.

A Hindu villager alleged he was told to “worship Jesus Christ” and offered money to convert to Christianity.

The incident initially led to the arrests of a group of seminary students and two priests, before a further eight priests were later arrested after coming to the aid of the detainees.

The police released the Christians around 2am on 16 December, but asked the ten priests and three students to report to the station at 7am that same morning. (Read more from “Christian Carol Singers Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Convert People to Christianity” HERE)

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Now ‘Jingle Bells’ Is Being Called Racist

According to one college professor, the age-old Christmas carol “Jingle Bells” is actually steeped in white supremacy.

Writing in her “Theatre Survey” research paper, Boston University theater professor Kyna Hamill explained the racist background of the beloved Christmas song.

“The legacy of ‘Jingle Bells’ is one where its blackface and racist origins have been subtly and systematically removed from its history,” Hamill said, claiming the song has a “problematic history.”

She believes “Jingle Bells” was first performed to make fun of African-Americans.

Hamill went on to cite specific parts of the song that allegedly had racist origins.

“Although ‘One Horse Open Sleigh,’ for most of its singers and listeners, may have eluded its racialized past and taken its place in the seemingly unproblematic romanticization of a normal ‘white’ Christmas, attention to the circumstances of its performance history enables reflection on its problematic role in the construction of blackness and whiteness in the United States,” she wrote.

The in-depth analysis didn’t end there.

The BU theater historian began researching the history of the longtime Christmas carol after a so-called “Jingle Bells War” – a conflict between two cities: Savannah, Georgia and Medford, Massachusetts – that is purportedly the birthplace of the song created by James Pierpont.

“Its origins emerged from the economic needs of a perpetually unsuccessful man, the racial politics of antebellum Boston, the city’s climate, and the intertheatrical repertoire of commercial blackface performers moving between Boston and New York,” Hamill wrote, using sophisticated language for an otherwise ridiculous subject matter.

The professor contended that the song’s lyrics “display no real originality,” and believes lines such as “dashing through the snow” and “Miss Fanny Bright” connect the song to blackface dandy.

“Words such as ‘thro,’ ‘tho’t,’ and ‘upsot’ suggest a racialized performance that attempted to sound ‘southern’ to a northern audience,” Hamill continued.

“As I mentioned in my article, the first documented performance of the song is in a blackface minstrel hall in Boston in 1857, the same year it was copyrighted,” Hamill told Fox News.

“Much research has been done on the problematic history of this nineteenth-century entertainment.”

The research paper, which has been public for two years, was widely lampooned across social media.

According to her university biography, Hamill is currently working on a collection of essays regarding the “intersections of Theater and War.” (For more from the author of “Now ‘Jingle Bells’ Is Being Called Racist” please click HERE)

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Renowned Trumpet Player Walks off Stage After Pop Star Mocks Christmas Carol

A classical musician walked off the stage after a pop singer mocked a Christmas carol and criticized Republicans in the U.S. Congress.

Manny Laureano, Principal Trumpet for the Minnesota Orchestra, made the silent protest during a Rufus Wainwright concert in Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall on the evening of December 2. Wainwright, who is in a same-sex “marriage” and is known for voicing his left-wing political opinions at shows, was complaining about the Republicans’ tax plan, which had passed in Congress the night before.

The speech was part of Wainwright’s introduction to his famous protest song “Going to a Town.” The song contains the refrain “I’m so tired of America”, and refers to Christian teachings concerning sexual sin:

Tell me, do you really think you go to hell for having loved?
Tell me, and not for thinking everything that you’ve done is good.
I really need to know, after soaking the body of Jesus Christ in blood.
I’m so tired of America…

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Wainwright told the audience that passage of the tax plan was “a call to arms”, and that he and they had “to fight for this country.” (Read more from “Renowned Trumpet Player Walks off Stage After Pop Star Mocks Christmas Carol” HERE)

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Universities Strive for Christmas-Free Campuses

As another Christmas quickly approaches, colleges across the country are issuing their annual guidelines on how to make the season as inclusive as possible.

At the University of California, Irvine, for instance, individual departments are encouraged to “focus on celebrating a special occasion, instead of a specific holiday,” suggesting that they have a “year-end celebration” or celebrate “seasonal themes such as fall, winter, or spring.”

The California university also requests that academic departments “ensure that office celebrations are not indirectly celebrating religious holidays,” suggesting that they display “diverse symbols representing a variety of faith traditions along with secular ones.”

The State University of New York, Brockport has issued similar guidance on “culturally sensitive holiday decorations,” even advising employees to “consider a grab bag instead of a ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange.”

“Keep decorations general and nonspecific to any religion. Create a winter theme with lights and color rather than religious icons, or include decorations from all the cultural traditions represented in your department,” the guidelines add, saying the “holiday season should be considered an opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and inclusivity.” (Read more from “Universities Strive for Christmas-Free Campuses” HERE)

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Strangers Can Talk to Your Kids Through ‘Connected’ Toys

A consumer group is urging major retailers to withdraw a number of “connected” or “intelligent” toys likely to be popular at Christmas, after finding security failures that it warns could put children’s safety at risk.

Tests carried out by Which? with the German consumer group Stiftung Warentest, and other security research experts, found flaws in Bluetooth and wifi-enabled toys that could enable a stranger to talk to a child.

The investigation found that four out of seven of the tested toys could be used to communicate with the children playing with them. Security failures were discovered in the Furby Connect, i-Que Intelligent Robot, Toy-Fi Teddy and CloudPets.

With each of these toys, the Bluetooth connection had not been secured, meaning the researcher did not need a password, pin or any other authentication to gain access. Little technical knowhow was needed to hack into the toys to start sharing messages with a child.

When switched on, the Furby Connect – on sale at Argos, Amazon, Smyths and Toys R Us – could be connected with any device within a Bluetooth range of 10 to 30 metres. (Read more from “Strangers Can Talk to Your Kids Through ‘Connected’ Toys” HERE)

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Newest Threat to Mental Health: Christmas Music

Are you one of those people that can’t stand hearing Christmas songs months before the holiday actually arrives? Does hearing festive carols weeks before Thanksgiving only make you upset that you haven’t eaten your turkey yet? A psychologist in Great Britain says your reactions don’t make you a Grinch because too much Christmas music is actually bad for your mental health.

Clinical psychologist Linda Blair claims the constant barrage of Christmas tunes too early in the season forces people to remember all the things they have to do before the holiday. Blair says the songs are a reminder to buy presents, cater parties, organize travel, and all the more stressful chores during Christmas. “You’re simply spending all of your energy trying not to hear what you’re hearing,” Blair tells Sky News.

The psychologist added that store workers are most at risk for being worn down by the catchy beats. She states that hearing the same songs over and over each day make workers struggle to “tune it out” and they become “unable to focus on anything else.” “Christmas music is likely to irritate people if it’s played too loudly and too early,” Blair explained to reporters.

(Read more from “Newest Threat to Mental Health: Christmas Music” HERE)

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