Last night on No Reservations, they showed a Rolls Royce with a retractile hood ornament so people wouldn't try to steal it...

Ornamental turtle bitches!

>> ^scottishmartialarts:
Mithras was a Persian god, not Roman. Although his mystery cult was very, very popular among the Roman Legions. Wherever we have evidence of a Legion presence, we also find evidence of Mithras cult. As I recall Mithras was Ahura Mazda's (the infinitely good god of the Zoroastrian faith) general in his crusade against the devil Ahriman. Darius the Great's conquests were largely motivated out of missionary zeal to spread the Zoroastrian religion.


Well, Mithra was the Persian name. Adding the "s" on the end was just how it was Latinized. But the Roman Mithraic cult doesn't, as far as scholars can tell, have much in common with the Persian cult beyond the name and a few elements of symbolism--a lion-headed "Arrimanus," for instance, a clear Latinization of Ahriman. It's perfectly acceptable to refer to the Roman version of Mithras as a Roman god.

It has to be said, though, that Fry's facts about Mithras are just wrong. In the first place, we don't actually know what the central beliefs about Mithras were. They were Mysteries, not be written down or revealed to outsiders. The doctrines of Mithraism perished with its last follower. Reconstructions of Mithraic doctrine like the ones Fry read are merely speculative interpretations of the images found in the Mithraea--the caves where the Mysteries of Mithras were enacted.

However, some of the things Fry said are just plain wrong even as mere speculation. Mithras is never depicted as being born in a cave or manger, for instance, but emerging from a rock or an egg. He didn't die for anyone's sins or to give people eternal life. The central image of Mithras was instead the tauroctony--Mithras' slaying of a bull, usually assisted by a dog, a serpent, and a crab, clearly astrological symbolism. While there are a few superficial similarities with Christianity--as Fry mentioned, the head of the cult of Mithras was called Papa, just as the Pope is--they do not seem to go very deep.

And finally, it would be very strange for the December 25th date of Christmas to come from the cult of Mithras simply because it was a private mystery religion. Public celebrations just weren't allowed.

However, I'm a little surprised that Fry didn't mention Dies Natalis Solis Invicti--the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. It was celebrated in the late Roman Empire around the same time as Christmas as a public holiday, and so is a prime candidate for being an influence on the date of Christmas.

His quick dismissal of Saturnalia as being only somewhat influential, though, is just plain wrong. Many of the traditions of Christmas clearly come out of Saturnalia--gift-giving, visiting friends, and lavish feasts and celebrations. Many elements of Northern European Christmas celebrations just as clearly come from the pagan holiday "Jol" or "Yule," such as hanging mistletoe as a sign of peace and love, and the ornamenting of an evergreen tree.

>> ^Deano:
One for all of those who think there shouldn't be stupid ornaments on top of the tv.


I hear ya, man.

One for all of those who think there shouldn't be stupid ornaments on top of the tv.

Did you see this segment? http://www.videosift.com/video/TDS-12-16-09-Obama-s-Socialist-Christmas-Ornament-Program#comment-917472

This is a variation on a lawn ornament mobile i saw once. rich people pay big money for novelties like this.

I think the sheer quantity of them, combined with the fact that they said "Xmas ornaments" instead of what they were, made the difference in this case.

It's a good thing they didn't have Chong's picture on them!

>> ^kymbos:
Wow, reading these comments before watching the vid, I thought there was going to be some heavy shit in that video. Turns out it was just an older brother messing with his younger brother for youtube kicks. I'm not condoning it, as the last of five brothers I can tell you every younger brother in history has dealt with far worse than that daily.


Well it depends on your definition of worse. To be honest I think actual pranks and the such are far LESS worse than things like this. My older siblings during one little stint lead me to be impaled through the top of a pointy ornament that went right through the side of my body, later finding out it barely missed vital organs, we slapped two band-aids on each side and that was it until my parents got home and went hysteric over my bloody bedsheets. This now is nothing but a funny and loved story to tell around the dinner table. Don't even get me started on the time they put dirt over my clothes and face, getting me to beg for money so we could buy candy, only to be seconds away from being taken away/kidnapped by some man who said he was going to help me, also now just funny.

But would you really ever laugh about the time your older brother that you clearly respected, completely disregarded your trust? I don't know, maybe I'm overstating it but to me there's normal sibling behaviour we all go through, then there's just being a dick.

I was told to get off something countless times, countless, though I was just told to get off, not "haha not really, I just wanted to watch you suffer!"...seems different?

>> ^gtjwkq:
What are they doing indoors!?


I agree. I think American culture is insane for thinking that keeping dogs outside is cruel. I had a rottweiler and Siberian Shepperd in Russia. You couldn't even get them to go inside, they hated it! They had a huge insulated dog house, and a huge property to run around in. I mean, keep your dogs inside if you want, especially small ones...but big dogs...nothing cruel about it. And the house wont smell. ANIMALS. They live outside. And people need to let their cats out too. Whats cruel is keeping them indoors. Its like a prison. And no, they aren't lawn ornaments. Maybe if people left their animals outside more, than humans would spend more time out in the sun with them, instead of all getting fat together indoors in front of the tv. Obviously many people don't have a yard, or a fenced yard...fine. but if you do, let you freaking pets enjoy the wind, sun and grass? Its only natural. And don't for one second think its cruel when others do so.

>> ^gtjwkq:
What are they doing indoors!?


And what the fuck is wrong with them being indoors?

I've got myself a 115 lb or so Shepherd mix and a 50 or 55 pound Australian Cattle Dog, or Blue Heeler around here. Used to have a 120 lb Black Lab and a 55 or 60 lb Pit Bull/Blue Heeler mix as well. All indoor dogs as much as they wanted to be. They ask when they want in and asked when they want out. If I sit on the floor the Shepard mix sits in front of me then rears up, throws himself back in my arms and expects me to catch him like a baby or something, and so far I always have. He wants to be a lap dog too now that he's seen the smaller one do it.

Why have a dog in the first place if you're just going to leave it out in the weather and never see the thing? They make better pets than lawn ornaments.

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/vanillasky/haveyouforgotten.htm

I can't let you be, cause your beauty won't allow me
wrapped in white sheets,
like an angel from a bedtime story
and shut out what they say,
cause your friends are fucked up anyway
and when they come around,
somehow they feel up and you feel down.

When we were kids, we hated things our parents did
we listened low to Casey Kasem's radio show
that's when friends were nice,
to think of them just makes you feel nice
the smell of grass in spring
and October leaves cover everything.

Have you forgotten how to love yourself? [x2]

I can't believe all the good things that you do for me
sat back in a chair like a princess from a faraway place
nobody's nice, when you're older your heart turns to ice
and shut out what they say;
they're too dumb to mean it anyway

When we were kids, we hated things our sisters did
backyard summer pools and Christmases were beautiful
and the sentiment of coloured mirrored ornaments
and the open drapes
look out on frozen farmhouse landscapes

Have you forgotten how to love yourself? [x6]

For a better wedding

Wedding date comes near at hand. Choosing wedding dresses has been submitted to schedule and also becomes a big tough task for me. My friends tell me the following three styles are fashion now. I have to made comparison among them.

Simple Style：

Simple design could build up to the special character of ladies. However how to emphasize on the merits and avoid demerits is a tough point with simple designs in the international fashion industry. The excellent pruning and material are the best points for success, which could embody the quality and class of wedding dresses perfectly. In my opinions, this style is fit for the girl who owns the strong sense of independence.

Romantic Style:
Maybe all of us would get to term of” romantic” for referred to wedding. And all of us make efforts to set up the natural and romantic mood.　The wedding gowns with hollowed bordering ornament or lovely clarity flowers, mysterious veils. All of these embody romantic style. It is fit for the girls who own the sense of cultural. And I love this very much.

magnificence style：

None could deny that this style could make guys shining all of the time. But only magnificence is not enough, also include the elegant is perfect. It owns the French Royal style, embodies the glorious girls in prom dresses. But I don’t favor it very much for shinning so much.

That was very WTF. The guy was inches away from becoming a hood ornament...

I feel for you, Bro. I briefly ran a small business out in Kommiefornia. The producers of wealth there are treated with utter contempt while the criminals and parasites are cuddled and rewarded. You can see the end result of all that liberalism: bankruptcy. California is the hood ornament on a juggernaut going over a cliff. No one on the left will admit what killed CA.

Obama doesn't give a fig about the American economy, his life is modeled on the tactics of sociopathic communist Saul Alinksy. It's an insult to narcissistic idealists who have no idea where wealth comes from to accuse Obama of being clueless about the economy. He knows the harm he's causing, but his concerns lie elsewhere.

Joe Biden represents the real soul of the taxocrat party. Take away Obama's honey-tongue and ass-kissing state-run media and you're left with the ideas and energy of Biden.

With no opposition, Obamunism will fail on its own. It's a rhino trying to walk on a giraffe's legs. The soviet union took 80 years to collapse. Let's hope Obamunism vanishes in 3 or less.

"EQUALITY OVER FREEDOM" RESULTS IN NEITHER.