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John Lundberg: A Poet's Christmas List

2009-12-06T07:00:00Z

For a time, if you were lucky enough to be on Robert Frost's Christmas list, you could count on a card in the mail each year. Each married a Frost poem with a simple but beautiful rendering of the natural world or the New England landscape (you can view a slide show of the cards here, or if you're in New York, go see them in person at the new Poets House), and I can think of no better gift for a poetry lover at Christmas.

But these days, unless you have hundreds of dollars to dole out on eBay--and you can find these cards on eBay--you'll have to settle for something a little less spectacular. I've done my best to collect a few ideas.

David Starkey of the Santa Barbara Independent listed ten poetry books he finds fit for giving this season. The new Wallace Stevens, Selected Poems from Knopf stands out for me. It sets the mood for enjoying one of the truly great poets of the 20th Century. Here's Stevens' famous lyric "The Snowman," in case you aren't familiar:

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

And speaking of great books, the online store at The Academy of American Poets is offering an autographed copy of our current Poet Laureate Kay Ryan's book The Niagra River from Grove Press for just $15. Here's an excerpt from her poem "Chinese Foot Chart":

Every part of us
alerts another part.
Press a spot in
the tender arch and
feel the scalp
twitch We are no
match for ourselves
but our own release.
Each touch
uncatches some
remote lock. Look,
boats of mercy
embark from
our heart at the
oddest knock

The Academy website has some other interesting gift ideas. There's a "Wallace Stevens Scansion T-shirt" for poetry geeks (and I mean that lovingly) and you could be the first woman on your block to wear an Emily Dickinson baby doll T. And while it might be a little heavy for Christmas, I also like this timely (and gorgeous) broadside of James Merrill's poem "Page from the Koran" overlaid on a replica page of the holy book. Here's the poem:

A small vellum environment
Overrun by black
Scorpions of Kufic script--their ranks
All trigger tail and gold vowel-sac--
At auction this mild winter morning went
For six hundred Swiss francs.

By noon, fire from the same blue heavens
Had half erased Beirut.
Allah be praised, it said on crude handbills,
For guns and Nazarenes to shoot.
"How gladly with proper words," said Wallace Stevens,
"The soldier dies." Or kills.
God's very word, then, stung the heart
To greed and rancor. Yet
Not where the last glow touches one spare man
Inked-in against his minaret
--Letters so handled they are life, and hurt,
Leaving the scribe immune?

For a limited time, you can even get if framed for free.

The Poetry Speaks collection always makes a great gift, offering audio recordings of poets from Walt Whitman to Sylvia Plath reading their work. It's one that I've happily received before. Now if someone would just pony up the $800 for my limited edition Robert Frost card, I would squeal like a twelve-year-old opening an Xbox.

Christmas Gifts 2009: 15 BEST Gadgets To Give (And Get) (PHOTOS)

2009-12-04T14:43:50Z

Struggling to decide what to give as gifts this year?

Let us help.

HuffPostTech has put together a guide to the best gadget gifts to give (and get) this holiday season.

For tech-lovers and luddites, teens and grandparents, best friends and business partners, there's a little something for everyone (who knows -- you might find something you want too....).

Check out our guide to the coolest gadgets to give this year. Vote on your favorite, then share with us what's on your shopping list!

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Karen Walsh: "The Polar Express": Counting Down to Christmas

2009-12-04T12:16:45Z

I love Christmas. I always have. Not the day itself so much as the build up: the lights, the carols, the decorations, the parties with family and friends. When I began working in children's book publicity at Houghton Mifflin, I was thrilled to be on "The Polar Express" team. The Caldecott medal winner, by children's book icon Chris Van Allsburg, tells the story of one boy's magical journey to the North Pole, a trip that restores his faith in Santa Claus. It is a book about hope and joy and how kids can possess a more unfettered wisdom than adults, and it is the summation of all that is great about the holiday season.

One of the best parts of my job is attending book signings with Chris and hearing the stories from people about what "The Polar Express" means to their families. Yes, some of them can be kind of crazy but that just keeps things interesting: people from all walks of life have embraced this book, and that is a rarity. I love seeing kids gaze up at Chris with awe and a sense of camaraderie, knowing they share a secret. (I also love telling them about Fritz, the small bull terrier that makes an appearance in each of Van Allsburg's books, but that's another blog post...)

As a children's book publicist, I follow the evolution of ebooks with great interest. There are innovative companies experimenting with ways to move the picture book experience online. Many new books have an online component built right into their storylines. Every marketing campaign now includes extensive online efforts.

As we made plans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "The Polar Express", we thought about the best way to take one of our treasured classics, with all its nostalgia and rich, gorgeous oil pastel illustrations, and extend the experience online. Our Countdown to Christmas Calendar, with a new activity, game, or contest for each day in December, feels like the perfect blend of the old -- a beloved picture book -- and the new -- a widget for booksellers, bloggers, librarians, teachers to use on their blogs and sites. To see the calendar, take a look at www.polarexpress.com, and share your own holiday traditions while you are there.

Soon after I began working at HMH, I was reading "The Polar Express" with a friend and her kids, all snuggled down with our hot chocolate and slippers. As we finished, her son took a last look at the boy's attire throughout the magical adventure, turned to his mother and said, "I need a blue bathrobe." And so began a new family tradition -- a blue bathrobe each year with a Christmas bell tucked in the pocket.

And, yes, the bell still rings for me, as for all who truly believe.

Lena Tabori: Christmas Gifts 2009: The Most Beautiful Books Of The Year

2009-12-04T11:46:17Z

"Here is my secret...what is essential is invisible to the naked eye"
--The Little Prince

I grew up with a Swedish mother and a Hungarian stepfather both of whom had a powerful aesthetic. She was emotional, raw, and dramatic -- she was an actress, after all. He was still, like a stream of water, intellectual, political and funny. I was always in love with art and drama and it is no surprise I became a publisher of visual books. It is equally of no surprise that I am relentlessly interested in what is behind EVERYTHING.

The idea that people cannot be put in little boxes was validated for me when I was Publicity Director at Abrams almost thirty years ago, touring John Walker (we were publishing The National Gallery book where he had been Director before Carter Brown). His favorite show was "Kojak". He had a passion for wine. He told great jokes. He was a whole person. Astonishing.
And, yet I know categories help when we are trying to make good decisions for someone we love (even ourselves). So, although the books in this piece are never just one thing, I have listed some of the things they are. All are exquisitely made -- designed and produced with passion and creativity. None are boring, nothing to pick up and put down. Each will leave you different than you were before.

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James Rucker: Ministers confront Glenn Beck outside his Christmas stage show (Video & Photos)

2009-12-04T11:44:29Z

Rev. Tillard speaks out against Glenn Beck

Last night, Glenn Beck performed "The Christmas Sweater" -- a stage play that was broadcast live in theaters across the country -- inside NYU's Skirball Center. As he performed, ministers and people of faith from across New York City gathered outside the event with NYU students and ColorOfChange members, condemning Beck's attempt to cloak himself in Christian values while continuing his race baiting and fear mongering on TV and the radio. Reverends Conrad Tillard, Donna Schaper, and Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou spoke and led the gathering in song, as Beck's supporters -- many of them bussed in from out of town -- lined up outside his show.

This comes just days after the Harlem Gospel Choir canceled their participation in Beck's show.

NYU's Washington Square News covered the event:

Church groups were upset at Beck's use of Christian imagery and Christmas as a way to disseminate what they call his largely hateful message. They believe the way Beck addresses women, people of color and immigrants is incompatible with the Christian ethic.

"It is outside Biblical narrative," said Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, senior minister at Lemuel Haynes Congregational Church. "We are a small church saying we are opposed to constant racist language."

Here are some photos from the rally:

These photos are from the Washington Square News article:

Christmas is supposed to be a holiday of love, unity, and sharing. Glenn Beck shouldn't be allowed to get away with wrapping himself in the Christmas tradition while he whips up fear, division, and hate. Yesterday, New York made sure he didn't.

The 10 Funniest Christmas Movies Of All Time

2009-12-03T14:35:35Z

Christmas is awesome, but sometimes it can err on the sugary side, the annoying side, the get that hand-knit-knit-sweater-out-of-my-face side. On those occasions, it's best not to punch your grandma in the eye but reach for one of these flicks and remember that Christmas is also about mockery, humiliation, and booze.

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Delia Lloyd: How To Buy Holiday Gifts For Kids

2009-12-03T11:45:22Z

Well, tis' the season and all that. Unfortunately, the impending holidays don't seem like they're a source of much good cheer this year. Instead, when I scanned my Facebook account this morning, one friend talked about how much she hates Christmas shopping, while another openly voiced a concern about *how many*gifts were appropriate for her two kids. I was so stressed out that I bought all my presents in November.

Gift-giving can be overwhelming, particularly during a recession. And, not surprisingly, this year many have opted to give no gifts at all.

But if, like me, you're dead set on buying presents - at least for your kids - here are five tips to make that experience less stressful (I'll do adults next week):

1. Figure out what they want, what they need, and what's appropriate. Remember those Venn Diagrams they used to make us draw back in elementary school? You know, the ones with the overlapping circles? That's what you need to do with kids' gifts. Figure out the intersection of their wants, their needs and what you can live with, and you can easily eliminate some alleged "must haves." To wit: my son desperately wants a video game this Christmas. And needless to say, the more violent the better. But we've been trying to reduce his time on the computer, not encourage it. So rather than pull a total Scrooge, I emailed a friend of mine with older boys and asked her to recommend a non-violent and yet sufficiently absorbing game that would satisfy his need to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but without shooting anyone along the way. She came back to me with a game called Civilization, in which you adopt the persona of a historical character like Julius Caesar and basically try to take over the world. Done.

2. Figure out what you can afford. It's so easy to get swept away in the tide of gift-giving that you forget to look at your wallet. But you don't always have to spend a lot of money to make your kids happy. Take my daughter. This year, she decided that she wanted to start a collection of Sylvanian Families. You know, those little mouse families and their teeny, tiny accoutrements? I was delighted: so small...so easy to store...so gentle! But those mice-y can be pretty price-y, if you buy, say, the Grand Hotel. In contrast, the blue twin-tub and ironing set? Not so much. Now, you're talking...

3. Reframe things they need as things they want. Last year, I realized in early December that my son needed a new pair of gloves. Sure, I could have easily just gone to the Gap and bought him a pair of gloves. Instead, I decided to make them a present. Knowing, however, that no child ever wants to get something useful as a gift, I craftily re-packaged these gloves as "Keeper" ("Goalie") gloves, even though they were really just fairly standard issue. But by catering to his abiding love of football, they instantly became his favorite gift!

4. Eight is Enough. We celebrate Hanukkah in our house, which automatically places a limit on the number of gifts you need to give out. (Hanukkah lasts 8 days). I recognize that eight presents may already seem ridiculously generous to some folks (and not nearly enough to others). But it works well for me because I also use the 8-day schedule to alternate large gifts with small (see below).

5. Stagger large gifts with smaller ones. I learned this tip from a friend of mine back before I even had kids. Her son was devastated when - following some huge Lego contraption on the first and second nights of Hanukkah - all he got was a coloring book on the third. Thereafter, my friend learned that the key was to alternate large and small from the get go, so that he understood that you don't always land a Mercedes. This year I've actually purchased a chess board (yes, just the board!) as one of my son's gifts (something he needs - see #1), and will sandwich it between two large-ish gifts. You can also use this staggering principle with a holiday like Christmas or Eid, where you give all the gifts all at once.

Happy Shopping!

Style Books To Give For The Holidays

2009-12-03T11:31:03Z

Style books are a motley crew. Many offer stale fashion advice or strange recipes for make-your-own-beauty-products; one could fill an unfortunate library with books that analyze the style of celebrities. Like compendiums of sports bloopers and silly home videos, these books offer more comic relief than wisdom.

Still, after sifting through the two-foot-high stacks of the latest style books on my desk, I've found a handful that I can recommend to anyone with a brain and a busy schedule.

Laurence Hughes: A Grouch's Guide to Un-Christmas Books

2009-12-03T10:45:55Z

Christmastime has landed like a fat guy dropping from a chimney. Scrooge is at the multiplex, Santa's at the mall, and Mannheim Steamroller is crushing everything in its path. Christmas lights are shining, carols are playing, good cheer is cheering, warmth is warmthing, all is merry and bright. And it's going to grind on for weeks.

If you're looking to escape from this holly jolly overkill, a good book might be just the thing. But this time of year, your options are limited to various uplifting tales of the season, all called The Christmas Something [just insert a random noun: Box, List, Sweater, Dog, Bus], each one brimming with heartwarming sentiment. There's nothing I like better on a wintry evening than settling down by a cozy fire with one of those books and then throwing it into the fire.

On the other hand, you don't want to be all Scroogely McGrinchster and check out of the holidays entirely, right? Some Christmas tree hugger might call you a grump.

What you need is an un-Christmas book. An un-Christmas book takes place at Christmastime, but its tone, story and subject matter have nothing to do with the season. It provides perfect cover when the Noël nags accuse you of being a holiday poop. Simply point to the word Christmas in the text and say, "See, I'm reading this Christmas book," and just keep the un- part to yourself.

Booksellers, take note: This is an excellent theme for a seasonal display. You're welcome.

Here are some examples:

The Thin Man, by Dashiell Hammett. Stopping over in New York City for the holidays, Nick and Nora Charles get involved in several murders and a lot of other unpleasantness, while knocking back so many cocktails and highballs that you start thinking maybe there was something to Prohibition after all. Following a night of hard drinking on Christmas Eve, the fun-loving couple is up at 5:00 am to welcome in Christmas with--what else?--Scotch and soda. Nora is miffed that Nick won't give her a Christmas present before breakfast, which leads to this exchange:

"Whatever you're giving me," she said, "I hope I don't like it."
"You'll have to keep them anyway, because the man at the Aquarium said he positively wouldn't take them back."

[Don't miss the terrific scene from the 1934 film version in which Nick uses his Christmas gift--an air rifle--to methodically shoot the ornaments off the Christmas tree. The vicarious pleasure this provides is difficult to describe.]

On Her Majesty's Secret Service, by Ian Fleming. James Bond observes Christmas Eve by escaping from Blofeld's hideout in the Swiss Alps. This requires him to engage in such traditional Yuletide activities as breaking people's necks and dodging grenades and gunfire. Schussing down the mountainside pursued by SPECTRE killers, Bond has an aha moment:

"But of course! It was Christmas Eve! God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing ye dismay! . . . White Christmas! Well, he'd certainly got himself that!"

Fleming continues working the exclamation points as Bond narrowly eludes an avalanche, stabs a henchman with a ski pole, leads another into a giant snow blower that chops him into mincemeat (seasonally appropriate, I suppose), and tricks several more into driving off a precipice to their deaths. Apparently 007 didn't get the "Peace on earth, good will toward men" memo. Be prepared for the shocking revelation that James Bond, celebrated gourmet and epicure, has no idea how to make plum pudding. "You don't seem to know much about Christmas," his secretary, Mary Goodnight, tells him. I think he just likes celebrating in his own way. [Another cinema side note: The film version of OHMSS features the unlikeliest James Bond song of all: "Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown?" a sugary composition that cites reindeer and Santa and friendship and kindness and love while a chorus of children sing "la la la la la" in the background. Proceed at your own risk--personally, I'd rather be chopped into mincemeat by a snow blower.]

Hell House, by Richard Matheson. The title could refer to my place after the relatives arrive for the holidays, but actually the book is about a psychic researcher, his wife, and two mediums who move into "the Mount Everest of haunted houses." Props to Matheson for specifically setting his story during the holiday season--December 18th through the 24th--then studiously ignoring that fact until the last line of the book ("'Merry Christmas,' he repeated softly"). Just as well--the spirits here aren't exactly the kind of transformative, redemptive apparitions we've come to associate with Christmas. Marley's Ghost is pretty scary, I suppose, but he comes off like Casper on nitrous oxide compared to the malevolent ectoplasmic abominations Matheson conjures up. After a night with these ghosts, Scrooge wouldn't have vowed to change his ways, he'd have hung himself.

And a shout-out to Paul Gallico's The Poseidon Adventure, in which the doomed ocean liner capsizes on December 26th (not New Year's Eve, as all three film versions have it). Hundreds die horrible deaths, but the survivors put a fifteen-foot Christmas tree to good use, so that makes things jolly.

These un-Christmas Books will get you started, but you'll need more--it's going to be a long haul. Consider making a list. You can even check it twice, in keeping with the season. That ought to make the Yule bullies happy.

Manger Chic: British Parents Spend Tons On Nativity Play Costumes

2009-12-03T09:27:35Z

The rise in so-called "manger chic" has seen parents spend up to 150 pounds ($250) on arctic fur throws for children cast as sheep and ivory bridesmaid dresses for angels, according to department stores group Debenhams.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting: Watch Live Online

2009-12-02T17:20:54Z

After narrowly-avoiding a labor strike that would have spelled disaster for tonight's festivities, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony will go on.

Barry Manilow, Shakira, and Alicia Keys will perform for the holiday crowd before the 10-ton, 76-foot Norway spruce is lit up in all its glory!

WATCH live coverage below:

Jesus Christ Jury Duty: Dorothy Lola Killingworth Dumped From Jury Pool For Disruption

2009-12-02T13:21:18Z

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Court officials say a Birmingham woman who changed her name to Jesus Christ didn't live up to it when she reported for jury duty this week. The woman, previously named Dorothy Lola Killingworth, was sent to Judge Clyde Jones's courtroom for a criminal case Monday.

Court officials told The Birmingham News Tuesday that the 59-year-old was excused because she was disruptive and kept asking questions instead of answering them.

Efforts to reach Christ for comment were unsuccessful.

Court administrator Sandra Turner said people there were shocked when the woman insisted her name was Jesus Christ and some potential jurors laughed out loud when her name was called.

But Turner said unlike some Jefferson County residents, Christ didn't try to get out of jury duty and was "perfectly happy to serve."

Keith Thomson: Christmas Eavesdropping: Affordable Spy Gizmos for Your Friends and Enemies

2009-12-02T08:14:44Z

The latest in finding out who's naughty and nice...

Marta Mondelli: Buying Gifts In A Globalized World: The Value Of Distance

2009-12-01T16:29:51Z

The holiday season is upon us and I find myself in the uncomfortable position of being an Italian in NYC: my American friends expect me to add some European flavor to their presents and my Italian friends (whom I will meet during Christmas vacation) would love something from the big apple.

But it's harder and harder to find gifts in a global world where Tiffany's opened stores throughout Italy and, on the other hand, local stores in NYC and online shopping centers across the world provide you with everything Italian: food, fashion, home decor, etc... I used to suggest my Italian-speaking American friends to pick up books and CDs at the Rizzoli store on 57th Street, but now there is an Italian online bookstore that ships globally. Is there anything I can give my friends on both sides of the pond?

This is a veritable global oppression: it forces upon your doorsteps products from all over the world without the bother to personally travel and pick them up, hence stripping them of the precious value of something that costs not only money but effort to get. I have an answer (and it is a banal one): go local. Do you want safe and environmentally friendly food? Buy at the local farmers' market. Do you want to buy gifts that were hard for the global market to ship around? Get something small, sometimes inexpensive but that carries the special value of distance: something that wasn't shipped by a carrier, but brought in a suitcase. So I picked up a couple of bars of I♥NY chocolate and some NYFD toy trucks for the kids I know, small design jewelry distributed locally in Brooklyn and Manhattan boutiques for my girlfriends and some hand-knitted scarves and hats for my male friends from the Union Square winter market. I will pack them in my suitcase and personally deliver them and for my Italian friends it will feel as if a piece of everyday NYC life reached them.

And from Italy? Same thing. I don't want to get a couple of packs of dried porcini or some other easy-to-find food (they actually sell them at the Chelsea market: even if at a much higher price, they are nonetheless available). So I will stop by local boutiques and pick up hand-made preserves from convents on the hills near my hometown, some local artists' products or clothing by Made in Italy small brands - too small to branch out. Sometimes, if I'm traveling around to visit my friends I stop at local markets and get (depending on where I am) lavender soap from Marseille or hand-embroidered items from Salento (they are much less expensive than you think, especially if you get them in small villages and second hand). I know, it is harder shopping this way than sitting in front of a computer and checking out with a credit card. But after all, we now live in a world where it's very easy to bump into an overpriced global coffee chain and very difficult to find a local, out of the way business.

I'm not telling you to boycott the big brands (well, actually I am), I'm just saying that the effort that takes going to a local store, picking up the hard-to-find-abroad gift, wrapping it, finding the space in your luggage, having it in there for the entire trip, passing custom, transporting it around till it is time to finally offer it, that is all worth it. It is the special value of distance and to me it's priceless.

Balloon Boy Sheriff Confronts Political Correctness With Christmas Party

2009-12-01T12:56:42Z

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden on Saturday will be hosting his annual Christmas tree-trimming party.

Called the "Apparently Annual Politically Incorrect Christmas Tree Trimming Party" by Alderden's spokeswoman, the 10 a.m. Dec. 5 celebration will begin with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Christmas Gifts 2009: 13 Great Gifts

2009-12-01T09:32:00Z

With the holiday season upon us, gift-giving can get pretty ugly really fast. From the last-minute frantic purchasing to participating in the consumerist frenzy of buying over-hyped and unnecessary gifts, the season can definitely put a major damper on our "green" efforts.

At HuffPost Green, we believe that if you're going to buy gifts this season, they should be thoughtful, eco-friendly and inspiring.

With this in mind, check out our collection of cool, useful green gifts for this season, from solar-powered gadgets to an organic herb garden kit. Be sure to vote the the gift you think is the best!

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Lisa Baron: What It's Like To Go Down With The Ship In Politics

2009-11-30T15:58:13Z

There is a strange phenomenon in politics that dictates that if your boss crosses the line or gets too close to crossing the line then it becomes your neck and ultimately your career that's on the line. Why? Because for every newspaper story that is written, magazine column penned, or radio and television story aired, our name rides shotgun with the accused. And while your former meal ticket finds himself Dancing With The Stars or talking with the stars of cable news networks the former spokesman is relegated to a desk job or babysitting. At least that's what Emily Miller says she does to earn a dollar or two these days.

Emily Miller is the former press secretary to former Republican House Majority Leader Tom Delay. This self-confessed bad pantsuit wearing political spin-doctor is pissed off. It seems that her role in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal is set to be included in the 2010 major motion picture Casino Jack. Miller will be portrayed by Hollywood starlet - or as Miller describes "...dimwit Hollywood actress " Rachelle Lefevre.

Well that makes me mad too. My colleagues and I, all former employees of Christian Coalition head-honcho Ralph Reed (played in the movie by Christian Campbell), are dumbfounded that we were overlooked by Director George Hickenlooper to be portrayed in this blockbuster. Is it possible we were passed by because none of us had been engaged to Michael Scanlon? If it helps my case, Ralph did set me up on a blind date with Adam Kidan (played by Jon Lovitz) who is now in prison.

The truth is most of my former co-workers can get political jobs in two seconds if they wanted. One retired from politics after Ralph's coronation to Georgia Party State Chairman and another took a job in the private sector as well. But I stuck around and become Ralph's Communications Director during his run for Lt. Governor that just so happened to coincide with hearings run by United States Senator and Chairman of The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs John McCain. I was promptly Abramoff'd: tarred and feathered by a scandal I had no idea was taking place down the hall from our cubicles.

Actually, I had an office, so I guess it's only fair that I absorbed the full impact of having been associated with a tangential figure in arguably the largest lobbying scandal in United States history.

For one whole year my first and last name was a ubiquitous presence in every print, electronic or news broadcast that explored the relationship between Ralph Reed and Jack Abramoff. And believe me, that relationship was explored. When all was said and done, Ralph's hometown newspaper penned over 90 stories. Many appeared on the front page, above the fold, on a Sunday.

I will never forget the first job interview I had following the campaign. It was a part-time public relations/public affairs consulting job with a major telecommunications company based in Atlanta. The position would've put me behind a desk and not in front of a camera. After a series of interviews and paperwork the nice lady in human resources told me, "You're just perfect for this job but there is a concern about your previous associations." I didn't get that gig.

In politics this is the risk you take when you align yourself so closely with a politician. If they go down, you go down. I wasn't even 35-years-old and I was already a washed-up political has-been. So, I don't know what Ms. Miller is complaining about. Judging by the way most people react to my former boss' name (coupled with being Abramoff'd) I'm not even sure I could secure a babysitting position.

It's been a good three years since I was Abramoff'd and I am still considered political kryptonite. The good news is I remain available for a Casino Jack walk-on role. Or maybe an extra? I can deliver killer performance as one of the glazed-over gawkers who sat in the pews of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearings. If it is too late, we understand. But maybe, just maybe, someone will give me tickets to the premiere, or at least lets one of us watch your kids while you go.

Christmas Gifts 2009: Best Video Games For Gamers

2009-11-30T15:57:16Z

The video game aisle can be intimidating for aspiring Santas who haven't touched a joystick since "Pong." But it has something for everyone: riveting solo adventures, online multiplayer battles and fun-for-the-whole-family social games. Here are some of the best picks for this holiday season.

___

Christmas Gifts For Geeks: Video Game Underwear Hits Walmart (PHOTOS)

2009-11-30T15:13:13Z

While shopping at my mom's local Super Walmart in Florida, I spotted these official Call of Duty-branded boxers, complete with camouflage colors and the face of a battle-worn solider.

If CoD isn't their thing, you could always go for the Halo or Guitar Hero undies. And not to be outdone by the competition, there are also Rock Band boxers, of course.

Robyn Griggs Lawrence: Natural Home Decorates Blair House For Magazine Holiday Design Showcase

2009-11-30T15:00:51Z

So, this is cool. Natural Home
has been invited to decorate rooms in Blair House, the President’s
guest house that hardly anyone ever gets to see, and the U.S. State
Department’s Harry S. Truman Building in Washington, DC. We’re among
six magazines participating in the first-ever Magazine Holiday Design Showcase,
a partnership between the U.S. State Department and the Magazine
Publishers of America. The State Department is giving us unprecedented
access to rooms that are rarely open to the public—an elegant and
prestigious way to showcase green decor. The rooms will be highlighted
in the press and visited by foreign leaders, diplomats, Senators,
Congressmen and dignitaries during the month of December. It’s a nice
holiday gift.

Natural Home will bring stylish, sustainable home decor to the Jackson Conference Room and the Adams Room. Photos Courtesy MPA.

We’re working with Associates III of Denver to decorate the Jackson Conference Room at Blair House.
If you know D.C., this is the room with the big bay window facing the
White House. We’re decking a 9-foot Christmas tree (that came with the
room) with quartz and LED lights, playing with handmade and recycled ornaments, recycled and organic ribbon and a few live Christmas trees. Over at the State Department, Washington-based J.D. Ireland is
helping us pull together a stunning yet serene mix of handmade
decorations, candles and topiaries for the Monroe Conference Room. Our
colleagues at Mother Earth News are ordering bushels of heirloom apples for the State Department’s Adams Room.

Natural Home's
Christmas trees will be adorned with beautiful handmade and recycled
ornaments, such as this pewter ornament from Ten Thousand Villages.
Photo Courtesy Ten Thousand Villages.

We’re in esteemed company. In addition to our sister publication Mother Earth News, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, This Old House and Traditional Home
are decorating rooms. With ours, we aim to show that simple, elegant,
and responsibly made holiday décor is an attainable and viable option
for everyone. This is our chance to show Washington—and beyond—how
beautiful green can be.

We’ll be hauling out the organic holly next week. Follow along on our website and please do send ideas our way. Watch for photos and videos after the Magazine Holiday Design Showcase debuts on December 7.

Karen Dalton-Beninato: Postcard Perfect Holidays In A Prairie State

2009-11-30T14:00:32Z

Black Friday is behind us and holiday decorations are popping up, but the Midwestern snow is stubbornly holding off.

As radio and television ads become relentlessly holiday themed, retailers hope shoppers can help get them back in the black by New Year's Eve.

To help jump start the holiday spirit, these are my favorite 10 images four years after evacuating back to the heartland south of Chicago, east of Lincoln's home and north of a cornfield. You know the season is gearing up when:

Hiding in the leaves ...

Gives way to bundling up like a spare tire

Gingerbread houses are precariously constructed

Each evergreen looks like a Christmas Tree

Free Carriage Ride Day is Underway in the Town Square

Ice sickles dangle from awnings

The Lincoln family home in Springfield is decked out

Frost on the window looks like an impressionist painting

Peace sign decorations are up

And our Holiday Card is illustrated.

Happy holiday season to you and yours from me and mine.

Mario Almonte: Sarah Palin Spins Out Of Control: Pugnacious Revisionism Of Going Rogue Portends Her Fall From Grace

2009-11-30T10:47:57Z

Someday, in the not too distant future, the world will look back and laugh at the insanity that was the Sarah Palin saga. It will wonder what possessed American people and the media to take her seriously -- on a private, political or even religious level -- when she obviously lacks even the slightest semblance of substance.

Many people interpret the enormous popularity of Going Rogue as a sign that she is a force to be reckoned with on the national stage. Yet, while the book does enjoy success at the moment, it's important to note that most of the sales were based on advance orders and first day purchases -- this was spurred by her popularity, not the merit of the book itself.

Ironically, the book will soon prove the instrument of Sarah Palin's fall from grace.

Eyes Wide Open
Now that they have it in their hands, it is quite likely that even her most ardent fans will find it hard to continue defending her. They had built up Sarah Palin as a paragon of virtue, and she is proving to be no better than the venomous, backstabbing neighbor next door, out to make a quick buck on their gullibility. This sense of disillusionment will spread through the ranks, and book sales will quickly plummet. The reason is simple: One can disagree with the methods by which Palin's Christian fundamentalist and conservative core seek to impose their values upon society, but they are not without good intentions. They genuinely seek ethical and scrupulously sincere spiritual and political leaders to guide them. When you open their eyes to the truth, they quickly, and utterly, reject those that prove unworthy of their blind trust. Time and again, popular ministers and conservative politicians -- who were caught with prostitutes, cheating on their wives, or in otherwise compromising moral positions -- were soon sent hurtling to the abyss in shame, rarely to be heard from again. In Going Rogue, Palin flirts dangerously close to morally dubious grounds, and it is making supporters wonder if she too isn't spiritually corrupt and undeserving of their loyalty.

Meanwhile, political analysts seem reluctant to say outright that she has no future as a viable political candidate. Yet, she doesn't. Going Rogue's unrelenting attack and betrayal of high-ranking Republican operatives has decisively derailed any remaining support within GOP ranks for her as a presidential candidate. The book's pugnacious revisionism is so mercilessly critical of top members of her Republican presidential election committee that even John McCain, who up to now has stubbornly refused to admit her selection was a catastrophic mistake that sunk his presidential hopes -- was forced to surface and defend a member of his team, whom Palin accused of brutish incompetence. What organization would be suicidal enough to risk bringing such a ruthless traitor into their midst?

Palin of course claims that her strength lies in the fact that she rejects the Washington political machines of both parties, and that's why she will make a better leader. However, she is heavily delusional in her belief that she will win any kind of national office on the strength of her popularity alone. The reality is that, on her own, she simply lacks the organizational infrastructure to mount a national political campaign. Also, Palin goes where the money is. That's why she quit her job as governor of Alaska, to be free to accept a lucrative publishing contract and public speaking opportunities. Why would she give up almost limitless earning potentials as a private citizen for the dreary and heavily restrictive life of a politician?

Finally, since losing the race as vice president, Palin's popularity has steadily deteriorated. From a favorable rating of 58% shortly after joining the GOP presidential ticket, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll, it sunk to a low of 40% after she resigned as governor of Alaska. Today, polls show that 60% of Americans consider her unqualified to run for president. Everything she has done on her own has cost her support.

Future Imperfect
In the past, Palin could blame Katie Couric for leaving her more substantive answers on the cutting room floor. She could blame the liberal media for engaging in "gotcha journalism." But now, she only has herself to blame for the consistently hypocritical persona she presents in Going Rogue. In Palin's words, "I want people to read my book so they can read unfiltered what my values are, what my record is, what my accomplishments are..." Based on the book, her overriding moral code seems to be, "I'm going to look good at all cost, even if it means throwing everyone else under the bus."

Foisting so many lies upon the public in Going Rogue, Palin has set herself up to fail. At some point, one of those lies will come back to haunt her. She now has a professional writer for her speeches, doing her Facebook updates, and issuing official "policy" statements, but she is still compelled to speak extemporaneously periodically. Eventually, she won't simply mangle the English language, she'll also contradict herself or offer a perspective of events that will be inconsistent with her book. As well, with her every move being watched, chances are also strong she will eventual say something or do something that will bring into question her moral character.

By this time next year, tens of thousands of copies of Going Rogue will litter the discontinued bin, un-sellable, even at a 90% discount. It's already half-priced on Amazon.

Of course, in a final, desperate bid to reclaim her past glory, Palin will probably issue another book blaming her current ghostwriter and her publisher for distorting everything she actually meant to say in Going Rogue. By then, of course, no one will care.

How Can You Make Sure That A Christmas Tree Really Is Fair Trade?

2009-11-30T08:55:54Z

Is there such a thing as a fair trade Christmas tree, and should I be worried about "unethical" trees?