ATLmalcontent

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Made a rare foray into a mall yesterday and was bombarded by Christmas. In October. Before Halloween.

I even heard Christmas music at the Hallmark store. A tad premature, wouldn't you say?

Meanwhile, those poor persecuted Christians are mounting a defense in anticipation of the annual "war against Christmas."

Like clockwork, the American Civil Liberties Union grinches will be out in force punishing those erecting Nativity displays, extending Christmas greetings and otherwise exercising their God-given, First Amendment-protected rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

But now you can fight back – and you don't need a lawyer to do it.

Just check out WND's online store for your personal "Christmas-defense kit." What you'll find are three choices of bumper stickers:

"This is America! And I'm going to say it: 'Merry Christmas!'"
"It is STILL a wonderful life – Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas! An American Tradition"

If only I had the courage to say, "Merry Christmas!"

Actually, I wish I had the foresight to exploit irrational fears -- no doubt these bumper stickers will be popular among the Hannity crowd.

Coincidence, just another frivolous lawsuit, or both

From today's headlines:

CBS settles with fired shock jock Don Imus (reportedly for $20 million)

Don Imus Sued by Rutgers Basketball Player

Kia Vaughn is asking for monetary damages of an unspecified amount for libel, slander and defamation.

Her lawyer asks, "(W)hat about these young women? How does Imus' victory affect their self-esteem? Where do they go to get their reputations back?"

Afte this lawsuit, I'd say Vaughn's reputation just took a serious hit -- for real this time.

Not the Dutch

The Dutch have generally stood strong in refusing to tranform their culture to the whims of Muslim extremists. An exception:

Catholic churches in the Netherlands should use the name Allah for God to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians, says a Dutch bishop. 

I don't care what they call God, but the rationale here seems seriously flawed.

Spoiled kids, stupid parents

My child deserves the best. I hate when parents say that. Better: "my child deserves what he or she earns."

But that's my utopia, and it doesn't mesh with reality. Proms have devolved into a major business; according to Conde Nast Bridal Media, more than $6.6 billion annually is spent on proms, up from $4 billion just two years ago.

Call it the "My Super Sweet 16" syndrome. Kids -- not all, of course -- think they are entitled to a night (or nights) of materialistic decadence.

On Long Island, for example, a group of 45 revelers is renting a Hamptons estate for a night and a day. For $18,000.

I'm sure they're well-deserving.