With special guest Bea Arthur!
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Monday, December 24, 2007
A sucker for Christmas
Even with the last few weeks (last few years??) bringing what seemed like a crush of negative news, I'm still heartened as the year draws to a close. It's some combination of family, being able to take a break, and the usual holiday time with friends old and new, I guess -- so I hope y'all are having a nice Christmas Eve too, whether celebrating or not, and enjoying a respite from the regular whirlwind.
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It's Christmas cookie time
You may recall that every Christmas, since 1967 or so, our family has made Christmas cookies that we decorate and then hang on the tree. It's an old recipe that my mom got from some lady down the block when we were kids. It makes rather hard and crispy cookies, almost like a shortbread, we decorate them with colored sugar, chocolate chips, chocolate ants (as we call them), and whatever else we can find. Then you make a small hole at the top, thread it with, well, thread, and then hang em on the tree. And weirdly, these things can last for weeks on the tree, they don't spoil, and they still taste great. Our original set of cookie cutters we've had for 40 years, and I went on eBay last year and found the same cookie cutters, originals, and got a set for each of my brother and my sisters. This year, my brother's kids, the youngest of the gang, are away, so we made the cookies with my sister's 11 year old boy and my other sister's 3 boys (aged 24, 21 and 16 or so). The funny part was, the older kids got WAY more into it than the younger ones ever did. It certainly raised the level of decorating up a few notches - though, of course, there were a few questionable cookies, such as the one that provoked this back-and-forth:
My mom (pointing to a cookie): It's a naked lady.So to revisit our AMERICAblog tradition, let's share your Christmas (and other holiday) traditions.
Nephew: Noooooo. It's a naked lady? It's a naked one-legged lady.
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Since this is a big travel day...
What does everything think about the competing arguments on the state of the US airlines? Last week the Times posted a blog from an American who currently lives in Asia and can no longer tolerate the miserable US airline service. That post was followed by a US airline attendant who fought back.
Compared to Europe, almost any service in the US is light years ahead. The US (among Europeans) is highly regarded for friendliness and service. However, nothing can really compare to the high level of service offered in Asia. Singapore Airlines, in particular, sets the global standard for service. All of this said, I would argue that the US airline industry compares better to Europe. I would also argue that European airline service is better.
After the jump, links to the two opposing views and questions for readers.
Europe has plenty of bad airline service. British Air immediately jumps out and Alitalia is shockingly bad in every possible way. (How could a country that makes such perfect food produce glop that makes you hold your nose? It's that bad, really.) Other airlines such as Air France and Lufthansa almost always provide "correct" service, in my experience. Just because they don't smile with each question (this is an American behavior and not necessarily common in Europe) doesn't mean they are being rude.
(As an aside, I was thankful and impressed by an Air France crew earlier this month on my way back to Paris. I had the misfortune of sitting next to a very jumpy and agitated passenger who could not sit still and then argued with anyone and everyone. When I'm in the air I do not like loud and jumpy passengers. Especially when they are sitting next to me. After making the entire section of the plane nervous and after being nasty with the crew, the cabin director stepped in. He was polite - much more than I could have been - and asked him "what is your problem?" He took him to task and that settled the guy down for the remaining five hours.)
So after reading this view, on the sub-par standard of service from US airlines and this view on how they try their best, what do you think?
Compared to Europe, almost any service in the US is light years ahead. The US (among Europeans) is highly regarded for friendliness and service. However, nothing can really compare to the high level of service offered in Asia. Singapore Airlines, in particular, sets the global standard for service. All of this said, I would argue that the US airline industry compares better to Europe. I would also argue that European airline service is better.
After the jump, links to the two opposing views and questions for readers.
Europe has plenty of bad airline service. British Air immediately jumps out and Alitalia is shockingly bad in every possible way. (How could a country that makes such perfect food produce glop that makes you hold your nose? It's that bad, really.) Other airlines such as Air France and Lufthansa almost always provide "correct" service, in my experience. Just because they don't smile with each question (this is an American behavior and not necessarily common in Europe) doesn't mean they are being rude.
(As an aside, I was thankful and impressed by an Air France crew earlier this month on my way back to Paris. I had the misfortune of sitting next to a very jumpy and agitated passenger who could not sit still and then argued with anyone and everyone. When I'm in the air I do not like loud and jumpy passengers. Especially when they are sitting next to me. After making the entire section of the plane nervous and after being nasty with the crew, the cabin director stepped in. He was polite - much more than I could have been - and asked him "what is your problem?" He took him to task and that settled the guy down for the remaining five hours.)
So after reading this view, on the sub-par standard of service from US airlines and this view on how they try their best, what do you think?
- Are they that bad or are customers just demanding too much?Read the rest of this post...
- Are consumers asking for too much or are airlines delivering too little?
- Is it fair to blame attendants for the lousy airline quality?
- If it's unfair to blame attendants, what's the best method for pushing airlines to improve?
- What airlines do you prefer? Domestic and/or international?
HercuBush!
"They're like Hitler, only moreso.
We'll rub their oil on our torso."
Hat tip to reader Art A. Read the rest of this post...
We'll rub their oil on our torso."
Hat tip to reader Art A. Read the rest of this post...
Mitt and Rudy are in trouble
Mitt's "in peril" in the Washington Post.
Rudy's "hits a rocky stretch" in the New York Times.
Happy Holidays. Read the rest of this post...
Rudy's "hits a rocky stretch" in the New York Times.
Happy Holidays. Read the rest of this post...
Monday Morning Open Thread
Good morning.
The presidential campaigns have shut down for the next 48 hours or so. Should be a low key news day...but you never know.
What are you hearing? Read the rest of this post...
The presidential campaigns have shut down for the next 48 hours or so. Should be a low key news day...but you never know.
What are you hearing? Read the rest of this post...
It's Christmas eve...seeking funny holiday pet stories
Some of my most amusing childhood memories from the holidays involve one of our dogs. There's always the classic moment when the family pooch would explore the dinner table, especially the butter dish, before we sat down. They always loved a good stick of butter. If only they had a chance to taste a lovely butter from Normandy.
My favorite though was the year when my mom decided to set up an "old fashioned" Christmas tree. We made strings of popcorn and cranberries and used that instead of strings of tinsel. Upon arriving home on Christmas eve after visits with cousins in Philly, we found the tree on it's side and "Happy" the dog finishing the last few morsels of popcorn that she pulled down from the tree. The living room scene of a downed tree, broken Christmas decorations and cranberry pieces was quite the spectacle. I think Santa received a beer that year instead of milk and cookies.
What are your favorite, funny Christmas stories that involved a family pet? Read the rest of this post...
My favorite though was the year when my mom decided to set up an "old fashioned" Christmas tree. We made strings of popcorn and cranberries and used that instead of strings of tinsel. Upon arriving home on Christmas eve after visits with cousins in Philly, we found the tree on it's side and "Happy" the dog finishing the last few morsels of popcorn that she pulled down from the tree. The living room scene of a downed tree, broken Christmas decorations and cranberry pieces was quite the spectacle. I think Santa received a beer that year instead of milk and cookies.
What are your favorite, funny Christmas stories that involved a family pet? Read the rest of this post...
Credit card payments falling behind
More fallout from the subprime implosion.
An Associated Press analysis of financial data from the country's largest card issuers also found that the greatest rise was among accounts more than 90 days in arrears.Read the rest of this post...
Experts say these signs of the deterioration of finances of many households are partly a byproduct of the subprime mortgage crisis and could spell more trouble ahead for an already sputtering economy.
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