Sunday Thoughts

The Freethought Matters (Freedom From Religion Foundation) television show was not an interview this time. It was a special holiday episode. 

The hosts wanted to particularly note that Christmas was really based on pagan traditions, particularly the celebration of a particular sun god. They argued winter solstice is what is at stake and they were really celebrating nature and reality.  

This is fine though really this time of the year was overall celebrated over time like springtime and harvest festivals are.  I would not focus on some specific sun god though it's fine to reference how Christmas traditions (such as evergreens) are not just "Christian."  

They also noted the organization's efforts against state-supported religious displays.  They failed to note that the law is likely different now on this question than in the past (realistically).  As to that, I started off wanting a strong separation, at least allowing it (the Supreme Court has not even let localities have a strong separation approach voluntarily in various cases, citing free speech problems).  I am still supportive of the latter, more or less, though think strict neutrality is the bottom line.  

There was various craziness this week with the Bills clinching a playoff spot in the snow being one of the least so.  For instance, the Colts blew a thirty-point lead.  The Pats tried a lateral instead of simply taking a knee and joining the multiple OT games this week, but (after already giving up the tying score after it was at one point 4th and 10 at the Raiders' own 19) it turned out to be a game-ending pick 6.  And so on.

The Jets -- after going 6-3 multiple people citing how good they were doing -- had to play the Patriots again.  My sentiment at the time was they had to finally win a damn game against that team to not be the "same old Jets."  

They not only lost (horribly), Zack Wilson lost his spot, and then went 1-3, the only win (by Mike White) against the team that gave the one win to the 1-12-1 Texans.  This would include Sunday's loss to Detroit, and Zack Wilson's back since Mike White did not get medical approval to start. And, the other guy is worse.  Fun times!

Wilson did okay but the defense gave up a winning TD late and there was only enough time [and it was pretty good they got that far] to try (and fail) to make a 58yd Field goal to tie the game.  They play again on Thursday (against the Jags), then Seattle, and (long shot it matters much) Miami.  Me? If they beat the Pats once, 8-6 (over 7-7) with the tiebreaker (now) over Miami would still be respectable. Yes, there will be the perennial problem of not having a QB you really can trust long-term.

Anyway, the Sunday Night Game was the rematch versus the 7-5-1 twins (Giants and Commanders) with the winner likely to get a wild card and the loser having a hard time of it.  The Commanders made enough mistakes (and the Giants' defense made enough good plays) that we avoided another 20-20 tie at the end of regulation.  The Giants won 20-12.

I found the game itself not very appealing, only watching a few parts.  The Commanders earned the loss, yeah, but the officiating repeatedly was dubious.  The NY Daily News flagged a penalty ignored at a key moment at the end. The Commanders had a touchdown taken off the board for a procedural penalty there too.  This is how a postseason is blown?  

The Commanders also went for two early (down 14-9), got called for a penalty (annoying an announcer though he admitted it was technically right), and then a long extra point (still one you should have made) was no good.  The point did not really matter since they didn't score that final TD anyway (imagine if they were stopped and lost 20-18), but it was just one more pissant thing that the game turned on.  I am no longer really enjoying (if I ever did) this sort of thing.  

A long time ago, I read a book on Florida's role in the Civil War, including a reference to salt production.  I do not know the name of the book but found this one.  It was overall an interesting collection of essays on various topics.  The one on the major (not very) battle of the state is more one on post-war symbolic memory (still interesting).  The chapter on slavery and law was to me the weakest.  A good short chapter on Hispanics too.