Christmas Lights and Decor

[sailingdog]

Very, very cynical...but not completely inaccurate.

Originally Posted by HoffaLives

remember the tsunami xmas 2005? they couldn't give the money away fast enough. governments all over the world were tripping over each other trying to outdo the other guy in largess.
moral of the story is if you are going to have a disaster have it between dec 25 and jan 1

people really do care, they just forget they do.

[xort]

Originally Posted by HoffaLives

laughing at the lemmings still caught in the money/buying/consumerist echo of an ancient pagan ritual.

the amount of $$$ north americans spend on themselves at this time of year is sufficient to end world hunger, provide schooling for everyone, and vaccinate the world against all the major preventable diseases. it's a tremendous influx of carbon into the atmosphere and generates mountains of residual waste. by any standard it is a moral, economic and environmental travesty. but that's what happens when capitalism becomes the major cultural ethic.

The EXACT same things can be said about your sailboat.
How much diesel does the membership of this forum burn each year in their boats? How much line, sails, engine parts, cushions, paint are tossed into the trash? How much time is wasted sailing that could be used to help the disadvantaged?
It's a moral, economic and environmental travesty.

YOU, with the guilty conscience, need to look in the mirror. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.

[Shack]

Originally Posted by HoffaLives

laughing at the lemmings still caught in the money/buying/consumerist echo of an ancient pagan ritual.

Hoffa-
I'm laughing at the overly cynical at life, straving-artist-wanna-be that shows his frustration in evey post. You always sound so disappointed and as if you have a chip on your shoulder. Somewhere down the road, someone obviuously pissed in your cereal bowl of life. I'm sorry about your disappointments and disillusionments (i.e. prop shafts, perceptions of exclusivity/ellitism, money, and all that). Possessing cash is not an evil thing, but refusing to part with it at all costs comes close (e.g. tight wad). I prefer to think of it as resource management.

You err, however, in your haste to generalize too often, too much, and too fast about others. This thread was not about money or consumerism. It was about suggestions on ways to celebrate a holiday. A happy holiday that promotes conciousness among others for others.

Sorry you feel that way, old man! I choose to live the way that I want to live. I've more than earned it. Additionally, I'll live the way that many of my comrads wished they could've if they were still alive. You... you can do what ever you want to do. I'm not going to direct you on how you should live your life ... and that's the beauty of it.

Merry Christmas from your buddy, Shack. Don't worry, I won't "BUY" you anything.

BTW - I hope you have provided food, schooling, protection, and/or medical support to someone this month/year in order to support your own criticisims in you post. It's difficult for one to critisize another, unless one have done this type of stuff oneself.

[HoffaLives]

Originally Posted by Shack

Hoffa-
I'm laughing at the overly cynical at life, straving-artist-wanna-be that shows his frustration in evey post. You always sound so disappointed and as if you have a chip on your shoulder. Somewhere down the road, someone obviuously pissed in your cereal bowl of life. I'm sorry about your disappointments and disillusionments (i.e. prop shafts, perceptions of exclusivity/ellitism, money, and all that). Possessing cash is not an evil thing, but refusing to part with it at all costs comes close (e.g. tight wad). I prefer to think of it as resource management.

point taken. it's been a rough year, and maybe that comes across. i'll think about that. and yet...it really doesn't take that much awareness to come to realise that there is much more evil in the world than most of us want to admit. most turn away and call those who don't cynical. the more info one aquires the more corruption, neglect, hatred, greed, violence and inhumanity one encounters. the one good thing about this is that the more darkness there is the brighter the lights shine. i'm not ready to dismiss the world, but no, i'm not willing to turn away and bury my head in the commercial illusion that xmas has become.

Originally Posted by Shack

You err, however, in your haste to generalize too often, too much, and too fast about others. This thread was not about money or consumerism. It was about suggestions on ways to celebrate a holiday. A happy holiday that promotes conciousness among others for others.

i'm hoping this debate does raise consciousness. and you are helping that; kudos to you. i hope that the individual who started the thread sees value in the discussion. and as for being off topic, i've seen threads descend into heated nationalist arguments about fruit. this is more important.

i also hope that after all the noise i've made that people know when i'm being deliberately incisive or an ass. truthfully, i don't laugh at people at all, or call them lemmings. perhaps i should tone down the language. but it does call attention to the subject

Originally Posted by Shack

Sorry you feel that way, old man! I choose to live the way that I want to live. I've more than earned it. Additionally, I'll live the way that many of my comrads wished they could've if they were still alive. You... you can do what ever you want to do. I'm not going to direct you on how you should live your life ... and that's the beauty of it.

absolutely. however, it think it is a responsibility we all have to each other to point out when we think there is something wrong going on. and i respect that that's what you are doing here - trying to point out the error of my ways

Originally Posted by Shack

BTW - I hope you have provided food, schooling, protection, and/or medical support to someone this month/year in order to support your own criticisims in you post. It's difficult for one to critisize another, unless one have done this type of stuff oneself.

actually, yes i do. in fact i give too much and that's the biggest part of the exhaustion/despair that people may have read in my earlier threads.

[MacGyverRI]

Should we all chip in and send Hoffa a hot little Elf?
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Back on topic;
Lowes Home stores has Green 40' garland strands w/ either white or multicolor lights lights built in for $24 and it's 25% off starting today. I'm thinking about wrapping it spiraled around the mast THEN, K-Mart has 40' Silvery/mother of pearl reg. garland that I would wrap or wire up the front and back stays (it should catch the reflected white light) and a few red bows on the lifeline stanchions. I'm also in a very visible location 150' from a heavily traveled bridge that also has lots of foot traffic. I always decorated my house outside so this isn't new to me.

Think it will look ok?

[MacGyverRI]

Originally Posted by HoffaLives

point taken. it's been a rough year,

Lets see, I was arrested and jailed for something I didn't do (crooked cop setup) and after 8 months in court finally cleared my name when the 3 crooked warwick cops refused to testify. Two others were released from prison as a result of my trial, they took deals, I'm a stubborn SOB.

As a result, I lost everything I owned including the largest online exotic fish business in the country in a divorce AND had a pre-nup (I owned everything before the marriage) thrown out by a crooked judge who knows my ex wifes mother and she happens to be a Director of RI DCF.

I was then suing all the bastards involved (2+ million was the estimate for civil rights, being beaten up, tortured, extortion etc. very long story) then my lawyer suddenly dies 1 month before the statute ran out but his office never said a word nor followed up on the paperwork. His malpractice Ins. co. said, he died, there's no fault on his part, claim denied.


You rebuild!

[erps]

Hoffa-
I'm laughing at the overly cynical at life, straving-artist-wanna-be that shows his frustration in evey post. You always sound so disappointed and as if you have a chip on your shoulder. Somewhere down the road, someone obviuously pissed in your cereal bowl of life. I'm sorry about your disappointments and disillusionments (i.e. prop shafts, perceptions of exclusivity/ellitism, money, and all that). Possessing cash is not an evil thing, but refusing to part with it at all costs comes close (e.g. tight wad). I prefer to think of it as resource management.

Yeah, what he said.

We picked up a string of LED lights this summer in Nanaimo and lit them up in a few remote anchorages just for the heck of it. It was fun! This shot is in Nanaimo taken just before an evening walk.

[xort]

I must be on hoffs ignore list

[maboyer]

I enjoy reading the 'advice' given by seasoned sailors, but I wish the participants would stick to the subject. Being a 'retires sailor' ( USN, 23 years), I believe in GOD AND COUNTRY, but the original post was about 'lights'. Why don't we stick to the subject?

[HoffaLives]

Originally Posted by xort

The EXACT same things can be said about your sailboat.
How much diesel does the membership of this forum burn each year in their boats? How much line, sails, engine parts, cushions, paint are tossed into the trash? How much time is wasted sailing that could be used to help the disadvantaged?
It's a moral, economic and environmental travesty.

YOU, with the guilty conscience, need to look in the mirror. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.

exactly. hence the thread about liveaboards, class and privilege. and one reason i'm still considering moving on. but there is some comfort in that compared to most lifestyles this is fairly minimal.

BTW, north americans spent just under 300 billion in xmas (2002 us and canadian govt stats). that's a lot of money, all spent on each other. it's up to each of us to decide if that's a tradition worth carrying on; remember the personal is political. at least be aware and make the choice a conscious one.