by TChris

Starting your Christmas with an invigorating swim? Not a bad idea if you live in the Carribean, or have access to a heated pool.

The "Berlin seals," however, took their Christmas morning dip in Berlin's Oranke lake. Although the water temperature was 34 F, some of the 30 swimmers -- wearing only their Santa Claus hats -- complained about the lack of ice on the lake this year.

The tradition dates back to at least 1980. The swimmers -- outnumbered by media photographers drawn to the annual event -- built up their courage for the dip by singing Christmas carols and sipping mulled wine.

by TChris

Of all the things to complain about, being greeted with the phrase "Happy Holidays" should be low on the list. But not to Manuel Zamorano, for whom the greeting is insufficiently Christian.

Fed up with what he calls "political correctness run amok," Zamorano has organized a nationwide boycott of Macy's and all Federated Department Stores because corporate officials declined his request to use the word "Christmas" in advertising and store decorations.

Perhaps Macy's understands that not all of its customers are Christians. "Happy Holidays" embraces the diversity of our nation by including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and (for those who celebrate none of the above) New Year's Day.

And so ... Happy Holidays!

Everyone likes a feel-good Christmas story, here is our's this year- from The Onion, titled Weed Delivery Guy Saves Christmas. It's off-beat, kind of funny and has nothing to do with religion. It begins:

MADISON, WI-The holidays evoke images of carolers and hot cocoa, sleigh rides through the crisp country air, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. But for the four residents of a drafty little apartment on Johnson Street, such holiday traditions seemed nothing more than fairy tales. For, through a combination of poverty, circumstance, and plain old bad luck, these young gentlemen nearly saw their holiday dreams shattered like so many fallen ornaments.

Almost, but not quite. For although there would be no Yule log in the fireplace, a crackling blaze of another kind would come to warm the hearts of the hapless roommates. For, these four lucky friends had a guardian angel watching over them, and this is the heartwarming true story of how the weed delivery guy saved Christmas.

Follow the link for the rest of the heartwarming tale.

Op-Ed News has the story of Tom Ridge's arrest of Santa Claus as an enemy combatant on his last day as HSA Chief.

In a daring midnight raid, FBI and local North Pole law enforcement officials stormed the previously unknown residence of the reclusive elf-master. A local officer was quoted as saying Mr. Clause was in the middle of wrapping boxes, with unknown contents, a sure sign of terrorism-related activities.

Mr. Ridge defended the collar today by saying, “what we do know is that Mr. Clause has multiple aliases, including Mr. Kringle and Saint Nick, which we believe to be an al Qaeda code name”. Ridge continued, “Look, this guy has had unfettered access to our borders for years untold. He never clears customs, never presents identification, and is always carrying multiple wrapped boxes which are never properly screened. In this post 9-11 world, those are risks we just cannot continue to take”.

Dick Ebersol and his son Charlie were released from a Grand Junction, Colorado hospital today. They are believed to be still recuperating from the plane crash in Montrose, Colorado a week ago Sunday that tragically took the life of 14 year old Teddy Ebersol, pilot Luis Alberto Polanco and flight attendant Warren Richardson. Co-pilot Erick Wicksell remains in a Denver hospital.

Dozens of people have left good wishes for the Ebersols on TalkLeft, here, here and here. I have forwarded the threads onto the Ebersol family at their NBC email address of ebersolfamily@nbcuni.com. Susan St. James has said she intends to read every one sent to NBC because they bring the family comfort.

by TChris

Walking can be dangerous, particularly for pedestrians who cross busy streets. The annual "Mean Streets" report (pdf) (executive summary here), prepared by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, cautions that "walking is the most dangerous mode of travel per mile."

The most dangerous metropolitan area for walking in 2002/2003 was Orlando, followed by Tampa, West Palm Beach, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Memphis, Atlanta, Greensboro, NC, Houston, Jacksonville, FL, and Phoenix.

Update: NBC execs who visited Dick Ebersol in the hospital comment on his condition - and on Charlie's heroic rescue of his dad.

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The plane crash in Colorado Sunday that took the lives of three people, spared two and left one in critical condition in the burn unit of a Denver hospital, is just so incredibly sad. The Ebersol family has released this statement.

In the wake of this tragedy, we are touched by the overwhelming outpouring of love from people all over the world. We will miss Teddy, our sweet boy, forever. He was a deeply cherished brother to his sister, Sunshine, and his brothers Harmony, Charlie, and Willie.

Teddy was a warm, loving, energetic young man. He had developed a wonderfully quirky sense of humor way beyond his years that kept the whole family laughing.

Update: Teddy Ebersol did not suffer. He was ejected from his seat and killed instantly.

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Bump and Update: Local authorities say they are 99% sure they have found the body of 14 year old Edward "Teddy" Ebersol. They are waiting for dental records to confirm. NBC released a statement today saying Dick Ebersol and son Charles are expected to make a full recovery.

The Denver Post has this article on the many philanthropic contributions of the family to the Telluride community.

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Authorities now believe that Edward "Teddy" Ebersol, the 14 year old son of NBC Sports Chief Dick Ebersol and Susan St. James, died in yesterday's plane crash, although his body remains unfound.

Dick and Charlie Ebersol are at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. No details have been released on their condition. Susan St. James is at the hospital and has no comment.

Our heartfelt condolences to the Ebersol family, and best wishes for a speedy and total recovery for Dick and Charlie. An article with a picture of Dick, Susan and Teddy is here.

Our original post with updates is here.

Update: Teddy Ebersol did not suffer. He was ejected from his seat and killed instantly.

Update, 11/29, 7pm: Local authorities say they are 99% sure they have found the body of 14 year old Edward "Teddy" Ebersol. They are waiting for dental records to confirm.

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Sad update: Teddy Ebersol, the 14 year old son of Dick Ebersole and Susan St. James, is presumed dead. Our heartfelt condolences to the family and best wishes for a speedy recovery for Dick and Charlie.

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Bump and update: Dick Ebersol's two sons were on the plane. One, Teddy Ebersol, is missing. The other, Charlie Ebersol, a senior at Notre Dame, was unhurt and is being credited with pulling his dad out of the plane and to safety. [Via local tv news.]

Update: Dick Ebersol and his son Charlie have been transported by air to a hospital in Grand Junction. It's unclear whether Charlie was accompanying his father or injured himself.

The New York Times quotes an eyewitness to the crash in the Montrose Daily Press:

Post-election message to the south. It is very funny and angry at the same time, but if four- letter words offend you, skip it.

by TChris

Having succeeded in attacking those he regarded as his enemies in Iraq, the President has now called upon the military to attack the blue states.

No, not really. But something has gone seriously wrong when an F-16 warplane strafes a New Jersey school with cannon fire.

Have you heard this one? After numerous rounds of "We don't even know if Osama is still alive," Osama himself decided to send George Bush a message in his own handwriting to let him know that he was still in the game.

Bush opened the letter and it appeared to contain a coded message:
370HSSV-0773H

Bush was baffled, so he typed it out and E-mailed it to Colin Powell. Colin and his aides had no clue either so they sent it to the CIA. No one could solve it, so it went to the NSA and then to MIT and NASA and the Secret Service.

Eventually they asked Britain's M-I6 for help. They cabled the White House: "Tell the President he is looking at the message upside down."