Happy Christmas Chaps - Slightly off topic!!!

[Biker]

Just wishing all the regular contributors a happy festive greeting. I am sure there are many different religons - 'or not' here and I dont want to go into that.

Just wanted to say thanks to all the guys who have helped me so much in the last 2 years.

Especially to Kris and his new family. Chris and his new job. Doc Mordrid who I gather (possibly wrongly) is in happy retirement? Ellie, Grigory and many, many more of you, to many to name, but thanks and have an enjoyable break. Get out and do some filming!

Biker

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[This_Idiot]

Hi Adrian,

Hey, we're gonna actually meet up one of these days down in the Southwest !

I'd like to add my thanks too. Not only to the old warhorses (without whom the site would cease to function), but also to the new blood that has either joined the community or substantially enriched it during the course of the year. I won't name names now, but you know who you are. And so do the rest of us.

Adrian, are you currently in contact with Kris ? I haven't spoken to him for months, and have lost his details.

Have a calm and enjoyable Christmas, and let's all look forward to a good 2K1

Cheers

Chris

[Michel Carleer]

I don't want to start the old discussion again, but how come we can't agree on the starting date of the new millenium (2000 or 2001, or a 1 year difference), but that at the same time we forget around 15 billion years since the actual birth of our universe? Kind of crazy, isn't it?
Anyway, have all of you funny and enjoyable end of the year feasts.
Michka


[This message has been edited by Michel Carleer (edited 21 December 2000).]

[Dr Mordrid]

Yes Michel, but who wants to have a birthdate of 6/24/14,999,999,949 on their drivers license? How about having to write it on every d**n form you have to fill out? Not ME!!

And yes, I am retired. Or at least as retired as the father of a 2 year old can be

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 22 December 2000).]

[Brian Ellis]

Let's have a vote on when the millennium starts and then not count the ballots. Great precedent for that!

In today's Cyprus Review, there is a page of the Best of 2000 and the Florida voting affair was named as the funniest event of the year, better than any stand-up comedian.

Anyway, Happy Holidays and I hope you don't need the bicarb.

Brian the not-always-so-terrible

[KRSESQ]

A little historical perspective to kick off the non-voting-non-debate:

When the Christian monk Dionysius Exiguus created the basis for the modern Christian calandar back in the 500's, he began the first year of his new dating system with the birth of Christ as he figured it, dubbing it 1 Anno Domini, or the "First Year of the Lord."

That's why there is no "year zero" in the Christian calandar. Whoever heard of "the Zeroth Year of the Lord"?

Sounds like something Asimov would come up with!

Anyway, that's why Kubrick placed his movie in the year 2001 instead of the year 2000.

FWIW

Kevin

[Biker]

Seeing were into a calendar thing now -
This year '1' thing is interesting KRSESQ.
Help me here, we war in 2000 AD. I thought this was to do with Christ's death?
I know BC is before Christ. So whats the verdict on this?

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[KRSESQ]

Exiguus started his calandar with what he calculated was the year of Christ's birth. The accuracy of his calculations has been a source of speculation ever since. Best guess for the correct year is either 4 or 6 B.C.

Apparently Exiguus considered the birth of Christ a more important event than His death, although this also may be open for debate depending on who you ask.

Don't get my wife started on this subject. She thinks I'm loony enough already.

Kevin

[Elie]

Many thanks Biker, I also would like to wish everyone here a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, best wishes to you and all your families.

Kindest Regards,
Elie

[Michel Carleer]

Yes, I do agree Dr. That would have been my next comment. And also, I am wondering when our grand, grand, grand, ... children will decide of another ref point for this reason.
Just kind of like the old franc and the new franc in France.
Michka
And, Dr., I envy you: retired from the necessities of life, but not from life itself.

[This message has been edited by Michel Carleer (edited 22 December 2000).]

[jeff b]

Wishing a Merry Christmas to everyone!

I've been spending much more of my free time talking on the ham radio, so I haven't made much of a presence here, or anywhere else, on-line in the last few months. My dv video setup is running just fine, so I haven't been terribly drawn to the ng's or this forum for solutions.

I hope that Chris, Doc, Elie, and Patrick are all well and will enjoy a happy holiday.

I'll try to lurk and help answer questions a little more here... that's my new millenium resolution. Speaking of which: the vote was already taken last year regarding when the millenium started, and they blew the wad on fireworks last year.

Jeff B

[Dr Mordrid]

Thanks, we will. Actually this year has harkened back to long past holidays;

1. my 22 year old daughter came home on Dec. 13th to present us with a traditional St. Lucia breakfast, compete with her crown of candles. We haven't had one of those in a while!

2. Erik is now old enough (2 1/2) to enjoy Christmas, and he's turning into a fanatic. This kid is a sucker for lights. We always have to drive past at least 50 decorated houses every time we go out

3. We get to put a pickle back on the tree now that we have two kids. Of course Erik will find it and get the extra present

4. My best friend will become Jultomten this year to deliver the Christmas Eve presents.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all my online friends!!

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by Dr Mordrid (edited 24 December 2000).]

[Technoid]

I remember the Last time i was "Jultomten".

The outfit had bin in a bag and somhowe it had been cowerd with sawdust on the inside....

I coulden wear my glasseyes with the mask on and with all the sawdust i couldent breath that good either...

So there i was, coulden't see or breath, coughing, trying to ignore the sawdust in my eyes and at the same time playing the nice mister santa clause...

And ofcourse my sibblings recognise me...

BUT

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you all!

[Patrick]

Geez, I feel kinda special being mentioned in the same breath as Chris, Doc, and Elie. (Thanks Jeff ) It's amazing how you can become friends with people you've never met. I can't get over how wonderful the internet is for making contact with knowledgeable and friendly people. It's not just dry facts that are exchanged at forums such as this. There is a healthy exchange of opinions, humour, personal experiences, sad stories, happy stories, you name it. I'm old enough to be aware of how divided and secretive parts of the world used to be. The "evil" Soviet empire, etc. Now almost anytime I come to this forum there are posts from people living in Russia or other countries from the old Soviet Republic. And guess what, they're just like you and me!

I take my hat off to everyone who has to struggle to post in English when it is not their native language. It is much appreciated that these people will take the time make their feelings known in a foreign (to them) tongue. I shudder to think what the result would be if I had to write in Russian, French, Italian, Swedish, German, etc.

I believe the spirit of Christmas involves the appreciation of one's friends and family. I feel I have many friends here and it's great. I don't want to name names and accidently forget anyone, but you know who you are. Anyone I've joked around with here is a friend of mine. Best of the Season to you all!!!

[Dr Mordrid]

Technoid;

Is part of your family tradition the same as ours in that the old folks say Jultomten is actually a personification of the god Thor?

Similarities: his element was fire, his color red, fireplaces were sacred, and he drove a chariot pulled by reindeer. Also two of the reindeer are often named Donner & Blitzen (thunder & lighting), very much in line with Thor.

Then another part of the family says that Jultomten's sleigh is actually pulled by Julbocker, Thors goat, and not reindeer.

Dr. Mordrid