This is the last Filaments before Christmas, so I would like to take a moment to wish each and every one of you Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Peace on Earth. And though those things sound so trite and trivial, I really mean them. Especially that last one. Seriously, can’t we all just get along? I mean, we are all…linked!
- Once I saw this video it seemed so obvious, but have you ever really thought about why the full Moon is so spectacular in the winter?
- Here are some more amazing images and info about the Moon, including how the “Moon Illusion” works.
- As long as we’re on the subject, here is some pretty amazing video of the Chinese Chang’e-3 probe landing on the Moon and deploying it’s lunar rover. I love how it hovers for a bit (around 0:28) to pick out the best landing spot.
- Meanwhile, Europe would like to ask China, “What’s up with that?”
- It’s getting to be that time of year, when the previous 11 and 1/2 months are encapulated into seemingly infinite lists, each with a more sensational title, and posted online. Here are “The 27 Most Mind-Blowing Space Photos Of 2013…“
- And here are the 10 Biggest Social Media Fails of 2013. The Burger King one in particular tickled me.
- The DC Sports Bog brought us the best D.C. sports GIF’s of 2013, with accompanying interpretations.
- Moving away from lists, this Boston Globe columnist is under the impression that people want their sports journalists to write as fans, not as impartial reporters. I think people aren’t put off by impartiality, but by unwarranted negativity. I actually ended up having a brief twitter discussion with Jeff Duncan about it, for what that’s worth (oh, I’m sorry, I think I dropped a name over here…).
I never got that, “Who Dat?!”
- It felt like there was a bit of a changing of the guard with the Saints this week, as they said goodbye to Superbowl hero Garrett Hartley and announced that rookie Terron Armstead would get his first career start, replacing Charles Brown at left tackle.
- Hartley kept it classy on his way out. I think this was the right move by the Saints – you can’t wait for a kicker to get himself straightened out this close to the playoffs – but, Hartley is my second favorite kicker in Saints history (if not the second best).
- Heading into the biggest game of the season, the Saints are acknowledging their road woes, but confident they can turn the tide in Carolina this weekend. As far as my prediction, being brash blew up in my face last week, so I’m playing coy. I think the Saints win, by a number of points.
Maybe this many.
- As we enter the depths of winter, Zen Pencils reminds us to look inside for our invincible summer.
- I will only briefly mention the inanity of the Duck Dynasty “scandal” in order to link to some intelligent words on the matter from the geographical source (and my hometown).
- I tuned in to The Daily Show last night and was surprised to learn that John Oliver is leaving the show for a new gig on HBO. And I was pleased to catch Jon Stewart’s funny and poignant send-off of Mr. Oliver.
- The Wizards reversed their 4 game losing streak this week by taking games in New York versus both the Nicks and Knets.
- Brad Beal sank daggers against both NYC teams.
- Of course, they also lost rookie Glen Rice, Jr. to a broken wrist, bringing a flood of #SoWizards hashtags out of the woodwork.
- And this happened.
- In happier news (o_O), NPR has released a web app to remember “the musicians, composers, producers and other visionaries whom we lost in 2013“.
- Somehow Thurl Ravenscroft came across my path again this week, as I learned he sang the original, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
- What if George R. R. Martin was Santa Clause? Well, it wouldn’t exactly be a white Christmas.
- The Cubs had a low-key week, signing a few free-agents to minor league deals, finalizing the minor league coaching staffs and continuing to wait for the Masahiro Tanaka saga to unfold.
- They may have also signed their closer, at least for the first half of 2014. Regardless, the bullpen looks to be much improved with some real power arms available from the left and right side.
- Peter Gammons has noticed Kris Bryant.
- Meanwhile, Starlin Castro is dealing with legal trouble back home, though it sounds like a pretty baseless money grab from a former youth coach.
- Happy Birthday to Keith Richards, who, amazingly, turned 70 years old. Did you know Keith Richards has a blog? Well, they call it a blog, it’s really an official website. Apparently Keith doesn’t type, because you can ask him questions and they post the audio of Keith answering.
- In keeping with the holiday spirit, there could only be one choice for this edition of the Song of the Week.
