Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
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(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)




Fri, Dec 15 2006

Holiday Lights

I've updated the listings on the U.S. Christmas Lights page, with new locations being added almost every day in December. The displays are bigger and better than ever this year, so load up the car with friends and go enjoy the holiday fun. Listings will be added and updated right through the season, so check back often on the site for new information. Listings include both public and residential light displays. Use the form on the site to tell me about any "can't miss" displays in your area.

posted at: 13:43 | category: /Arts and Entertainment | link to this entry



Syrup and scones may break their buns but school board jokes may hurt them

Yesterday The Monterey Herald carried the story about an elementary school in Panama City, Florida with a proposed name that has their local school board members snickering. But Breakfast Point Academy has a lot of directions it can go with a mascot. Rather than leaning toward the fluffy bread names they could certainly set themselves up as The Perks, The Espressos or The Cast Iron Skillets. They could be the Suns, The Daybreakers or even the Morning Stars.

Besides, we have plenty of professional sports teams with cute names like Saints, Cubs and Colts. Which school board member will tell some 306-pound linebacker that his team name is just too, too sweet?

And here's a hint for those school board member mockers, who apparently have very little imagination. As kids get close to pubescent awakenings and hear the name Trojans, do cut-and-dried board members really believe the kids' first thought is of mighty ancient warriers or of something else they carry around in their wallets to show off with? The kids might do some laughing of their own unless school board members bone up on youthful slang and branding.

Existing team names and mascots seem to run the gamut from wicked to wacky. There are plenty of schools with Lions, Panthers and Bulldogs, of course. But have you heard of The Poets from Whittier, California? Or The Black Squirrels in Haverford, Pennsylvania? There are Lady Blues, Koalas, Aggies, Anteaters and Banana Slugs, the last of which operates right here out of UCSC.

There probably are a few breakfast names the school board should steer clear of when approving team monickers. The Over Easies wouldn't work well because it suggest too many double entendres, plus sounds a bit too submissive as a fighting sports team concept. The OJs might be associated with sad memories of former sports heroes. The name Hot Cakes would be better suited to a college team's cheerleading squad. And there's a potential issue with every word in the name Hot Cross Buns. Maybe it would be less controversial for the school board to just pick an appropriate team name and then build their school's name around that.

posted at: 08:01 | category: /Playing | link to this entry



Quote Of The Moment
When it is wrong today, we call them crazy; when it is right tomorrow, we call them a genius.
--in: Facets of Geniality, National Geographic TV station
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