Jeanne d’Arc of Body & Soul has published a moving essay on Christmas charity, “Would you like to hear my Ebeneezer Scrooge impression?” that has me feeling pretty conflicted because the other day I heard an angel died. She wasn’t really an angel, she was a nun in Camden, N.J., but that’s what people there called her when they weren’t calling her Sister Peg.

[Post-publication addendum: In today’s Philadelphia Inquirer there is a second article about Sister Mary Margaret Hynes, “Nun’s Death Leaves Void in Camden and Church.” In a sidebar to the article that is not included in the online version of the story, the Inquirer reports that donations in memory of Sister Peg may be sent to the Sisters of St. Joseph, 9701 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, Pa., 19118.]

The Liberal Oasis catches the Sunday political talk show hosts in their usual sleeping-on-the-job mode with “10 Things About Frist Unsaid Yesterday.”

I wonder what causes Sunday’s talking heads to so consistently overlook significant issues. Is it poor research, bad memories from the pre-show prep session, ignorance, political bias?

I think Jay Caruso and Jane Finch of the Daily Rant may have the potential to become the James Carville and Mary Matalin of political blogging . . . if only they would sign and return the consulting contract I sent them.

Easy Bake Coven has the “Holiday Stress Diet,” a sure-fire nutritional regimen to help you beat the tensions of the holiday season. It starts with a simple breakfast of one-half of a grapefruit, one slice of whole-wheat toast, and eight ounces of skim milk, but from there it’s all downhill.

Presumably Susan has enough light bulbs in stock to keep her oven working overtime this week.

Admitted Catholic-basher Matthew Yglesias asks, “Who’s Deluded?”, a post in which he quite rightly takes me to task for misunderstanding a previous post of his, and for that I apologize.

Actually, for the record, I don’t think Yglesias is a Catholic basher per se. Rather, I believe his writing at times reflects a more narrow understanding of Catholicism, the history of the Church, and the manner in which Catholics try to live their faith than is needed to tackle some of the issues he has addressed. I simply don’t think the culture of Catholicism ranks among his many strong suits.