a bit of

 La France cinématique

Quite frankly, this is really scary.  I don't feel any safer now than I did when I was a kid.

The Archbishop of Canterbury just messed up the gospel reading TWICE!

I hate to say it, but when it comes to enthroning, Catholics do it better.

From...

I am so excited to report that the Maryland House of Delegates just voted to repeal the death penalty! 

All that’s left is for Governor O’Malley to add his signature, which will make Maryland the 18th state without the death penalty.

He strongly opposed legislation introduced in 2010 by the Argentine Government to allow same-sex marriage. In a letter to the monasteries of Buenos Aires, he wrote: "Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God."

  wikipedia

 Free Bradley Manning

True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.

Clarence Darrow

Here's a float.  A very good one, btw.  (I wish I'd captured this in video.)

Les Brandons 2013

Le Cortège de dimanche

<<... les Brandons étaient fêtés le premier dimanche de Carême uniquement dans le but de narguer les catholiques contraints à jeûner aux mêmes dates. Amenés par les Bernois, les Brandons seraient une des nombreuses expressions de l'opposition entre catholicisme et protestantisme dans une région où la proximité nécessitait un marquage net des frontières.>> (from http://www.brandons.ch)

"Les Brandons" was celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent only to tease/irritate Catholics, who were obliged to fast.  Introduced by the Bernese, "les Brandons" is (would be) one of many expressions of the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism in a region where their close proximity necessitated the marking of clear boundaries.

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Teasing fasting Catholics.

Another explanation is that it's descended from an ancient pagan festival of Spring.  It is probably both.

It's happening at this very moment...