Christmas – Politics Plus

Open Thread December 21 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:28 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 202025

Yesterday, The radio opera was Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” in the abridged version and English translation they put on around Christmas-New Year’s Day every year because the kids are out of school. It’s always fun, and generally as much for the cast as it is for the audience – maybe even more. Although it’s contagious.

From The Borowitz Report. Not terribly funny – more of an “Oregon Leads the Way” story – a story which would have made TomCat even prouder of his city. Am I selectively remembering, or are these Portland heroes mostly sheros? (I couldn’t help but think of “Naked Athena.”

Yes, another veteran story, and a Colorado Springs story at that. (Colorado Springs has a lot of veterans, including even some Navy/Marine vets, although the Air Force Academy proximity along with Fort Carson account for the bulk of us.) And so many are struggling.

This happened on December 16. It should last until the Cantaloupe Caligula finds out about it. I hope it lasts longer. The comments from party leaders are revealing.

Open Thread December 20 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 202025

Yesterday, I received three packages – none of the via USPS. I was expecting one, since the shipper told me the day before that it w1qould come yesterday, but for the other two, their arrival was a surprise. Also, I watched a couple of Substack videos which weren’t too terribly long. The first was a conversation between Joyce Vance and Mary Trump about Judge Dugan’s trial, conviction and acquittal, and what comes next. I went to it because it seemed like an unlikely combination, but it turned out to be a good fit. If anyone is interested in a deeper dive into the case, the link is here. The second, also with Joyce Vance , was in her “5 questions” series, which is usually closed to free subscribers. Bu this one wasn’t closed, and I think may still be open. She was speaking with a documentary film maker whose latest film, which debuted this year at Sundance, is called “The Librarians” and is about the movements to ban books from libraries, and the hero and shero librarians who are resisting it.

I’m not about to claim that Colorado grows the best fruit in the country, but they are good enough to bring in a fair amount of revenue to the State, and we would definitely be hurting without them. But of course Republicans think that the earth is perfectly capable of running itself, so doing nothing will work out just fine. If that “working out” includes the human race vanishing, they might be right.

Archived from Forbes, referred by Bowers News Media. Like Chris and probably most of y’all, I had no idea what the Kumquat Kleptocrat was talking about Venezuela stealing from us, but guessed he probably made it up. Unlike Chris, I didn’t research it. Apparently there actually is something (probably exaggerated, but something.)

Huff Post didn’t know it would happen so fast. I did – didn’t you? I suppose it might not have been quite this fast if the Supreme Court had not be so complicit – but we knew they would. At least Huff Post is admitting it now.

Open Thread May 9 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 092025

Yesterday, I picked up some Belle videos. She’s still posting four a day, and of course they are all of interest, but to different groups, so they are no means all of equal interest to PP readers. Sometimes the choices are tough. Also, I picked up some music parodies, including a Canadian parodist I was not familiar with. Tomorrow, I’ll post his praise for Australia – for Lona. Also, there is a new Pope (or in Latin, Habemus Papa) on only the second day of the conclave. His papal name is Leo XIV, and I don’t know much else about him, but he appears to be someone Francis himself might have chosen. He was born in Chicago, so (not all) American Catholics are going nuts over the first American Pope. In America we have so many – or maybe they aren’t that many, but they are loud – bishops and archbishops who are Nazis that I was worried. But I’m not sure he should be called an American Pope, except in the broadest sense – he was born in the US but has mostly worked in Peru and is a naturalized Peruvian citizen.

This Letter is about corruption in general, which includes tariffs along with many other grifts. If you want to know exactly how the Apricot Antichrist is grifting you (and the rest of the nation), this is the place to come. But wait – there’s more. The following day’s letter follows up on the first one.

I certainly don’t want to encourage complacency, but if Robert Hubbell is reading the room correctly, this is worth at the very least a sigh of relief.

Open Thread May 3 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 032025

Yesterday, I learned that 15 Democratic Senators had voted to confirm David Persue as the Mango Menace’s ambassador to China. I immediately searched to see whether either of mine was one of them, and they were not. I don’t know whether I scares them with my letter the last time they voted to confirm someone, or whether they received so much flak from so many constituents that it scared them, but I know one of them is scared – Benet thinks he can run for governor instead. I believe if he thinks he can beat Phil Weiser in the primary he has another think coming – heaven knows I hope that’s the case. I also learned that I need to get a new application on file – and I was supposed to so so by 2:30 today in order to visit on Sunday. I didn’t even find the email until after 2:30, so I clearly didn’t make the deadline. I sent Virgil an electronic note to call me ASAP. We have decisions to make.

I agree with Talking Points Memo that the most important part of this story is likely the order of magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, but I am sharing a non-paywall link to the NYT article as well. We were all introduced to the role of magistrate judges during the special counsel investigations of the Persimmon Palpitine, but a refresher: magistrate judges cannot preside over felony trials, but they can and do assist federal judges in such cases, including issuing orders to parties. The order issued by Judge Netburn in this case is 100% valid, even though it is also apparently 100% unprecedented. I’d say Judge Netburn has been paying attention. (BTW, there’s lots more in the TPM Memo than just this one story.)

Harry Litman takes a dive into the partnership between Trump** and Bukele, assisted by the New York Times. It’s very seldom I am the first to archive a story – in fact I believe this is the first time it has happened – which suggests to me that these details would be news to a whole lot of people. But I still have more faith in Litman that I do in the Times, so I read this first.

Open Thread December 29 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:01 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 292024

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Hansel and Gretel” by (the original) Englebert Humperdinck. It was a performance from 1982 (Christmas Day, actually) which featured Judith Blegen as Gretel. I mention her because she is an unusual talent – she could as easily had a career as a violin virtuoso as she had as a operatic soprano, and I know that because I took lessons from one of her former violin teachers. You won’t find his name in Wikipedia, because only some of her teachers of voice and violin are named there. Gian Carlo Menotti denied that he had written his opera “Help, Help, the Globolinks” with her in mind – but he certainly had no difficulty with her playing Emily in the American debut, which requires the lead soprano to also play the violin. Hansel was played by Frederica von Stade, whom I mention because of her sense of humor. One of her voice coaches was a cat person, and at their first lesson, the coach’s cat threw up on her shoe. All she said was, “I hope it wasn’t my singing.” That’s not to belittle the rest of the cast, who were also excellent – just personal memories of mine. Off to see Virgil now – will check in when I get home.

From Wonkette, a piece of good news that everyone else appears to have missed. I thought it belonged on Sunday. I doubt we’ll get many more for some years.

And one more piece of good news, also from Wonkette. No spoiler.

Okay, this, from Steve Schmidt is now VERY late (yet still far more recent than the history it discusses.) Steve Schmidt may not know as much history as Heather Cox Richardson does. But he does have a flair for knowing about moments of history which invoke strong feelings – and for telling them so that you almost feel you are there. The Christmas he tells of here was also in a dark night for America. That we came through it may give us some hope. But you may still need a hanky.

“The Dog Ate My Holidays …”

Posted by SoINeedAName at 9:28 am Politics

Dec 272024

Time just got away from me. But I had worked on a post earlier, so rather than waiting until 2025 I’m just going to go ahead and share it.

I was hoping to post it yesterday so I could slip it in as a Boxing Day article – so I’m just going to pretend it’s STILL December 26th.

Boxing Day, a UK holiday tradition celebrated the day after Christmas, was once a day to donate gifts to those in need. But it has now evolved to become a part of Christmas festivities, and an extension for those of us wanting to participate in the PoliticsPlus Holiday Festivities – but got tied up with other things.

To start I created some GIFs of the drone light show employing 4,981 drones to create the Guinness record-breaking holiday display over Mansfield, Texas on November 26, 2023

The spectacular show was created by Sky Elements Drone Shows and UVify, a North Texas-based drone company.

To be honest, I’ll post the YouTube source video – but they make so many cuts and change of speed it was a bit difficult.

(And you might want to kick up the speed in YouTube because the drones tend to move pretty slow in performing their precision aerial display.)

In the same order as the video:

And here’s the source YouTube video:

And I borrowed a Jacquie Lawson Christmas message to add the one word we’re all hoping for:

And it just wouldn’t be Christmas without a reprise of those Caroling Penguins. (That song STILLS makes me chuckle just thinking about it.)

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

Hark! The Herald Penguins sing:

Please don’t eat our little wings!

Eat a goose down to the bone,

But leave Penguins all alone.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

Baby ducks are very sweet,

Tastier than Penguin meat.

If we’re carried in your store,

Please, don’t shop there anymore!

…

Who Knew Penguins Love Christmas Carols?

Posted by SoINeedAName at 1:43 pm Politics

Dec 252023

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

Hark! The Herald Penguins sing:

Please don’t eat our little wings!

Eat a goose down to the bone,

But leave Penguins all alone.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

Baby ducks are very sweet,

Tastier than Penguin meat.

If we’re carried in your store,

Please don’t shop there anymore!

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

The “OMG Tree” – A Tree-Mendous Christmas Lights Display in Texas

Posted by SoINeedAName at 9:26 am Politics

Dec 232023

On a ranch in Bartonville, TX a 150-year-old pecan tree is the tableau for an annual spectacular light display every Christmas. The locals call it the “OMG Tree” – and with good reason!

It began as a suggestion back in 2005 from Bill Rathburn, owner of the Christmas Light Company in Dallas who the ranch owners, Barbara Nunneley and her partner, Jan Deatherage, had hired to outline the roof of their house with Christmas lights.

He noticed the huge, lone pecan tree out in their pasture and told them it’d make a spectacular light display. But at the time, Nunneley thought it was an extravagance that was a bit too expensive.

Her mind was changed two years later when her dad, who always said Christmas was his favorite time of year, was losing his battle to the terminal stage of prostate cancer. She decided the display would be an appropriate tribute to her father, so she called Rathburn and told him: “Let’s do it!”.

It takes a crew of up to eight workers from the Christmas Light Company about 20 hours to string the over 60,000 LED lights used to cover the tree. And because the pecan tree is so tall, they have to use a huge cherry picker in order to reach the top.

Nunnelly planned the inaugural lighting of the decked out old pecan tree as the featured event for the family’s annual Thanksgiving gathering at the ranch. But sadly, her father was not able to make the 70-mile drive from Nocona to Bartonville for the festivities. Sadly, he passed away the very next day.

Nunnelly said about the inaugural lighting: “It took my breath away.” And given the background for its inception she recalls: “It was a little spiritual, a little emotional.” But she philosophically adds: “My daddy did not ever see it from Earth, but I’m real sure he saw it,” casting her eyes skyward.

The tree brought them such joy they decided they would make it an annual tradition to honor her dad. And its notoriety has grown so that now folks from all over the South and Southwest travel to enjoy the light show.

So, let’s also join in for some of its mystical delight …

As its fame has grown, she notes that sunset is the most popular time for visitors to enjoy the light display.

And Nunnelly notes that over the years it’s become a favorite romantic setting for the younger folks in the area to stage their proposals – which is perfectly understandable …

Nunnelly admits she gets a kick out of the irony that over a dozen young men have asked her permission to “pop the question” under her pecan tree, in light of the fact that she’s a divorce lawyer. But adds she does have a personal rule that she’ll never take a case of someone who proposed under her tree.

If any of you folks in the area ever make it to the ranch, I’d enjoy hearing about your experience. Until then, I’ll just have to enjoy it vicariously …