Open Thread May 9 2025

 Posted by 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.

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Open Thread May 3 2025

 Posted by 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.

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Open Thread December 29 2024

 Posted by 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.

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“The Dog Ate My Holidays …”

 Posted by 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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…

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Who Knew Penguins Love Christmas Carols?

 Posted by 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!

♩   ♪   ♫   ♬

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

 Posted by 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 …

 

RESOURCES:

GIFs are from CBS:

Pecan tree decorated for Christmas draws visitors from hundreds of miles away – CBS News

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/pecan-tree-decorated-for-christmas-draws-visitors-from-hundreds-of-miles-away/

 

Story is largely from Texas Monthly:

An Old Pecan Tree Is a Beacon of Hope at the Holidays – Texas Monthly

https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/bartonville-pecan-tree-lights-holidays/

 

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Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël! Frohe Weihnachten! Buon Natale! God Jul! Felicem Natalem Christi!

 Posted by at 9:18 am  Politics
Dec 252022
 

No matter how you say it (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Swedish/Norwegian & Latin), I hope everyone is enjoying a delightful day.

Since my old tried and true Christmas routine was usurped by the cantankerous – but hilarious – TV sports reporter-cum-weatherman yesterday, I decided to trot out the old stuff today with just a few additions.

First, for all those traveling I wish you a safe trip with no unexpected misfortune (unlike some):

Music (for most) is an integral part of the Holidays – so feel free to delight in the old favorites.  And be sure to enjoy new variations on a theme:

[Sung to the tune of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”]

“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 it’s carried in your store

Please don’t shop there anymore!”

No doubt we’re all hoping that Special Counsel Jack Smith will be able to put out an album by next Christmas with lyrics like this:

He sees you when you’re grifting

He knows that you’re a fake

He knows that you’ve had bad intent

So prepare to serve upstate!

Truthfully, I think we’re hoping for an entire album:

There’s no doubt the present that we’re all hoping for is this:

 

And may all your Christmases be bright …

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Christmas 2020

 Posted by at 10:33 am  Holiday, Politics
Dec 252020
 

 This year, once again, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday is appropriate to your beliefs.  Since many of the Carols I’ve used in years past stopped working, I had to change the music I’m using to celebrate Christmas with you. Traditional Christmas Carols An hour of traditional Christmas carols sung by a church choir. 1. Silent Night 2. O Come All Ye Faithful 3. Away In A Manger 4. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 5. Ding! Dong! Merrily On High 6. Joy To The World 7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 8. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear 9. Rocking 10. See Amid The Winter Snow 11. I Wonder As I Wander 12. De Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy 13. A Maiden Most Gentle 14. As With Gladness Men Of Old 15. The Shepherd’s Farewell 16. Past 3 O’Clock 17. A Child This Day Is Born 18. Deck The Halls 19. We Three Kings 20. White Christmas

Note that the last Carol is for our Republican friends, who we wish a hearty “Happy Holidays”. Finally I will restate last year’s warning, as our nation remains in dire peril, but not for long!

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name
that sat on him was Trump, and Pence followed with him. 
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of
the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with 
death, and with the beasts of the earth.
But because of YOU…
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived
them that had received the mark of the beast,
and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone.

 

YOU RESISTED!!

YOU Voted Blue!!

YOU Gave Us Cause to Celebrate!!

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