Winter Daydreams, symphony #1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
From Wikipedia:
Tchaikovsky wrote his Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Winter Daydreams (or Winter Dreams) Op. 13, in 1866, just after he accepted a professorship at the Moscow Conservatory: it is the composer’s earliest notable work. The composer’s brother, Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky, asserted that the symphony’s creation from beginning to end cost his sibling more labor than any other works and even involved considerable suffering. Even so, he remained fond of it throughout his life. Tchaikovsky wrote to his patroness Nadezhda von Meck in 1883 that he believed, “although it is in many ways very immature,” he still knows that “yet fundamentally it has more substance and is better than any of my other more mature works.”
Enjoy, Jack
thanks, jack. a painting by a russian artist to go along with the music
Winter Dream (Winter). 1908-1914
Apollinaris M. Vasnetsov (1856-1933)
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) holds a press conference to address the military strikes off the coast of Venezuela.
attribution: Andy Marlette
Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Netflix acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery for $82 billion.
it’s that caroling time of the year
Dec 6, 2025
Now that Donald Trump has won the coveted FIFA Peace Prize, the world is finally at peace – all thanks to him. Now if he can only stay awake until the end of the song.
Song parody of “Peace On Earth / The Little Drummer Boy” by David Bowie and Bing Crosby.
Music from Russ Lorenson / The Kelly Park Big Band • Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth
one more from fitzgerald
Latinos For Trump need their own Christmas carol, because they f’ed around and are about to find out when the mass deportations begin. Song parody of “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano.
Thanks Jack, a nice one for our first snow of the season. Not too much, just enough to be pretty without consequence, and gone by the next day…
I laughed my ass off at SNL last night. Of course they had a whole lot to work with from the past week.
So today commemorates the seminal event that formed the basis of the world view of my parents’ generation, and led to, through fits and starts, the world view of about half of my generation, which by further fits and stops have led to where we are today with those of us who believe in America being at war with a president and his party who hate America. Much like the choice that America faced on December 7, 1941, we’re almost beyond the point of picking a side. So that those who can’t exactly see that paradigm, look again, pick a side, and do what you can to save this country from the ravages of the assholes who are running it now. The bottom line, put Democrats into every position of leadership you have the ability to and bring our country back from the brink of the precipice it appears to be rushing toward.
Ho boy…..the time of my life is weird. That’s the only word for the whole of it. From my age 4 to age 12 Eisenhower was president, VP Nixon’s car gets all eggy down in South America, we were given rock and roll and other than the constant threat of utter nuclear annihilating, it was all tolerable. I just figured it was all gonna just keep going that way.
But, noooooo…….
After my 12 yr old’s happy of my PT 109 guy beating out that dark surly Nixon person look what it be’s……bam…..out in the street, my 9th grade study hall rudely interrupted.
Well, it proceeded to roll even further down Mount Weird after that…..they show a film in Assembly of LBJ his own self sitting there explaining to me why it was necessary that I might have to go to the jungle and get my ass in a sling over there being shot at. And there’s a strong black man, Ali, telling them to go fuck themselves and I’m thinking, after all I’ve seen in Birmingham, wow….thats weird.
And then—after a few more peoples are gunned down in the streets— the dark surly Nixon Man was baaaack……and Television during Nixon?
Weird.
And the rest is history.
As it were.
And to quote George W. Bush, “That was some weird shit.”
Track the Weird…….it’s a straight line of weird—life and death-sized weird—to where we’re at right now—sitting in the very lap of Weird.
It is fun to hang out with folks who remember details like this…
Stur:
tricky dick was also egged a year or two later plus being tomatoed while campaigning in michigan
speaking of throwing tomatoes at politicians, remember this one
Feb 2, 2016
Us Presidential Candidate Donald Trump says someone in audience may have tomatoes, suggests audience “if you see someone getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them… I’ll pay your legal fees.”, while addressing the rally.
another fitzgerald carol
4 days ago
Song parody to the tune of “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”
Sturg… it still amazes me that 3 of us on here have significant experience in the ‘ham back in the day. What are the odds?
AI Sam’s rundown of the top ten news/politics stories that U.S. consumers are reading, watching, searching, sharing:
News Brief dated 2025-12-07
Top 10 must-know
1. Supreme Court to review legality of Trump birthright-citizenship order — Reuters
2. Judge orders release of Jeffrey Epstein grand-jury transcripts — AP News
3. Fugitive Daniel Andreas San Diego fights extradition in 2003 bombing case — Guardian
4. Donald J. Trump national-security strategy targets European allies — AP News
5. U.S. expands travel-ban list to 30+ countries — Reuters
6. Pete Hegseth faces major war-crime allegations — Guardian
7. Trump-era shake-up hits Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts programs — Washington Post
8. ICE enforcement under scrutiny after immigrant-shooting case — Guardian
9. Senate worries grow over vaccine-policy overhaul — Axios
10. High court clears GOP-backed redistricting maps in key states — ABC News
Lots of law stuff to follow in tomorrow’s chat:
🚨NEXT TRAIL MIX LIVE CHAT
11am ET Monday (12/8)
Law Chat ➡️ Join Our All-Star Panel
• Can the pipe bomber suspect get a pardon?
• Can the ICC indict Hegseth?
• SCOTUS oral arguments: Can Trump Fire The FCC?
https://yen.com.gh/sports/football/295940-every-nation-included-donald-trumps-travel-ban-2026-world-cup/
Countries hit by Donald Trump’s travel ban ahead of 2026 World Cup
In the case of Iran, they have already qualified for the competition, but their future remains uncertain, though their FA were allowed to attend the draw.
A further seven – Venezuela, Cuba, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan – are facing partial limitations, with specific restrictions placed on certain categories of travelers or types of travel. While Brazil aren’t banned from the tournament, it has been reported they may be forced to play with no fans after it was suggested that Trump was considering a ban on visas for Brazilians – including during the World Cup period.
*This story published before the list was expanded from 19 to 30 countries.
That phony-baloney ~peace~ medal was to try to appease Orange Adolf. It won’t work unless someone else steps in, and can you imagine JD and Stephen Mitler being any more lenient with non-white, non-English speaking foreigners?
CBS Sunday Morning has an interesting story; Nazis who moved to Hawaii (including Goebbels’ mistress) to spy for Japan prior to the Pearl Harbor attack.
today’s meme…
Jack
Thank you for this early present.
Just to wash out my brain. here is the beautiful original. It was the first time I realized just how pure a tenor voice David Bowie possessed.
Jamie, i was also impressed with their bit of acting before the song. For something so obviously contrived they played it quite genuine.
At the rate, Trump and RFK, jr. are wiping out global aid, medical care and vaccines, they may single handedly put a big dent in the problem of over population.
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/05/g-s1-100893/trump-national-security-strategy-foreign-policy
Trump’s security strategy slams European allies and asserts U.S. power in the Americas
The document released Friday by the White House is sure to roil long-standing U.S. allies in Europe for its scathing critiques of their migration and free speech policies, suggesting they face the “prospect of civilizational erasure” and raising doubts about their long-term reliability as American partners.
The U.S. suggests that Europe is being enfeebled by its immigration policies, declining birthrates, “censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition” and a “loss of national identities and self-confidence.”
*Intending to embolden racism in Europe. They don’t need help.
“Should present trends continue, the continent will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less. As such, it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies,” the document said.
The document also gives a nod to the rise of far-right political parties in Europe, which have been outspoken in their opposition to illegal immigration and climate policies.
“America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit, and the growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed gives cause for great optimism,” the strategy said.
Markus Frohnmaier, a lawmaker with the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party, described the U.S. strategy as “a foreign policy reality check for Europe and particularly for Germany.”
The moves are part of what the national security strategy lays out as “a ‘Trump Corollary’ to the Monroe Doctrine” to “restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere.” The 1823 Monroe Doctrine, formulated by President James Monroe, was originally aimed at opposing any European meddling in the Western Hemisphere and was used to justify U.S. military interventions in Latin America.
Trump’s strategy document says it aims to combat drug trafficking and control migration. The U.S. also is reimagining its military footprint in the region even after building up the largest military presence there in generations.
The Trump administration wants to prevent a war over Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own and to which the U.S. is obligated by its own laws to give military support, by maintaining a military advantage over China.
But the U.S. wants allies in the region to do more to push back against Chinese pressure and contribute more to their defense.
“The American military cannot, and should not have to, do this alone,” the strategy says. “Our allies must step up and spend — and more importantly do — much more for collective defense.”
Just back from our visit to the Vulcan. He always reminds me of Al Sharpton.
Congratulations to our Dawgs friends. 🏈
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g-s1-101064/russia-drone-missile-attack
Russia carried out a “massive missile-drone attack” on power stations and other energy infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions, Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo, wrote on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that energy facilities were the main targets of the attacks, also noting that a drone strike had “burned down” the train station in the city of Fastiv, located in the Kyiv region.
Russia used 653 drones and 51 missiles in the wide-reaching attack, which triggered air raid alerts across the country and came as Ukraine marked Armed Forces Day, the country’s air force said Saturday morning.
Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 585 drones and 30 missiles, the air force said, adding that 29 locations were struck.
Sorry it didn’t turn out the way Pogo and you, Ivy, would have wanted.
Hope you had a good time anyways…
If not for colonialism and all of the horrors created by it, there probably wouldn’t be an immigration ~crisis~
https://www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee-death-family-questions-hands-feet-tied-11066992
A Chinese immigrant was found dead in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with his hands and feet tied behind him, an attorney has alleged.
At least 15 immigrants died within ICE facilities, or while under their care, under this administration, compared to 12 for the entire fiscal year 2024.
*At least, because folks who get kidnapped by ICE bounty hunters often disappear.
The other half of your generation won in the end, and my generation forgets all the lessons and can’t be reminded
It’s a “paradigm shift”, no heartfelt appeals will shift it back
unfortunately
a rightward paradigm shift
Everyone has to touch the hot plate to believe it’s hot.
FO&FA
Never thinking the leopards would eat their face.
Renee, thanks. I wished it had gone like the first time, but I didn’t expect it. Georgia has improved since we first played themselves before and we had 4 DNP players, including our best running back, best rusher/sack leader and top O tackle. QB had to dance more than run through progressions and our D line did a lot of leaning on more athletic O line. I’m pulling for them against OU, but I’m not placing any bets.
Join us LIVE tomorrow at 11am ET in the Trail Mix chatroom:
Clancy Mudge says this week’s legal docket is NOT NORMAL — Supreme Court power fight, war-crimes questions, ICE scrutiny, Epstein transcripts, birthright battles, and redistricting chaos.
If the country’s throwing a legal tantrum, you might as well watch with friends.
*mTg unleashed, unplugged, unbeholden…and playing the long con?
she ain’t playing no con
she knows they won’t let her in their club, plus trump made her a target for stochastic terrorism, she has to fight back
there’s a feminist to include in the new progressivism
we are done with Democrats
new party or one party, hurry up and choose
icymi
we’ve all been there
Need to come up with a raccoon tribute Masked Avenger cocktail. Something rum based along the lines of a Missionary Downfall.
A very tall (at least 6’5”) anonymous man appeared yesterday at the Denver airport in a large coon skin cap. Intended to make himself stand out even more and it worked. He decided I was the person to banter with and I obliged. He was more than happy to share the cost was $200. Made me wonder if that fashion statement is making a comeback and, more importantly, why?
Obviously Trump never bothered to learn the sources of all that “European Culture” they revere. It’s a real shame burning the library at Alexandria lost so many of the records.
you could’ve stopped there
but what does it say about the rest of us? That
such a buffoon could take our entire society.
Nothing good
our best and brightest are just watching him destroy everything if not outright helping him do it
i actually like a lot of Dems btw but the best ones are too dry for Prime Time, like Ossoff for instance (like him a lot)
i wouldn’t pin too many hopes on Talarico though
Kisses of death. Skipping it.
at least Zeppelin got the medals with the cool ribbon 🤘
Drab ribbon sucks.
Yay Bo Nix❗️
CBS is officially state-controlled media. They are airing a “town hall” with the widow Kirk next Saturday. Big plans for this one. Her parents have some deep political ties. She was groomed for this. But she says women should marry and be stay-at-home moms, while she married and had kids later, and is acting as CEO of a company. Sarah Palin walked so the widow Kirk could book all of our bunnies.
The mTg interview in 60 Minutes is interesting. Surprised Ellison is allowing it it air.
Dodo = Charlie Brown except he’s the football
Ivy, Bo’s one hell of a QB. Didn’t much care for him while he was at Auburn, but never denied how good he was, and is.
Coonskin hats, a long tradition
Yes BiD, there is real tension between the old fading away CBS and the new rising team. They do a Trump trashing interview with MTG while promoting the Town Hall with Erica Kirk before the segment starts. I see Ellison’s stormtrooper Bari Weiss is moderating that town hall.
CBS News staffers rip ‘shallow’ Bari Weiss for moderating ‘absurd’ network town hall with Erika Kirk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/cbs-news-bari-weiss-erika-kirk-town-hall-b2878224.html
Pogo, we ran into Bo in the B’ham airport baggage claim. That was a year ago. He couldn’t have been more courteous and friendly.
We’re just now getting the Mage-un-Maga interview in our time zone.
The widow Kirk’s family background is weird, as is her Romanian baby swiping thing (which I was able to post the Romanian version of Newsweek here a month ago, but stuff is being scrubbed), her sudden appearance in tRUMP’s pageant, and her introduction to Charlie. The whole thing, starting with her parents, seems like a set up to something.
https://boonesociety.org/daniel-boone-never-wore-a-coonskin-cap
Dan’l Boone was so tough he wore a live raccoon.
lol
Davy Crockett wore the furry hat.
I’m impressed ….
AXIOS: Shapiro’s strategy for 2028 White House run starts with 2026
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has a plan that could give him an edge in the 2028 presidential primary: Engineer a blowout for his state’s Democrats in next year’s midterms to prove he can turn the electoral college’s biggest battleground blue again.
💪 Why it matters: Shapiro has quietly and methodically tightened his grip on Pennsylvania’s Democratic machine in recent months — recruiting key congressional candidates, clearing the field for them and remaking the state party.
The moves, insiders say, are designed to maximize Democratic wins — and position Shapiro as the party’s most electable presidential contender.
Shapiro needs to use that grip on the PA Dems to pass rules solidifying Dem reps in the house and increase dems in the senate by 3 at a minimum next November then redraw legislative districts and offset repug redistricting in places like FL.
Ivy, I don’t know him but he seems pretty nice in interviews. I just didn’t care for his effectiveness against bama in his first year at Auburn.
Pogo, at least his coach wasn’t Tuberville.
As for Madge, anti-covid-vaccine-ism is a big no-sale for me.
Night, y’all.
Well, he did avoid that, but he transferred to OR because he said he was miserable playing under Brian Harsin.
NEW THREAD