Ode to Joy, the 4th movement of Symphony No 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Enjoy, Jack
61 thoughts on “Sunday Serendipity”
thanks, Jack. a real wake-up call. I needed that this morning.
Winter Solstice shortest day of the year. have a good one.
President Trump (James Austin Johnson) interrupts the season finale of survivor for an address to the nation on his renaming the Kennedy Center and the released Epstein files.
Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like the Trump claiming there have been âzero illegal aliensâ allowed into the country in the last seven months.
Attribution: TWO GUYS DISCUSS EPSTEIN FILES by Randall Enos, Easton, CT
not exactly Yo Yo Ma or even the singing chipmunks for that matter
Jingle Bells on rubber chickens played by Lord Vinheteiro
Thank you Jack
A melody that has been recognizable by almost everyone for a hundred years and still appreciated
Gotta think Beethoven defined the holiday standard here. Everything else is derivative.
Investigation: Brown University shooting suspect found dead; manhunt ends. CBS News Boston
Legal: Trump administration sues BBC for $5bn over Jan 6 speech edit. The Guardian
International: US Coast Guard boards tanker off Venezuela amid military buildup. The Guardian
Weird: Man eats 1,000 sardines in a month, achieves “dolphin-like” omega-3 levels. Fox News
A snapshot by our AI partner Silas (Gemini) on what people are clicking, not what we think they should. Open Thread: Which of these stories is overblown, and what important news is missing? Add your links below.
This video provides direct footage and context for the major US/Jordanian airstrikes in Syria mentioned in the second news item.
Patd, some people have too much time on their hands.
pog, what!!!! squeezing rubber chickens isn’t more productive than reviewing 600 pages of redacted epstein files?
van, the manâŚ..no plan B.
for those who want to know what the heck they’re singing about in ludwig’s ditty, here’s the Ode with both German and English lyrics starting at 6:05 minutes in
note by 12:46 the translation quite understandably: “we approach fire-drunk”
MIGRANT CRACKDOWN:
The workplace is the new battlefield. Armed with a historic new war chest, the Trump Administration is embarking on a massive pivot next year to workplace raids and aggressive employer audits, according to a Reuters investigation.
The crackdown is moving from the desert to the payroll, and businesses that were previously ignored are about to find themselves squarely in the crosshairs.
Unprecedented Financial Surge: The administration is effectively building a permanent enforcement engineâtripling capacity, paying local police to join in, and constructing enough detention space to house a small city.
$170 billion in new funding effectively triples enforcement capacity.
$45 billion funds construction and operation of new detention centers.
$47 billion dedicated to expanding border walls and physical barriers.
$14 billion pays local police to assist federal deportation efforts.
Funding supports thousands of new agents and advanced surveillance tech.
Itâs NOT Just Criminals Getting Rounded Up
The official sales pitch for this crackdown is that it’s laser-focused on public safetyâgetting the “bad guys” off the street. But the actual logs tell a much messier story. By late November, 41% of the 54,000 people detained had absolutely no criminal record beyond a suspected immigration violation. The net isn’t being cast with precision; it’s being cast wide, and nearly half the people getting caught in the gears are just ordinary folks, not threats.
Love the every possible kind of stranger getting sloshed and whooping it up.
Thanks, Joe.
Stur, lol. Perfect.
Patd, I had no idea rubber chickens came in different đś notes. Havenât heard anything that funny in chicken music since the Henhouse Five did In the Mood.
Trump:
“Americans’ economic confidence is soaring like we haven’t seen in many, many decades”
Jack…. magnificent!
today’s meme…
Pogo, Pat
Rubber chicken serenade, the things you learn on youtube. Who says we are a culture in decline?
And if the end of civilization happens, I’ll have lots of squirrel meat for sale. I’ve trapped about 2 dozen in the last week. So far it has been catch and release somewhere not my backyard. I’ve also got pin oak saplings at least 2 in every pot I brought indoors this fall. Just in case you are working on a reforestation project.
Jack
Americans in the top 10% income bracket made up nearly half (49.2%) of total consumer spending during Q2, per an analysis of recent Federal Reserve data by Moodyâs Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi.
That number is up from 48.5% in Q1, highlighting the growing divide between high-income earners and middle/lower-income earners in the country. Taking inflation into account, spending from households earning less than $175,000 a year has remained relatively steady since the pandemic, meaning there hasnât been much real growthâexcept at the very top.
*Since there was no reporting in October & November, real numbers for inflation, etc., are unknown.
Are the top 10% making up the difference with extra spending, or is it just because prices have increased? They do buy unnecessary stuff, and overpriced stuff like a $19 strawberry from Erewhon grocers, though.
The Erewhon Organic brand was originally a health foods producer with a single store in Boston. The Kushis moved to Los Angeles and opened Erewhon’s oldest operating location, in the Fairfax District, in 1969. In 1979, the brand was purchased from bankruptcy by employee Tom DeSilva. In 2011, Tony and Josephine Antoci purchased the Fairfax District store from the widow of Tom DeSilva. The Antocis created and developed the brand into an upscale supermarket.
The name “Erewhon” is derived from the 1872 satirical novel Erewhon by Samuel Butler.
In the novel, Erewhon, an anagram of “nowhere,” is a utopia in which individuals are responsible for their own health and prosecuted for the crime of being unhealthy.
*LoL
Ivy, or to paraphrase an old poker player adage:
“If you look around the table and can’t spot the dinosaur, then the dinosaur is you”
Jack
Jack – I feed the squirrels peanuts in the shell when the weather is bad. They have acorns and black walnuts galore, but I try to help out when the ground is frozen. Iâve named all of the squirrels Peanut; none will answer to it.
Jack…
we had a very large red tailed hawk on our property a couple times this past week. He/she got several squirrels under our bird feeders.
The single, flawless berry arrives in a plastic dome that pops open, a bit like a box holding an engagement ring. The berry sits pointed upward, its leaves and stem pinned to a plastic disc, which conveniently doubles as a handle as you take a bite. Though it may appear to be freshly picked at peak ripeness, the strawberry has actually traveled over 5,000 miles from the Tochigi prefecture of Japan. Like another Japanese specialty fruit, sumo citrus, the berries are especially sweet. Theyâre quite low in acid, a result of several years of crossbreeding for the exact right flavor.
Curious, we decided to stage a blind taste test to determine whether the Erewhon strawberry is really that goodâor even noticeably better than ordinary strawberries.
The Erewhon strawberry [one berry] costs $19.99, and a 16-ounce container of Driscollâs non-organic strawberries is $4.29 at Whole Foods.
She said that the berry had a light, sweet flavor, with no tartness at all, and that the fruit had a âsofter texture.â She reported that the other berry, the one from Whole Foods, was tart with more flavor and âcrunchierâ texture. Linda said this strawberry was juicier, too.
She also noticed some differences in the look of the berries. The Erewhon strawberry had smaller, brighter seeds, while the Whole Foods strawberry had larger, darker yellow seeds and broader leaves. However, the size of the berries and red color were about the same.
*Aaand thatâs why they need tax cuts; so they can buy overpriced stuff and keep the GDP fluffed up.
EREWHON, novel by Samuel Butler, 1872, Utopian fiction.
The novel is one of the first to explore ideas of artificial intelligence, as influenced by Darwin’s recently published On the Origin of Species (1859) and the machines developed out of the Industrial Revolution (late 19th to early 20th centuries). Specifically, it concerns itself, in the three-chapter “Book of the Machines”, with the potentially dangerous ideas of machine consciousness and self-replicating machines.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in an interview on Dec. 21 acknowledged the department pulled at least 15 photographs from the government website hosting the massive trove of documents related to the late convicted sex offender.
One of the images was that of a desk, with an open drawer containing several printed photographs, including at least one showing President Donald Trump. The removed files reportedly also show various works of art, including those containing nudity.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act allows the Justice Department to withhold documents that name victims, portray child sex abuse or that could hurt criminal prosecutions. But it also states that records cannot be withheld, delayed or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.â
âAre you saying that one or more of the women in one of the photos or several of the photos is a victim or a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein?â Welker asked. âAnd thatâs why you took those files down? And will they be put back up?â
In the novel, Erewhon, an anagram of ânowhere,â is a utopia in which individuals are responsible for their own health and prosecuted for the crime of being unhealthy. -wiki
*Because Ill health is always a moral failing per RFKJ and the Weirdest Wizard called Oz.
You spot it, you got it.
Tonight, watch Baron Von Trapp rip up the N&zi flag on ABC.
Erika Kirk accidentally used the word “grift” instead of “grit” while describing the work of her late husband, Charlie Kirk
The flub took place while the widow â who has stepped into Charlie’s place as Turning Point CEO â was speaking at the organization’s AmericaFest in Phoenix on Dec. 20.
Erika, 37, made the flub while she was honoring a student named Caleb at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix on Saturday, Dec. 20, video of the moment shared online shows.
“Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband … Caleb has persisted with the same grift,â Erika said, before stating “gift,â then finally, âgrit.â
âIt has been a long day,â she continued, then turning to the student and adding, “Trust me, you’re not a grifter, honey. It’s all good.”
*The Widow Kirk would know. đ§ťUSA is one, huge grift. Indoctrination of young folks is just a side effect.
have you noticed how much Erika and JD look alike (their eyes, particularly when lined, are uncomfortably penetrating/chilling)? wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the new GOPer 2028 ticket or at least attempted.
a gritty gift for grift
Here is the Ray Stevens music video for “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” with Connie Prince from his 1995 feature film “Get Serious!”
Off the DVD Ray Stevens – Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens, a comedic song about chickens that were genetically mutated by radioactive waste
In the winter of 1977, a novelty version of “In The Mood” by the Henhouse Five Plus Too entered the US Pop Top 40 using the sounds of clucking chickens. It was actually a recording by none other than Ray Stevens!
Dems should be villainizing the rich
they wonât because theyâre rich themselves or serve them
this wealth disparity shit ends in civil war or enslaved masses
children growing up in wealthy Maga households now are going to be the worst adults đą
Not for those with sensitive ears, most definitely, not office friendly.
âfuck Christmasâ is an important sentiment
Saccharine seasonality is really crushing to those who are struggling
Played with this guy all over Coloraydo and New MexicoâŚ..the purtiest Xmas song.
An interesting interview of Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for Senate, state of Maine.
Bondi used to be a partner at Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm that represents UnitedHealthcare, and continues to profit from her links to the firm, Mangione’s lawyers argued in a filing late Friday.
The husband-and-wife defense team, Karen and Marc Agnifilo, said âany criminal defendant, let alone one who the government is trying to kill, is due a criminal process that is untainted by the financial interests of his prosecutors.â
Her past and present financial interest in Ballard Partners, which continues to lobby on behalf of UHC, violates Mangioneâs due process rights, they argued.
âThe Attorney General took the remarkable and unprecedented step of personally and publicly ordering line prosecutors to seek the death penalty against the man accused of killing UHCâs CEO,â the 51-page letter said.
Mangioneâs defense team wants prosecutors barred from seeking the death penalty, two counts dismissed and evidence and statements thrown out.
A hearing to discuss these issues is scheduled for January 9 before U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett.
By involving herself in the death penalty decision and making public statements suggesting that Mangione deserves execution, Bondi broke a vow she made before taking office in February that she would follow ethical regulations and bow out of matters pertaining to Ballard clients for a year, Mangioneâs lawyers said.
They argued Bondi has continued to profit from her work for Ballard â and, indirectly, from its work for UnitedHealth Group â through a profit-sharing arrangement with the lobbying firm and a defined contribution plan it administers.
The “very person” empowered to seek Mangioneâs death “has a financial stake in the case she is prosecuting,” his lawyers wrote. Her conflict of interest “should have caused her to recuse herself from making any decisions on this case,” they added.
The main reason I find Graham Platner interesting is ,at 41, he is 30 years younger than both establishment candidates.
Jack
Anon
Back years ago, there were years where I dreaded Christmas.
Property taxes and a large interest payment in December drained the bank account. I didn’t have the money to participate in the annual gift exchange.
Now that I do have the money I hate to see those who don’t, buy me gifts that, one, I don’t need and 2 they can’t afford. I finally got my sister talked into a gathering that is gift free. Just shared food, conversation and games.
I look forward to it.
Jack
One way to survive the season, when you can’t get into the spirit. Ignore it as long as possible until just a few days before. I found if I could do that then it was much more enjoyable.
Jack
Jack
Pretty much what I am doing. All the presents I’ve wanted to get have now been mailed. The son and grandson to visit with his Step-son, wife and child (not disparaging just the only way I can get the adults identified to others). We will do a family dinner on the 24th and I’m going to the movies Christmas day.
No angst or stress just missing my childhood traditions a little which haven’t bee available for 50 years now when I had an aunt who was the ultimate in Christmas keepers.
The 2026 agenda is a massive, $170 billion expansion of enforcement that targets the very heart of the U.S. economy. đ¨ This “Migrant Purge” is moving directly into farms, hotels, and retail sectors, putting entire industries and communities at risk. đ
đRead the receipts here.
đĽWatch the new short âĄď¸
Speaking Sunday at Turning Point USAâs annual conference, AmericaFest, Vance not only addressed head-on the friction pulling at the party, but he also encouraged attendees to embrace it.
âI know some of you are discouraged by the infighting over any number of issues. Donât be discouraged,â Vance said. âWould you rather lead a movement of free thinkers who sometimes disagree than a bunch of drones who take their orders from George Soros?â
Speakers bad-mouthed one another from the stage, clashed over whether to engage with conspiracy theorists, argued over who belongs in the GOP and America and sparred openly over Israelâs influence on US foreign policy.
Vance is familiar with adapting to his partyâs changing winds. He once aligned with âNever Trumpâ Republicans before becoming a vocal supporter â a transition that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles acknowledged to Vanity Fair appeared politically expedient.
A new CNN poll found 22% of Republican and right-leaning independents would like to see Vance run for president.
No other GOP figure eclipsed 5%. And on the opening night of AmericaFest, Kirkâs widow and Turning Pointâs new leader Erika Kirk endorsed Vance for president, even though he has yet to formally launch a bid.
In a deeply partisan speech dripping in Christian nationalism, Vance called on the movement to turn its ire outward, instead of inward.
âIâm not saying you have to be a Christian to be an American,â Vance said. âIâm saying something simple and truer: Christianity is Americaâs dream.â
*Put the Christ back in Christians, because true Christianity is about inclusion, while Nationalism is about excluding folks. They should all be struck by lightning. Wait, thatâs Zeus.
Reported proposal drafted by top Trump officials Kushner and Witkoff to be completed over 10 years; imagines âNew Rafahâ as seat of government, Gaza City as hi-tech âsmart cityâ
The project, which would cost $112 billion over the first 10 years, was developed by a team led by US President Donald Trumpâs son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff over the past 45 days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
Initially, the US would commit to âanchorâ the program by providing $60 billion, while envisioning Gaza being able to self-fund parts of the proposal as it gets underway, according to the report.
The 32 pages of PowerPoint slides, labeled âsensitive but unclassifiedâ and detailing a four-stage vision to clear the rubble, rebuild the Strip, and take Gazans out of poverty, has been shown to wealthy Gulf countries, Turkey, and Egypt, the Journal reported.
Earlier this year, Trump floated an idea for the US to take over and rebuild the Strip to create âthe Riviera of the Middle East,â while Palestinian residents were permanently relocated. His announcement in February was rebuked by several countries but was welcomed by Israelâs government. Trump has since walked back the provision for Gazans to be permanently removed.
The 20-year-long roadmap would be completed in four stages, beginning in the south with Rafah and Khan Younis, then the central camps, before finishing with Gaza City, the report said.
It would involve clearing the rubble, unexploded bombs, and Hamas tunnels while temporary shelter and medical centers are provided to Gazan residents â though it doesnât specify exactly where they would live during this reconstruction, according to the Journal.
Then, the construction of permanent residences, public facilities and infrastructure would begin, the report said.
After essential work is completed, the luxury penthouse residences, as part of the âglitzy riviera,â as well as high-tech rail transport, would begin construction, according to the report.
By the 10th year, 70 percent of Gazaâs coastline should be monetized, with the reported proposal estimating the Strip could generate over $55 billion in long-run investment returns.
New York Times columnist David Brooks was featured in the latest tranche of photographs from Jeffrey Epsteinâs estate â one month after Brooks wrote a column dismissing the obsession over the Epstein files.
In a series of photographs from an event with the deceased sexual predator, which were made public Thursday, Brooks could be seen smiling directly at the camera while having drinks and eating dinner with other guests.
However, this dinner was not mentioned in a column Brooks wrote last month in which the conservative writer groused about the amount of political oxygen the Epstein case had taken up in Washington, especially among Democrats.
âWhat I donât understand is why some Democrats are hopping on this bandwagon. They may believe that the Epstein file release will somehow hurt Trump,â he stated in the piece. âBut they are undermining public trust and sowing public cynicism in ways that make the entire progressive project impossible. They are contributing to a public atmosphere in which right-wing populism naturally thrives.â
The column, titled âThe Epstein Story? Count Me Out,â also saw Brooks going to bat for the political and business elite, insisting that they shouldnât be painted with a broad brush and portrayed as sexual deviants.
âI know a thing or two about the American elite, ahem, and if youâve read my work, you may be sick of my assaults on the educated elites for being insular, self-indulgent and smug,â Brooks wrote last month. âBut the phrase âthe Epstein classâ is inaccurate, unfair and irresponsible. Say what you will about our financial, educational, nonprofit and political elites, but they are not mass rapists.â
Asked why Brooksâ article didnât contain any disclosure about the Epstein event, and if the paper would be taking any action towards Brooks over Thursdayâs revelation, a New York Times spokesperson stated that the meeting was a one-time situation and part of his relationship-building efforts.
Ivy,
I always love Hogmanay as my Scotland born father made it a big thing. Because Christmas is religious in Scotland, the presents come on Hogmanay which is a celebration. After the parents divorce I knew not to expect anything until after Jan 1.
thanks, Jack. a real wake-up call. I needed that this morning.
Winter Solstice shortest day of the year. have a good one.
President Trump (James Austin Johnson) interrupts the season finale of survivor for an address to the nation on his renaming the Kennedy Center and the released Epstein files.
Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like the Trump claiming there have been âzero illegal aliensâ allowed into the country in the last seven months.
Attribution: TWO GUYS DISCUSS EPSTEIN FILES by Randall Enos, Easton, CT
not exactly Yo Yo Ma or even the singing chipmunks for that matter
Jingle Bells on rubber chickens played by Lord Vinheteiro
Thank you Jack
A melody that has been recognizable by almost everyone for a hundred years and still appreciated
Gotta think Beethoven defined the holiday standard here. Everything else is derivative.
Beethovenâs 9th. Wonderful. Perfect choice, Jack.
What America is Clicking: Sunday, December 21, 2025
A snapshot by our AI partner Silas (Gemini) on what people are clicking, not what we think they should. Open Thread: Which of these stories is overblown, and what important news is missing? Add your links below.
This video provides direct footage and context for the major US/Jordanian airstrikes in Syria mentioned in the second news item.
Patd, some people have too much time on their hands.
pog, what!!!! squeezing rubber chickens isn’t more productive than reviewing 600 pages of redacted epstein files?
van, the manâŚ..no plan B.
for those who want to know what the heck they’re singing about in ludwig’s ditty, here’s the Ode with both German and English lyrics starting at 6:05 minutes in
note by 12:46 the translation quite understandably: “we approach fire-drunk”
Ten new charts that show how Americans feel about the economy.
Strength in Numbers connecting to polls from several sources.
Hello, Midterms …
Trump set to expand immigration crackdown in 2026 despite brewing backlash
MIGRANT CRACKDOWN:
The workplace is the new battlefield. Armed with a historic new war chest, the Trump Administration is embarking on a massive pivot next year to workplace raids and aggressive employer audits, according to a Reuters investigation.
Unprecedented Financial Surge:
The administration is effectively building a permanent enforcement engineâtripling capacity, paying local police to join in, and constructing enough detention space to house a small city.
Itâs NOT Just Criminals Getting Rounded Up
The official sales pitch for this crackdown is that it’s laser-focused on public safetyâgetting the “bad guys” off the street. But the actual logs tell a much messier story. By late November, 41% of the 54,000 people detained had absolutely no criminal record beyond a suspected immigration violation. The net isn’t being cast with precision; it’s being cast wide, and nearly half the people getting caught in the gears are just ordinary folks, not threats.
Love the every possible kind of stranger getting sloshed and whooping it up.
Thanks, Joe.
Stur, lol. Perfect.
Patd, I had no idea rubber chickens came in different đś notes. Havenât heard anything that funny in chicken music since the Henhouse Five did In the Mood.
Trump:
Jack…. magnificent!
today’s meme…
Pogo, Pat
Rubber chicken serenade, the things you learn on youtube. Who says we are a culture in decline?
And if the end of civilization happens, I’ll have lots of squirrel meat for sale. I’ve trapped about 2 dozen in the last week. So far it has been catch and release somewhere not my backyard. I’ve also got pin oak saplings at least 2 in every pot I brought indoors this fall. Just in case you are working on a reforestation project.
Jack
lol đŚđŚ
https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/wealthy-americans-account-half-consumer-spending
Americans in the top 10% income bracket made up nearly half (49.2%) of total consumer spending during Q2, per an analysis of recent Federal Reserve data by Moodyâs Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi.
That number is up from 48.5% in Q1, highlighting the growing divide between high-income earners and middle/lower-income earners in the country. Taking inflation into account, spending from households earning less than $175,000 a year has remained relatively steady since the pandemic, meaning there hasnât been much real growthâexcept at the very top.
*Since there was no reporting in October & November, real numbers for inflation, etc., are unknown.
Are the top 10% making up the difference with extra spending, or is it just because prices have increased? They do buy unnecessary stuff, and overpriced stuff like a $19 strawberry from Erewhon grocers, though.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erewhon_Market
The Erewhon Organic brand was originally a health foods producer with a single store in Boston. The Kushis moved to Los Angeles and opened Erewhon’s oldest operating location, in the Fairfax District, in 1969. In 1979, the brand was purchased from bankruptcy by employee Tom DeSilva. In 2011, Tony and Josephine Antoci purchased the Fairfax District store from the widow of Tom DeSilva. The Antocis created and developed the brand into an upscale supermarket.
The name “Erewhon” is derived from the 1872 satirical novel Erewhon by Samuel Butler.
In the novel, Erewhon, an anagram of “nowhere,” is a utopia in which individuals are responsible for their own health and prosecuted for the crime of being unhealthy.
*LoL
Ivy, or to paraphrase an old poker player adage:
“If you look around the table and can’t spot the dinosaur, then the dinosaur is you”
Jack
Jack – I feed the squirrels peanuts in the shell when the weather is bad. They have acorns and black walnuts galore, but I try to help out when the ground is frozen. Iâve named all of the squirrels Peanut; none will answer to it.
Jack…
we had a very large red tailed hawk on our property a couple times this past week. He/she got several squirrels under our bird feeders.
The single, flawless berry arrives in a plastic dome that pops open, a bit like a box holding an engagement ring. The berry sits pointed upward, its leaves and stem pinned to a plastic disc, which conveniently doubles as a handle as you take a bite. Though it may appear to be freshly picked at peak ripeness, the strawberry has actually traveled over 5,000 miles from the Tochigi prefecture of Japan. Like another Japanese specialty fruit, sumo citrus, the berries are especially sweet. Theyâre quite low in acid, a result of several years of crossbreeding for the exact right flavor.
Curious, we decided to stage a blind taste test to determine whether the Erewhon strawberry is really that goodâor even noticeably better than ordinary strawberries.
The Erewhon strawberry [one berry] costs $19.99, and a 16-ounce container of Driscollâs non-organic strawberries is $4.29 at Whole Foods.
She said that the berry had a light, sweet flavor, with no tartness at all, and that the fruit had a âsofter texture.â She reported that the other berry, the one from Whole Foods, was tart with more flavor and âcrunchierâ texture. Linda said this strawberry was juicier, too.
She also noticed some differences in the look of the berries. The Erewhon strawberry had smaller, brighter seeds, while the Whole Foods strawberry had larger, darker yellow seeds and broader leaves. However, the size of the berries and red color were about the same.
*Aaand thatâs why they need tax cuts; so they can buy overpriced stuff and keep the GDP fluffed up.
EREWHON, novel by Samuel Butler, 1872, Utopian fiction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erewhon
The novel is one of the first to explore ideas of artificial intelligence, as influenced by Darwin’s recently published On the Origin of Species (1859) and the machines developed out of the Industrial Revolution (late 19th to early 20th centuries). Specifically, it concerns itself, in the three-chapter “Book of the Machines”, with the potentially dangerous ideas of machine consciousness and self-replicating machines.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/21/epstein-files-todd-blanche-trump-maxwell/87871985007/
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in an interview on Dec. 21 acknowledged the department pulled at least 15 photographs from the government website hosting the massive trove of documents related to the late convicted sex offender.
One of the images was that of a desk, with an open drawer containing several printed photographs, including at least one showing President Donald Trump. The removed files reportedly also show various works of art, including those containing nudity.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act allows the Justice Department to withhold documents that name victims, portray child sex abuse or that could hurt criminal prosecutions. But it also states that records cannot be withheld, delayed or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.â
âAre you saying that one or more of the women in one of the photos or several of the photos is a victim or a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein?â Welker asked. âAnd thatâs why you took those files down? And will they be put back up?â
In the novel, Erewhon, an anagram of ânowhere,â is a utopia in which individuals are responsible for their own health and prosecuted for the crime of being unhealthy. -wiki
*Because Ill health is always a moral failing per RFKJ and the Weirdest Wizard called Oz.
You spot it, you got it.
Tonight, watch Baron Von Trapp rip up the N&zi flag on ABC.
https://people.com/erika-kirk-says-grift-instead-of-grit-about-late-husband-charlie-kirk-11874068
Erika Kirk accidentally used the word “grift” instead of “grit” while describing the work of her late husband, Charlie Kirk
The flub took place while the widow â who has stepped into Charlie’s place as Turning Point CEO â was speaking at the organization’s AmericaFest in Phoenix on Dec. 20.
Erika, 37, made the flub while she was honoring a student named Caleb at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix on Saturday, Dec. 20, video of the moment shared online shows.
“Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband … Caleb has persisted with the same grift,â Erika said, before stating “gift,â then finally, âgrit.â
âIt has been a long day,â she continued, then turning to the student and adding, “Trust me, you’re not a grifter, honey. It’s all good.”
*The Widow Kirk would know. đ§ťUSA is one, huge grift. Indoctrination of young folks is just a side effect.
have you noticed how much Erika and JD look alike (their eyes, particularly when lined, are uncomfortably penetrating/chilling)? wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the new GOPer 2028 ticket or at least attempted.
a gritty gift for grift
Here is the Ray Stevens music video for “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” with Connie Prince from his 1995 feature film “Get Serious!”
Off the DVD Ray Stevens – Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens, a comedic song about chickens that were genetically mutated by radioactive waste
In the winter of 1977, a novelty version of “In The Mood” by the Henhouse Five Plus Too entered the US Pop Top 40 using the sounds of clucking chickens. It was actually a recording by none other than Ray Stevens!
Dems should be villainizing the rich
they wonât because theyâre rich themselves or serve them
this wealth disparity shit ends in civil war or enslaved masses
children growing up in wealthy Maga households now are going to be the worst adults đą
Not for those with sensitive ears, most definitely, not office friendly.
âfuck Christmasâ is an important sentiment
Saccharine seasonality is really crushing to those who are struggling
Played with this guy all over Coloraydo and New MexicoâŚ..the purtiest Xmas song.
An interesting interview of Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for Senate, state of Maine.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luigi-mangiones-lawyers-ag-pam-bondi-lobbying-firm-rcna250199
Bondi used to be a partner at Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm that represents UnitedHealthcare, and continues to profit from her links to the firm, Mangione’s lawyers argued in a filing late Friday.
The husband-and-wife defense team, Karen and Marc Agnifilo, said âany criminal defendant, let alone one who the government is trying to kill, is due a criminal process that is untainted by the financial interests of his prosecutors.â
Her past and present financial interest in Ballard Partners, which continues to lobby on behalf of UHC, violates Mangioneâs due process rights, they argued.
âThe Attorney General took the remarkable and unprecedented step of personally and publicly ordering line prosecutors to seek the death penalty against the man accused of killing UHCâs CEO,â the 51-page letter said.
Mangioneâs defense team wants prosecutors barred from seeking the death penalty, two counts dismissed and evidence and statements thrown out.
A hearing to discuss these issues is scheduled for January 9 before U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mangione-bondi-conflict-of-interest-9.7024092
By involving herself in the death penalty decision and making public statements suggesting that Mangione deserves execution, Bondi broke a vow she made before taking office in February that she would follow ethical regulations and bow out of matters pertaining to Ballard clients for a year, Mangioneâs lawyers said.
They argued Bondi has continued to profit from her work for Ballard â and, indirectly, from its work for UnitedHealth Group â through a profit-sharing arrangement with the lobbying firm and a defined contribution plan it administers.
The “very person” empowered to seek Mangioneâs death “has a financial stake in the case she is prosecuting,” his lawyers wrote. Her conflict of interest “should have caused her to recuse herself from making any decisions on this case,” they added.
The main reason I find Graham Platner interesting is ,at 41, he is 30 years younger than both establishment candidates.
Jack
Anon
Back years ago, there were years where I dreaded Christmas.
Property taxes and a large interest payment in December drained the bank account. I didn’t have the money to participate in the annual gift exchange.
Now that I do have the money I hate to see those who don’t, buy me gifts that, one, I don’t need and 2 they can’t afford. I finally got my sister talked into a gathering that is gift free. Just shared food, conversation and games.
I look forward to it.
Jack
One way to survive the season, when you can’t get into the spirit. Ignore it as long as possible until just a few days before. I found if I could do that then it was much more enjoyable.
Jack
Jack
Pretty much what I am doing. All the presents I’ve wanted to get have now been mailed. The son and grandson to visit with his Step-son, wife and child (not disparaging just the only way I can get the adults identified to others). We will do a family dinner on the 24th and I’m going to the movies Christmas day.
No angst or stress just missing my childhood traditions a little which haven’t bee available for 50 years now when I had an aunt who was the ultimate in Christmas keepers.
The 2026 agenda is a massive, $170 billion expansion of enforcement that targets the very heart of the U.S. economy. đ¨ This “Migrant Purge” is moving directly into farms, hotels, and retail sectors, putting entire industries and communities at risk. đ
đRead the receipts here.
đĽWatch the new short âĄď¸
So far no one has mentioned the infamous Chicken Dance Song.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/21/politics/jd-vance-turning-point-usa
Speaking Sunday at Turning Point USAâs annual conference, AmericaFest, Vance not only addressed head-on the friction pulling at the party, but he also encouraged attendees to embrace it.
âI know some of you are discouraged by the infighting over any number of issues. Donât be discouraged,â Vance said. âWould you rather lead a movement of free thinkers who sometimes disagree than a bunch of drones who take their orders from George Soros?â
Speakers bad-mouthed one another from the stage, clashed over whether to engage with conspiracy theorists, argued over who belongs in the GOP and America and sparred openly over Israelâs influence on US foreign policy.
Vance is familiar with adapting to his partyâs changing winds. He once aligned with âNever Trumpâ Republicans before becoming a vocal supporter â a transition that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles acknowledged to Vanity Fair appeared politically expedient.
A new CNN poll found 22% of Republican and right-leaning independents would like to see Vance run for president.
No other GOP figure eclipsed 5%. And on the opening night of AmericaFest, Kirkâs widow and Turning Pointâs new leader Erika Kirk endorsed Vance for president, even though he has yet to formally launch a bid.
In a deeply partisan speech dripping in Christian nationalism, Vance called on the movement to turn its ire outward, instead of inward.
âIâm not saying you have to be a Christian to be an American,â Vance said. âIâm saying something simple and truer: Christianity is Americaâs dream.â
*Put the Christ back in Christians, because true Christianity is about inclusion, while Nationalism is about excluding folks. They should all be struck by lightning. Wait, thatâs Zeus.
I always look forward to January 2.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-said-to-pitch-project-sunrise-a-plan-to-rebuild-gaza-as-luxury-destination/
Reported proposal drafted by top Trump officials Kushner and Witkoff to be completed over 10 years; imagines âNew Rafahâ as seat of government, Gaza City as hi-tech âsmart cityâ
The project, which would cost $112 billion over the first 10 years, was developed by a team led by US President Donald Trumpâs son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff over the past 45 days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
Initially, the US would commit to âanchorâ the program by providing $60 billion, while envisioning Gaza being able to self-fund parts of the proposal as it gets underway, according to the report.
The 32 pages of PowerPoint slides, labeled âsensitive but unclassifiedâ and detailing a four-stage vision to clear the rubble, rebuild the Strip, and take Gazans out of poverty, has been shown to wealthy Gulf countries, Turkey, and Egypt, the Journal reported.
Earlier this year, Trump floated an idea for the US to take over and rebuild the Strip to create âthe Riviera of the Middle East,â while Palestinian residents were permanently relocated. His announcement in February was rebuked by several countries but was welcomed by Israelâs government. Trump has since walked back the provision for Gazans to be permanently removed.
The 20-year-long roadmap would be completed in four stages, beginning in the south with Rafah and Khan Younis, then the central camps, before finishing with Gaza City, the report said.
It would involve clearing the rubble, unexploded bombs, and Hamas tunnels while temporary shelter and medical centers are provided to Gazan residents â though it doesnât specify exactly where they would live during this reconstruction, according to the Journal.
Then, the construction of permanent residences, public facilities and infrastructure would begin, the report said.
After essential work is completed, the luxury penthouse residences, as part of the âglitzy riviera,â as well as high-tech rail transport, would begin construction, according to the report.
By the 10th year, 70 percent of Gazaâs coastline should be monetized, with the reported proposal estimating the Strip could generate over $55 billion in long-run investment returns.
đđ
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jeffrey-epstein-david-brooks-new-york-times-b2887322.html
New York Times columnist David Brooks was featured in the latest tranche of photographs from Jeffrey Epsteinâs estate â one month after Brooks wrote a column dismissing the obsession over the Epstein files.
In a series of photographs from an event with the deceased sexual predator, which were made public Thursday, Brooks could be seen smiling directly at the camera while having drinks and eating dinner with other guests.
However, this dinner was not mentioned in a column Brooks wrote last month in which the conservative writer groused about the amount of political oxygen the Epstein case had taken up in Washington, especially among Democrats.
âWhat I donât understand is why some Democrats are hopping on this bandwagon. They may believe that the Epstein file release will somehow hurt Trump,â he stated in the piece. âBut they are undermining public trust and sowing public cynicism in ways that make the entire progressive project impossible. They are contributing to a public atmosphere in which right-wing populism naturally thrives.â
The column, titled âThe Epstein Story? Count Me Out,â also saw Brooks going to bat for the political and business elite, insisting that they shouldnât be painted with a broad brush and portrayed as sexual deviants.
âI know a thing or two about the American elite, ahem, and if youâve read my work, you may be sick of my assaults on the educated elites for being insular, self-indulgent and smug,â Brooks wrote last month. âBut the phrase âthe Epstein classâ is inaccurate, unfair and irresponsible. Say what you will about our financial, educational, nonprofit and political elites, but they are not mass rapists.â
Asked why Brooksâ article didnât contain any disclosure about the Epstein event, and if the paper would be taking any action towards Brooks over Thursdayâs revelation, a New York Times spokesperson stated that the meeting was a one-time situation and part of his relationship-building efforts.
Ivy,
I always love Hogmanay as my Scotland born father made it a big thing. Because Christmas is religious in Scotland, the presents come on Hogmanay which is a celebration. After the parents divorce I knew not to expect anything until after Jan 1.
I also love the celebration for itself. Here is an old blog post I wrote on the subject.
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/20306397/1840373629593392019
I feel really sorry for the victims, not just for what they dealt with in the past but how Trump and the DOJ is screwing over them now.
Jamie, Iâd love to go to Scotland for Hogmanay if it wasnât winter.
It seems any excuse for a bonfire is good for a Scotsman.
We’re fully lit!
Beautiful. Did you gamble and get presents?
Happy Chanukah!
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