6 minutes:

Boy, do we ever need some diversion from the dismemberment of our government and society being led by the Felon in the White House. As the spectacles unfold of Republican politician’s unlawfulness and corruption, including a march to war to steal the oil in Venezuela, I am trying to take a bit of a break from reality for a few days.

 As long as our species has been around in the northern hemisphere this time of year has been a time for joy because we can actually see the day time lengthening and therefore reasoned that the sun is coming back. No better reason to party than knowing the sun will be around again for a while. So Party on!

In the course of celebrating mankind created some low level festive days leading up to the big kahuna which in various places and times has been Saturnalia, Jul, Christmas, Winter Solstice or Hanukkah. Most of these fests have a theme of the retuning light, thanking some deity for that return and fun, fun, fun.

So I will mix in some qiuestions on St. Nicholas and Santa Lucia whose minor feast are celebrated this week as we wind down to the big kahuna. Hope it takes away the stench of questions about what Republicans are doing:

A) We end the week with an announcement of another giant takeover in the media world as who announced they will buy Warner Brothers?

B) In what seems like following a long established script, what cabinet member claimed the blame for illegal acts in the Caribbean were not his fault?

C) Well, then, just whose fault were those illegal acts according to the administration?

D) Santa Lucia Day is December 13th. Traditional celebration has a teen aged girl wearing a white dress and what on her head?

E) SCOTUS topped the week by pronouncing that what state’s gerrymandering plan was OK with them?

F) The week began with an appeals court saying that what Trump appointment for New Jersey’s US Attorney was done illegally?

G) The FIWH held a cabinet meeting this week. During the praise portion of the meeting DHS Secretary Noem showered Trump with praise for keeping what out of the US this year?

H) Santa Lucia is mostly celebrated in what area of the world?

I) In what looks like the first skirmishes in what may become a widening conflict what religious group issued condemnations of US actions against members of that group in the US?

J) European leaders are meeting Dec. 18 to discuss using what to aid Ukraine in their war against Russia?

K) What very select group of people get a wake up call from Santa Lucia and her attendants on Santa Lucia Day (Dec. 13)?

L) What major retailer made headlines when they joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration to recoup tariff payments that the company claimed the administration had collected illegally?

M) Revenue is down over $4 B in Las Vegas because what group of people are boycotting travel to the US this year?

N) Monday the US Department of Transportation threatened to shut down 3000 of what kind of schools in a crackdown?

O) Last Thursday was the one year anniversary of whose shooting that focused attention on the health insurance industry?

P) Saint Nicholas Day was yesterday. Most people know that Nicholas was the Bishop of what city on Turkey’s southern coast?

Q) The hypocrit of the year has to be the FIWH for pardoning the former Honduras president who was incarcerated for what crime?

R) Out of this world edition. The Mars rover discovered indications of what earthly natural phenomena on Mars?

S) Who is Franklin the Turtle and why is he in the news?

T)  What name do the Dutch refer to Saint Nicholas as?

If we are at war, then Pete Hegseth is a war criminal. If we are not at war then Pete Hegseth is a murderer.

Answers:

A) Netflix

B) Secretary of WAR Hegseth

C) Looks like Admiral Frank Bradley is the designated fall guy

D) a crown of candles

E) Texas

F) Alina Habba

G) hurricanes

H) Scandinavia

I) Catholics

J) Frozen Russian assets in European (mostly Belgian) banks

K) People who have just won the Nobel prizes announced on December 10th

L) Costco

M) Canadians

N) truck driving schools. If you think prices are high now, just wait……

O) Brian Thompson, United Health Care CEO

P) Myra

Q) bringing drugs (cocaine) into the US – something like 400 tons – while claiming he is trying to stop drugs coming in from Venezuela

R) lightening in dust devils

S) Franklin is a much loved Canadian children’s book hero who was used by SOW Hegseth to sell his (Hegseth’s) version of his war on Venezuela

T) Sinterklaas (which evolved into Santa Claus)

Canadians boycotting the United States are actually moving the needle. Las Vegas alone has taken a four-billion-dollar hit because Canadians chose not to go. The American alcohol industry is down another nine hundred million. That is real impact. – Microinteracti1.

Jesse Welles: Department of War (2 minutes)