It’s Winter Solstice, Which Means It’s Time to Head Off to the Mall for….

We Need a Sacramento Version of This

@citiesbydiana Day in the Life of a Santa Cruz Leftist 🏄🌲🎢🌴 #satire#meme#americacore🚘🏈🍔🇺🇸#americantrucksimulator #santacruz#california #santacruzmedicinals ♬ original sound - 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙖

And here it is!

 

@citiesbydiana Day in the Life of a Sacramento Transplant 👨‍🌾🚜🍽️🛣️ Game: American Truck Simulator #satire#americantrucksimulator#meme#tiktokpartner #sacramento #sfbayarea #california#916#916tiktok ♬ original sound - 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙖

Split Force

I found it very interesting to watch the machinations around the recent short-term federal budget extension and the near governmental shutdown. The closest parallel I could think of was Custer at the Little Bighorn, who unwisely split his forces in the face of an enemy whose size he couldn't properly perceive. 

Even though the GOP has, and will have, the smallest majority ever in the history of the House of Representatives, both Trump and Musk felt they could forge a mighty hammer out of that tiny majority and keep it unified by making threats to primary disobedient congress members. Trump/Musk wanted to simply roll over their split force, the GOP conservative majority and the faction of budget-conscious ultra-conservatives. That conservative faction, however, has a very long history and listens to no one. Not even good cop (Trump) and bad cop (Musk) could sledgehammer their party into a unified force. Their threats lacked credibility. And the Democrats are still there, with their very large minority. 

Trump/Musk is at peak strength now. That team is bound to fade quite quickly. Like Custer, their arrogance will lead to big mistakes.

2024/25 California Rainy Season, to Date

A quick summary of the California rainy season, to date. Northern California is very wet (rainfall is 144% of normal for the season for Sacramento Executive Airport). In stark contrast, Southern California, the land of rampaging fires, is very dry. 

Starting on Saturday we'll start seeing a lot more rain in Norcal (with lots of rain on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas), but there's no indication any rain will fall at all in SoCal until New Year's Eve.

Major Lunar Standstill Sunday Night Moonrise

[Sunday night, December 15th] The full moon is nearly overhead - about 28 degrees north - and about as far north as it ever gets, in this year of major lunar standstill. Enjoy! 

More on the major lunar standstill at the Griffith Observatory in LA:

 

I Always Figured Life in California Would Be Like This

But somehow never was.

 

@sandiecameron

♬ 365 - Charli xcx

Grammarian, Under Pressure

@elle.cordova

Grammarian vs Errorist, a supervillain showdown

♬ original sound - Elle Cordova

All The Leaves Fall Down, Go Boom

Go Greeks!

Monty Python Video.

Everything Gets So Jammed at Year's End

Via Dave.