Open thread 12/27/2025
It wouldn’t be my first choice for a pet.
But apparently embedding has been disabled for the video I chose for today’s open thread. To watch it, please click here.
The New Neo
A blog about political change, among other things
It wouldn’t be my first choice for a pet.
But apparently embedding has been disabled for the video I chose for today’s open thread. To watch it, please click here.
Evidently Norman Podhoretz, like our host, was a Milan Kundera fan, and penned an open letter to him in 1984. Which I’m just now finding out about.
https://archive.fo/kTJRF
It’s wonderful by the way.
Why not Neo, Cappy’s are wonderful.
We have an interesting rodent in our back yard, a white squirrel living in a den in a big tree. We haven’t invited him in, however.
While we’ve been sleeping (or sleeping it off)…
“The Red Sea Divorce: How Erdogan [just] outflanked the UAE in Sudan;
“Ankara and Abu Dhabi are actively reshaping the security architecture of one of the world’s most vital waterways. Why is the US silent?…”—
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419970
+ Related?
“…Israel recognizes Somaliland as an independent state;
“Israel officially recognizes Somaliland as an independent state, a move criticized by Somalia, Egypt, Turkey, and Djibouti.”—
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419955
“Arab, Islamic states condemn Israel’s recognition of Somaliland”—
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419986
“Somalia requests urgent UN session following Somaliland recognition”—
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419963
“Abbas opposes agreement between Israel and Somaliland”—
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/419980
Related, and more in-depth:
‘Sudan Between Two Middle Easts;
‘Between the jihad of the “Hamas of Africa” and the new order of the Abraham Accords, the choice in Sudan should be clear.’—
https://quillette.com/2025/12/26/sudan-between-two-middle-easts-sudan-iran-qatar-uae/
H/T Powerline blog.
Related (from the “Heh” File)…
“Somaliland: Crowds Wave Israeli Flags to Celebrate Jerusalem’s Recognition;
“The U.S. ‘studying’ Israel’s move, may not recognize Somaliland anytime soon”—
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/12/somaliland-crowds-wave-israeli-flags-to-celebrate-jerusalems-recognition/
And now for some things completely different:
Bringing Back the Battleship? – Railguns, US Shipbuilding and a 35,000 ton bad idea? Perun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvUbx9TvOwk
and
Ukraine’s Submarine & Shadow Fleet Strikes – UUVs, Novorossiysk & The Energy War at Sea Perun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4D26vfHbQ
Does the massive Somali welfare fraud in Minnesota shed new light on the a
murder of MN Democrat legislative leader Melissa Hortman last June? Hortman was the only MN Democrat to vote “No” on a bill to give state healthcare to illegal aliens.
And weirdly enough, the accused murderer Vance Boelton produced a handwritten letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel. In it, Boelton claims that Governor Tim Walz ordered him to kill Hortman.
The entire Perry Mason-like case is outlined by Benny Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUzQ5zhZgCo
who is “only asking questions.”
The plot thickens?
FUTURE headlines coming? Or just a lark?
Intriguing speculation regarding the mid-term elections:
“The Supreme Court could give Republicans a good shot at keeping the House in 2026…”—
https://nypost.com/2025/12/28/us-news/supreme-courts-voting-rights-act-ruling-could-help-gop-keep-house-in-2026/