Casual Observation

12 Comments

1. 

   Shaun Appleby on December 24, 2016 at 6:01 pm

   Merry Christmas, Martin. Thanks for your blog hospitality throughout the year.

2. 

   Oui on December 24, 2016 at 7:50 pm

   Enjoy family gatherings during the coming holidays, hoping all is well.
   Enjoyed your stories about your soccer adventure … amazing.

   Keep up your excellent analysis of the politics in DC and the coming scourge
   of “bully” politics by T. and his Fox News / Breitbart gang .

3. 

   Raypc800 on December 24, 2016 at 8:46 pm

   Merry Christmas and good health to you and all those you know, Peace sir. Thank you for all of the hard work you put in here.

4. 

   Arthur Gilroy on December 24, 2016 at 9:11 pm

   I’m going to let Santa handle the rest.

   Careful, Booman.

   Remember…there’s been a regime change.

   

   AG

5. 

   on December 24, 2016 at 10:34 pm

   …this year.

6. 

   TarheelDem on December 24, 2016 at 10:48 pm

   Merry Christmas to you and all the folks at the cabin, Martin.

7. 

   esquimaux on December 25, 2016 at 12:28 am

   happy Christmas to all!

   i have spent an excellent afternoon with my bro and his husband. i sincerely hope all of you are well this holiday season. Salud!

8. 

   Don Durito on December 25, 2016 at 3:18 am

   Happy Holidays to my fellow frog ponders, and to Booman for putting up with us. Take care of yourselves and each other.

   • 

     oaguabonita on December 25, 2016 at 10:19 am

     to booman for putting up with us.

     I’m sure there are times we require a lot of putting up with.

9. 

   Quentin on December 25, 2016 at 6:02 am

   Today a western cultural monument was destroyed when the plane carrying the Russian Alexandrov military choir to Syria crashed in the Black Sea. Just one more terrible loss.

   https://www.theguardian.com/international

   • 

     Oui on December 25, 2016 at 6:57 am

     Each and every life lost in a tragic accident saddens.

     The 1948 Berlin Peace Concert

     In 1948 much of Berlin was still ruined after World War II, and the city was divided into four occupation zones, controlled by the USSR, France, the UK and the United States. This was before the Berlin Wall, and it was still possible to travel between zones. An American officer suggested a concert in the Gendarmenmarkt (in the Soviet zone at the time), and the French zone commander supported the suggestion. The musicians were to be provided by the USSR, and the Alexandrov Ensemble was chosen.  

     “The Soviet Union was not alone in worrying over the threat to European security that could come of a revitalized Germany.

     Countries to the west, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, were also wary and preferred a neutral
     and demilitarized Germany. To address these concerns, the British proposed a collective security arrangement that would
     include these nations, plus Britain, West Germany and the United States. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
     was formally established in 1949.”

   • 

     Oui on December 25, 2016 at 7:08 am

     LIVE: Tu-154 plane craches near Sochi en route to Syria

     14:55 Moscow time: Doctors of the Moscow Institute of Emergency Children’s Surgery & Traumatology led by famous children’s doctor Leonid Roshal have expressed condolences to the relatives and friends of Elizaveta Glinka, known as Dr. Liza, who saved many lives of children during the armed conflicts.

     “Dr. Liza cooperated with us very closely. She brought to us the children from Donbass. We cannot believe this has happened. Elizaveta Glinka was a kind and responsive person and was slight of figure. Her life is an exploit. A dignified person, and a person who saved children has died. All children really loved her,” the institute’s press service said.

     14:44 Moscow time: People mourn Tu-154 crash victims at Alexandrov Ensemble building