MOSCOW (The Borowitz Report)—Capping an extraordinary year for the former television host, the Kremlin has named Donald J. Trump its Employee of the Month for December.

“No one has worked more tirelessly for the glory of the Fatherland than Donald Trump,” the Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an official statement. “He has set a high bar for all Kremlin employees, and for that, we salute him.”

To mark the honor, Trump’s name will be added to a plaque that hangs in the hallway outside the Kremlin’s H.R. office.

According to Kremlin sources, Trump faced tough competition in the Employee of the Month voting, besting both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and ExxonMobil’s C.E.O., Rex Tillerson.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate, in Florida, Trump called the award “a tremendous honor, just tremendous.”



www.borowitzreport.com

There is a place half an hour away that has a three acre (I'm guessing) Christmas lights extravaganza. The family that puts it on is stopping it after 50 years. It is Kitsch to the max and so wonderful it has to be chronicled.
But not by me.
So for my Christmas post I show two photos from it, and a shot of Lola in the arms of my friend Danny, who ran the Bernie campaign here in the area, and who still visits.

Thanks for your care and attention not just through the year but always. I am seriously augmented by being part of you, and I learn all the time.
Happy Holidays, take care of yourselves and those around you, and let's all hope for the best in the next (dreaded) year.




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Source: NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/us/politics/donald-trump-david-friedman-israel-ambassador.html?emc=edit_na_20161215&nlid=28208667&ref=headline&_r=0
For his envoy to Israel, Donald Trump has chosen a supporter of West Bank settlements who has insulted left-leaning American Jews

President-elect Donald J. Trump on Thursday named David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer aligned with the Israeli far right, as his nominee for ambassador to Israel, elevating a campaign adviser who has questioned the need for a two-state solution and has likened left-leaning Jews in America to the Jews who aided the Nazis in the Holocaust.
Mr. Friedman, whose outspoken views stand in stark contrast to decades of American policy toward Israel, did not wait long on Thursday to signal his intention to upend the American approach. In a statement from the Trump transition team announcing his nomination, he said he looked forward to doing the job “from the U.S. embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem.”

more at link

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/us/politics/donald-trump-david-friedman-israel-ambassador.html?emc=edit_na_20161215&nlid=28208667&ref=headline&_r=0

I'm walking Lola now, a little bit anyway. When we encounter pedestrians I usually say something like: "Don't worry! I've got this."

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—In what Donald Trump’s transition-team members are calling a further example of international coöperation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to receive daily U.S. intelligence briefings in the place of the President-elect.

Trump, who had earlier decided that he did not need the briefings and had assigned Vice-President-elect Mike Pence to receive them, said on Tuesday that Putin was a “much better choice.”

“No offense to Mike, but Vladimir Putin is just a terrific, terrific guy to do this,” he said. “He knows all the players.”

Trump said that, while he was “totally uninterested” in receiving the briefings, Putin appeared to be “extremely interested.”

“He’s just terrific,” he said.

Trump also touted his deal-making prowess in securing the Russian President’s services. “The American people are getting an amazing deal here,” he said. “Putin is doing this totally for free.”



www.borowitzreport.com

Source: NY Times


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/mcconnell-supports-inquiry-of-russian-hacking-during-election.html?emc=edit_na_20161212&nlid=28208667&ref=cta

Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said on Monday that he supported congressional investigations of possible Russian cyberattacks to influence the American election.
But Mr. McConnell stopped short of saying whether he agreed that Russia interfered in the election in support of Donald J. Trump, and he repeatedly declined to address the president-elect’s attack on the Central Intelligence Agency.

more at link

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/mcconnell-supports-inquiry-of-russian-hacking-during-election.html?emc=edit_na_20161212&nlid=28208667&ref=cta

I was putting on dinner for a few friends and Lola was getting socialized, as I'm told it's called. Could not find her at one point.
Then I did.

I also try to not fall out of bed.

There were still a few fleas around. After all, Lola came from a horse farm.
So it took two of us to make sure she did not drink the bath water, or jump out. She was very good. I'm grateful because she gets more puppy wild by the day.