... you can talk about your memories of 2025 and plans for 2026.
Me, I'll almost surely be asleep, but I can see that it's already 2026 in London. In 5 minutes, it will turn midnight in Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland. That's good enough for me!
***
And here's today's sunrise, which I did dare to go out to see:
Posts
59 comments:
looks like Greenland…
…2025 not bad for me. Began with optimism, took long vacations, connected with old friends a bit, didn’t attend a funeral, married some family and they’re still married, still sitting up and taking nourishment…best of all my golf improved. I may see a plus index before room temp…
Clyde's Top 15 Favorite "New" Songs of 2025 - Part 16 of 16
#1 - L.E.O. - "Don't Let It Go" - Alpacas Orgling (2006)
And so, we reach the end of 2025 and this countdown. This final song was another of the ones that I found via Susan's ELOish playlist. As I said, I stretched the rules a bit at #5 to include a song by Bleu as a solo artist. I hope that you enjoy this song as much as I did this year. Alpacas Orgling is a great album and worth a listen.
Per Wikipedia:
"L.E.O. is a 2006 project by Boston musician Bleu and collaborators which produced Alpacas Orgling, a 2006 album of original songs similar in style to Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the Traveling Wilburys, and 1970s AM radio pop music.
"In 2002 Bleu was chatting with the former frontman of Semisonic, Dan Wilson. Wilson retold details from producer Rick Rubin about Jeff Lynne's studio methods and techniques. Bleu, interested in these techniques and ELO in general] wanted to make songs similar to Jeff Lynne using his studio methods for fun. Gradually those songs would develop into the album Alpacas Orgling. Mike Viola joined the project after an onstage cover of ELO's "Telephone Line" by Bleu and Viola at the Paradise Lounge in Boston.
"The name "L.E.O." is based on the letters in "ELO". However, according to Bleu, the letters in L.E.O. could stand for "Little Electric Operas", or "Little E-mail Operas"
"Their debut album, Alpacas Orgling, features major contributions from Matt Mahaffey of Self, Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish, Hanson, Mike Viola, and members of Chicago. The album was remotely recorded by the musicians over the course of 4 years in 12 different studios. The album's name is an acknowledgement of alpaca farmer and Extreme's bassist Pat Badger, who previously gave Bleu a place to live."
https://youtu.be/PRp8rOlDTQg?si=tPsC4Wi7GzujV-wb
Clyde's Top 15 Favorite "New" Songs of 2025
Bonus Song - L.E.O. - "Ya Had Me Goin'" - L.E.O. (2006)
This was my other possible choice for favorite song of the year, and it was pretty close. If you like these songs, seek out the whole album, which I highly recommend. And if you listen to the full Alpacas Orgling playlist on YouTube, it has a demo cover version of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down."
https://youtu.be/KL0k3TiW1Hg?si=CEfgsywF3fpecsYl
If you want to listen to the Deluxe version of my 2025 playlist (50 songs, about 3-1/2 hours), here it is. It has my Top 15 songs, 5 honorable mentions, 11 bonus songs and 19 others that I like that were either barely mentioned in passing or not at all. If you are an Amazon Music subscriber, log in to listen to it in order. If you aren’t, you can listen but it will be shuffled and you won’t be able to skip to the next song. This is my definitive cut of my favorite music from 2025.
https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/651696a6bb814b469d6efa80a1f47bd2sune?ref=dm_sh_90IQRDbxETC2TXHS3QdDectaK&fbclid=IwY2xjawPCqahleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeXylWgqptmfd9pXO-OXFgOi1iiJaipfiFXgNiH74qBpry4Ml9vsWCguyPNDA_aem_0zdvA8Q5KpTTZOSuFKZKyg
As an alternative, here is the Basic version of my playlist. It is just my Top 15 plus the 5 honorable mentions, without all of the bonus material. This one runs an hour and 24 minutes. Same caveats apply as do for the Deluxe version, if you are not an Amazon Music subscriber.
https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/3cec029b3fbb4cdf8080157ff81772adsune?ref=dm_sh_XweCHVY00AMpxo1UzDXHBxIVg&fbclid=IwY2xjawPCqfxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeXrdgdWS6gzPErVxyOx7mkI0vxetcnQ3teVYjDB4UH829H8hKX-FfKJT6JUs_aem_yoAdEkesyqTt_u8IydVi1A
And if you click on the link that says "Curated by Clyde S." you will be able to then click on the link that says "24 playlists" (or whatever number shows up for you) and you can see all of my various playlists.
Thank you Clyde. Happy New Year
Sorry I posted this in the wrong thread. My Indiana Hoosiers play in the Rose Bowl tomorrow for the first time since 1967. I never thought it would happen in my lifetime.
Here's what I want for 2026.
Most of the subsidies going to "Legal Aid" projects are given to left wing NGOs fighting to prevent squatters from being evicted, or criminals of favored skin colors from suffering the consequences of their crimes, or filing Potemkin lawsuits against the EPA that lead to massive settlements, with the connivance of the government-worker scum who are supposed to be looking out for the taxpayer but are actually termites working for the other side.
Let's rip away 100% of their funding, and instead use it to subsidize Qui Tam actions against the day-care swindlers, vote harvesters, and other Democrat pets. Surely Trump has this discretion, does he not?
While we're at it, let's make the qui tam awards much larger, like 75% of what's been stolen from us. It would be nice to get the money back from the hapless Somalis, but it's far more important to expose and harshly punish the white left-wingers who are orchestrating all these schemes behind the scenes to keep the Democrats financially afloat.
The Somalis are backstabbing pirates who would happily sell their grandmothers, so with some fat, widely publicized rewards and judicious use of immunity from prosecution or deportation, maybe we can begin to take a chainsaw to the arms of the Soros/Arabella octopus, and put torpedo after torpedo into the traitors and racketeers of the Democrat party.
@mongo, have your Hoosiers ever been national champs? They are 3 wins away.
Like @mongo, I am Never Daunted, and a fan since the time of Corso.
Lucky to have lived long enough to see this season from our Hoosiers. In Cig We Trust.
A thought for all those working tonight. Safe travels home for all on amateur night.
As we close the book on 2025, my final thought is one of cautious optimism. History shows that turbulent years often precede breakthroughs—pushing us to innovate, adapt, and reconnect with what matters. Here's to 2026 bringing more collaboration, fewer conflicts, and the wisdom to build a better path forward. Happy New Year!
Could I mention that this is my silver anniversary? We got married on Sydney harbor bridge with thousands present because of the Federation Day celebrations. (at 01:01 on 01/01/01 -- computer nerd stuff) My wife (a cis woman as the kids say) woke me up at zero dark thirty this morning to watch the Sydney fireworks. Ooh la la. Say no more. lol.
Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Might as well be the US.
lol (902.7777777777778 miles? of 8/11 paper laid end 20 end)
Per NBC News:
The Justice Department is scrambling to review about 5.2 million pages related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to comply with a law passed by Congress, a source familiar with the operation told NBC News on Tuesday night.
That number is much higher than previously known.
The Justice Department was seeking to enlist roughly 400 employees in the effort to sift through the records, which is expected to run from Friday to Jan. 20, two sources familiar with the plan told NBC News.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Wednesday that lawyers from department’s headquarters, the FBI, the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of New York “are working around the clock through the holidays, including Christmas and New Years, to review documents in compliance with federal law.”
Happy New Year, Althouse and Meade! Best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous 2026.
Jon Ericson said..."Could I mention that this is my silver anniversary? We got married on Sydney harbor bridge "
Cool. I love that bridge. Will be doing our mostly-annual walk across it to a Kirribilli pub in a couple of months. Some New Year's Eve we're going to be there for the fireworks.
Get Your Epstein Education right here. h/t Gerda.
Nebraska plays Indiana next season. UNL will lose by 40 plus.
Jack Smith was right about everything. Too bad the Republican Congress doesn’t have more of his courage.
@big Mike, IU has never won a football championship. They have 5 men’s basketball championships, 7 or so swimming championships (Mark Spitz), and a host of men’s soccer championships. They have won a couple minor bowl games, but that’s it. Around 1989 they celebrated the 100th anniversary of the football program by losing every game on their schedule. Until this year they had the most losses in NCAA history.
Jack Smith is a fraud. That's why everything he did was tossed.
Inga said...
Jack Smith was right about everything. Too bad the Republican Congress doesn’t have more of his courage.
Jack has been overturned by the Supreme Court 9-0. If there is anyone who is universally known as a piece of shit it would be Jack Smith.
No wonder such a morally deranged person likes him.
Remember - Inag still buys the Jussie Smollete story.
Pleasantly surprised to find other Hoosiers on this thread.
When my brother was a freshman he attended that 1/1/1968 Rose Bowl when Indiana lost to OJ Simpson’s USC Trojans.
A lot of years have passed.
Looks like 2026 is opening up with a good old fashioned tax revolt.
I look forward to Trump getting off his ass and starting to arrest some traitors.
CNN called the 8 places Shirley highlighted in the video over 100 million people have viewed.
1 answered the phone. Couldn't answer any questions.
"Remember - Inag still buys the Jussie Smollete story."
She still buys Russia!Russia!Russia!
"CNN called the 8 places Shirley highlighted in the video over 100 million people have viewed."
That was totally pathetic.
Economic Education for leftists. If you dare.
O-Mike -
if it's a lie - she will buy.
Igner's theme music.
I just posted a longish comment that appeared and then vanished. I mentioned both ecstasy and absinthe. Could that have cased the deletion? We shall see...
It was a fun story, or at least I thought so.
I wonder if Inga supports her fellow Democrats who are now calling for fraudulent Democrat supported day care "owners" to just gun down and kill anyone who asks questions like 'do you actually have any kids here?" Does Inga and Kak support Democrat lawmakers who are demanding we pass laws making it a crime to question daycare owners or visit them? Because surely that is a great way to make sure everyone knows there is no fraud here, if we just kill anyone who asks!
Inga's part of a party that demands young girls and women must never, ever, defend themselves against rapists. That's not the point of the Second amendment.... the point of the Second amendment is to allow Somali fraudsters to kill anyone who dares threaten their Democrat supported fraud.
Isn't that what you leftists support now, Inga? No gun rights to defend yourself from criminals, only gun rights to kill anyone who opposes Democrats.
Also: Inga no doubt supports the Democrat Minnesota policy of "You can vote as long as someone you bring with you says you can!" Not a single dime of vote fraud there, of course.
"I just posted a longish comment that appeared and then vanished."
You didn't say the "b" word, did you?
Somebody earlier asked for this Dereck Chauvin link.
I aim to read fewer comments both here and on X. The vitriol and bitterness I see so much of are corrosive to my mind. So much good content on here, and I have gotten much better at skipping past the trash, but I've always been one of those people who has to read everything, even Mary Worth and Cathy in the comics years ago, so I struggle to simply skip the people who I know bring nothing useful to the conversation. Even that act of consciously skipping past is difficult for me, so the weakness is all mine.
I wish you all a god new year, even the likes of Inga and the tea bag hag (and a few others I won't name, but not you Chuck). We should all do our best to be kind.
Thank you, Clyde!
@mongo, the swimming championships were due to coach Doc Counsilman.
@mongo - IU soccer has eight national championships.
Miami band playing Neck at the finish. They are the official "hot" team in this tournament. Buckeyes soundly thumped.
Happy New Year!! And I certainly hope my beloved Crimson Tide rings it in properly tomorrow afternoon… :)
Happy New Year!
Thank you Prof Althouse for being our gracious host.
Moved houses this year. I forgot how much I hate moving. New place has a gas fireplace in the front room; I've been looking forward to sitting by the fire watching snow fall next to the lit Christmas tree.
Took the tree down today. Hasn't snowed here yet this year. Was 63 degrees the day before Christmas Eve. Strange, strange year.
It’s 11:30 here (Eastern Time Zone) but it’s gotta be 5:00 somewhere.
I'm struggling to make it until midnight so decided to come to Althouse. Happy New Year Althouse and Meade! I note that you ended up short over a hundred posts to hit 3000 for the year. I'm grateful you didn't force it.
Happy new year, all! We fired up the wood burning pizza oven and had the best homemade pizza to date. And it was better than most good pizzeria pies. I'll be in bed before midnight for sure - happy belly and hopefully sleep in until 0700. That would be a good start to the new year.
Look at this thing. What do you figure? IQ of 75? Obviously, this is the brains of the outfit. I wouldn't let my dog mate with it.
Happy New Year from Virginia!
@Jupiter, how can someone steal what never existed?
I moved myself and my mother into the new house I had built in Crossville, TN a couple of weeks ago- been a hectic end of the year for me but is the first new year's eve I have spent in the central time zone since grad school in 1991's new year's eve.
Happy New Year to all at Althouse. Thanks for 365 days of sunrise pictures. I'm staying up to see in my last New Year's Eve in Wisconsin. Then, off to new adventures in a new state. But thanks to the internet, I'll still be able to follow my favorite blog and all its varied life from the proud leaping thinkers to the blooms of pond scum. Yet, tonight, strangely, I only think, bless you all. Age 82 is a strange age even when you've lived through 82 years and think you know the ranges and the changes.
Happy New Year from the Eastern time zone. I was impressed with the way the Washington Monument was lit up to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. It's going to be a great year to be an American.
Happy new year! Thanks again to everyone who helped me with my ongoing legal troubles. I am still in the fight. Optimistic about the outcome. CC, JSM
Midnight in Madison. Happy New Year, everyone!
Be well in the new year. Peace.
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