Monday, November 17, 2025

Monday Musings - November 17, 2025

1. Don't look now, but the end of the year is looming. This is the third Monday of November and there are only six Mondays remaining in the year and only FIVE Mondays until Christmas!

Chris with the Decorations in the Garage
Tequesta, FL
November 16, 2025

2. Well, the Christmas decorations arrived at the house yesterday. There are 12 containers (two are not shown in the image)! Ugh! Fortunately I got them all into the truck for one trip from the storage facility to the house. We put the tree up yesterday and will tackle the remainder of the decorations necessary to Christmasfy the house this week.

3. Family NFL Report. Five of the six family teams played yesterday with the hapless Cowboys preparing to embarrass themselves on Monday Night Football tonight. The teams that played went 3-2, for a good week, although when it is all done the week will probably wind up 3-3. Overall the combined record stands at 26-34-1, .434.

Ravens (5-5) snuck past Browns (2-8), 23-16

Dolphins (4-7) overcame Commanders (3-8), 16-13
Cowboys (3-5-1) were play tonight

Steelers (6-4) hunted the Bengals (3-7), 34-12

Chiefs (5-5) were stampeded by Broncos (9-2), 19-22

4. Well, the Epstein Files are still in the news. I was surprised that Trump has reversed his position and is not encouraging the House to vote to release the files. I am concerned, however, that by forcing the DOJ to open an investigation into certain individuals potentially associated with the documents that he may be able to veto the bill, should the Senate approve it, and claim that the documents are evidence and can't be released because of an on-going investigation. Nothing like a light of hand to keep the upper hand.

5. Did anyone notice that even though the president insisted there is no affordability crisis that magically tariffs were reduced or eliminated on many food items? Hmm!

6. Is anyone other than me tired of having the administration blame Biden for the current economic crisis? I'm not sure how they can continue to do it with a straight face. And to justify it they continue using economic numbers from the COVID crisis which was mostly created by Trump and passed onto Biden. Com-on guys, put on your big boy panties and accept responsibility for ruining what was the best economy in the world when you took office in January!

7. You don't think there is a war brewing with Venezuela in order to mask the failures of the current administration, do you? A query to ChatGPT for the question: "do failing leaders start wars to hide their failures?" responded with the following:

Sometimes yes — but not always.
History shows that leaders facing domestic political, economic, or legitimacy crises may start or escalate conflicts to strengthen their position. This is known as diversionary war theory. But it's important to note that:
Not all wars are diversionary.
Not all failing leaders choose war.
Evidence varies by case, and motives are often mixed. (ChatGPT)

8. Today in History. November 17, 1553. Queen Mary I, the monarch of England and Ireland since 1553, dies and is succeeded by her 25-year-old half-sister, Elizabeth.

The two half-sisters, both daughters of King Henry VIII, had a stormy relationship during Mary’s five-year reign. Mary, who was brought up as a Catholic, enacted pro-Catholic legislation and made efforts to restore the pope to supremacy in England. A Protestant rebellion ensued, and Queen Mary imprisoned Elizabeth, a Protestant, in the Tower of London on suspicion of complicity. After Mary’s death, Elizabeth survived several Catholic plots against her; though her ascension was greeted with approval by most of England’s lords, who were largely Protestant and hoped for greater religious tolerance under a Protestant queen. Under the early guidance of Secretary of State Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth repealed Mary’s pro-Catholic legislation, established a permanent Protestant Church of England, and encouraged the Calvinist reformers in Scotland.