The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder Streamed live 3 hours ago The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder It’s another Best of 2025 episode on the Majority Report. Original air date: February 11, 2025 Gil Duran, journalist based in California, proprietor of the website The Nerd Reich, co-writer of the FrameLab newsletter, joins to discuss his recent piece in The Nerd Reich entitled “‘Reboot’ Revealed: Elon Musk’s CEO-Dictator Playbook.”

(Image from albert-schweitzer-heute.de)

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

~ Albert Schweitzer

Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer (January 14, 1875 – September 4, 1965) was a German polymath from Alsace. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. Wikipedia

Published: December 19, 2001 (TheOnion.com)

RUTLAND, VT—In what has become an annual holiday tradition, the dysfunctional Dawes family came together Sunday to sit in front of the TV and watch touching, feel-good family dramas in stony silence.

“We see each other so rarely,” said Nicole Dawes, 44, whose three children were all home from college. “It’s so nice to all sit down together and have a peaceful time. And [son] Kevin didn’t bring up that awful new girlfriend of his once the entire time.”

Following a special holiday dinner of turkey, artichokes, and spiced yams, Nicole and sullen daughter Gabrielle, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Vermont, were put in charge of selecting the movies to watch. The two shared a wordless 10-minute car trip to their local Blockbuster video store, where Gabrielle ruled out most of her mother’s choices as “stupid” or “lame.” Tired of saying no and eager to leave the store, Gabrielle finally assented to the holiday classic It’s A Wonderful Life and the 1994 remake of Miracle On 34th Street.

“I can’t believe we got Miracle On 34th Street again,” Gabrielle said. “Still, it’s better than some of the other stuff my mom was pulling off the shelves. I mean, The Santa Clause? How gay is that? I hate Tim Allen.”

Added Gabrielle: “I wish we hadn’t gotten It’s A Wonderful Life. It’s so long. Besides, why would anybody pay actual money to rent that thing when it’s on TV, like, a bazillion times every December?”

Upon Nicole and Gabrielle’s return, It’s A Wonderful Life was promptly inserted into the living-room VCR. Familiar with the annual routine, the family members huddled around the TV without exchanging a word, just as they have since the holiday tradition began in 1991.

As the movie played, Kevin, 22, a senior at Southern Vermont College, paid little attention, wrapped up in thoughts of his impending graduation. The few times he did focus on the film, it was to negatively compare his own family to the Baileys.

“That movie always makes me think about how if dad’s hardware store lost $8,000 like George Bailey’s bank did, it’d totally tear us apart,” Kevin said. “He’d probably blame us and drag us all down with him. Good thing he isn’t trusted with much money at his job.”

Following the conclusion of It’s A Wonderful Life, an awkward 80-second silence occurred as the videotape rewound. The silence was briefly broken by daughter Gina, 20, who remarked that the evening’s dinner had been “really good.” Peter, her father, grunted in agreement.

As Miracle On 34th Street played, Peter sat in rapt attention, pushing aside anxieties about work, aging, and his chilly relationship with his children.

“The original was one of my all-time favorites,” Peter said. “I was trying to spot the differences between the two. I was just glad to have something to focus on besides trying to make conversation with the kids. I have no idea what they’re up to these days. Jesus, they’re all grown up, able to vote and all. I wonder if they hate me.”

Some 40 minutes into the movie, having consumed three snifters of brandy, Peter fell asleep.

When the second movie finished, the three children claimed exhaustion and trundled off to their childhood bedrooms, feigning excitement for the following day’s Christmas-tree-shopping excursion.

“It’s good to see all the kids together under one roof. It reminds me of when they would all watch cartoons together growing up,” said Nicole, wiping a tear from her eye. “I love the holidays.”

Translation Saturday Meeting

December 27, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST Mike Zonta, H.W., M. In a crisis — any crisis — The Prosperos offers Translation.  Translation Saturday Meetings is a weekly series of Translation presentations by veteran Translators, live and up to date on the issues of the day. It is not a Translation workshop,  It is not a Translation class.  It is not a group Translation, though group participation is encouraged. It is, however, restricted to those who have taken Translation class. So if you have never taken Translation class, check the calendar tab on The Prosperos website (TheProsperos.org) or get in touch with us and we will schedule a class. Last week our sense testimony was: Is truth the same as love: Conclusion: Truth is joy, love and happiness. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -Dare to join us!!!- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Here’s the link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81749347119 For more info and link to join please Email Mike Zonta at: zonta1111@aol.com

Translation is a 5-step process of “straight thinking in the abstract” comparing and contrasting what seems to be truth with what you can syllogistically, axiomatically and mathematically (using word equations) prove is the truth. It is not an effort to change, alter or heal anything other than our consciousness.

The claims in a Translation should be outrageous and mind-blowing, but they are always (or should always be) based on self-evident syllogistic reasoning. Here is one Translation from this week. 

1)    Truth is that which is so. That which is not truth is not so.  Therefore Truth is all that is.  Truth being all is therefore total, therefore whole, therefore sound, therefore perfect.  I think therefore I am.  Since I am and since Truth is all that is, I cannot be other than Truth, therefore I, being, am Truth.  Since I, being, am Truth, therefore I, being, have all the attributes of Truth.  Therefore I, being, am total, whole, sound, perfect,  Since I am mind (self-evident) and since I (being) am Truth, therefore Truth is Mind.  (Euclid’s axiom:  Things equal to the same thing are equal to each other.)  Since Truth is Mind, therefore Mind has all the attributes of Truth.  There Mind is total, whole, sound, perfect.

2)    I am worried about 1) recovering from the flu; 2) upcoming oral surgery; and 3) upcoming cataract surgery.

Word-tracking:
worry:  wrench, wrong, twisted
flu:  flow
influenza:  interruption of the flow, to move freely
surgery:  working with the hands
oral:  tooth, to bite into, to chew, to ingest, to take in
cataract:  cloudy vision

3)  Truth being Mind/Consciousness, and Truth being all that is, there is be nothing outside of Mind/Consciousness to cloud over Mind/Consciousness, therefore Truth/ Consciousness is always clear and sunny.  Since Truth is Mind and since Truth is everything, therefore Mind is Everything or Everything is Mind.  Since Everything is Mind, therefore Mind ingests Everything.  Truth being Mind and Mind being everything, there is no working of the hands outside of the working of consciousness, therefore Truth is the only Surgeon.  Truth being Mind/Consciousness and Truth being all that is, there is nothing to interrupt the flow of Mind/Consciousness.  Therefore Truth is flow.  Truth being true, is therefore untwisted, un-wrong, un-wrenched, un-worried.  Therefore Truth is worry-free.

4)    Truth/ Consciousness is always clear and sunny. 
        Mind ingests Everything. 
        Truth is the only Surgeon.
        Truth is flow.
        Truth is worry-free.

5)    Truth is the worry-free flow of Consciousness.

Weekly Invitational Translation Group invites your participation.  If you would like to submit a Translation on any subject, feel free to send your weekly Translation to  zonta1111@aol.com and we will anonymously post it on the Bathtub Bulletin on Friday.

For information about Translation or other Prosperos classes go to: https://www.theprosperos.org/teaching.

Bird's in a Christmas mood but the dog.. sound on..???????????? pic.twitter.com/RhXCXHwkVC

— ????o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) December 24, 2025

• Google AI Overview

Pamela L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, was a dedicated, lifelong follower of mystic spiritual teacher G.I. Gurdjieff, deeply integrating his Gurdjieff International Review teachings on self-awareness and consciousness into her life and work, a connection she kept largely private but which informed her spiritual quest, leading her to organize Gurdjieff Society resources and form study groups, viewing him as a significant guide for awakening inner being. 

Key Aspects of Travers’s Connection to Gurdjieff:

• Spiritual Path: Travers was introduced to Gurdjieff’s complex system (often called the “Fourth Way”) by his disciples and found resonance with its methods for achieving higher consciousness and self-understanding, seeing it as a path beyond ordinary “waking sleep”.
• Influence on Her Work: While not overtly stated, Gurdjieff’s ideas about inner work, different “brains,” and the search for meaning likely influenced her writing, even Mary Poppins, suggesting a deeper spiritual quest behind the whimsical tales.
• Role in the Gurdjieff Society: She became a vital member, meticulously organizing the Society’s library, linking Gurdjieff’s work with broader spiritual traditions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc.), and fostering study groups, says Gurdjieff International Review.
• Secrecy: Travers was intentionally secretive about her personal life, including her deep commitment to Gurdjieff, adding an air of mystery to her connection with the enigmatic teacher.
• Search for Meaning: Her dedication stemmed from a profound desire to explore and understand human being and consciousness, a quest that Gurdjieff’s teachings promised to fulfill, says themarypoppinseffect.com. 

In essence, Gurdjieff provided Travers with a framework for her spiritual journey, impacting her understanding of self and reality, and she, in turn, contributed significantly to preserving and sharing his legacy within his circles. 

(Image from IMDB.com)

Pamela Lyndon Travers (August 9, 1899 – April 23, 1996) was an Australian-British writer who spent most of her career in England. She is best known for the Mary Poppins series of books, which feature the eponymous magical nanny. Wikipedia

(Goodreads.com)

“The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”

― Albert Einstein

• Gogole AI Overview

That famous Albert Einstein quote, found on 

Goodreads, is: “The distinction between the past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion“. He added, “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once”. This reflects his belief, rooted in physics, that time isn’t a universal, absolute flow but a construct, particularly in relativity, as he explained in a letter about a friend’s passing. 

• Full Context: In a letter to the family of his late friend Michele Besso, Einstein wrote, “Now he has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”.
• Meaning: Einstein saw time as a dimension where past, present, and future coexist, and our perception of a linear flow is a human experience, a “stubborn illusion”.
• Source: This quote is widely shared on Goodreads and Scientific American. 

by Rob Brezsny | December 23, 2025 (newcity.com)

Photo: Sokmean Nou

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the Brazilian rainforest, Cecropia trees and Azteca ants have a special relationship. The trees’ hollow branches serve as nesting spaces for the ants and offer them sugar-rich food. In return, the ants aggressively defend the trees from herbivores and predators, protecting them from damage. This mutualism benefits both species. The trees get protection that enhances their growth, while the ants gain shelter and nutrition. In the coming months, Aries, I invite you to seek symbiosis that’s equally vigorous. Enjoy the fun challenge of reducing your solo struggles as you rouse collaborations that boost your power and everyone else’s. The goal is intelligent alliance, not compromise. Be resourceful as you trade a bit too much independence for just the right amount of interdependence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When potters center clay on a wheel, they typically use one hand inside the vessel to apply steady, controlled force. The other hand remains fluid, guiding and stabilizing the outer rim of the spinning clay. This balanced use of pressure—one hand firm and bracing, the other adapting minutely to the shifting clay—helps bring the lump into perfect symmetry. I propose you make this a prime metaphor in the coming months, Taurus: control meeting surrender. You will be crafting a new balance between security and surprise. Too much rigidity, and the form cracks; too much flow, and it collapses. Practice the middle art.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Poet Audre Lorde spoke of how caring for herself was the exact opposite of being selfish. It was the foundation of her ability to serve and inspire other people. My Aunt Sophie used to say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” Educator Stephen Covey advised, “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” Poet Vironika Tugaleva writes, “Learning to love yourself is essential and life-changing.” Everything I just said should be your keynotes in the coming months, Gemini. Boost your self-care to sublime levels.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A remarkable species of jellyfish can circumvent the aging and death process that affects all other animals. Turritopsis dohrnii converts its mature, specialized cells back into stem cells, essentially recycling its own body into youth. The process may repeat indefinitely, making the animal theoretically immortal. In the coming months, Cancerian, your emotional wisdom will also show amazing regenerative power. Challenging and intriguing situations will be opportunities for you to initiate stunning acts of renewal. Like the jellyfish, you won’t merely manage change but will use it as a catalyst for vigorous growth. Have you ever before been blessed by such wildly rejuvenative powers of metamorphosis? I don’t think so.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to ancient Egyptian myth, the sun god Ra rode a celestial boat across the sky by day. Each night, he plunged into the underworld to wrangle with chaos so he could rebirth light in time for the dawn. That’s your mythic assignment for the coming months, Leo: not to be nonstop luminous, but to renew and nurture your radiance in the dark. Your courage will lie in feeling and learning from your doubts without identifying with them. Your magnetism and wisdom will deepen as you descend. You won’t be less golden for passing through shadow.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In medieval monasteries, scribes added whimsical drawings called drolleries into the margins of sacred manuscripts. These marginalia included scenes like frogs playing harps, nuns chasing rabbits, and fantastical creatures engaged in playful or absurd activities. How should we interpret these seemingly prankish additions? Scholars disagree. In any case, I recommend you experiment with drolleries of your own, Virgo. Inject improvisation into duty. Add ornament to order. The coming months will reward your serious play. You’ll accomplish more by enjoying the work than by obsessing on perfecting it. A touch of friskiness may even improve efficiency. So when you edit, doodle; when you analyze, wink.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Italy’s Orto Botanico di Padova is the world’s oldest botanical garden still in its original location. Since its inception 480 years ago, it has been a center for botanical research, education and conservation. Its layout is striking, a square-inscribed in a circle, symbolizing harmonious order. In the coming months, Libra, you will be wise to associate yourself intimately with a similar wonder: an enduring source of beauty and revelation that you can both serve and benefit from.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Astronaut Chris Hadfield has spent 166 days orbiting the Earth in the International Space Station. In the microgravity of outer space, he says, motion is very smooth; objects and people float. He marvels at how everything is always moving, and yet the pace itself is tranquil and unhurried. I foresee you enjoying a lot of this kind of grace in the coming months, Scorpio: momentum without mania; constant fluidic movement that’s never hectic or rushed. What a great privilege! I expect you will rack up many flowing accomplishments.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Kyoto’s famous moss gardens, caretakers practice artful arrangement rather than total removal of shed foliage. They use delicate tools to gather trees’ cast-off leaves and arrange them on the moss to create visual harmony rather than bare tidiness. This approach reflects the Japanese aesthetic principles of embracing imperfection. Supposed “flaws” become part of the beauty of the garden. I propose that you regularly adopt a metaphorically comparable approach in the coming months, Sagittarius. Integrate rather than edit. Be creative with what’s changing form. Treat so-called messes and unexpected plot twists not as blemishes but as rich textures that feel meaningful and inspiring.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A newly planted orchard spends its first year growing roots, not fruit. Underground and unseen, the real work happens. I surmise that’s like what you will be doing in the coming months, Capricorn: mostly invisible stabilization and preparation. If anyone asks you what you’re producing, smile inscrutably and say, “Depth.” Be committed to the quiet, hidden work rather than any showy song and dance. As my rough and rugged spirit guide Esther likes to say, “You don’t got to prove nothin’ to nobody!” The nourishment you will be storing up will sustain later abundance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Engineers may engage in “stress testing.” They evaluate a system’s hardiness and reliability by subjecting it to pressure or force. I suspect that life will bring you a benevolent version of this trial in the coming months, Aquarius. That’s a good thing! It’s not meant to break you, but to prove how much resilience you have developed. Situations that might have formerly cracked your confidence will affirm and reveal your upgraded endurance. Take note of your composure and congratulate yourself for it. You will have every right to exult in the vivid evidence of how much you’ve grown.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean author Anaïs Nin wrote, “Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source.” Apply her counsel dynamically during the coming months, dear Pisces. Be the great replenisher. Make yourself into a fountain of beauty as you share lavishly. Nurture tenderness and adoration with unexpected flowers, gorgeous music in the midst of the routine, and affection expressed through artful thoughtfulness. Be brilliant and persistent in ensuring that love thrives. Your elegant generosity and fond attention should enrich everything you touch.

Homework: What’s the best thing you can do to stimulate more of the love you want in 2026? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Conclusion of Pixar animated film   

Inside Out2   (the Second half)

Friday 26 December 2025

4:30 PM – 7:00 PM Pacific Time.

Yes, It is the last of our year programs, where in this Salon, you may find yourself  reminiscing in an enjoyable recollection of  an event you and your past emotions had to come to terms with that produced the choices your future became. 

The film explores surprisingly complex themes of emotionally growing up, and the importance of knowing and accepting our full range of feelings.

Inside Out is a 2015 Pixar animated film that takes a fun look at Emotions. The ones we all Love and those we hide.  They are all back —  the originals -Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust plus the “Puberty Gang” — and we get to watch or remember at a safe distance, through the mind of a teenage cartoon girl named Riley the “teenage years”.

We are in the that part of the story where turmoil has ensued as the Puberty Gang of emotions have commandeered the  command center (Emotion’s “headquarters”) in having our protagonist  navigate a “new normal”, while lost in a quest or core emotions – Joy and Sadness points to an issue that we did not see before that somehow has to be resolved.

 We will, with the discussion segment of this program be concluding the Salon Season of 2025. It should  prove interesting, as we discuss how the story unfolded for you. I am sure for some this will be personal, and for others a lively conversation, while for still others, some truths revealed, we did not always see by looking with a surface glance.

Date: Friday, December 26, 2025

Time: 4:30 pm to about 7:00 pm Pacific Time

Where:over Zoom Link – 

email for link   calvin@theprosperos.org

Happy  Holidays to all of you and Wishing you wonderful New Year 

Aloha, Calvin