A dramatic sunset closing out 2025 seems appropriate for a year full of world-changing events: Trump returning to the White House; an American becoming pope; longstanding conflicts (read: wars) in Gaza and Ukraine broaching peace outlines but still fighting; conflicts resolved and others started; the president engaging the world in tariff tit-for-tats; the Louvre robbed; non-convertible currency surging past $126,000 per unit; a young man assassinated on-campus while live streaming; P Diddy sentenced to jail; Sanae Takaichi becoming Japan’s first female prime minister; and transparency into U.S. public records for better or worse. What a year! From all appearances, 2026’s lead-in suggests buckling up.
As relief from the week that was, this “Snapshot” column—now 5 years old—was created during Covid to counterbalance news of the day. Finding serendipitous pictures and observations in random walks around Healdsburg and Sonoma County and noticing things unnoticed and bringing them to you, dear reader, is a pleasure. We hope you enjoy these interludes and splashes of color. May you encounter refreshing surprises reading The Tribune. Best wishes for 2026!
Fun facts: Once upon a time in TV land, there was a show called The Week That Was. The show, begun in Britain, was recreated for American audiences, poking fun at political events. Though it ran only one year in Britain and one year in the U.S.—1962-1963 and 1964-1965, respectively—it pierced the political landscape with humor. It introduced U.S. audiences to host David Frost, who ended with satirical bits: “But seriously folks, he’s doing a grand job.” Writers for the show in Britain included Monty Python stalwarts John Cleese and Graham Chapman. The American version featured Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Alda, Buck Henry and Gloria Steinem. The exit line for the show was: “That was The Week That Was.”
Tom Lehrer recorded songs from the show at San Francisco’s Hungry I on an album, That Was The Year That Was. Released in 1965, it peaked on Billboard’s Top Album charts at No. 18 and remained on the charts for 51 weeks, one week short of a year. In 2020, Lehrer put all his song rights into the public domain. He passed away last July, at the age of 97.
