An examination of Donald Trump's history shows that his nominations and appointments are entirely consistent with his pattern of appointing people to positions because he sees them in the media and thinks they are cool because they are celebrities. Trump wants to be surrounded by celebrities who say "Yes," so that he can bask in their reflected notoriety. I highly recommend the book "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created The Illusion of Success," by NYT reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner. After you read this book, you may be able to predict some of Trump's appointments.
One other thing.....If you wish to purchase the book, please do NOT purchase it from Lord Voldemort. Instead, please support your local bookstore by purchasing the book there. if you don't have a local bookstore, please purchase it from Bookshop.org.
"We’re all waiting for Diddy Combs to be named postmaster general or director of the FBI."
Maybe Making the Post Office Great Again wouldn't be such a bad thing. It shouldn't take 5 days to get a bill mailed from Northern ,VA to Philadelphia. I couldn't probably walk it there in five days.
It’s not just USA Today, as you know. The weekday LA Times is almost transparent, it’s so thin. And the weekend? The Post of 30 years ago would have been ashamed to put out a paper so thin.
Our local paper -- the 195-year-old Providence (RI) Journal -- has actually become USA Today. Everything except the obits seems to have a USA Today source. And the obits themselves are verrry long and feature GIGANTIC head shots, so that they fill up multiple pages. The whole thing is sad beyond belief.
I'd like the Gene Polls even better if you posted the final results, as I often vote long before they close (as I did just now). If you do post them, then I'm embarrassed.
Gene, I realize you’re in Charlottesville for important matters, but let me know if I could introduce you to Cville’s best coffee (or some other delight). We’ve lost touch since I moved to Charlottesville and you left the WaPo. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for recs! I’ll try them out next time. As for other changes— the Corner was barely recognizable, but I’m glad the ol’ Virginian (where I worked as a hostess!) is still chugging along🥹
Now back to fretting about bizarro-world Cabinet appointments… 😤
Wahoo ‘91 here— recently hit C’ville for Homecoming and our Cavalier Daily alumni weekend, and was delighted to find that Bodo’s still produces fantastic bagels and the best herb schmear anywhere! Saw many cute coffee shops but didn’t have time to pop into any. Which ones might you recommend for future visits?🥯☕️
My problem with the polls is that I can’t participate (or comment or ask a question) unless I am fully logged in which is blocked by many corporate servers. I have to use my phone which, like those of many workers in the DC area, is not allowed at work. Or, I have to wait and use my home computer.
Now I am convinced. This is all an unannounced project by either Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing") or Armando Iannucci ("Veep"). And btw --- papers are literally thinner. Most have started using much thinner newsprint from reduced width rolls.
You had me at..... Anyway, I am still In Charlottesville, where I found myself reading a paper copy of USA Today. Have you seen the newspa[er lately? It’s about six pages long. When delivered, it no longer thuds down onto your doorstep — it sort of slowly settles, like a leaf
This is a chance for Trump to do good and save his image in the history books. Will he do it? There are no more elections for Trump. He needs not to pander to his core voters. He can tell them to take a hike. Will he do it? Not a chance. Let Trump get the governing team he wants. I want him to get all the people that he wants appointed in the government, and then to round up our guest workers and deport them. We may see historic increases in inflation and shortages. We will survive. Him? Who cares. It is his party now. We will see. Perhaps he will get China to bail him out with economic support in return for all that they want.
Let's hope not, but he is already laying the groundwork for a third term. He's put it out there. Right now it's quiet, but it won't be long before all his sycophants start saying the quiet part out loud. That's his M.O.
I'm less outraged by Linda McMahon than Dr Oz. I had to interact with her when she was head of the SBA during Trump's first term and she was at least moderately competent in that role - pretty much the only member of his proposed cabinet that can be said about.
I worked in Vietnam as a civilian after my Army tour with the Infantry, and Robert Simmon was in the same province with me. He had also been in Vietnam with the Army. I thought he was one of the best qualified persons I ever worked with. After Vietnam, I went to graduate school, and he worked for the Senate Intelligence Committee. later on, he was elected to the House of Representatives and then ran for the Senate. He ran a good campaign, but Linda McMahon won that nomination. I expect she had more money to spend. But she lost the election. Rob could have won and been a better Senator. I know money wins elections, but I do like the best qualified person to win. Sometimes.
An examination of Donald Trump's history shows that his nominations and appointments are entirely consistent with his pattern of appointing people to positions because he sees them in the media and thinks they are cool because they are celebrities. Trump wants to be surrounded by celebrities who say "Yes," so that he can bask in their reflected notoriety. I highly recommend the book "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created The Illusion of Success," by NYT reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner. After you read this book, you may be able to predict some of Trump's appointments.
One other thing.....If you wish to purchase the book, please do NOT purchase it from Lord Voldemort. Instead, please support your local bookstore by purchasing the book there. if you don't have a local bookstore, please purchase it from Bookshop.org.
I hope that matters in Charlottesville are going as well as possible.
"We’re all waiting for Diddy Combs to be named postmaster general or director of the FBI."
Maybe Making the Post Office Great Again wouldn't be such a bad thing. It shouldn't take 5 days to get a bill mailed from Northern ,VA to Philadelphia. I couldn't probably walk it there in five days.
It’s not just USA Today, as you know. The weekday LA Times is almost transparent, it’s so thin. And the weekend? The Post of 30 years ago would have been ashamed to put out a paper so thin.
Our local paper -- the 195-year-old Providence (RI) Journal -- has actually become USA Today. Everything except the obits seems to have a USA Today source. And the obits themselves are verrry long and feature GIGANTIC head shots, so that they fill up multiple pages. The whole thing is sad beyond belief.
It used to take me ALL DAY to read a Sunday Post. Now, maybe two hours, tops.
I'd like the Gene Polls even better if you posted the final results, as I often vote long before they close (as I did just now). If you do post them, then I'm embarrassed.
Gene, I realize you’re in Charlottesville for important matters, but let me know if I could introduce you to Cville’s best coffee (or some other delight). We’ve lost touch since I moved to Charlottesville and you left the WaPo. Keep up the great work.
- Mike
Thank you for recs! I’ll try them out next time. As for other changes— the Corner was barely recognizable, but I’m glad the ol’ Virginian (where I worked as a hostess!) is still chugging along🥹
Now back to fretting about bizarro-world Cabinet appointments… 😤
Wahoo ‘91 here— recently hit C’ville for Homecoming and our Cavalier Daily alumni weekend, and was delighted to find that Bodo’s still produces fantastic bagels and the best herb schmear anywhere! Saw many cute coffee shops but didn’t have time to pop into any. Which ones might you recommend for future visits?🥯☕️
Marie Bette makes a mean cortado, and Mudhouse is reliably good and has a great vibe
My problem with the polls is that I can’t participate (or comment or ask a question) unless I am fully logged in which is blocked by many corporate servers. I have to use my phone which, like those of many workers in the DC area, is not allowed at work. Or, I have to wait and use my home computer.
Now I am convinced. This is all an unannounced project by either Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing") or Armando Iannucci ("Veep"). And btw --- papers are literally thinner. Most have started using much thinner newsprint from reduced width rolls.
Dace? Is that a name?
It sounds like a Star Trek name, which is sad because it makes me think about how much I want to live in a post-scarcity peaceful utopia.
You might have missed the recent demonstration of whether voters want a creature of the left or a creature of Trump tower.
You had me at..... Anyway, I am still In Charlottesville, where I found myself reading a paper copy of USA Today. Have you seen the newspa[er lately? It’s about six pages long. When delivered, it no longer thuds down onto your doorstep — it sort of slowly settles, like a leaf
This is a chance for Trump to do good and save his image in the history books. Will he do it? There are no more elections for Trump. He needs not to pander to his core voters. He can tell them to take a hike. Will he do it? Not a chance. Let Trump get the governing team he wants. I want him to get all the people that he wants appointed in the government, and then to round up our guest workers and deport them. We may see historic increases in inflation and shortages. We will survive. Him? Who cares. It is his party now. We will see. Perhaps he will get China to bail him out with economic support in return for all that they want.
"There are no more elections for Trump."
Let's hope not, but he is already laying the groundwork for a third term. He's put it out there. Right now it's quiet, but it won't be long before all his sycophants start saying the quiet part out loud. That's his M.O.
Likely I am like a "broken record" on this, but I keep saying: "He can not do that." I do say it again.
I'm less outraged by Linda McMahon than Dr Oz. I had to interact with her when she was head of the SBA during Trump's first term and she was at least moderately competent in that role - pretty much the only member of his proposed cabinet that can be said about.
I worked in Vietnam as a civilian after my Army tour with the Infantry, and Robert Simmon was in the same province with me. He had also been in Vietnam with the Army. I thought he was one of the best qualified persons I ever worked with. After Vietnam, I went to graduate school, and he worked for the Senate Intelligence Committee. later on, he was elected to the House of Representatives and then ran for the Senate. He ran a good campaign, but Linda McMahon won that nomination. I expect she had more money to spend. But she lost the election. Rob could have won and been a better Senator. I know money wins elections, but I do like the best qualified person to win. Sometimes.