Don’t give him an out by saying he has dementia. He’s been like this for ages, he’s just older and tired. I’ve had decades of professional and personal experience with dementia and that’s not what this is. It’s a tired, old vile conman racist rapist who likes attention who has lots of camera time.

Taking off from Norman Manley Airport, Kingston, Jamaica, about 7:30 this morning. A lovely airport: No paying just to drop-off; smiling (even at 5:30am) staff checking you in; everyone wishing you a “safe journey”; and a terminal so clean it is stunning. A step back in time to when flying was fun.

On our way to the U.S. to visit my dad, we’ve stopped here in Kingston, Jamaica for a few days to see our 30-year-old nephew who is serving here as a priest. Yesterday, he booked us all a tour of Bob Marley’s House and Museum. (We paid, of course.) Really impressive. (No photos are allowed inside.)

‘The logic of algorithms tends to repeat what “works,” but art opens up what is possible…’ - Pope Leo XIV:

This is the story that Donald Trump cannot shake off. His distractions have failed to distract. His cover-ups keep cracking. And now the whole sordid mess is coming for him with the relentless inevitability of Nemesis. open.substack.com/pub/charlies...

This “style” is common from men of a certain age who never typed when young. (If a boss, the woman secretary typed.) My [late] uncle, an 80s/90s novelist, wrote me emails that often needed decoding. He also said, but never would’ve typed it this way: “I can’t spell for shit. Thank God for editors.”

Has anyone spoken with Sir Humphrey?

A reminder: Trump has mocked captured veterans (McCain), and those who died defending you (those lost at Bellevue Wood in WW1 - "suckers" and "losers"). If you side with Trump on veterans, YOU hate the troops

For #VeteransDay, a general worth remembering: John J. Pershing, top commander of the U.S. army in Europe during (the U.S. participation in) World War I (1917-18). He sensed the armistice today - November 11, 1918 - was a “mistake”:

It is infuriating the BBC giving Trump a cheap win to toss at Fox viewers. There’s no need to edit to show that felonious fascist neo-Confederate for what he is. Just report him reasonably and you can’t miss. (In plain words, for one, he did not rule out military action against Denmark.) Appalling.

The tentacles of a racist government reach across the ocean

As a churchgoing [white] Roman Catholic, I must disagree. There has always been anti-Catholicism, but people are not being harassed/arrested for carrying rosary beads. They are targeted for not being white [enough] (including speaking Spanish, which is heard by many US whites as a “brown” language).

My dad is now 84 and in good health for his age - having survived heart failure a decade ago. He has told me he is aware he could at any time just go to sleep one night and not wake up. Sadly, he is right, of course. Trump is pushing 80 and the true state of his health is decidedly unclear.

On one level it is about this, yes. On another, yes, she likes to shake hands and has dismissed security questions. Yet high profile officials in public have a bodyguard “on the back.” (Watch Mamdani walking with his wife the other day.) How did he get right behind her? He could have killed her.

In 1987, USSR-visiting “businessman” Trump was wowed by surface Kremlin “glamour.” He’s mimicking such “decor” now in the White House. At the same time, other last days of the USSR vibes, such as impoverished soldiers stranded in Europe, are also making a US appearance: apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/A...

Man who threw sandwich at federal agent in Washington is found not guilty of assault charge

Costello: All I'm tryin' to figure out is what's the guy's name in left field Abbott: Now, What's on second Costello: I'm not askin' you who's on second Abbott: Who's on first Costello: I don't know… Both: Third base.

U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, writing to Edward Jenner, 1806:

Interestingly, NYC (where I was born) long has leaned left and smashed Cuomo. When it goes far left, the US is probably tilting left. Yet what is now “far” left? Mamdani’s for free buses and childcare, a few city food stores, and higher taxes on millionaires. Seems more Eleanor Roosevelt than Lenin.

If you’re still in line, STAY IN LINE

“As the Commander in Chief has been apprized of a design form’d, for the observance of that ridiculous and childish Custom of burning the Effigy of the pope — He cannot help expressing his surprise that there should be Officers and Soldiers, in this army so void of common sense…”

I don’t get the “mainstream Democratic” take that Mamdani is “far left.” He sounds like a normal guy and addressed normal people’s concerns - people for whom often just having a few bucks more a week in their pockets would be a big deal. Evidently, though, wanting free buses makes him f-cking Lenin.

There are all sorts of local variations of course, but the U.S. federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has been since 2009. (I earned I recall about $3.80 an hour in a department store as a student in the 1980s.) The U.K. equivalent (for age 21 and up) is currently £12.21 (about “$16”).

The officeholder seeking re-election, also does not get to count the votes.

November isn’t looking hugely less dull just yet. Here in Dartmouth, Devon, just before 7am this morning. #dull #clouds #weather

This was basically Putin’s “deal” with the Russian people: Stay out of politics (meaning ignore my corruption) and I’ll let you travel the globe and make money. Ukraine 2022 changed that. Suddenly, jetting to Paris became much tougher, the economy was crushed, and their sons were conscripted.

Just re-watched “All The President’s Men” (on BBC iPlayer). At one point, Redford is in a telephone booth and it hit me how “dated” that now seems. Indeed, there are now lots of adults out here who have NEVER put coins into a pay phone to make a call. (Being rather older, I have.)

Born in Brooklyn, my grandpa had grown up a Dodgers fan. After they moved to LA, he tried to be a Mets fan; but the Mets never had his heart. To the day he died over 40 years ago, he never stopped liking the Dodgers despite the team abandoning Brooklyn. I suspect he would be ecstatic right now.

There are roughly 36 million registered Republicans, representing about 13.74% of the U.S. voting-age population. The remaining 86.26% of voting-age Americans — registered Democrats, Independents, third-party members, or the unregistered — are Trump’s enemies.

F. Scott Fitzgerald: In my book I invented Gatsby lifestyle as a cautionary tale The president: At long last, we have created the Gatsby lifestyle from the classic novel The Great Gatsby

A pic from Nov 1, 2024. My (now late) mom bought me this print 30 years ago. It has followed me from home to home (and between countries). Looking at it, I can only think the current “president” is exactly the sort of man NONE of these men wanted near high office. #5amWritersClub #WritingCommunity

Read someone post they canceled Netflix because they only watched Seinfeld and got the DVDs. It may be amusing up to the, uh, “27th” rewatch. (My wife never liked it: “It’s not funny.”) But how about Borgen, Call My Agent!, etc? Eh, to each their own - even if they never leave ‘90s Costanza NYC.

Faith is fundamentally personal, but since he thinks he can speak for her how about at the first opportunity someone ask her directly? That’s what an actual journalist would do. She is Second Lady and does do press, no?

Obviously, his foreign-born in-laws (who later produced his U.S.-born wife), the President’s 1st wife (who produced 3 of the President’s U.S.-born children), 3rd wife (who produced his youngest U.S.-born child), and that 3rd wife’s foreign-born parents… well, they were all necessary immigrants.

“GenX” here. It will always be “Aunt Janet” and “Uncle Joe” - my [now late] mom’s first cousin and her husband because they were around my mom’s age. “Cousin” was an actual one of mine or for my age group. I was raised to address “distant” adult relatives as “Aunt”/“Uncle” as a sign of respect.

Absolutely, cause we definitely had no need of Lafayette, Kosciusko, Pulaski, DeKalb, von Steuben, DuPortail, Montgomery, Paine, Hamilton…

If you don’t back Trump, there’s no need to try to pretend to be what you are not. I never have. Just don’t be an ugly tourist. Simple. That said, yes, do substantially reduce the talking volume.

Presumably that would include this guy, too. #UlyssesSGrant

I will never forget a young builder, about 20 years ago, in the Catskills who told me he was driving down to “the city” the following day. Manhattan? No, he was going to Newburgh.

My “favorite” remains his May 4 “Meet The Press” televised threat not to rule out attacking Denmark. No president has ever threatened war on an ally. It is a clear violation of the 1949 NATO treaty and easily a “high Crime.” He should have been removed for that - if Congress functioned, of course.

When royal governors shuttered colonial legislatures, “patriot” legislators took to meeting in taverns, etc, which led to 1774’s creation of a “Continental Congress.” The House Democrats should just turn up to Capitol Hill - even if no GOP do. If they are locked out, they should convene elsewhere.

This year, while checking newspaper covers across 5 European countries (UK, Spain, Italy, France & Germany - last l via Google translate as I don’t speak 🇫🇷/🇩🇪) & U.S., I’ve noticed newspapers (at least center-to-left ones) in places that lived thru fascism are best at calling out US dictatorial turn.

My mother died of lung cancer 10 years ago today. I will never forget how, days before, about to drive away from a supermarket, I saw a 20-something mom light up after she got out of a nearby car. (Her kid was in a car seat.) I thought: Oh, if you could see my mom right now, you wouldn’t do that.

They’re also afraid of Manhattan.

In 1865, there was talk - including from General Sherman - that a new capital not associated with slavery be built in the interior and DC abandoned. Never happened, obviously. Now, in 2025, it’s worth asking: If neo-Confederate Trump destroys the White House, is DC really the capital any longer?

Clearly not the majority in this “Congress.” Like a Roman emperor, he could, we see now, also just move “the court” to his “Capri” if he wants to. About that, non-entity courtier Johnson will state on a “politics” Sunday show, “I don’t know the details…” while he is seated on the Mar-a-Lago patio.

😂😂😂

This might be the most ridiculous thing the Reagan Foundation has done (and it's a long list). Reagan made and the WH recorded those addresses while in office; they are presidential records, in the public domain; no one needs to seek the private foundation's permission. It has no "legal options."

Do we actually think the semi-literate 34x felonious fascist neo-Confederate has even heard of John Locke, much less read him?

“Many” mourn though “some” say. In case you were looking for a sentence that is a perfect example of what is wrong with modern “journalism.”