The Frankish Reich

Thank you for reviving some of my old classics.

Thanks for the regular reminders. The Epstein Bombshell is a dud.

I'm saying she's the continuation of Biden. Career politicians whose skill is in politicking, not in managing or policy. Remember when everyone was saying that Senator Kamala never introduced any meaningful bill? Lazy, not interested. At least young Biden was all to happy to slap his name on a bill for any hot-button issue at the time.

First, for @sherpa: it's often called a "classification of officers," but perhaps more accurately is a "classification of leadership potential." The idea is actually fairly sound in any organization. The Quadrant 1 folks - clever and hardworking - are the ones who make policy/strategic decisions, but often are a too studied in their decision-making to serve in the highest ranks. The clever and lazy are what von Hammerstein thought were the best suited to high leadership. They use their "laziness" to come up with shortcuts to making sound decisions, relying, of course, on the clever/industrious below them. The dumb and lazy are, well, most employees. Give them basic tasks and count on them to not have any ambitions to be some kind of chief strategist. And the dumb and industrious? Well, they're dangerous because they have no idea of their own limitations and they do what the great John Wooden warned against: "Never confuse activity with achievement." So where do I put our recent presidents: - Trump: dumb and hyperactive. Not classically "industrious," but will never put his trust in someone long-term who actually knows what he's doing. We see that now with the ping-ponging between being swayed by Peter Navarro vs. Scott Bessent. If any advisor threatens his absolute power, he gets fired. Has to constantly be doing something when very often doing nothing is preferable. - Biden: dumb and lazy. - Obama: clever and lazy. Tried to sell himself as a policy wonk; he wasn't really one of that group. - Bush 43: dumb and lazy. Dumb can mean getting swept away by some clever advisor (Cheney/Rumsfeld), so obviously the Biden/Kamala/Bush types aren't ideal. - Clinton: clever and industrious. Yeah, that can get you in trouble, which is why von Hammerstein didn't find it ideal for the top. - Bush 41: kinda dumb, kinda industrious. I find it hard to classify him. I used to think Reagan fit in the dumb/lazy category. I've changed my mind over the years. I really think he was quite clever, but generally intellectually lazy. But ultimately very successful. It was, as Von Hammerstein would say if he were around today, a feature of Reagan, not a bug. - Carter: smart and industrious, probably a victim of that overthinking things quadrant 2 guy who wasn't suited for top leadership. - Ford: dumb and lazy, refreshing in retrospect, given who he was bracketed by Nixon - largely before my time - is the prime example of the dangers of the smart/industrious type. Always scheming, always trying to outmaneuver someone, ultimately his downfall. Have we had another dumb/hyperactive president? Not that I know of. That's why in modern America Trump stands alone. The Dunning-Krueger poster boy. The von Hammerstein "avoid at all costs" guy.

Her office personality may grate. But she seems aware that she isn't any kind of policy wonk and likely would enjoy all the pomp and circumstance with little policy input. That's her life. No, not at all. I think you're missing the point.

"I distinguish four types. There are clever, hardworking, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and hardworking; their place is the General Staff. The next ones are stupid and lazy; they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the mental clarity and strength of nerve necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is both stupid and hardworking; he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always only cause damage." I view Kamala as the stupid/lazy type. Not the worst because she would keep out of her own way and let people who know what they're doing run things. Trump? Stupid and hyperactive. Constantly floating new (90% stupid) ideas, whether it's "I know more about viruses than anyone and why not inject bleach" to "I love tariffs." And that's why he's the worst possible President. Dumb and doesn't know it.

Corey Lewandowski shlongs her on the regular. So it works on some.

Sherpa, as a former military man you are surely familiar with Kurt von Hammerstein's classification of officers. As von Hammerstein stated, Quadrant 4 is the dangerous one. I'll even take Quadrant 3 over that one.

Was that about Melania? Because why on earth would someone say such a thing? https://nypost.com/2016/07/30/melania-trump-like-youve-never-seen-her-before/

Yeah, Kash Patel can keep his eye focused on Biden while the other one is busy protecting America.

The best friend Israel ever had! Now say it on Harvard Yard, big guy! https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/the-gulf/artc-qatari-official-praises-october-7-in-antisemitic-arab-league-speech

Also noted in the WSJ, so yes, not a joke.

INVESTIGATE!

Grow up.

I always thought 86'd was an old timey expression for getting tossed from a bar. So ... kick out Trump? Phony outrage machine. Exactly.

Lawrence O'Donnell nails it. He answers my question - the question Trump and his ilk cannot answer: Why wouldn't the Qatari 747 remain property of the U.S. Government after Trump is gone? The answer: because it's not about the U.S. Government receiving a gift. It's not about Air Force 1. The Qatari 747 would have to be retrofitted to meet all the DOD requirements before it would even be put in service, so who knows how long Trump could even use it as President. No. It's about the plane reverting to the Trump Library when his term ends. A Trump Library run by Trump and his buttkissers, so Trump will be able to fly on the most magnificent flying palace ever to his various personal/post-presidency engagements. In other words, it's about a gift that's personal to Trump, not to the American people.

I thought Ben & Jerry were all about the real full fat experience. Doesn't R.F. "Beef Tallow" Kennedy Jr. like that?

Usually when politicians make election promises they can't keep they try to cover it up a little bit better.

Taking a foreign gift from a government feudal kingdom that serves as the home away from home for Hamas, and that is currently engaged in dealmaking with the Trump family. Yeah, that title is really off base.

So who's doing the "reporting" (not commenting)? Catturd? Come on. It's fair to criticize the spin the NYT (or WSJ, or FT, or the few remaining outlets that actually have real reporting capacity) puts on a story. But the story still has to exist before Catturd (and you) spring into action. You guys still obsess over that Politico story about the 50-whatever national security experts and Hunter Biden's laptop. If you actually read the story, it reports what happened. And reports people skeptical of that account. Reports. Not "comments" or editorializes. The MAGAs never actually read an article. Reading is hard. Reposting tweets is easy. Let's let Catturd tell us what to think. Neither should being low quality 100% of the time, Catturds of the world.

Are you sure she wouldn't prefer a new sootcase? Can't start 'em too young. Normal Americans, they're just like us! Tell us: what is false? Trump himself confirmed it. Stop jumping on pro-Trump Twitter talking points. The "denial" seemed very plausible ... for about 10 minutes.

Reporting. Actual reporting. No, the alt media can't do it; they're a hot take machine. Here's an example: inside the conclave, with a group of NY Times reporters getting information I thought it was impossible to get. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/11/world/europe/conclave-vote-pope-leo-robert-prevost.html “I didn’t even know his name,” Cardinal David of the Philippines said. But Cardinal Prevost was not a complete unknown. As the former leader of the Order of St. Augustine, which operates around the globe, and as the head of the Vatican office overseeing the world’s bishops, he had developed powerful connections and backers. First among them had been Francis, who put his career on the fast track. And his decades in Peru, fluent Spanish and leadership of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America gave him deep, and decisive, relationships on the continent. “We almost all know him. He’s one of us,” said Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo of Venezuela, who has known him for decades. In the weeks before the conclave, the cardinals participated in a series of private meetings to discuss their concerns about the future of the church. Unlike Francis, who made his mark with a short speech sharing his vision for the church, several cardinals said that Cardinal Prevost’s remarks did not stand out. “Like everyone else,” said Cardinal Juan José Omella Omella of Spain. Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco of France, the archbishop of Algiers, also could not recall what the American had said, but he got to talk to him on the sidelines of the meetings — which was important, he said, because he was increasingly being talked about as a candidate based on his “incredible” résumé, fluent Italian, reputation as a moderate and connection to Francis. The cardinal started asking around to people who had worked with the American to vet him, and learned that he listened and worked well in groups. “I did my job,” Cardinal Vesco said. “I have to vote. I have to know the person.”

Oh, I agree. I'm just saying that the Trump promise - NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY - was just that. It wasn't INCREASED STANDARD DEDUCTION FOR PEOPLE 65 AND OVER WHO MAKE LESS THAN $75,000! Doesn't have the same ring to it, does it ... Somehow between the campaign slogan and the actual legislation I fell off the radar. On EVs: lease! The lease credits are still out there since somehow they flow to the dealer. I got a ridiculously cheap EV lease end of last year. Nice car, I never buy gas now except for long road trips where I still take the old ICE SUV.

I met my first wife and my second improved wife at work. I'll admit that they were both kind of out of my league. I don't know if they would've responded to me at all on match or whatever. But I guess I was quite irresistible in person. JD Hill Fan thinks it must be my wit. It does bother me that dating at work is kind of a minefield now. Do we really want to drive all human relationships into an artificial transactional app?