Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Consistently wrong since 2002

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

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114Comments

  3. 3.

    Punchy

    I’d love to meet the rubes who plunked down $35K thinking Trump Univesity was legit and a worthwhile investment. I hope they dont drive and have no children under their supervision.

  4. 4.

    Mnemosyne

    Never forget, ladies and gents: Trump is the man who went bankrupt running a ca$ino, the one business where people walk in the door and voluntarily hand you cash.

    You have to be a very specific kind of idiot to lose money in that business.

  5. 5.

    Anya

    I can’t wait for the Last Word tonight. Lawrence O is going to have a lot of fun with this.

    If you google “Donald Trump Sued for Fraud” NY Times and Washington Post are no where to be found. I wonder why?

  6. 6.

    xenos

    I remember this being heavily advertised well into the banking crisis. The ads promoted his daughter as one of the presenters and trainers for the seminars. Given how discredited the Real Estate Guru business scams were by 2002 it is stunning that he found suckers for these seminars.

  7. 7.

    Eric U.

    if you accuse Trump of going bankrupt, he will proudly tell you he’s never gone bankrupt. His investors have gone bankrupt, not him. Seems to be a pattern

  8. 8.

    Comrade Jake

    I looked into that Trump thing, and suspect they’re going to have a difficult time proving it was a scam. More power to them, though.

    Lots of calls over the weekend for us to hit Syria with air strikes. I’m hard pressed to understand exactly how that would be helpful. It seems to me such action would be just as likely to prolong things, or else simply serve as a precursor for some kind of US ground invasion.

    Another war in the ME – hooray! What could possibly go wrong?

  9. 9.

    Felonius Monk

    It’s all Obama’s fault. If he just hadn’t led The Donald astray with his phony birth certificate.

  12. 12.

    Tokyokie

    @Eric U.: He says that because he’s never filed for personal bankruptcy. Lots of the corporate entities he’s established have gone Chapter 11, but never the stubby-fingered vulgarian his own self. (Thank you Spy magazine.) He’s a “success,” in the sense that he’s never had material want, largely by devising ways to monetize every aspect of his miserable life. Never mind that he’s screwed over those who had faith in him, never maintained a long-term romantic relationship with anybody other than himself, and produced offspring who seem to want to be as big of rats as he is, he’s a “success.” And he still can’t find a decent rug or accept the fact that he’s bald.

  15. 15.

    xenos

    @Comrade Jake: The AG office can do a lot to enforce mandatory refunds where specific services are promised and not delivered. A lot comes down to the finer details of NY consumer laws. Certain findings and proceedings by the AG office can make it a lot easier for scammed customers to sue for triple damages plus fees, which can make lots of lawyers suddenly interested in these cases.

    It would be nice if Scalia et al. had not eviscerated the class action system, but if Trump et Fille faces 10,000 separate lawsuits for $100,000 plus costs and fees they may be the ones longing for a way to consolidate them all.

  17. 17.

    Shakezula

    I wonder when Trump will take the plunge and start a church. “I’m gonna teach you life! In the everlasting love of Jayzus! Amen and pass the basket!”

  18. 18.

    PaulW

    Trump is not a businessman, he’s a publicity hound/con artist with at least 3 separate bankruptcy proceedings against him and a history of scamming people left and right. Do these fraud charges include jail time?

    Trump’s online “college” wasn’t the only far-right “college” scam going on, didn’t Beck have one, how long has that one been running?

  20. 20.

    xenos

    @Tokyokie: Trump must have filed for personal bankruptcy at one point, because he took millions of creditors’ dollars to invest in mar-a-lago, excluding them from the estate. The funny thing was that Florida law allows the exclusion of a permanent primary residence, but not the furnishings, so for a while there Trump had to live in that enormous mansion without much in the way of furniture.

    Has anyone done a biopic on Trump? It would be a hoot.

  21. 21.

    Mnemosyne

    @Southern Beale:

    AHA I KNEW IT!

    Where you were, that is. ;-) But, yes, we have our fair share of right-wing nutjobs out here. Don’t forget, this is the birthplace of the John Birch Society.

  22. 22.

    Tokyokie

    @xenos: I believe he still set that up as some sort of REIT. Trump never “owns” an asset, he merely controls them.

  23. 23.

    Comrade Jake

    @xenos: Well there aren’t a whole lot of details in the link above, but what’s there doesn’t inspire confidence. Trump allegedly didn’t “hand pick” the instructors. Good luck proving that. The only thing in the link that looks like it has some meat on it is that he called it a “University,” and legally that has certain implications.

  24. 24.

    SFAW

    @Punchy:

    I’d love to meet the rubes who plunked down $35K thinking Trump Univesity was legit and a worthwhile investment.

    Me too, because I have this bridge I’ve been trying to unload sell for a long time. Big thing, located in one of the great cities of the world, outstanding architecture, recently refurbished, just waiting for you to install toll booths! Asking a mere fraction of its actual value! Earn your investment back in weeks, not years! Also used for pedestrian traffic during those rare blackouts. I can’t tell you the actual name of the city, but it sounds like “Yew Nork,” and I can’t tell you the Bridge’s name, but it’s near the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges.

    Call me ASAP! This deal won’t last!

  25. 25.

    shelly

    I’m waiting to find out that Trump himself is some sort of elaborate piece of performance art.

  26. 26.

    Mike E

    @Anya: I can overlook LOD’s penchant for screaming at people if he can continue to take his rhetorical crowbar to Trump’s comb-over like he has in past shows. A true joy.

    @Mnemosyne: Bam’s takedown of The Donald at one of those dinners STILL has to rankle him, I’m sure. Paraphrasing: Here I am, leader of the Free World, and you’re working hard firing celebrities. Feel for ya, big guy…

  29. 29.

    Comrade Jake

    I think my favorite part of the whole story is that these people had the impression they’d get to meet The Donald in person, and instead were simply given the opportunity to have their picture taken with a cardboard cutout of him. Because, yanno, that’s just as good!

  30. 30.

    elmo

    Open Thread! Good, then I will ask a totally personal and selfish question of the knowledgeable folks here.

    I am trying to put together my wedding. I’ve mentioned before that the whole reason for moving to Maryland was so that my partner and I could get married, and we are going to. My best friend and mentor is flying out from California to officiate. My boss at work and his wife are coming as well, but that’s pretty much it for guests.

    I detest parties, gatherings, and especially ceremonies of all kinds. I get tremendous social anxiety. Partner and I think we should get married at our newly-purchased house, so the venue is taken care of.

    But what now? I’ve never planned any kind of party before in my life. Ever. Not even a birthday party as a child, because of see above. Do people have suggestions?

    I know I’m supposed to provide food. I can do that. And places to sit, which is harder, but okay. WTF else? I just realized this thing is less than five weeks away and I am completely at sea!

  31. 31.

    Redshirt

    I got the syllabus from Trump’s school. I’ll boil it down for you.

    HOW TO GET RICH

    1. Inherit many millions of dollars.
    2. Profit!

  32. 32.

    shelly

    didn’t Beck have one, how long has that one been running?

    Dennis Prager’s got one too. Rightie’s love ’em, cause they they think they’re counteracting all that evil liberal brainwashing that goes on in the real ones.

  33. 33.

    dmsilev

    @Comrade Jake:

    I think my favorite part of the whole story is that these people had the impression they’d get to meet The Donald in person, and instead were simply given the opportunity to have their picture taken with a cardboard cutout of him. Because, yanno, that’s just as good!

    To be fair, it probably is just as useful.

  34. 34.

    Mark B.

    @elmo: If you don’t enjoy planning a party, and don’t have any experience doing so, hire someone else to do it. It will be expensive, but it will be worth it.

    Off topic, but recently conservatives (like Douthat) have been touting Texas schools performance on standardized tests as evidence that conservativism is awesome. Except, as it turns out, there was widespread cheating in Texas: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_23936672/investigating-into-cheating-should-go-beyond-border .

    No one could have predicted.

  35. 35.

    Russ

    God @TheTweetOfGod
    Donald Trump is an asshole’s asshole. He’s the kind of asshole other assholes look at and say, “Now THERE’S an asshole.”

    saw earlier @dkos

  36. 36.

    Roger Moore

    @Comrade Jake:

    I think my favorite part of the whole story is that these people had the impression they’d get to meet The Donald in person, and instead were simply given the opportunity to have their picture taken with a cardboard cutout of him.

    Considering that he’s turned into a cardboard cutout of himself, how could they tell the difference?

  37. 37.

    Mnemosyne

    @elmo:

    Things you will need:

    Food
    Drinks (mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)
    Tables
    Chairs
    Tablecloths
    Serving tables

    Especially since time is so short, I would find a caterer/party planner (you can look them up and research them on the internet), tell them approximately what you want (ie lunch for 5 or 50 or whatever, with whatever dietary restrictions you have), and have them go to it. The last thing you want on that day is to be having to run around making sure the food is fully supplied when you should be celebrating with your family and friends.

    Also, if you haven’t lined one up yet, get a professional photographer. You’ll be grateful years from now to have pictures of all of your family and friends together enjoying themselves. Both my father and my father-in-law passed away last year and we’re so happy that we have pictures of them when they were still healthy and active. Even if it’s just a few of you, you’re going to want to have pictures to look back on.

    Last thing: breathe. It’s okay, it’s just a party. Focus on the fact that you want everyone (including yourself and your future wife) to have a good time, and everything else will fall in place.

  38. 38.

    dmsilev

    @elmo:

    I know I’m supposed to provide food. I can do that. And places to sit, which is harder, but okay. WTF else? I just realized this thing is less than five weeks away and I am completely at sea!

    Food, drink, and places for people to consume same and to talk with each other. That’s all you really need.

    Easiest is buffet-style serving (i.e. just set out stuff on a table or two and let people serve themselves). Given that you’re talking about a relatively small group, you don’t need to stress about assigned seating or anything like that; just have some chairs and maybe some folding card tables or the like if you don’t have enough regular furniture to seat everyone.

  39. 39.

    SFAW

    @Comrade Jake:

    I think my favorite part of the whole story is that these people had the impression they’d get to meet The Donald in person, and instead were simply given the opportunity to have their picture taken with a cardboard cutout of him. Because, yanno, that’s just as good!

    Better, because you don’t run the risk of getting slapped in the face by his combover, if a sudden gust of wind occurred. And, given that Trump is one of the bigger blowhards in the World, it’s pretty likely that said wind would pop up.

  41. 41.

    Jay C

    @Anya:

    The New York Times DID post an article about The Donald’s “University” scam – on Saturday, so it’s not current on their site….

    I really wonder what the poor schmucks who forked over 30 grand for “personal mentoring” go for their “investment”? Fifteen minutes (half-an-hour?) with Mr. Trump himself? Doesn’t seem a good use of one’s money: if I want to listen to a loudmouth a**hole going on and on about how smart he is, I can get that for the price of a drink at my corner bar – and save the 30 large for something useful…

  42. 42.

    SFAW

    @Redshirt:
    You apparently have way too much time on your hands. Better to forget the details, and the anecdote, and get back to more pressing matters, like Miley Cyrus.

  43. 43.

    Roger Moore

    @elmo:

    But what now? I’ve never planned any kind of party before in my life. Ever. Not even a birthday party as a child, because of see above. Do people have suggestions?

    It’s your wedding; be selfish and do what you want and feel comfortable with. If you’re keeping the thing small to avoid your problems with social anxiety, don’t feel a need to do anything in particular just to put on a show for your guests/witnesses. Maybe just decorate the living room with a few decorations to make it clear that a wedding is taking place, have a very short ceremony- maybe just saying your vows and signing the marriage license- and then go and have your meal.

  44. 44.

    SFAW

    @Jay C:

    if I want to listen to a loudmouth a**hole going on and on about how smart he is, I can get that for the price of a drink at my corner bar – and save the 30 large for something useful…

    Or just read some of the comments here. It has the added benefit of not assaulting your ears. (Just your mind.)

  45. 45.

    JPL

    @elmo: If you can afford it, follow Mark’s advice. If your funds are limited, then hire a server to help clean up and plan a simple buffet with a meat, lots of salads and rolls. It’s your special day and the prep and clean-up shouldn’t be dependent on you.

  46. 46.

    Punchy

    Anyone see the 60 Minutes thing last nite on credit agencies? Scary shit. Basically said that an error on your credit report will NEVER be fixed unless you sue them in Federal court. Supporting documents sent to Equifax get shipped to Chile where the peeps do absolutely nothing with them but deny the correction. Hard to believe these fuckers have that much power over people’s lives.

  47. 47.

    Elizabelle

    @elmo:

    Congratulations!

    What Mnemosyne said at 37, and order a really delicious cake, too. Something that you and your soon to be better half like.

    And flowers; can be restrained or whatever you prefer, but fresh flowers are great at a party.

    Definitely recommend the catered route. It’s a once in a lifetime event; you be a guest too. The food can be as ornate, or as simple, as you like. “Heavy hors d’ouevres” (that you can eat while standing around), or a buffet.

    Very happy for you.

  49. 49.

    MattF

    Also, the alien creature that sits on the top of Donald’s head pretending to be hair. Is Obama’s fault.

  51. 51.

    Suffern ACE

    @Jay C: I just wonder what they thought they’d get from a meeting that would be different than what is in his books or speeches. Do they think he runs a cult of secret knowledge that he only shares with six level initiates?

  52. 52.

    MomSense

    I posted briefly on the last thread that a friend of mine lost everything in an apartment building fire. She lost all her clothing, her glasses, her cancer meds (how much can one person face??), all her photos, and both of her cats. She tried to find them to put them in their carriers to save them but they were too scared by the smoke and noise.

    She is beyond devastated right now and people who live near her are getting her to her chemo appt today. The Red Cross has done her intake. Wow, I just can’t believe this happened. As soon as I find out what she needs urgently, I’ll do a bleg here. She did say to everyone to hug your furry babies tight. Right now a friend is doing updates on facebook because she is too exhausted to try and communicate.

  53. 53.

    RepubAnon

    The scam that was Trump University is being repeated by others – except they call their version of the scam “charter schools” or “on-line courses”.

  54. 54.

    elmo

    Thanks, everybody! I’m scared to death, so it was nice to hear so many variations of “Relax.” Really appreciate everyone’s input.

  56. 56.

    WereBear

    @MomSense: I’m so sorry to hear. Cats are not easy to retrieve in such circumstances; she should not blame herself for not succeeding.

    How terrible for her. By all means let us know what she needs next.

  57. 57.

    gelfling545

    @elmo: I have put on some rather quick events over the years. Main deal is food & drink. For drink it is better to go with one really good beverage ex. champagne (if serving alcohol) than a mess of mediocre ones. For food, pick a restaurant you really like & ask them about catering or, if you live near a Wegmans (I hear they’re in MD now) put it in their hands. An hors d’oeuvre buffet can be nice & easily assembled by you but do you really want to be running around messing with food on your wedding day?

    Flowers – Farmers’ Market nearby? Buy a mess of cheap, similar vases & an armload of flowers. See also, Wegmans, above.

    Charis, linens, etc? Find the nearest party rental. They will deliver.

    Music? That is what your iPod is for.

    Wedding cake – DO THIS IMMEDIATELY. Bakeries can be backed up with wedding cake orders (& they are really expensive!). Or consider a regular cake frosted in white for a group as small as yours with small flower arrangement on top.

  58. 58.

    Drexciya

    @SFAW

    What Miley Cyrus represents is a pressing matter. MTV’s VMA’s were an openly racist affair and I have an interest in broader American tolerance for minstrel shows without the blackface.

  59. 59.

    scav

    @elmo: Congrats! With that small a party, especially as they’re probably that close to you, you probably have zilch to worry about. Depending on the exact peple, you could even just cook the meal together, you’re building a household, a family and a having a housewarming all at once, asking them to witness and participate as a part of the extended social family so cooking / assembling the meal together could just be symbolic of that. Having a communal task also simplifies initial conversations / breaks the ice so that’s another benefit.

  60. 60.

    Emma

    @elmo: When my sister got married, we did the whole thing. Here it goes:

    1. Figure out who’s coming. Add about 5 -10 guest places for last minute additions.
    2. Find a nice, inexpensive flower shop. Don’t go for big flowers. My sister’s bouquet was made of white hydrangeas and shasta daisies. Her one attendant, purple hydrangeas and shasta daisies. 4 little baskets and hair ornaments for the flower girls, boutonnieres for the whole male part of the party, and wild-flower centerpieces for the tables. Total, $400. You can shave that down a lot if you don’t have attendants.
    3. If you have a nice backyard, rent tables and chairs from your local party place. They can also help with tablecloths and napkins. Even silverware.
    4. Buffet the food (as people have mentioned before). If you don’t have a resident cook (my father, for us), several platters from your local Publix (supermarket) plus drinks to suit. We filled a gigantic cooler with good bottled beers and sodas.
    5. A nice cake. Really. It’s a great centerpiece for your buffet table. That’s a biggie. Ask around and find out who makes the best in your area. Sometimes they will cut you a deal on other finger foods if you buy the cake.
    6. Nice table for the ceremony. Tablecloth and maybe a nice bouquet (see flower shop above)
    7. If you don’t think you can handle that, consider reservations at a local place. One of the best weddings I’ve ever attended went from the church to the local Chinese restaurant.
    8. Breathe deeply and enjoy your day, no matter what.

  61. 61.

    Botsplainer

    @Punchy:

    Anyone see the 60 Minutes thing last nite on credit agencies? Scary shit. Basically said that an error on your credit report will NEVER be fixed unless you sue them in Federal court. Supporting documents sent to Equifax get shipped to Chile where the peeps do absolutely nothing with them but deny the correction. Hard to believe these fuckers have that much power over people’s lives.

    They might be able to ruin your life at a fundamental level and they might do that to people all the time, but they can’t directly put you in jail like the NSA might someday do if they decide to go completely rogue as to habeas corpus and the courts break down completely and Congress mandates establishment of NSA prison…

  64. 64.

    ? Martin

    @elmo: It’s your wedding. Everyone is there wanting to see you happy and relaxed. If cupcakes and grape soda on the folding table in the back yard makes you happy, then tell everyone that when you start the reception and they’ll all be perfectly fine with it.

  65. 65.

    Stacy

    The Today show had Trump call in to defend himself and he implied that Obama was behind the NY AG’s decision to file this on Saturday because he had just met with Obama in Syracuse that day.

  66. 66.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Shakezula: You mean “Pass the toupee”. Can’t believe that anyone in their right mind would attend Trump University. Amazing.

  68. 68.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Redshirt:

    Trump’s main problem is the classic one of those who start with a large fortune. Through his ceaseless efforts, he turned it into a much smaller one.

    Also, never forget, as Mnemosyne helpfully points out early in the thread, this guy managed to bankrupt a ca$ino. It takes a special kind of snowflake talent to do something like that.

  70. 70.

    SFAW

    @Stacy:

    The Today show had Trump call in to defend himself and he implied that Obama was behind the NY AG’s decision

    As Obama ‘splained during the campaign, it’s because he and Teh Donald used to get into it when they were on the soccer/football field, at school in Nairobi.

  71. 71.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Stacy:

    The Donald suffers from the delusion that Obama gives him a first, second, or third thought. Ever. Sort of like Art Robinson imagining that Peter DeFazio personally intervened in the academic careers of his kids. Both suffer from the same sorts of delusions of importance.

  72. 72.

    GregB

    @elmo:

    I don’t know if anyone mentioned music.

    If you want some background music just get a DVD player and some good DVD’s. If you want something a little more professional see if you can find a nephew or niece who wants to DJ.

    Or you could hire a pro and check the prices which vary from a few hundred to near a 1,000 or more.

    Don’t get too wound up, it is a day of celebration not tension.

    Good luck.

    My second cousin just got married and her mother bought a bunch of sunflowers and eucalyptus at Trader Joe’s and used some greens from her garden to make centerpieces. Really simple but very beautiful.(The holders were mason jars wrapped in birch bark.)

  73. 73.

    ruemara

    @Botsplainer: Sadly, I know this is snark, but someone is going to take this seriously.

    @elmo: Congratulations! 1. Hire a caterer-quick. 2. Order the cake-even quicker. If you’re under limited funds, you can probably pull together a party from your local highest quality grocery store. But spring for a great cake. and some booze.

  75. 75.

    JPL

    @elmo: Have you seen the movie Wedding Crashers? Just saying we are a motley crew and you might have a few uninvited guests…. Congrats!

  78. 78.

    The Lodger

    @elmo: If your group is really small (less than 20), consider just taking everyone out to a nice restaurant with a private room or alcove, maybe decorate the hell out of it.
    Also, I cannot stress this enough, get a professional photographer. When my ex and I got married, we invited a friend who was a good photographer with great gear, but I still had to spend about 80 percent of the reception time running around and lining the guests up for pictures.
    Also too, everyone goes nuts before a wedding. It’s not just you.
    Best wishes to you both. At the end of it al, you’ll still be married.

  79. 79.

    Stacy

    @Villago Delanda Est
    Putting on my tinfoil cap, maybe this is the Republicans scheme to impeach our Kenyan Usurper. He directs the NY state AG to go after Trump and when it’s discovered he covers it up. I know it’s a Republicans wet dream. They can get him out of office and prove he’s a crook just like Nixon.

  80. 80.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Stacy: He “met with” Obama or Obama was in Syracuse and Trump happened to be there at the same time? So delusional is our Trump.

  81. 81.

    JPL

    @raven: After a soggy couple of months, the last few days have been glorious.
    I spent a few hours digging up monkey grass today. That stuff is a pain! The section is large enough that it will take me all week but the exercise is good.

  82. 82.

    Riley's Enabler

    @elmo: Congratulations! Keep it as simple as you can; the day is about time with loved ones and celebrating your marriage. Cupcakes and perhaps a fizzy wine – or even ginger ale – for a toast. And photos – if you know anyone with a talent for photography, ask them to come take the pics. If budget allows, hire a photographer.

    After that…Food, if you have the budget. Music and flowers are nice, but not necessary. I second/third/fourth the idea that turning over as much as you can to a caterer is a great idea, if only to lessen your stress on that day. If budget doesn’t allow, don’t sweat it. Keep it simple and enjoy every sweet second in the love of family and friends.

    That’s the important bit.

    Oh – and afterwards, get a digital picture frame (look online for an inexpensive one) and put the wedding photos on a loop. You will smile every time you see them.

  84. 84.

    Stacy

    @Patricia

    Sorry, Obama was in Buffalo, Rochester(my home town) and Syracuse last week. While in the Syracuse on Saturday he met with AG Schneiderman(sp) and then the AG brought charges of bait and switch the same day. Hence Trump’s insinuation.

  85. 85.

    Jay C

    @Suffern ACE:

    Basic Scam Psychology 101: charge the marks a hefty price for whatever, ’cause they’ll never think they are really getting anything worthwhile unless/until it costs them serious money. And no matter how big a bag of BS they will have bought, they’ll never want to admit they have been rooked…

    “Yeah, wow, man! The Emperor’s new suit is REALLY nice! Wish I could get one….”

  86. 86.

    Roger Moore

    @Stacy:

    While in the Syracuse on Saturday he met with AG Schneiderman(sp) and then the AG brought charges of bait and switch the same day.

    Yeah, because there’s no chance it was just a friendly meeting, or that it was Schneiderman giving Obama a friendly heads up about what he was about to do. No, it must have been a conspiracy. Obama gave the order, and Schneiderman generated all the documents and faked evidence and threw together a big press conference the same day.

  87. 87.

    Elizabelle

    @elmo:

    Incidentally, I absolutely love Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine — it’s a beautiful, crisp light salmon color.

    Have NEVER gotten a hangover off it. A friend was married at the Domaine Chandon winery in/near Napa; we all drank like fish and no one had a hangover the next day.

    Maybe has something to do with sugar content or process?

    Also, you can find it for anywhere from maybe $14-20 a bottle; affordable luxury. (Mumm’s is good, too.)

    And there’s more expensive bubbly, of course, but not in my price range …

    (Last, DC BdNoirs stays peppy. Mimosas the next day, if you cap the leftover and refrigerate it.)

  90. 90.

    Seanly

    @Comrade Jake:

    The president of the company of my first after-college job had a lifesize cardboard cutout of George HW Bsh in his office (this was in 1990). I’m gonna guess that the wife didn’t want it in the house?

    RE: Trump – poo on the NY AG suing a poor grifter for grifting!

  91. 91.

    Shakezula

    @Patricia Kayden: LOL, that thing on his head.

    I think my ability to be shocked by what the rubes will swallow ended somewhere between Jim and Tammy Faye were taken back by their forgiving flock and Confirmation Classes.

  96. 96.

    SFAW

    @Yatsuno:

    Go Betazoid!

    As long as there’s not a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump (nor Teh Donald himself) a la mode at the wedding!

    Or am I mixing sub-threads inappropriately?

  97. 97.

    PurpleGirl

    At some point in the 1990s, Trump was giving “seminars” through the Learning Annex. Maybe he wasn’t getting paid enough to keep doing them. Or maybe the Learning Annex had too high a set of standards for how you conducted your seminar. (I took a number of classes through the Annex — things like jewelry making, office administration, cleaning your credit record and found that the teachers usually were very good and had lots of handout materials.)

    ETA: I didn’t take a Trump seminar.

  99. 99.

    johio

    @Stacy: right, because filing those charges is something that could be done in just a few hours, with no preparation at all. What kind of a psychological illness can explain saying things so stupid and stll expecting to be taken seriously? Is that narcisism? Or something else that can cause someone to be totally disconnected from reality? Because it seems epidemic lately.

  100. 100.

    SFAW

    @johio:

    Is that narcisism? Or something else that can cause someone to be totally disconnected from reality?

    Is that like the “Stupid? Or evil?” trick question re: Rethugs?

  101. 101.

    mcmullje

    @Roger Moore: Maybe avoid all the stress and have the party (after the ceremony) somewhere like Maggiano’s. We had a nice party (in a private room) for my son when he walked for his Masters and invited my family and I have a pretty large family. It was reasonable, the food was decent, everyone took food home and there was minimum stress.

    Whatever you do – congratulations and good luck

  102. 102.

    Ruckus

    @GregB:
    Not sure if douche bag finishing school implies that he would train them to be douche bags or train douche bags to be bigger douche bags. But in either case trump would be a role model.

  106. 106.

    rikyrah

    @elmo:

    if that truly is the guest list ..

    it’s not a wedding, it’s a dinner party with a wedding ceremony thrown in.

    are you having an actual cake?

    or are you going to do something non-traditional? (cupcake tower)

    are you going to dance – hire a dj or just make up a playlist of your favorite songs and put it on the MP3 to play?

    is it indoors or outdoors?

    are you going to make up party favors to give out to the guests?

    what about the photographer and videographer?

    just cause it’s small, doesn’t mean you don’t need to plan.

    and, as someone who, if I ever get married, plans on the Vegas thing with just the two of us..

    I can relate to the party/crowd anxiety

  107. 107.

    MomSense

    @elmo:

    I’m a PK so I have seen all kinds of weddings and the best ones are the ones where the couple love each other! Just have fun! Make a playlist of music, buy some booze and something non alcoholic. You can even do a potluck (I have seen it and it was awesome). This is your day so do what makes you happy and is the least stressful for you.

  108. 108.

    Older

    @elmo: I see that nobody has mentioned the one essential piece of a wedding party, whether it be catered for hundreds, or just a potluck.

    At some point when everyone (more or less) is present and talking to each other, one of your friends (arrange this in advance) goes tingtingting on a glass and when everyone shuts up, he or she proposes a toast to the happy couple, something along the lines of “Here’s to our friends, A and B, may they live long and prosper!”

    Without this, it’s just a party; with it, it’s a Wedding Party.

  110. 110.

    Mnemosyne

    @rikyrah:

    and, as someone who, if I ever get married, plans on the Vegas thing with just the two of us..

    Yeah, that’s what G’s cousin thought, until her mom found out that was what her only daughter was planning.

    Still had the Vegas wedding, but it was in the very nice wedding garden at Caesar’s, with a reception for 100 afterwards. Because you do not get between a mother and her daughter’s wedding.

    (Another friend who did not get along with her mother had to leave the country to avoid having her at the wedding — seriously, it was in Cabo San Lucas because my friend knew her mom would not travel to Mexico for anything, even her wedding.)

  114. 114.

    The Tragically Flip

    Business lesson 1: People really good at making money don’t teach others how they do it, unless “teaching” others “how” is how they make money.

    Chump U: Complete.

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