I am SO over US major media still painting México as the big scary Bad. I’ve seen a few sentences in the NYT describing it as anti-LGBTQIA+, violent, religious hegemony, etc - oh, you mean the US?!
On behalf of all of Canada, we apologize for David Frum. Although we're glad that we exported him to you...
What's really sad is that his mother Barbara Frum was actually a brilliant and highly respected CBC Radio broadcaster. I have no idea what happened to her son. Maybe dropped on his head as a baby...
Probably the same thing that happened to that idiot football kicker whose mother is a scientist. In both cases, I'm blaming their fathers. I'd bet a month's rent that the dads were resentful. Of course, I could be wrong. But that shit came from somewhere.
David's dad was Murray Frum, a Toronto dentist turned real estate developer. He & Barbara were married for something like 35 years before she sadly died at the too-young age 54 of leukemia. (He later remarried.) They were well known philanthropists and supporters of liberal causes. Not sure what happened to their kids...??
David & his sister Linda are more or less the same age as me, and I remember, when both they and I were in university, reading an article about them as young conservatives who were in the thrall of U.S.-style Reagan-era politics. Linda is now a Canadian Senator (appointed by Conservative PM Stephen Harper). She wrote a biography/memoir about her mother (who was, as Barry notes above, an iconic Canadian radio & TV journalist), after she died, in which she claimed her mother, at the end of her life, was coming around to her & David's way of thinking. I thought that was kind of low, when the woman wasn't around to confirm, deny or defend herself.
I will admit I've appreciated some of David's critiques of Trump & co. -- and (as another bereaved parent) my heart went out to him when I read about the death of his daughter -- but yeah. I read this article and thought, "Oh, David." (eyeroll)
Milkshakes today, fists tomorrow, and knives the day after is going to be my new mantra as well. I practice non-violence, but this is perfection in how empowered I feel saying it. Lol.
I so appreciate how you always make me laugh through the pain of this mess. <3
I have to admire, in some twisted way, the audacity of a man renowned as a sexist prick on both sides of American politics to accuse someone who received the overwhelming majority of votes for president of lacking “people-pleasing” skills
Lyz nailed it, as usual. The new president did not please Mr. Frum during that long-ago interview and does not please him now. I am baffled by folks who write opinion pieces about nations, politicians, and/or policy expressing exactly why those things are wrong and/or how they could be made right. Like, these are just people with opinions. Why do people take them seriously when they aren't even experts in the field? I just don't get it and never have. The dude is a total dingus. To be fair, they are thick on the ground.
A group of us are planning to toast the brave Manhattan jurors with Manhattans (of course!) this evening on a pontoon cocktail cruise-we are enjoying a lovely getaway at a friend’s family cabin in NW WI. We haven’t cruised the past two days due to gusty winds and lots of rain, but today is picture-perfect, so “CHEERS!”
As Dana pointed out, it's a Star Wars reference that has always cracked me up. It has the same feel of staring into space though without cigarettes. David and I were in the same college class, and it's been rather sad seeing him go from that (an intellectual conservative but with heart) to this. He's just a very conventional guy in the end. Btw, he's originally Canadian!
"I stormed from the room into the hall. My friend Kristen followed me. And when I turned to her to ask her how it went, she said, “The boat metaphor was a little over the top.”
" 'Milkshakes today, fists tomorrow, and knives the day after' is my new motto." But where do the brass knuckles fit in? I was in Prague about a month ago and stopped in a knife shop to get a plastic toothpick for my tiny Swiss Army knife at a knife place. But it wasn't just a knife place. It had kitchen knives, sure, but also big scary hunting knives and a bunch of brass knuckles and I got out of there ASAP. The replacement toothpick cost about 50 cents but the value was much higher because that store was an adventure.
Love it! My favorite Dingus of the year so far, Lyz. From the first word, "Men" at the top of the page to Shania's last word, "Woman" at the end of her song, [*] and EVEYTHING in-between: Claudia Sheinbaum's victory, the guy with the shrinking hands [Frum], your fundraiser for Trans Mutual Aid and the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, your two mantras, [will be borrowing both of those, btw], two more guys with little hands [Hilton and Wootton—and so much fear! Have they no one to tuck them into bed at night?], [**], and finally the “boat” and “rum” stories.
I was either offended, teary-eyed, smiling or laughing through the entire piece. You know that you have nailed it when you pull all of those varied emotions out of us in one essay! Thanks. And thank you for everything you do for ALL of us, Lyz. It is very much appreciated!
[*] How ironic is that? Didn’t realize it until I wrote it. Too funny.
[**] I wonder if Nanny from the Muppet Babies is looking for work.
I am SO over US major media still painting México as the big scary Bad. I’ve seen a few sentences in the NYT describing it as anti-LGBTQIA+, violent, religious hegemony, etc - oh, you mean the US?!
Right? Deflect much, Gray Lady...?
The word of the day is psychological projection, boys and girls.
Ah yes, the milkshakes to knives pipeline
Now I want that on a t-shirt.
I hooted. Thank you.
Not just any milkshake. A banana milkshake. That somehow makes it even funnier!! You go, milkshake lady! A jury of your peers would not convict you.
That story was a refreshing chaser to the infuriating reminders of how terrible Frum is. What a top notch dingus! I hope he sits on a cactus today.
My new mantra: "...my guy. That’s a sexism."
On behalf of all of Canada, we apologize for David Frum. Although we're glad that we exported him to you...
What's really sad is that his mother Barbara Frum was actually a brilliant and highly respected CBC Radio broadcaster. I have no idea what happened to her son. Maybe dropped on his head as a baby...
Probably the same thing that happened to that idiot football kicker whose mother is a scientist. In both cases, I'm blaming their fathers. I'd bet a month's rent that the dads were resentful. Of course, I could be wrong. But that shit came from somewhere.
David's dad was Murray Frum, a Toronto dentist turned real estate developer. He & Barbara were married for something like 35 years before she sadly died at the too-young age 54 of leukemia. (He later remarried.) They were well known philanthropists and supporters of liberal causes. Not sure what happened to their kids...??
David & his sister Linda are more or less the same age as me, and I remember, when both they and I were in university, reading an article about them as young conservatives who were in the thrall of U.S.-style Reagan-era politics. Linda is now a Canadian Senator (appointed by Conservative PM Stephen Harper). She wrote a biography/memoir about her mother (who was, as Barry notes above, an iconic Canadian radio & TV journalist), after she died, in which she claimed her mother, at the end of her life, was coming around to her & David's way of thinking. I thought that was kind of low, when the woman wasn't around to confirm, deny or defend herself.
I will admit I've appreciated some of David's critiques of Trump & co. -- and (as another bereaved parent) my heart went out to him when I read about the death of his daughter -- but yeah. I read this article and thought, "Oh, David." (eyeroll)
Makes me think the urge of children to rebel against their parents must be stronger than any good sense.
Honestly I could probably look thulis up, but Frum isn't worth my time
And I've given too much brain space to that football player myself. :)
This is so Canadian. "I'm sorry the guy who adopted US conservatism as his career was born in Canada."
Frum was educated at Yale and then Harvard Law. They're the ones who should apologize. Them and Ronald Reagan, his first US political inspiration.
As a Canadian ex-pat living in the US, I apologize for this response.
Milkshakes today, fists tomorrow, and knives the day after is going to be my new mantra as well. I practice non-violence, but this is perfection in how empowered I feel saying it. Lol.
I so appreciate how you always make me laugh through the pain of this mess. <3
"lacking in the people-pleasing ways of a professional politician"
So, she didn't flatter his ego during
their interview and he's going to grind that axe for the rest of his life.
I have to admire, in some twisted way, the audacity of a man renowned as a sexist prick on both sides of American politics to accuse someone who received the overwhelming majority of votes for president of lacking “people-pleasing” skills
Lyz nailed it, as usual. The new president did not please Mr. Frum during that long-ago interview and does not please him now. I am baffled by folks who write opinion pieces about nations, politicians, and/or policy expressing exactly why those things are wrong and/or how they could be made right. Like, these are just people with opinions. Why do people take them seriously when they aren't even experts in the field? I just don't get it and never have. The dude is a total dingus. To be fair, they are thick on the ground.
When I read that piece in The Atlantic, I was muttering to myself "fuck that turd" (Frum).
Great newsletter Lyz!
A group of us are planning to toast the brave Manhattan jurors with Manhattans (of course!) this evening on a pontoon cocktail cruise-we are enjoying a lovely getaway at a friend’s family cabin in NW WI. We haven’t cruised the past two days due to gusty winds and lots of rain, but today is picture-perfect, so “CHEERS!”
God I miss Midwestern summers. Only thing I'd do is make sure to chase this with an Old-Fashioned. Brandy, of course.
David. David Frum. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. A long time.
I’m imagining you saying that with a cigarette staring off into the distance
As Dana pointed out, it's a Star Wars reference that has always cracked me up. It has the same feel of staring into space though without cigarettes. David and I were in the same college class, and it's been rather sad seeing him go from that (an intellectual conservative but with heart) to this. He's just a very conventional guy in the end. Btw, he's originally Canadian!
Totally staring off into the desert. and OMG you went to school with that guy? Shudder.
He was easy enough to avoid!
So he’s a former fellow pupil of yours who turned to evil?
It does seem that way. Though his young daughter recently died from a brain tumor, let's not be too mean.
Sorry, I wasn’t intending to be mean, I was trying to continue the Star Wars references.
Obi Wan Kenobi
You are correct!
"I stormed from the room into the hall. My friend Kristen followed me. And when I turned to her to ask her how it went, she said, “The boat metaphor was a little over the top.”
So, yes, I’ve always been like this."
This made me literally LOL! PREACH, SISTER!
That line! I snorted. It's a good friend who will both follow where you lead while also giving you some constructive feedback.
" 'Milkshakes today, fists tomorrow, and knives the day after' is my new motto." But where do the brass knuckles fit in? I was in Prague about a month ago and stopped in a knife shop to get a plastic toothpick for my tiny Swiss Army knife at a knife place. But it wasn't just a knife place. It had kitchen knives, sure, but also big scary hunting knives and a bunch of brass knuckles and I got out of there ASAP. The replacement toothpick cost about 50 cents but the value was much higher because that store was an adventure.
Love it! My favorite Dingus of the year so far, Lyz. From the first word, "Men" at the top of the page to Shania's last word, "Woman" at the end of her song, [*] and EVEYTHING in-between: Claudia Sheinbaum's victory, the guy with the shrinking hands [Frum], your fundraiser for Trans Mutual Aid and the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, your two mantras, [will be borrowing both of those, btw], two more guys with little hands [Hilton and Wootton—and so much fear! Have they no one to tuck them into bed at night?], [**], and finally the “boat” and “rum” stories.
I was either offended, teary-eyed, smiling or laughing through the entire piece. You know that you have nailed it when you pull all of those varied emotions out of us in one essay! Thanks. And thank you for everything you do for ALL of us, Lyz. It is very much appreciated!
[*] How ironic is that? Didn’t realize it until I wrote it. Too funny.
[**] I wonder if Nanny from the Muppet Babies is looking for work.
The expression on the HERO who milkshaked Farage. She knew what she was doing and was pleased as punch to be doing it. Well done!
Family tragedy aside, Frum has always been a dingus.