Trump's response to Meryl Streep's speech....

[Flinders]

I believe the Queen honoured Sir Jimmy Saville OBE, KCSG. What does that say about our Royal Family ? Should we keep financing a group of people who heap public honours on e.g. Sir Jimmy ? And whenever the Queen does something I disagree with (e.g. inviting Trump over for a State visit), does reminding everybody about others she has also honoured add to the discussion ?

Ian

To be fair, the Queen doesn't get to choose who gets asked or when. The PM does that, and the Queen just has to grin and bear it.
I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall if the Queen has a diplomatic illness and trump ends up next to Prince Charles.
I have seen other people suggest that Prince Harry might like to bop trump on the nose for the remarks he made about Prince Harry's late mother, and I don't suppose Prince William is keen on what Trump said about his wife, either.
What with that and Prince Phillip not being known for holding back on his thoughts, it could be quite a fun occasion. Like an Alan Aykbourn play but with tiaras.

[bovlomov]

To be fair, the Queen doesn't get to choose who gets asked or when. The PM does that, and the Queen just has to grin and bear it.

But, being a bit less fair...

The Royal Family does seem to attract, or be attracted to, unsavoury characters. I'd say that Savile, Rolf Harris and Stuart Hall received a warmer welcome than mere protocol would demand. At the very least, their advisers and the security services weren't doing their job very well if the Royals were unaware of the rumours swirling around.

But let's not blame the Queen for Prince Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

[Psamathe]

I wonder ...

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is indicated by five or more of the following symptoms:

Exaggerates own importance
Is preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence or ideal romance
Believes he or she is special and can only be understood by other special people or institutions
Requires constant attention and admiration from others
Has unreasonable expectations of favourable treatment
Takes advantage of others to reach his or her own goals
Disregards the feelings of others, lacks empathy
Is often envious of others or believes other people are envious of him or her
Shows arrogant behaviours and attitudes

This is a list/diagnostic tool created by the psychiatrist who "defined the clinical characteristics for narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)", Professor Allen Frances.

Interesting of note is that the disorder is more common on males. He [Professor Allen Frances] also warns that it is common for many adolescents to display the characteristics listed above but says “this does not indicate that they will later develop narcissistic personality disorder”.

So how would you score Trump ?

Ian

[matt_twam_asi]

Interesting of note is that the disorder is more common on males. He [Professor Allen Frances] also warns that it is common for many adolescents to display the characteristics listed above but says “this does not indicate that they will later develop narcissistic personality disorder”.

So how would you score Trump ?

I'd follow the advice of Professor Allen Frances and score him pretty low on the scale.

[[XAP]Bob]

Interesting of note is that the disorder is more common on males. He [Professor Allen Frances] also warns that it is common for many adolescents to display the characteristics listed above but says “this does not indicate that they will later develop narcissistic personality disorder”.

So how would you score Trump ?

I'd follow the advice of Professor Allen Frances and score him pretty low on the scale.

He's high on the scale, but low on the 'disorder' in that he isn't suffering from it - he has/is externalised that suffering.

[matt_twam_asi]

As I am not a psychiatrist I will take your word on that.

For me, the larger takeaway from the Professor's letter was not to be tempted to diagnose at a distance. Also I agree with him that the reason why Trump is following a course of action is far less interesting than the action itself.

[blackbike]

Those symptoms seem to fit Hillary better than President Trump.

[[XAP]Bob]

As I am not a psychiatrist I will take your word on that.

For me, the larger takeaway from the Professor's letter was not to be tempted to diagnose at a distance. Also I agree with him that the reason why Trump is following a course of action is far less interesting than the action itself.

Neither am I - I am paraphrasing (unclearly) the letter.

There is no need to resort to diagnosis to see how badly he is suited for the role.

(Again - lifted from the letter)

[Psamathe]

Interesting of note is that the disorder is more common on males. He [Professor Allen Frances] also warns that it is common for many adolescents to display the characteristics listed above but says “this does not indicate that they will later develop narcissistic personality disorder”.

So how would you score Trump ?

I'd follow the advice of Professor Allen Frances and score him pretty low on the scale.

I think the letter is probably more damning of Trump than had it argued he did suffer from the disorder. Were he mentally ill there would be reason for feel sorry for him and his condition and to hope that with treatment me might get better.

... Mr. Trump causes severe distress rather than experiencing it and has been richly rewarded, rather than punished, for his grandiosity, self-absorption and lack of empathy. It is a stigmatizing insult to the mentally ill (who are mostly well behaved and well meaning) to be lumped with Mr. Trump (who is neither).
...

Ian

[reohn2]

Those symptoms seem to fit Hillary better than President Trump.

Trip trap....

[Psamathe]

So, competition for whose going to be 2nd is hotting-up (given that America is 1st, more countries got their bids in to be 2nd)

http://everysecondcounts.eu

I like India's bid. Very moderate bid from Iran (clearly being realistic about possibilities). Israel seems to make a good case. Dutch case (those who started the bidding) - is actually in English is you watch through the short intro.

UK not bothered bidding (yet ?)

Croatia good solid bid to be 2nd. Slovenia (seeking to be "Sloppy Second" maybe has an unfair advantage (that they exploit)).

Plenty of other bids, so who (if anybody) deserves to be 2nd ?

Ian

[661-Pete]

It seems, judging from information disseminated by the world's best-informed person, that terrible things have been happening in Sweden.

No wonder IKEA have, reportedly, sold out of these:


Oh well, maybe the Croydon branch still have some in stock. Questions: could someone please help me load mine on the trolley? And can I park my car nearer the checkout?

[PDQ Mobile]

It seems, judging from information disseminated by the world's best-informed person, that terrible things have been happening in Sweden.

No wonder IKEA have, reportedly, sold out of these:


Oh well, maybe the Croydon branch still have some in stock. Questions: could someone please help me load mine on the trolley? And can I park my car nearer the checkout?

I thought it pretty unbelievable that after all the bile poured upon "false news media" last week by the Trump administration, he manages to come up with this.
Not fit for office.

[kwackers]

I thought it pretty unbelievable that after all the bile poured upon "false news media" last week by the Trump administration, he manages to come up with this.
Not fit for office.

I don't usually stick up for Trump but Sweden was one hundred times worse than the Bowling Green Massacre!

http://rochdaleherald.co.uk/2017/02/20/sweden-attack-100-times-worse-bowling-green-massacre-says-kellyanne-conway/

[Psamathe]

I thought it pretty unbelievable that after all the bile poured upon "false news media" last week by the Trump administration, he manages to come up with this.
Not fit for office.

I don't usually stick up for Trump but Sweden was one hundred times worse than the Bowling Green Massacre!

http://rochdaleherald.co.uk/2017/02/20/sweden-attack-100-times-worse-bowling-green-massacre-says-kellyanne-conway/

We need to be careful we don't jump to conclusions as it seems that Ms Conway actually had personal experience of the Bowling Green Massacre - in that she was killed in the attack

President Trump counsellor Kellyanne Conway has criticised media outlets accusing her of making up the ‘Bowling Green Massacre’, insisting that not only was it real, but she was murdered during it.
...
However, when challenged on the allegation, Conway doubled-down to accuse reporters of bias against her just because she was killed during the attack.

Conway explained, “I remember the Bowling Green Massacre vividly, as I should, having been shot to death by an immigrant during it.

“I bled out on the pavement purely because Obama didn’t properly secure our borders – my death is on his hands.

“I would still be alive today if the Liberal left hadn’t let in all these brown people who wanted to kill me.

Ian