Scottish Ron Swanson is protesting Trump with a Mexican flag https://t.co/DUUyyNNxWV
— Wyeth Ruthven (@wyethwire) June 21, 2016
So proud of my people right now. https://t.co/YlGSHqie7O
— Wyeth Ruthven (@wyethwire) June 21, 2016
The Washington Post adds a long, meaty article explaining “Trump’s top example of foreign experience: A Scottish golf course losing millions”:
BALMEDIE, Scotland — When Donald Trump arrives this weekend at the golf course he built on the rugged dunes of this remote, windswept corner overlooking the North Sea, he will celebrate it as an example of his international business success.
He bought the property north of Aberdeen more than a decade ago as his first European project — a chance to establish the Trump brand in his mother’s native country. He has pointed to it as a precursor to his bid for the U.S. presidency…
But to many people in Scotland, his course here has been a failure. Over the past decade, Trump has battled with homeowners, elbowed his way through the planning process, shattered relationships with elected leaders and sued the Scottish government. On top of that, he has yet to fulfill the lofty promises he made.
Trump has also reported to Scottish authorities that he lost millions of dollars on the project — even as he claims on U.S. presidential disclosure forms that the course has been highly profitable…
“He would have us think that he is widely respected and loved, that Scotland he has won over. . . . That’s just delusional, I’m sorry to say,” said Aberdeen’s Suzanne Kelly, who organized the national petition. “Nobody wants him around. . . . And he refuses to see or refuses to accept what is reality.”
May those words appear on the tombstone of Trump’s political career, come November.
Apart from remembering never to pick a fight with a company that buys pixels by the barrel, what’s on the agenda for the evening?
Adam L Silverman
Losing money owning a golf course in Scotland is like losing money owning a casino in the US… err, umm, hmm…
Schlemazel Khan
Well, he is the king of debt
JordanRules
Ha, ha! I love it! I remember when he had the nerve to tell the Scots he was going to show them how to build a world glass golf course.
He’s such an idiot!
Adam L Silverman
Didn’t mean to bigfoot you AL.
JPL
One time when Trump landed in Scotland, he spoke about being Scotch himself. If I find the link, I’ll let you know.
ruemara
Love it! My kinfolk!
JPL
@JPL: This is a link to the Washington Post, but there were several sources..
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: he’s been breaded and deep fried? It would explain the color.
Schlemazel Khan
I’m bummed. I recently found out my ancestors arrived about 1800 from North Central England & not Scotland as I had always thought. Somehow that just does not have the cache or a cool tartan to call my own.
OTOH, it does allow me to root against Mel if I ever watch Braveheart again
PurpleGirl
He should be used to not getting everything he wants… the good people of Palm Beach said no way, no how to his initial plans to carve up Mar-a-Lago into individual home sites. They refused him permission to build a a bunch of mansions. So while he may live in a portion of the estate the only thing Palm Beach would allow him to build was a country club and golf course.
geg6
HBO’s Real Sports has done several in-depth stories about Trump, his Aberdeen course and his dealings with the Scots, official and unofficial. Surprisingly, by Bernie Goldberg, whose political outlook would lead one to believe he’d vote for Trump. But I’ve seen all of the reports he’s done on this over the years and his contempt for Trump is palpable. And he loves the neighbor guy who is in the pic above with the Mexican flag. This guy has been torturing Trump, trolling him mightily by creating a junkyard on the farm that butts up against the golf course and spray painting epithets against Trump on an old barn that can clearly be seen from one of the holes. Whenever Goldberg interviews him, Bernie can barely suppress his glee.
Adam L Silverman
@efgoldman: Its the name and mascot for West Point’s athletic teams:
http://goarmywestpoint.com/
Alex.S
“Shouldn’t you be… I don’t know… running for President?” -Republican Party
“Can’t you guys do that for me? Oh, and I need someone to pay back my loans.” -Donald Trump
Mnemosyne
For the comic book geeks: I know I should stop buying cases for my new iPhone but, seriously, how was I supposed to resist this one?
Adam L Silverman
@Mnemosyne: Classic Dick Sprang art!
ThresherK
@efgoldman: And once more, we Nordique fans are left out.
I have no idea if the the exchange rate between $CAN and $US were projected by the NHL for any length in the future, but it seems a touch like people who buy a car based on the price of gas that morning.
Ian
I am sad to say the Scots deserve him as much as we do. The Scots are voting for Brexit so they can go independent and rejoin the EU as a fully free nation. I don’t blame their long term goals, but what a way to give the finger to their English brethren.
gratuitous
I seem to recall that Trump was testifying at some hearing or other in Scotland when a wind farm was being considered. Trump was agin it because it would spoil the sightlines of his beautiful, magnificent, world class golf course. In his usual blustering fashion, he was going on and on about how his experts, world class experts of unimpeachable reputation and perspicacity, said that the wind farm would be an absolute disaster for so many reasons.
When the hearings officer finally got a word in edgewise, he asked Trump who his experts were, and would they be available to testify as to Trump’s assertions? Trump was momentarily stopped, but then blurted out that he, Trump, was the expert: “I’m the expert! Nobody knows more about this than me!” The room was silent, then everyone burst out laughing.
PaulWartenberg2016
@efgoldman:
Tis but a scratch!
The first Atlanta team were called Knights too, if I recall.
Punchy
@PurpleGirl: true story — I dated an archetect (sp?) who did a lot of design and consulting work for the Don in Palm Springs. Said he was a world class asshole. I had the chance to meet him at his estate but I passed. Kinda wish I hadnt…
Origuy
@Ian: Do you have any links to polling? The SNP came out for “Remain”.
PaulWartenberg2016
@Mnemosyne:
Batman: Nonsense. My only interest in her is… purely rehabilitation!
Mnemosyne
@PaulWartenberg2016:
I got the Blu-Rays of the complete series for half price last year. Sooo many memories.
One of my most regretted long-lost photos has me in a Batgirl costume that my mom made for me, complete with red wig.
boatboy_srq
@JPL: Trump, distilled down to his basic essence.
Thor Heyerdahl
@efgoldman: There were some classic Adams division battles with the Nordiques. Like the Good Friday Brawl in the 1984 playoffs vs the Canadiens.
Anne Laurie
@JPL:
His mother was a Scottish immigrant, so it’s far less of a stretch than most of Trump’s claims. (Of course, it also — as many people have pointed out — makes it even worse that Trump keeps attacking the loyalties of other immigrants’ kids!)
@gratuitous: Trump’s wind farm bullshit is described at some length in the WaPo article I linked.
@efgoldman:
If you believe Jon Ralston (which I tend to), the NHL team goes to Vegas because Sheldon Adelson wants it. And, of course, Adelson also just managed to get his pet NV legislators to pay for the bulk of the required stadium-building and other sweeteners, so it’ll end up as yet another Major League Sports Boondoggle (but with added rhinestones).
Omnes Omnibus
@Anne Laurie: Scotch is liquor. Scots is people.
boatboy_srq
@Omnes Omnibus: Is Trump either?
Omnes Omnibus
@boatboy_srq: Trump? I wouldn’t drink it. Ew.
sm*t cl*de
And never try to out-bastard a Scotsman.
pseudonymous in nc
@JordanRules:
Always worth remembering that the Old Course at St Andrews, outside of tournament weeks, is open for public recreation (not golf) on Sundays. You can go and have a picnic there. That seems positively anti-Trumpian.
Paul in KY
@efgoldman: Edward the Black Prince & Henry V both wore black armour. The French would consider neither to have been ‘good’.