(11-16-2018 05:42 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 04:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 03:58 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 01:32 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 01:05 PM)BobcatEngineer Wrote:  How many Mar-a-Lago members are now ambassadors?

I don't know. Do you?

If any, that would be a problem, for the reasons stated. We get killed in the foreign policy arena by using ambassadorships for political favors. Whoever does it, it's wrong. But it's been our MO for decades.

I just don't see where the Medal of Freedom impacts us operationally in any sense. It's pretty much always been nothing but a perk for presidents to reward their cronies. Let them have that, as long as all it costs us is what we spend on food and drinks and ceremony.

I know that Trump has nominated a handbag designer who owns a condo at Mar a Lago to be US Ambassador to South Africa. There probably are others.

We should have some minimum standards for being an Ambassador.

She's originally from South Africa and speaks both Afrikaans and Xhosa.


The previous ambassador to South Africa was a career political operative. The one he replaced sole qualification is he raised $500k for Obama's campaign.

She's a handbag designer

Who was close friends with Diana, the former Princess of Wales. In fact she was supposed to be on vacation with Diana when Diana was killed but had to cancel because of an illness in the family. Diana went to Paris with her boyfriend instead.

She's also served on the women's leadership board at the JFK school of government at Harvard.

I tend to find the successful CEO of a multi-million dollar company who comes from a high enough background to be friends with the Royal Family (she started her company after not being abkle to find a handbag that matched the outfit she was wearing to a birthday celebration for Queen Elizabeth) with South African roots and the ability to speak the native language of the country far more qualificatuons than being a career political operative (Gaspard) or a huge campaign donor (Gips).

(11-16-2018 06:02 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 05:42 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 04:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 03:58 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 01:32 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I don't know. Do you?

If any, that would be a problem, for the reasons stated. We get killed in the foreign policy arena by using ambassadorships for political favors. Whoever does it, it's wrong. But it's been our MO for decades.

I just don't see where the Medal of Freedom impacts us operationally in any sense. It's pretty much always been nothing but a perk for presidents to reward their cronies. Let them have that, as long as all it costs us is what we spend on food and drinks and ceremony.

I know that Trump has nominated a handbag designer who owns a condo at Mar a Lago to be US Ambassador to South Africa. There probably are others.

We should have some minimum standards for being an Ambassador.

She's originally from South Africa and speaks both Afrikaans and Xhosa.


The previous ambassador to South Africa was a career political operative. The one he replaced sole qualification is he raised $500k for Obama's campaign.

She's a handbag designer

Who was close friends with Diana, the former Princess of Wales. In fact she was supposed to be on vacation with Diana when Diana was killed but had to cancel because of an illness in the family. Diana went to Paris with her boyfriend instead.

She's also served on the women's leadership board at the JFK school of government at Harvard.

I tend to find the successful CEO of a multi-million dollar company who comes from a high enough background to be friends with the Royal Family (she started her company after not being abkle to find a handbag that matched the outfit she was wearing to a birthday celebration for Queen Elizabeth) with South African roots and the ability to speak the native language of the country far more qualificatuons than being a career political operative (Gaspard) or a huge campaign donor (Gips).

OK, so she's an out of touch handbag designer. Noted.

I'm sure there are tens of people in South Africa that she can actually relate to. Just what South Africa needs, a society doyenne and former TV presenter on a program called Red Carpet Excess". I suppose Leona Helmsley is no longer available...https://www.palmbeachermagazine.com/boutique-buzz/how-purse-designer-lana-marks-got-her-start-and-brought-her-business-worth-avenue

I'm sure her life and career designing ostrich bags costing 1k to upwards of 100k will prepare her for the challenges of South Africa, where most of the population lives on less than 50 dollars a month. I tried to look up Lana Marks charity on the google to see how she was paying it forward. I was expecting to see something along the lines of a charity for retired racing horses or people who preserve historic rowing boats from Eton. But instead I found....nothing. I did find a rather large number of articles from vendors claiming she doesn't pay her bills and doesn't comply with exotic animal hide import rules. And evidence that she stretches the truth regarding her and her own behavior.

LOL. Here's an article in a South African BUSINESS MAGAZINE about her.. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/nation...-she-said/

If I were in the Senate, I'd certainly ask about her views on Trump's claims about white genocide in South Africa in the confirmation hearings.

She appears to be a parody of an out of touch Ambassador, with nothing but fluff behind it. I hope we have someone competent from State to really conduct buisness and clean up on Aisle 2 when she offends the people of South Africa at every turn.

By the way, the South African press is appalled and incredulous at her appointment. And they're used to political appointees from the USA.

I might try to find her Confirmation hearings on C-SPAN2. This might be rather funny.

(11-16-2018 06:12 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 06:02 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 05:42 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 04:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 03:58 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I know that Trump has nominated a handbag designer who owns a condo at Mar a Lago to be US Ambassador to South Africa. There probably are others.

We should have some minimum standards for being an Ambassador.

She's originally from South Africa and speaks both Afrikaans and Xhosa.


The previous ambassador to South Africa was a career political operative. The one he replaced sole qualification is he raised $500k for Obama's campaign.

She's a handbag designer

Who was close friends with Diana, the former Princess of Wales. In fact she was supposed to be on vacation with Diana when Diana was killed but had to cancel because of an illness in the family. Diana went to Paris with her boyfriend instead.

She's also served on the women's leadership board at the JFK school of government at Harvard.

I tend to find the successful CEO of a multi-million dollar company who comes from a high enough background to be friends with the Royal Family (she started her company after not being abkle to find a handbag that matched the outfit she was wearing to a birthday celebration for Queen Elizabeth) with South African roots and the ability to speak the native language of the country far more qualificatuons than being a career political operative (Gaspard) or a huge campaign donor (Gips).

OK, so she's an out of touch handbag designer. Noted.

I'm sure there are tens of people in South Africa that she can actually relate to. Just what South Africa needs, a society doyenne and former TV presenter on a program called Red Carpet Excess". I suppose Leona Helmsley is no longer available...https://www.palmbeachermagazine.com/boutique-buzz/how-purse-designer-lana-marks-got-her-start-and-brought-her-business-worth-avenue

I'm sure her life and career designing ostrich bags costing 1k and up will prepare her for the challenges of South Africa, where most of the population lives on less than 50 dollars a month.

If I were in the Senate, I'd certainly ask about her views on Trump's claims about white genocide in South Africa.

Thankfully we haven't devolved enough as a nation to where we would elect someone as delusional as you to the United States Senate.


If you didn't complain about Obama appointing unqualified political cronies as ambassadors your complaints seem petty & hollow now so just stop.

(11-16-2018 06:12 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 06:02 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 05:42 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 04:23 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 03:58 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I know that Trump has nominated a handbag designer who owns a condo at Mar a Lago to be US Ambassador to South Africa. There probably are others.

We should have some minimum standards for being an Ambassador.

She's originally from South Africa and speaks both Afrikaans and Xhosa.


The previous ambassador to South Africa was a career political operative. The one he replaced sole qualification is he raised $500k for Obama's campaign.

She's a handbag designer

Who was close friends with Diana, the former Princess of Wales. In fact she was supposed to be on vacation with Diana when Diana was killed but had to cancel because of an illness in the family. Diana went to Paris with her boyfriend instead.

She's also served on the women's leadership board at the JFK school of government at Harvard.

I tend to find the successful CEO of a multi-million dollar company who comes from a high enough background to be friends with the Royal Family (she started her company after not being abkle to find a handbag that matched the outfit she was wearing to a birthday celebration for Queen Elizabeth) with South African roots and the ability to speak the native language of the country far more qualificatuons than being a career political operative (Gaspard) or a huge campaign donor (Gips).

OK, so she's an out of touch handbag designer. Noted.

I'm sure there are tens of people in South Africa that she can actually relate to. Just what South Africa needs, a society doyenne and former TV presenter on a program called Red Carpet Excess". I suppose Leona Helmsley is no longer available...https://www.palmbeachermagazine.com/boutique-buzz/how-purse-designer-lana-marks-got-her-start-and-brought-her-business-worth-avenue

I'm sure her life and career designing ostrich bags costing 1k to upwards of 100k will prepare her for the challenges of South Africa, where most of the population lives on less than 50 dollars a month. I tried to look up Lana Marks charity on the google to see how she was paying it forward. I was expecting to see something along the lines of a charity for retired racing horses or people who preserve historic rowing boats from Eton. But instead I found....nothing. I did find a rather large number of articles from vendors claiming she doesn't pay her bills and doesn't comply with exotic animal hide import rules. And evidence that she stretches the truth regarding her and her own behavior.

LOL. Here's an article in a South African BUSINESS MAGAZINE about her.. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/nation...-she-said/

If I were in the Senate, I'd certainly ask about her views on Trump's claims about white genocide in South Africa in the confirmation hearings.

She appears to be a parody of an out of touch Ambassador, with nothing but fluff behind it. I hope we have someone competent from State to really conduct buisness and clean up on Aisle 2 when she offends the people of South Africa at every turn.

By the way, the South African press is appalled and incredulous at her appointment. And they're used to political appointees from the USA.

I might try to find her Confirmation hearings on C-SPAN2. This might be rather funny.

So what. Everyone is appalled at the murder rate, rape rate, and the S. African government.

(11-16-2018 03:40 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 12:25 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  This bothers me. Does it bother you?

Not in the least.

It *Would* bother me, and bother me greatly, if I thought there was anything special or important or meaningful about the “Presidential Medal of Freedom”. And maybe in the days of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln (or whoever the hell started this) there really was something special about it. But in the last few decades it’s just been another piece of crap like the Oscars or Emmys or what have you. A chance for rich people and politicians to say “Look at me!” in front of the media. Yeah, once in a while there is a deserving honoree, but that’s hardly the norm.

"But in the last few decades it’s just been another piece of crap like the Oscars or Emmys or what have you."

Or the Nobel Peace Prize. I know this dude that got one and he didn't do jack to earn it, his name starts with an O.

(11-16-2018 03:44 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 02:37 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 01:49 PM)BobcatEngineer Wrote:  Trump tapped Lana Marks for ambassador to South Africa. She's a handbag designer and a member of Mar-a-Lago. She has no prior diplomatic experience, but she was born in SA, and speaks Afrikaans, so she has that going for her.

Robin Bernstein is now the ambassador to the Dominican Republic. She's a founding member of Mar-a-Lago and was Trump's insurance agent for a period of time.

Trump tapped two other Mar-a-Lago members for ambassadorships, Patrick Park and Brian Burns, but they both turned down the position due to family responsibilities and health reasons, respectively.

Did you express this much concern for the appointments of the following ambassadors?

Matthew Barzun
Timothy Broas
Suzi LeVine
John Emerson
Denise Bauer
James Costos

If not, why?

A step up from Gay Wally,

When I saw this picture, this is the first thing that came to mind:

"...he went to Jared (Kushner)"