>>172981, >>172982, >>172983, >>172984, >>172985, >>172986, >>172987, >>172988, >>172989, >>172990, >>172991, >>172992, >>172993, >>172994, >>172995, >>172996, >>172997, >>172998, >>172999, >>173000, >>173001, >>173002, >>173003, >>173004, >>173005, >>173006, >>173007, >>173008, >>173009, >>173010, >>173011, >>173012, >>173013, >>173014, >>173015, >>173016, >>173017, >>173018, >>173019, >>173020, >>173021, >>173022, >>173023, >>173024, >>173025, >>173026, >>173027, >>173028, >>173029
She ignored his request for a political prisoner list.
When pressed for her actual plan to seize power, she had nothing concrete.
Her absolute refusal to negotiate with anyone in Maduro's regime earned respect from Venezuelans but destroyed relationships with the business elite needed to actually run the country.
Her hardline stance on sanctions alienated potential allies.
Trump's focus is oil, not democracy promotion.
So he went with the pragmatic option: work with someone already inside the power structure who can maintain stability while US oil companies move in.
Machado's uncompromising principles cost her the presidency.
Source: New York Times
https://x.com/skscartoon/status/2008459247408095643

slimzim @jameszimmermann - This is Rachel Ford, the Knoxville Symphony CEO who denied me the Principal Clarinet job after I won the blind audition unanimously.
Rachel, why did you invite me to the audition after reviewing my resume if you had no intention of hiring me? Why have me waste my time?
https://x.com/jameszimmermann/status/2008193557673488846

slimzim @jameszimmermann - BLACKLISTED: In September the Knoxville Symphony invited me to their blind audition for Principal Clarinet, which I won by unanimous vote. Two days later their CEO called and refused to hire me, citing my ousting from the Nashville Symphony six years ago for resisting DEI as the reason, and instead gave the job to my runner-up, an obvious DEI hire who’s still in college.
In response I sued the Knoxville Symphony two weeks ago for a year’s salary plus $25k for the 100 hours I spent practicing for the audition. This isn’t just about money though, it’s also about pushing back against these symphony CEOs who continue to put race and politics above merit and skill. Someone has to save our symphonies from being sacrificed on the altar of “diversity” and no one is better positioned to do it than me. Wish I didn’t have to do it but I’m doing it anyway.