Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
I've been super-busy with freelance projects and my two new jobs: I'm now a (Senior!) fellow of the American Foreign Policy Council and a (Senior!) Fellow of the Gatestone Institute--where they both promised I could write as much about Turkey as I want and they'd never complain. So I haven't had as much time for Ricochet. But I'm always reading what you're up to, and I really miss our conversations. (They both lured me away from you with that "Senior" title. I love the way that sounds. I can't wait for Gatestone to put my name and title on the site.)
Anyway, if you've been wondering what I've been up to, here's a piece I just wrote about the World Economic Forum in Istanbul called Davos on Tour:
The arrival of the World Economic Forum in Istanbul this week was overshadowed in the Turkish media by the arrival of Madonna and her entourage, although there was a symmetry in events—massive security, caravans of expensive cars with tinted windows, snarled traffic and cab drivers cursing them all. Tagging behind the Material Girl was her twenty-four-year-old lover, Brahim Zaibat; tagging behind Turkey’s mercurial prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. In both cases, the pair looked every inch the happy couple. ...
I've also got a long piece about the Gülen movement coming up in City Journal. (Pity my editors: They asked for four thousand words and I sent them ten thousand. They're probably tearing their hair out right about now. But really, you can't sum that story up in four thousand words. In fact, you can't sum it up in ten thousand, but I figured they'd plotz if I sent them a 20-volume treatise, complete with footnotes and bibliography.)
My debut piece for Gatestone will be published on Monday--it's about the Turkish Supreme Court's war on porn, and the dilemma this poses for Turkish blackmailers. So stay tuned and watch this space.
Oh! And I finally got around to posting the English version of a piece about Margaret Thatcher that was published last March in the German Financial Times. At least, I think that's what was published--I don't read German very well, so I don't know if the translation was accurate.
Life is good here in Istanbul in the springtime, even though the world's a mess--my garden's in bloom, my cats are happy, and so am I. I hope you're all busy and thriving, too.
I'm often here, even if I don't have as much time to post anymore.
So mind your manners, because you never know when I might be reading.
Love,
Claire
PS: If you're really jonesing for my non-stop Turkey updates, you can always follow me on Twitter: @claireberlinski. Never a dull moment, I promise you.
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Comments:
Jan '12
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
A rare Turkish delight.
Jun '10
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Just don't forget all the havoc Turkish delight wreaked in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Mar '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Claire, tabula's right... Pseudo and I have this while operation fouled up. But don't worry, we're planning a surge!
Jul '10
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
With all these senior titles you must be in the market for some industrial grade wrinkle cream.
Edited on June 16, 2012 at 5:17pmMay '10
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Miss you Claire
Feb '12
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Claire, Welcome BackI'm trying to gather Ricochet Euro Members for a Special European Time Zone Audio Meetup. "James of England" has already participated in one. "dash" (from France) want to do one plus a couple more Memeber have shown interest.
1. Are you willing to do an Audio Meetup if I schedule it at a evening time for you?
2. Can you provide member handles that you have come across that you believe are in Euro Time zones? I would send the invite to them as well.3. You just need to call a US phone number at a time around 7:00 PM lets say Paris time.
Dial - (218) 632-0550
Enter Access Code - 139584#
For more information on the Audio Meetups see the following post.
http://ricochet.com/special-topics/meetups/A-Call-Out-for-an-Audio-Meetup-Sign-Up-provided-below
Aug '10
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Anyone else so awed by Queen Claire that they can't think of anything more intelligent to say than...
"Hi, Claire"?
Well, that, and the possibly even more inane, "Hi, Claire's cats!"
Mar '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Pleased to see you are still keeping up with Ricochet and congratulations on your success, you certainly deserve the added recognition.
Not that there can be any higher title to aspire to than Ricochet Editor but when someone throws a "Senior" at you, well who can resist?
Sep '10
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Midget Faded Rattlesnake: Anyone else so awed by Queen Claire that they can't think of anything more intelligent to say than...
"Hi, Claire"?
Well, that, and the possibly even more inane, "Hi, Claire's cats!" · 57 minutes ago
Anyone can give congratulations and best wishes, but it takes a special kind of pseudonymous neurotic to rain on a ticker tape parade and carry on an extended monologue with one's self.
But, Casey, enough about me, what you think about me?
Edited on June 16, 2012 at 8:00pmJul '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Come back to Estonia, Claire! Our snow has melted again!
Mar '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Pseudo, I think of you as Ricochet's Umbriel - the dark, featureless moon of Uranus. But other times I think of you as a dancing tomato... Claire? Hello? Come back...
Nov '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Claire, If time is short and getting shorter, please keep sending links to your writing. I thought the opening paragraph of your article on the world economic forum especially brilliant and the rest of the piece nearly a match, especially your conversation with Abbas' spokesman.
Mar '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Fools! With Kenneth banished and Ms. Berlinski a mere dilettante presence do you know what you risk? My Lord, with those two missing in action our feline members, current and former, constitute almost half of the necessary Ricochet Personalities to keep this conversation going.
Do you doubt that Mr. Robinson and Long are not closely watching in order to crush those who with their japes distract from the policy behemoth they are attempting to create?! Caution my friends!
Mar '11
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
I trust that senior fellows are always fully clothed? Actually, I am jealous because at my company I am only a (junior) fellow - there are no senior fellows - I should push for promotion, but tis always harder when you are in the company, already. Btw, I enjoyed your review of Spengler's book, Claire, even though I am an admirer of his posts - I think you were maybe a little unkind - but who I am I? Only a junior fellow.
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
CuriousJohn: Claire, Welcome BackI'm trying to gather Ricochet Euro Members for a Special European Time Zone Audio Meetup. "James of England" has already participated in one. "dash" (from France) want to do one plus a couple more Memeber have shown interest.
1. Are you willing to do an Audio Meetup if I schedule it at a evening time for you?
2. Can you provide member handles that you have come across that you believe are in Euro Time zones? I would send the invite to them as well.3. You just need to call a US phone number at a time around 7:00 PM lets say Paris time.
Dial - (218) 632-0550
Enter Access Code - 139584#
For more information on the Audio Meetups see the following post.
http://ricochet.com/special-topics/meetups/A-Call-Out-for-an-Audio-Meetup-Sign-Up-provided-below · 13 hours ago
What a good idea! This week my schedule is nuts, but I could possibly do it next week ...
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Unkind? I thought I made it pretty clear that I really found the book interesting!
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Thank you! That line about Costa Rica was priceless. When journalists hear people say things like that they struggle to keep a straight face as they imagine how that's going to look in print ...
Edited on June 17, 2012 at 7:41amRe: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
John H.: I devoutly hope these are paid positions, because you sure deserve one (or two). Congratulations, or is ittebrik? (I've only seen the word once, and in a eurovision.tv comment - how questionable isthat?)
In your absence, I wrote about Turkey. It was hard. All those undotted i's and soft g's. Youtake the wheel now! · 17 hours ago
Oh, you better believe I'm doing it for money. Yes, it's tebrikler, or tebrik ederim.
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
Midget Faded Rattlesnake: Anyone else so awed by Queen Claire that they can't think of anything more intelligent to say than...
"Hi, Claire"?
Well, that, and the possibly even more inane, "Hi, Claire's cats!" · 13 hours ago
My cats say, "Hi Midge! We missed you!" Then they remembered you're a rattlesnake, and thought better of trying to eat you.
Re: Hey Ricochet, I Miss You Guys!
My God, has it been that long? It really doesn't feel that way ....