Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
Blue Yeti ·
January 13, 2012 at 12:46am
Britain's most dangerous podcaster James Delingpole returns, this week with author, journalist/blogger, former Top Chef judge, and current educator, Toby Young (check out his book How To Lose Friends And Alienate People: A Memoir). This week, they cover the free education movement in Great Britain, their sordid days in the 80's, throw their support behind one particular (and particular) presidential candidate, and close with a fervent defense of the good old U.S. of A.
Ricochet members, subscribe here (you'll also find the direct link there).
Thanks to EJHill for the illustration.
- Comment (14)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
Comments:
Jul '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
Nice outtake!
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
People who listen to the very end of a podcast make the Blue Yeti very happy.
Edited on January 13, 2012 at 2:07amNov '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
Fine podcast, as always.
Must say: Thoughts of emigrating to New Zealand, however whimsical, must always confront what one of John Derbyshire's readers once wrote to him. Derb had been musing that Uruguay or New Zealand might be good "bolt holes."
Alas, the "reader poured cold sheep-dip on my dreams about New Zealand." See here.
Edited on January 13, 2012 at 3:24amMay '11
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
I'm starting to think this podcast, even by itself, is worth the annual Ricochet subscription cost. I really enjoy the guests' perspectives and conversation flows. Oh yes, and the outtakes.
Must say: Thoughts of emigrating to New Zealand, however whimsical, must always confront what one of John Derbyshire's readers once wrote to him. Derb had been musing that Uruguay or New Zealand might be good "bolt holes."
Alas, the "reader poured cold sheep-dip on my dreams about New Zealand." See here. · Jan 12 at 6:24pm
Wow -- a rather harsh critique of NZ in that article. Can't say I've ever been there myself, but after growing up in Australia I've met a lot of people from NZ and they've always been perfectly charming. I'm thinking that writer may have had a personally negative experience there and I'm hoping that's the case, since escaping to NZ is a part of my "when it all goes to hell" plan. If nothing else, they speak English and are a long way away from... everywhere. (They also have a fairly active libertarian party which sometimes participates in coalition governments.)
May '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
Robert Lux: Fine podcast, as always.
Must say: Thoughts of emigrating to New Zealand, however whimsical, must always confront what one of John Derbyshire's readers once wrote to him. Derb had been musing that Uruguay or New Zealand might be good "bolt holes."
Alas, the "reader poured cold sheep-dip on my dreams about New Zealand." See here. · Jan 12 at 6:24pm
Edited on Jan 12 at 06:24 pm
I just spent a week and a half in Uruguay over the new year. It's a fantastic little country. There's a beautiful Atlantic coast with excellent beaches, and it's relatively safe.
If you like meat, there's no place better. Everybody has one of these in their backyard, called a parrilla (pronounced parr-EE-sha):
They invite all their friends and family over and they sit around for hours slowly grilling and devouring delicious cuts of beef, lamb, and sausage over coals from a wood fire. This event is called an asado and it is something you must experience.
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
May I congratulate EJ Hill on his Statue of Liberty thing: genius!
Mar '11
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
I've been to NZ, on vacation, and it is my dream place to live - not for nothing was Lord of the Rings filmed there. Sadly, I couldn't make a living there unless I took up sheep farming, which at this stage in life seems unlikely.
Also, I seem to recall they have a lefty, global warming Govt? Or maybe had - I lose track.
Jun '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
The charter school movement in the U.S. has a major flaw. Keep in mind that proponents must apply to the local school district for a charter. This gives the state oversight authority. I can tell you from bitter experience that a successful charter will eventually become a target for takeover.
My school was eventually infiltrated by a principle on a mission to destroy us or deliver the school back into the hands of the district authorities. We didn't know he was a Bolshevik; he certainly seemed sincere. He divided the faculty along ideological lines and purged the conservatives. He suspended the discipline policy and turned off the school bells which resulted in campus anarchy. He then accused the accountant of embezzlement and invited the district to investigate.
When the charter came up for renewal, it was at first suspended then revoked. The finances were put back in the hands of the district. Our board of directors was forced to resign. Then the principal's chair was delivered into the hands of a career bureaucrat. Game over. Bolsheviks are nothing if not relentless. You have been warned.
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
Yep: love the out-take!
Oct '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
'Had', I think. The last election was recent, and the centre-right National party scored a big victory, pushing the main left-wing party, Labour, into its biggest defeat in... a long time. National purports to stand for:
But for the last, that all sounds good. However, even if it were sincere, NZ adopted a proportional representation system a while ago, so all sorts of folks end up in government.
Physically, New Zealand is not only incredibly distant, but really is LotR country - Switzerland with beaches and no people.
Edited on January 13, 2012 at 7:12pmOct '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
And to cross the streams with Claire's post above, NZ ranks fourth on the Heritage Economic Freedom Index.
More importantly, they are the current and natural holders of the Rugby World Cup.
May '10
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
1. ~Paules has a good point about charter schools being takeover targets.
2. A huge problem w charter/free schools is that, like the one on the podcast, they can only take 10-15% of the applicants. I know, you can't save every starfish.
Points 1&2 take me to
3. The only answer is voucherize it. Let the parents have the means to send their children to whatever school they choose, right now, not if a spot in a charter school opens up
Sep '11
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
One small question - what is a free school? Seriously, being in Australia I have no idea - there was no attempt to explain it - except to say that they are the same as charter schools in the US - great, and what are they? I've done a little research and think I understand - entirely public funded but privately run? Anyway, it would have been nice to get some sort of explanation.
Apr '11
Re: Radio Free Delingpole #5: A Beacon of Hope
I was surprised by one of Toby's remarks about meritocracy. He mentioned a study of "inter-generational social mobility" in the "developed world", and how the US & the UK come in pretty much at the bottom of the list. I was little skeptical of the criteria used to measure such a thing, as well as the way different countries may have been chosen for the study. Looking online, I see the usual BBC hand-wringing about inequality--
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8162616.stm
I don't have the energy to read much further into it at the moment; hopefully fodder for a different post a bit later...:-)
(BW James, I have to add my congrats on the single best Ricochet out-take yet.... you easily beat Mr Lilek's "Young Frankenstein" finale)