Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Make sure your brain is fully operational before listening to this podcast -- you'll need it in top working order as we're joined by Victor Davis Hanson and John Yoo. Victor riffs on the possibility of India joining the U.N. Security Council, the current state of California, how we're doing in Afghanistan, and some of the new members of Congress. Then, John Yoo stops by to edify us on the 17th Amendment, missile defense, and his future career as a podcaster.
Bullets and plenty of them:
- Hat tip to Ricochet member Pseudodionysius for supplying the title to this week's episode.
- When not writing op-eds for The Wall Street Journal, Bill McGurn moonlights as a handyman for a very select clientele.
- A local Alaskan news station's report on Ted Danson's testimony on environmental concerns stemming from the 2008 lease sale in the Chukchi Sea. We liked him better as a bartender.
- Victor Davis Hanson's Ricochet post supporting President Obama's decision to back India as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. Wikipedia's entry on the council is here.
- The reason Victor can speak with so much authority on the San Joaquin Valley is because his family has owned a farm in Selma, CA for generations.
- Peter Robinson's op-ed piece on immigration for The Wall Street Journal can be read here.
- Monterey Park, CA is located about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, and is home to one of the most vibrant Asian communities in the U.S as well as some of the best Asian restaurants in the country.
- Don't miss John Yoo's op-ed piece in The New York Times (co-authored with John Bolton).
- Whether or not missile defense systems actually work is still an open question. As Peter points out, The Union of Concerned Scientists are skeptical, calling the program "enormously expensive, inherently ineffective."
- Stanley Kubrik's Dr. Strangelove is one of our favorite movies. We're especially fond of this scene which features the immortal line "You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!"
- According to this report, Patriot missiles were effective 70% of time in Saudi Arabia and 40% of the time in Israel during the first Gulf War.
- In this excerpt, George W. Bush tells Matt Lauer (at the 2:00 mark) that "waterboarding is legal, because the lawyers said it was legal." John Yoo was the lawyer made that determination.
- It may not be shrink wrapped with W's Decision Points, but John Yoo's Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power from George Washington to George W. Bush is available at Amazon and fine bookstores everywhere.
- 2004 polling data for Venice, CA is not available (it is part of Los Angeles), however the county went solidly for John Kerry. Dennis Kucinich didn't receive any votes.
- John's recent post on Ricochet suggesting that the Tea Party's not devote a lot of time to repealing the 17th Amendment is here. Read the comments too.
- Based on what we can tell, being His Serene Royal Highness, the Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein is a pretty sweet gig.
- Felix Unger and Oscar Madison were the title characters in Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple. Art Carney and Walter Matthau starred in the original Broadway production and Carney was replaced by Jack Lemmon in the 1968 film. But most people remember the TV series starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, the essence of which was perfectly captured by the show's title sequence.
Music in this week's episode:
- Let Yourself Go by James Brown
- Rocket by Smashing Pumpkins
The direct link to this week's episode is here, but we'd really love it if you'd subscribe. We know iTunes isn't for everyone, so visit our Feedburner page for a number of other subscription options.
The Ricochet Podcast is sponsored by Encounter Books and their Broadside Series. This week's featured title is How the Obama Administration Threatens Our National Security by Victor Davis Hanson. Available for $5.99 at EncounterBooks.com.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Playing on my iPhone via Stitcher right now. :)
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Admitting India to the Security Council is like adding a 4th Stooge - the UN is a dysfunctional farce.
Never gonna happen, anyway, because the Islamic states have thoroughly hijacked the UN and China does not smile upon India.
Just another meaningless Obama gesture.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
I am listening to this Right now and would like to know why Dr. Hanson referred to Our Soldiers as "kids."
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Hmmm. Which commenter used the phrase "Trust But Terrify" on Ricochet in the past 2 months?
Nyet
Edited on Nov 10, 2010 at 7:40pmMay '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Through the miracle of the Ricochet search function I was unsurprised to discover that it was YOU Pseudod.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Another update to the resume. As Pacino said in Scent of A Woman: "Hoo hah!"
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
"Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one .45-caliber automatic, two boxes ammunition, four days' concentrated emergency rations, one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills, one miniature combination "Rooshin" phrase book and Bible, one hundred dollars in rubles, one hundred dollars in gold, nine packs of chewing gum, one issue of prophylactics, three lipsticks, three pair of nylon stockings... Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff!" - Major Kong
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Pseud: I didn't read that thread! Believe me, I wouldn't use the line without attributing it. I hate recycling my own stuff, but I have a spectacular horror of claiming someone else's quip as my own. It's just not right.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Hey, no sweat. A corner office, signed copy of Claire's book, free Delta flights for a year and then all will be well. I ended up sort of doing the same thing to you in the 883 Codex Chatticus from the election night shot glass fiasco when I made some allusion to Star Trek II and someone said "hey that was Lilek's line" -- I hadn't listened to the entire podcast and only listened to it all yesterday and discovered -- to my horror -- that you had, in fact, used it already.
I guess EJHill could photoshop my whiskered head underneath the hat and then Republican democracy could exhale again.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Does this mean Lileks is Blue Yeti?
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Nope. But I've updated the show notes to give credit where credit is due. I didn't catch the reference either.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
I was very interested to hear James Lileks talk about the Karen Buddhists in his neck of the woods. (We call them "car-wren" rather than "care-ren")
In my neck of the woods here in Australia, I've come to know quite of few of the Myanmar Karen through my short time as a volunteer ESL tutor for a group of Baptist Karen folk. It's tough for the mums and dads to help their children with the homework because of the English factor so this is where we come in.
I gather that most of these children were born in refugee camps in Thailand.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Lileks did just fine on the quips beside that one. Is it any wonder Professor Hanson still intimidates me after all these years? And Professor Yoo is a hoot.
But where were Kenneth and Pilgrim (in alphabetical order)? Had the heckling all ready to go.
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Very grateful to have heard VDH on the situation here in California.
I found myself utterly bewildered by the time he was done. I understood him just fine, but he really did bewilder, he led me into an understanding of the wilderness of dissolution that this state has become.
What an eye-opener, I feel like the guest of honor at my own intervention.
What I appreciate most about him is that he has a true love for this land. He is married to it, I know how that feels. His beaulah love for California and his deep insight into the origins and ordering of human civilization make him a critical resource for understanding the mess we are in.
I suppose that is a good place to start finding the way out.
Jun '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Re: Professor Hanson's 6'2" son:
I know the comment was somewhat tongue in cheek, but let me offer some perspective from a teacher of 9 years classroom experience. I left the profession last year when I was asked to teach six sections, each increased from about 18 to 25 students. I knew it was the tipping point that would turn an ordered and disciplined campus into one, great, monkey house. At this point any meaningful learning stops, and for faculty the daily grind becomes an exercise in survival. Those are the facts today at a school that was considered the model for the state. I hope the professor's son doesn't have high expectations. The system is broken beyond repair. There is no solution other than to start over from scratch.
Edited on Nov 11, 2010 at 4:14amMay '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
My real estate agent in Chiangmai Thailand two months ago was Karen and she pronounced it Ka-REN.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Blue Yeti
Nope. But I've updated the show notes to give credit where credit is due. I didn't catch the reference either. · Nov 10 at 9:52pm
Thank you, sir, you are a gentleman, as is Mr. Lileks. As I tell my kids all the time:
"Remember kids, many, many dads can do things with pomp, but it takes a special dad to be pompous."
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Still struggling with the endorsements guys. Still painful to listen to. Two preppy WASPs trying way too hard, tripping over one another to lavish yet more praise on Encounter Books. Maybe a rule where Peter and Rob each say something nice... and then out. If it were a radio show you would be dropping listeners right there.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Thank you Gentleman this podcast is exceptional. I am truly grateful for your work.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #43: Trust But Terrify
Well, good for you, Pseudo. And when James mentioned that someone said Minnesota was waking up...that was me. :-)
James, the mass depression you were wondering about has a better diagnosis. Reactive dysphoria is an individual condition, but can be applied to a group since it's caused by an event or situation...as opposed to an imbalance of neurotransmitters to the brain, which is Clinical Depression in an individual. So, the Democrats are all suffering from Reactive Dysphoria. Maybe it's contagious since the Republicans just got over having it.