Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Blue Yeti ·
December 23, 2010 at 2:42am
It's our Christmas spectacular, complete with dancing, musical numbers, and a visit from the S-man himself. OK, we don't have any of that stuff, but we do have The Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin. Just a sampling of the topics in this podcast: We solve net neutrality, defend Haley, debate START, get a brief, yet dramatic reading of "True Grit" and end up with a lively discussion of the worst Christmas song ever recorded. It's our gift to you. Enjoy!
Bullets, better late than never:
- Frank Loesser's classic Baby It's Cold Outside has been covered dozens of times. James mentions the Dean Martin version, but we are partial to the one by Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton. That said, we recently heard a version recorded by our own Mark Steyn that sadly is no longer online. However, his cover (yes, you read that right) of Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You is a must listen (warning: this may take some time to load, but it is worth it). Bonus: Don't miss Lileks' post on Christmas music. Update: That's why they call them standards, folks: by popular demand the links to appearances of the song in Elf and Glee.
- For decades, Elaine's Restaurant on New York's upper east side was a favored hangout for media and literary celebrities. Through the magic of YouTube, you can see what it was like in its heyday in this scene from Woody Allen's 1979 film Manhattan that among other things, presages Woody's interest in women of a certain age.
- The Crosby Street Hotel is so hip, it has its own independent film. Poseur alert!
- We don't know how much a café ole costs at Balthazar Bakery, but we're sure if Ricochet based its subscription price on a latte there rather than the more populist choice, we'd be making a lot more, er, dough. Update: it's café au lait, you uncultured dolt.
- Everything you've always wanted to know about Mickey D's oatmeal, but were afraid to ask.
- Both Richard Epstein and Rob Long wrote posts on Ricochet covering the net neutrality issue this week. Rob makes a compelling argument, but not everyone agrees with him.
- Kids, stay in school, study hard, do graduate work in an esoteric area of science at a prestigious west coast institute of higher learning, and you too can expect a one-on-one session with Peter Robinson to personally walk you through Ricochet. Offer not available in all 50 states or where prohibited by law.
- Don't miss Jennifer Rubin's blog Right Turn at WashingtonPost.com. She's now an official Ricochet must read.
- Gambino family? We have no idea what Rob Long of Venice, CA is alluding to. No idea at all. Really.
- Sure, everyone talks about the START treaty, but how many of you have actually read it? (PDF download)
- Krauthammer says President Obama is the new "comeback kid." White House interns, consider yourself warned.
- Oy vey, there are various spellings for chazzerei, the Yiddish word for pig's food or junk, depending on who is doing the translating.
- Jennifer wrote about Haley Barbour here and here. Her headcount post is here. Andy Ferguson's Weekly Standard piece that kicked all this off is here. Finally, Ricochet member Sisyphus did me a solid and found the suspect "watermelon" quote. Thanks.
- Ricochet member Maurilius gets the coveted podcast mention this week for his (or is it her?) post What Do You Believe Is Different About the Left? Well done, sir. Or ma'am. Update: Maurilus outs himself as a dude.
- Peter's take on Our Man In Havana. He gives it a "thumbs up."
- All of Charles Portis' books are available on Amazon. The original movie starring John Wayne can be rented on iTunes or Netflix, which you may confidently download at the highest speeds possible thanks to the passage of the net neutrality act. Zing!
- Update: a rare profile of Charles Portis was just published by the WSJ.
- We can't recommend James Lileks' podcast The Diner enough. It's like a time machine for your ears.
- The lyrics for The Royal Guardsmen's Snoopy Versus The Red Baron.
- Finally, tell us your choice for worst Christmas song in the comments.
The direct link to this week's episode is here, but we'd really love it if you'd subscribe. Don't use iTunes? Visit our Feedburner page for a number of other subscription options.
The Ricochet Podcast is sponsored by Encounter Books. Our featured title this week is How the Obama Administration Has Politicized Justice by Andrew C. McCarthy. Available for $5.99 at EncounterBooks.com.
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Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
I love my new Blue Yeti.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
It gladdened my heart to hear Rob Long hold forth so enthusiastically about Charles Portis. But my two favorite Portis novels are the two that weren't mentioned, "Gringos" and "Masters of Atlantis." The latter, if read in conjunction with Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum" may cause total protonic reversal. You've been warned.
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
rob,
at 15:40 you asked who was this mysterious stranger who gave the feedback on the WGA issue. i'm anonymous here (untenured) but i'll tell you who i am if you tell me how to send you a private message by snail mail or whatever.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Where is this Haley Barbour watermelon quote Jennifer Rubin brought up?
PS: Found it at the Huffington Post. He was trying to upbraid an aide in public and spawned a macaca moment. No reason for concern in this great post-racial Republic, I'm sure.
PPS: And Politico remembers to mention that the incident in question occurred in 1982. Go team.
Edited on December 23, 2010 at 6:36amMay '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Was the good coffee at the Crosby Hotel, or a café nearby; and if so, where?
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Links to both of these coming later tonight. Apologies for the delay.
Dec '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
The watermelon quote was in an '82 NYT article written by...Howell Raines. Of the incident, only one word was in quotation marks and that word was not said by Barbour.
It's also portrayed in the article as damage-control, it's really a bizarre passage.
If the non-quote was actually said, I wouldn't call it a macaca moment. That was manufactured. This incident has actual race involved.
Dec '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
FYI, I'm not sure why the guys always try to spell "Ricochet".
It's simple. It's two guys: Rico and Chet.
I'm thinking Rob is Rico and Peter is Chet, but that's just me.
Oct '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Who is Blue Yeti? An intern?
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Blue Yeti is the One we love and adore. Blue is a softie and on the side of the people. Logo, on the other hand, strikes fear in the hearts of Ricochetians. During the live chat on election night, I recall Logo was even referred to as Darth Vader... with permanently wet lips...
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
LOVE the song at the end whoever edited that in.
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Er... I kinda like Logo better... Does that make me weird?
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Er... I kinda like Logo better... Does that make me weird? · Dec 22 at 9:39pm
Yes.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Mr. Robinson, attorneys do not write well? You cut deep, sir.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Darth Vader my eye! Logo was the freakin' angel of death on election night, hovering to cut us all off at any moment! Though in the end he let us go far longer than any reasonable person would have.
As for Midget Faded Rattlesnake and Logo, well, we suspected.
Edited on December 23, 2010 at 7:07amSep '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
From the official transcript of that evening:
Pseudodionysius:
I am your father, Logo -- Darth Vader.
Tuesday November 2, 2010 10:13
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector is my favorite collection of Christmas music. Wonder what ever happened to that guy?
Edited on December 23, 2010 at 7:51amMay '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Pseudodionysius
From the official transcript of that evening:
Pseudodionysius:
I am your father, Logo -- Darth Vader.
Tuesday November 2, 2010 10:13 · Dec 22 at 10:26pm
See what a good memory I have, Kitty! Now if only I could remember my own kids' names...
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Er... I kinda like Logo better... Does that make me weird? · Dec 22 at 9:39pm
Not at all.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #49: A Ricochet Christmas
The Blue Yeti write-ups of the p-casts just get better & better.