The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
Nov 21, 2010 at 5:05am
It's Sunday, so I'm taking punditry requests. Today I'll offer a strong opinion about any subject you suggest. Nothing out of bounds--so long as it's Code-of-Conduct compliant.
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Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Probably some guy on an airplane harboring a virus we've never heard of.
Sep '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Punditry Request #2: Lady Berlinski: The Ricochet site seems to offer the most formidable array of conservative, gun savvy, military wise, John Keegan loving females in the world (sort of the Bugatti Veyron of female punditry). Its a shame to put fine talent to waste, and I think to really up their game the Ricochet Amazonian Thatcherite Confederacy (RATC) needs to take over a small geographic area of their own, particularly to ensure safe, secure sleepovers all the while balancing their plans for world domination with the risks of imperial overreach. This could form the basis of several merchandising deals and an eventual reality TV show, scripted by Rob Long after you storm the NR Cruise liner.
I'm torn between competing management objectives for the inaugural invasion. Help me out here. Would it be best to risk being a land locked superpower as the Spartans did by taking over the Dakotas, or should you go deep into the belly of the beast and take over some backward stump toothed liberal stronghold like California, starting with Stanford University which would give you access to first class naval ports and consultations from VDH at the Hoover Institute?
May '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Tim Sweeney: Do you think that the mostly lefty Bill Maher recently sounding more like Mark Steyn when it comes to Islam and the superiority of Western Culture is a sign of a significant shift in the zeitgeist?
And good call on the Man of the 20th Century :) · Nov 21 at 8:16am
No, probably not. Good call on the avatar. · Nov 21 at 8:31am
I originally was going to end my above question with "or am I just crazy?" But allow me to elaborate a bit on my "theory":
There is a huge percentage of the population (and virtually all of California) who have never heard or read the musings on Islam by the likes of Steyn, Hitchens, Hirsi Ali, Wilders, Geller, Spencer, etc...and never will. People who only watch Fox when Married With Children is on. People who think the NY Times practices unbiased journalism.
These people live in that PC-insulated world that doesn't generally allow for much in the way of critical analysis of cultures...other than our own.
Call me crazy but THIS could signify a major shift no?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhvhNZC51gY
May '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Are you in favor of the wild card in baseball?
Oct '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Lady Kurobara: Who would you choose as "The Man of the 20th Century"?
My first choice is Albert Einstein (1879-1955). First of all, he changed the way we look at Reality, itself. Secondly, his theories led to the development of atomic power. So his influence, practical and philosophical, was enormous.
Not bad, but I'll see your Albert Einstein and raise you a Kurt Gödel, a Claude Shannon, an Alan Turing, an Alonzo Church, and a Konrad Zuse. If you wonder why, let me first recommend A World Without Time: The Forgotten Legacy of Gödel and Einstein.
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
We've done that already. Ask Diane.
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
I'm in favor of the wild card in everything.
Jun '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Of course they would. · Nov 21 at 8:28am
Wooo Hooo! I mean, you really think so?
Oct '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire. Just a random observation... Could the entire TSA lunacy be nothing more than an exercise in breaking mustangs to the saddle?
May '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
It's still Sunday in Stamboul, isn't it?
("Стамбул гяуры нынче славят..." ("Today the infidel are glorifying Istanbul") - this is from Pushkin, writing in Erzurum, his only instance of foreign travel... So, there is a point on which one can comment.
BUT: my question for the pundit is different. Claire, what can you tell us (or where could we read) about the relations among the various ethnic groups in Anatolia (or, for that matter, Rumelia too)? That is, outside the Kurds, about whom we know because of the terrorist activity. A colleague of mine who used to work at Bilkent was proud of being one-half Laz... But I'd like to understand the prevailing attitudes, prejudices and opinions among members of the various communities -- from trivial ones (the stuff of jokes) to anything more serious.
Hope I am not late with the question - and many thanks for any insights!
May '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Tim Sweeney
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Tim Sweeney: Do you think that the mostly lefty Bill Maher recently sounding more like Mark Steyn when it comes to Islam and the superiority of Western Culture is a sign of a significant shift in the zeitgeist?
And good call on the Man of the 20th Century :) · Nov 21 at 8:16am
No, probably not. Good call on the avatar. · Nov 21 at 8:31am
There is a huge percentage of the population (and virtually all of California) who have never heard or read the musings on Islam by the likes of Steyn, Hitchens, Hirsi Ali, Wilders, Geller, Spencer, etc...and never will. People who only watch Fox when Married With Children is on. People who think the NY Times practices unbiased journalism.
These people live in that PC-insulated world that doesn't generally allow for much in the way of critical analysis of cultures...other than our own.
Call me crazy but THIS could signify a major shift no?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhvhNZC51gY · Nov 21 at 8:52am
If you ask me, one should start by reading Bernard Lewis. Historical background before political and sociological commentary, that is...
May '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire, this isn't really a punditry question, but it's something I've been wondering about regarding ex-pats and standard of living.
A lot of culturally curious people choose to make their money in the States and move overseas to spend it, living like kings in the third world. I understand that they're bringing in foreign money, and that by providing people with jobs, they're improving the lives of the people living in the area. But at a certain point it feels wrong. We've been able to specialize in our labour and get paid well for it, but people in developing countries haven't had the same opportunity. I always felt guilty for living high for cheap, even though the people providing the services were thrilled with my business. It just seems like we're taking advantage of a gap, even if it's just a temporary one.
At what point does living well in a developing nation become exploitation? Should we pay locals at least something closer to the market wages of the country where we made our money, or lower our own standard of living a bit to come closer to theirs?
Edited on Nov 21, 2010 at 12:31pmMay '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Sergei Nirenburg
If you ask me, one should start by reading Bernard Lewis. Historical background before political and sociological commentary, that is... · Nov 21 at 11:12am
Alas Sergei, I think the demographic I mentioned is about as likely to read Bernard Lewis as they are to wear an "I heart Palin" t-shirt.
Aug '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire, my candy apple red chopped and channeled '35 Ford Vic - with black tuck and roll interior - has a real sweet ported and polished, bored and stroked Lincoln flathead V-12 with 3/4 race roller cam set, custom headers, two four-barrel Rochester carbs, a Paxton supercharger, and a Mallory racing magneto.
But the big question that's bugging the heck out of me is whether to use Offenhauser high compression heads? Or should I go with Edelbrock?
Aug '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Of course they would. · Nov 21 at 8:28am
Has there been any sign of Mormons moving to Manchester or Medina ( whoops not welcome there) - let's say Malatya ?
Who knew that Italy would decorate a corner of Africa and destroy another couple, seems to be the European thing to do. h/t Leopold.
Still wondering about Eritrea/Sudan/Ethiopia/Egypt and sinking the Jan Referendum.
The dangerous person question is a good one. My favorite game is to try and name five people alive today that will be remembered in 100 years.
Dangerous guys usually merit more space than the good ones.
(really enjoyed the Weimar Istanbul piece thnx)
Aug '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Hi Joe,
I know I'm not Claire, but there was something about your comment that struck me.
So much of what is good in life, including so much opportunity, is, as you point out, unearned. We do not choose which country to be born in, whether to be born with high or low IQ, whether to be born to cultured parents or into a loving family...
It's no merit of ours when we have those good things. But it's also no guilt of ours, either.
As you point out, Americans "living high for cheap" overseas are more likely to expand others' opportunities than diminish them. Why feel guilty about that?
I suppose for those who already have difficulty keeping their haughtiness, arrogance, or sense of entitlement in check, a lifestyle where it's so easy to "play king" could easily prove too tempting for virtue. But we are not all subject to the same temptations.
And if you can master the temptations, why not enjoy the blessings?
Aug '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
I shall combine the subjects by pointing you to this interesting article about Art Deco in Asmara.
Speaking of combining subjects, how about combining Turkey, cats, conservation, and governance all into one subject:
I hear the Turkish government has a program to conserve Van cats in their native habitat. How's that going? Does it exist on more than paper? Would it be better managed by private conservation?
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism's webpage on the topic is at least charmingly cockeyed, containing such gems as:
"Domesticated cats are either treated as holly creatures or are fed by people at home for hunting harmful animals like mouse, rat and insects for centuries. However, people have started to take them as close friends."
and
"The cats have more cleaning sense than other animals."
and ends with this plea:
"It is necessary to take any actions required for preservation of lovely, friendly, intelligent, faithful, beautiful and attractive Van cats and decrease of them."
Jun '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
Joe S.: ...But at a certain point it feels wrong... people in developing countries haven't had the same opportunity...
---------
Joe, I lived abroad for 6 years. Paying someone the same as you would in the U.S. to make you feel better creates unintended consequences. For instance, I hired a large number of employees in Russia. If we raised their salaries too high, then the justification to move to India grows. The market has to adjust on its own in order for pay to go up. For Russia, with 140 million people in it, to compete on salary with India, which has 1 billion, would be suicide. (both salaries were actually nearly equal, though clearly below American salaries) Why should I feel guilty about paying the Russians less than Americans? Their competitiveness versus others is what keeps their jobs viable. They're also doing far better than 90% of their compatriots.
I saw no point in paying higher salaries than the market would bear and didn't feel bad about living well. If I cut back my standard of living there, then my money only sits in a bank in the U.S., which hardly helps anyone abroad.
May '10
Re: The Queen is Not a Subject
As you point out, Americans "living high for cheap" overseas are more likely to expand others' opportunities than diminish them. Why feel guilty about that?
And if you can master the temptations, why not enjoy the blessings? · Nov 21 at 3:37pm
I agree, especially about temptations. At some point consumption becomes gluttony and wastefulness, whether you live overseas or here in the States. It's just easier to reach that point when the cost of living is lower.
I think there may be something more to it though. We always praise self-sufficiency as a virtue, and scoff at people who make their choices based on opportunity costs. Part of that is the satisfaction of being independent and whole, but I think part of it is the satisfaction of just being ordinary. The best honcho I ever met said that no matter what his position in the company, he always took his own trash out at the end of the day. I think that's something you miss when you live high, especially when the means by which you live high was created outside the system of those surrounding you. When in Rome...
What do you think, Midge?
Edited on Nov 21, 2010 at 6:41pmRe: The Queen is Not a Subject
Sergei Nirenburg: BUT: my question for the pundit is different. Claire, what can you tell us (or where could we read) about the relations among the various ethnic groups in Anatolia (or, for that matter, Rumelia too)? That is, outside the Kurds, about whom we know because of the terrorist activity. A colleague of mine who used to work at Bilkent was proud of being one-half Laz... But I'd like to understand the prevailing attitudes, prejudices and opinions among members of the various communities -- from trivial ones (the stuff of jokes) to anything more serious.
Hope I am not late with the question - and many thanks for any insights! · Nov 21 at 11:06am
Great question. I'm going to save this one for a longer post. (It's Monday, but it's such a good question that I'm going to put this one in my files for this week.)