Recuse Me

Another busy week with plenty to talk about so we’ve enlisted one of the best talkers we know to sit in the Rob Long Chair® for this week’s show: Commentary Magazine Editor (and GLoP podcast co-host) John Podhoretz. Our guest is Nicholas Eberstadt, who piece “Our Miserable 21st Century” in the latest issue of Commentary is a must read. Also, a critique of Trump’s first State of The Union address from two former White House speechwriters, John opines about the latest rash of anti-Semitic incidents, and was La La Land robbed? A Ricochet Podcast investigation.

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Music from this week’s podcast: Такого как Путин – One Like Putin (English version)

The ALL NEW opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.

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There are 33 comments.

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  1. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    In regards to the antisemitism issue: I have four sons, aged 20 to 29, and I’m confident I’m more exposed to Pepe the Frog and other “dank memes” than the average Ricochet listener. For the vast, vast majority of consumers of this tripe it’s part of being naughty and transgressive, not expressions of deep hatred. Another meme that’s extremely popular revolves around whether Bush had prior knowledge of 911.

    I believe antisemitism got started among the modern audience back in 2006 with the Borat movie. I remember seeing it with my young sons and none of their friends or classmates had any idea that disliking Jewish people was a “thing” that people did.

    • #1
  2. Mrs. Ink Inactive
    Mrs. Ink
    @MrsInk

    Regarding the present lack of mobility among Americans, Ace of Spades addressed this a few days ago, pointing out some changes in American families that may explain some of this lack of mobility. (1) Many families need two incomes to stay afloat, and while finding one better job is possible, finding two jobs is difficult in any circumstance, and finding two jobs that are better than the present jobs is really difficult. (2) If the parents are divorced and share custody or even have visitation orders, moving out of state is very difficult, and many people do not have money to fight these kinds of legal battles, nor do they wish to abandon their children in order to move to a job or a better job.

     

    In addition, what Mr. Podhoretz says about support from government is true, and some states have time of residence requirements before people receive benefits.

    • #2
  3. Bkelley14 Inactive
    Bkelley14
    @Bkelley14

    Thanks Mrs Ink. Very interesting.

    • #3
  4. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    Mrs. Ink (View Comment):
    Regarding the present lack of mobility among Americans, Ace of Spades addressed this a few days ago, pointing out some changes in American families that may explain some of this lack of mobility. (1) Many families need two incomes to stay afloat, and while finding one better job is possible, finding two jobs is difficult in any circumstance, and finding two jobs that are better than the present jobs is really difficult. (2) If the parents are divorced and share custody or even have visitation orders, moving out of state is very difficult, and many people do not have money to fight these kinds of legal battles, nor do they wish to abandon their children in order to move to a job or a better job.

    In addition, what Mr. Podhoretz says about support from government is true, and some states have time of residence requirements before people receive benefits.

    I agree. The other big change has been smart phones and social media. It’s a lot easier to stay on line and mope with your similarly situated friends than strike out in a new direction. I’ve been blessed personally but I see the exasperation of other parents at their children’s “failure to launch” due to some of these influences.

    • #4
  5. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Petty Boozswha (View Comment):
    In regards to the antisemitism issue: I have four sons, aged 20 to 29, and I’m confident I’m more exposed to Pepe the Frog and other “dank memes” than the average Ricochet listener. For the vast, vast majority of consumers of this tripe it’s part of being naughty and transgressive, not expressions of deep hatred.

    Agreed, for the most part. But it’s still a pretty lousy thing to do.

    • #5
  6. Ryan M(cPherson) Inactive
    Ryan M(cPherson)
    @RyanM

    Year 2000 was the advent of social media.

    Done.

    • #6
  7. Duane Oyen Member
    Duane Oyen
    @DuaneOyen

    Is anyone looking forward to the end of the TV season when we can have Rob Long as a guest?  James is the ever-present reliable one.  He should get a lifetime achievement award.

    • #7
  8. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    While James trudges through leftover snow, we Southerners are shoveling pollen. If the Super Bowl had been held a month later, all bets would have been on the team in yellow.

    I’ll be surprised if either healthcare or taxes are addressed by legislation before July. Apparently, selling of insurance across state lines must involve so many caveats and universal requirements that the simple premise can fulfill its regulatory potential as a book-length compendium — Obamacare 2.0. We mustn’t disappoint the bureaucracy.

    • #8
  9. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    That segway after the chainsaw was perfect; I would say it’s even better than the Harry’s spot. You see, Lileks knew that he had to do the Harry’s pitch but that chainsaw segway was spontaneous.

    Peter Robinson’s awkward and unworkable statement about James being like an Otter made me think that,

     

    James is doing the Lord’s work with his segways.

     

     

    • #9
  10. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Should we demand genetic engineering for drug addicts to change them so that getting high isn’t fun? It seems that technology is really good at making cheap drugs but it isn’t very good at making people not want to do drugs.

    • #10
  11. Salvatore Padula Inactive
    Salvatore Padula
    @SalvatorePadula

    It actually is Hell or High Water.

    • #11
  12. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    I must say this is one of the worst ones yet!  These people know nothing about movies!  Dr. Strange is great and DC is supreme!

    SAD!!!

    :)

    • #12
  13. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    ToryWarWriter (View Comment):
    These people know nothing about movies! Dr. Strange is great and DC is supreme!

    Don’t count me among their numbers. I have great hopes for the movie.

    • #13
  14. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Duane Oyen (View Comment):
    Is anyone looking forward to the end of the TV season when we can have Rob Long as a guest? James is the ever-present reliable one. He should get a lifetime achievement award.

    He’ll be back in April.

    • #14
  15. Eustace C. Scrubb Member
    Eustace C. Scrubb
    @EustaceCScrubb

    @jameslileks – You didn’t like the first two Superman films?

    • #15
  16. Thursby Member
    Thursby
    @Thursby

    Summer 1999 Pfizer markets Viagra.

    • #16
  17. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    @mrsink makes 2 great points, also the lank of mobility can be attributed to home ownership. Home ownership, I think peaked in late 2006 or mid 2007 – and has been declining ever since. Anyone who bought a home in the last 15 years or so, is probably underwater on it – especially if they re-financed it to cash out equity. (which was quite a fad until the bubble burst) — the exception to being underwater are the top 10 or 15 cities, where home prices have recovered substantially from the bubble, but middle class buyers are almost completely excluded from these markets, based on home price.

    They kinda turned themselves into mid-evil serfs – unable to leave the land – unless their over-lord banker approves.

    • #17
  18. Israel P. Inactive
    Israel P.
    @IsraelP

    Howcum Rob always has time for GLoP but never for this anymore?

    • #18
  19. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    The reason these social problems started in 2000 is because Alan Greenspan started easing way, way too much in 1997 and never stopped. This accelerated the outsourcing of good jobs to China and these people can’t capitalize on the cheaper goods. Greenspan also caused 2008. Now look at what the Fed is doing.  Riding people about welfare and wanting Trump just makes it all worse.

    Don’t go by me, ask Rep. Jason Lewis of MN CD2. He is an expert on this stuff. This is the only path to GOP power, a decent GDP, and genuine healing of these social problems.

    Notice I didn’t invoke “David Stockman” in this post. LOL

     

     

     

    • #19
  20. Israel P. Inactive
    Israel P.
    @IsraelP

    Why don’t people move? Add this to the list.

    Their aged parents are living longer.

    • #20
  21. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Israel P. (View Comment):
    Howcum Rob always has time for GLoP but never for this anymore?

    Not to reveal too much about how the sausage is made, but we record GLoP at 6AM PT to accommodate Rob’s TV schedule. Can’t do that for this show as it has hosts and guests in the CT and PT time zones.

    • #21
  22. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    re: The Uber part

    When are you guys going to realize that I know the solution to all world problems?

    The Fed is trying to generate inflation. What they are doing is jacking up the cost of living for people that get killed by robots, technology, and outsourcing.

    We have to switch to a pre Fed deflationary economy except we have too damn much debt. The whole planet. Plus inflationism enables Ruling Class government. So the Fed is never going to let up.

    David Stockman explains how un-central plan this disaster. I get that’s he’s just slightly less toxic than Murray Rothbard et. al. but these are the facts. The GOP needs a special projects division on this yesterday.

    • #22
  23. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    You Must Seek Enlightenment 

    • #23
  24. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):
    You didn’t like the first two Superman films?

    Which ones, the Reeves or the modern ones? In all cases it’s a qualified “okay,” because I just think Superman is somewhat ridiculous. He’s perfect and all-powerful except for that problem with the rocks that managed to land on earth in significant quantities from a distant planetary catastrophe. Okay.

    • #24
  25. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    Which ones, the Reeves or the modern ones? In all cases it’s a qualified “okay,” because I just think Superman is somewhat ridiculous. He’s perfect and all-powerful except for that problem with the rocks that managed to land on earth in significant quantities from a distant planetary catastrophe. Okay.

    A Scotsman disagrees.

    • #25
  26. Eustace C. Scrubb Member
    Eustace C. Scrubb
    @EustaceCScrubb

    @jameslileks I was talking about the Reeves Supes, 1 & 2. I like the second one a lot,but the character is problematic. And like West and Bale Batmans, otherwise Make Mine Marvel.

    • #26
  27. Peter Robinson Contributor
    Peter Robinson
    @PeterRobinson

    Mrs. Ink (View Comment):
    Regarding the present lack of mobility among Americans, Ace of Spades addressed this a few days ago, pointing out some changes in American families that may explain some of this lack of mobility. (1) Many families need two incomes to stay afloat, and while finding one better job is possible, finding two jobs is difficult in any circumstance, and finding two jobs that are better than the present jobs is really difficult. (2) If the parents are divorced and share custody or even have visitation orders, moving out of state is very difficult, and many people do not have money to fight these kinds of legal battles, nor do they wish to abandon their children in order to move to a job or a better job.

    In addition, what Mr. Podhoretz says about support from government is true, and some states have time of residence requirements before people receive benefits.

    Fascinating. Thanks, Mrs. Ink.

    • #27
  28. Peter Robinson Contributor
    Peter Robinson
    @PeterRobinson

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):
    That segway after the chainsaw was perfect….Peter Robinson’s awkward and unworkable statement about James being like an Otter….

    Guilty of both chainsaw sound and an infelicitous simile, I bear a heavy burden this weekend. Actually, I don’t feel all that bad about the chainsaw simply because I couldn’t have done anything about it. But the otter thing? What I had in mind, of course, was the silkiness, the playfulness, and the astonishing dexterity of the otter. But whereas James is instantly able to articulate thoughts even as they form, I need a pad of paper and time to write…and rewrite.

    On the other hand, if I merely provide material that enables James to be James, I’ve provided a service, no?

     

    • #28
  29. rod Inactive
    rod
    @rod

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/103223614048868522624/posts/avNZHUJeQPz

    Manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past

    • #29
  30. John Russell Coolidge
    John Russell
    @JohnRussell

    Around time stamp 58:45 James remarks that when he was a boy you had to takes sides on any one of a number of binary choices, one of which was “Estes, or … whatever that other model rocket company was.”

    The other model rock company was Centuri.

    Cover of 1965 Centuri catalog

    • #30
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