Why Can’t We Be Friends?

This week on The Big Show®, we converse about the Kurds, talk about the limits of woke corporatism with David French, and get the low down on Kim Strassel’s new book Resistance (At All Costs): How Trump Haters Are Breaking America (buy it!). Also, Ricochet member @doctorrobert wins this week’s coveted Lileks Post of The Week for his two (!) posts Why We Need People Who Have ‘Too Much Money’ and Memories of the Cleveland Orchestra, 10/4/19. Well done, Doc! Finally, can Ellen Degeneres and George W. Bush be friends? Some folks insist that they cannot. Weird. Hey, speaking of friends, don’t forget to weigh in on this week’s Long Poll as it asks a similar question.

Music from this week’s show: Why Can’t We Be Friends? by War

 

Subscribe to The Ricochet Podcast in Apple Podcasts (and leave a 5-star review, please!), or by RSS feed. For all our podcasts in one place, subscribe to the Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed in Apple Podcasts or by RSS feed.

Now become a Ricochet member for only $5.00 a month! Join and see what you’ve been missing.

There are 103 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    The Long Poll has not yet been updated.

    Which reminds me of a joke.

    A guy is walking down the sidewalk or something, and he sees another guy next to a pole in the ground, with a tape measure.  He repeatedly tries to somehow fasten the end of the tape measure to the bottom of the pole, and then climb up the pole.  But it comes loose, or the guy loses his grip on the tape end…

    Finally the first guy says, “Hey, why don’t you just set the pole down flat on the ground, it would make things easy!”

    The second guy says, “What do you think I am, some kind of idiot?  I want to measure it’s HEIGHT, not it’s LENGTH!”

    • #1
  2. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    James said “Dear departed Claire Berlinski…”

    • #2
  3. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Rob says that China isn’t a great place to sell, because they don’t respect intellectual property, etc.

    A bigger reason might be that people who earn – what, $10 a day? – to assemble iPhones, couldn’t possibly afford to BUY an iPhone.

    • #3
  4. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    kedavis (View Comment):
    The Long Poll has not yet been updated.

    It actually had been updated but probably you were seeing a cached version of the sidebar.

    • #4
  5. Barry Jones Thatcher
    Barry Jones
    @BarryJones

    All of the pundits commenting on the Kurds in Syria need to read up on who and what they are talking about. The Kurds in Syria are a subset of the Kurdish group that has been officially on the US terrorist list for nearly 20 years – they are avowed Communists and suck up to Russia. The US still has a healthy presence and a very active Embassy in Iraqi Kurdistan(the ones that are not Communists and don’t suck up to Russia) who are NOT the same group! Please learn before you opine.

    • #5
  6. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Kimberly Strassel is entirely too optimistic.  The people I know who say they will vote for Warren or Sanders etc, universally have no clue what those people are actually saying they plan to do, how much they plan to spend, the illegal and/or unconstitutional executive orders they plan to issue, etc.

    • #6
  7. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    The Long Poll has not yet been updated.

    It actually had been updated but probably you were seeing a cached version of the sidebar.

    The ability to check more than one box, is a good idea, although Rob says it’s a one-choice-only thing.  The multiple-answer option seems based on what James said.

    Overall probably the best-planned poll so far, although one or more options of NOT HAVING ANY liberal friends, might be useful.  The way the poll is set up, even with multiple options, excludes people who have no liberal friends, whether by choice or whatever.

    • #7
  8. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Max Ledoux (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    The Long Poll has not yet been updated.

    It actually had been updated but probably you were seeing a cached version of the sidebar.

    Not thrilled with the questions.

    If you can’t get along with a liberal friend, then they’re not a liberal.

    It should be “lefties”

    • #8
  9. Michael Minnott Member
    Michael Minnott
    @MichaelMinnott

    My liberal friends just have me walk the “gauntlet” whenever we hang out.  I usually get through it without too much bruising.  We’re good after that.

    • #9
  10. ericB Lincoln
    ericB
    @ericB

    After it fades out at the end of the episode, the goldy, oldy “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” has some very interesting additional verses from 44 years ago (released June 16, 1975).

    The color of your skin don’t matter to me, ow
    As long as we can live in harmony

    I’d kinda like to be the President, yeah
    So I can show you how your money’s spent, ooh

    Sometimes I don’t speak bright, alright
    But yet I know what I’m talking about

    I know you’re working for the C.I.A.
    They wouldn’t have you in the mafia

    Why can’t we be friends?
    …[repeat]…

    p.s. Just imagine the possibilities of some of these verses being sung by contemporary figures.  :-)

    • #10
  11. ericB Lincoln
    ericB
    @ericB

    Most discussions I’ve heard about abandoning “the Kurds” have left out the relevant fact that this is not just about “Kurds”.  The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (a.k.a. Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria) includes Kurds and Arabs (mostly Sunni), Assyrian Christians who still speak Aramaic (the language of Jesus), and other groups such as the Yazidis.

    What they have accomplished is incredible.  Outside of Israel, they have come the farthest to building a democratic MiddleEast society in which women have equal rights, minorities have a place, there is freedom of speech and press, and freedom of religion, including the freedom to convert.  There are congregations of former Muslims who have now become Christians.  In many other Muslim majority contexts, leaving Islam is regarded as an offense worthy of death.  (I personally know a family of Iraqi former Muslims who have fled Iraq and must still keep their location a secret from their own families.  They have been threatened with a knife to the husband’s throat.)  See also

    What’s Happening in Syria? A Guide for the Perplexed

    Until now, Trump’s poorer impulses have been tempered by wiser council.  If Trump does not relent and this exceedingly rare and precious beginning is drowned in blood because of Trump’s reckless disregard for the strong warnings from advisors (echos of the foolish Obama pullout) and from across the political spectrum, then this would tip me over to welcoming impeachment by the House and removal by the Senate.

    • #11
  12. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    ericB (View Comment):

    After it fades out at the end of the episode, the goldy, oldy “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” has some very interesting additional verses from 44 years ago (released June 16, 1975).

    The color of your skin don’t matter to me, ow
    As long as we can live in harmony

    I’d kinda like to be the President, yeah
    So I can show you how your money’s spent, ooh

    Sometimes I don’t speak bright, alright
    But yet I know what I’m talking about

    I know you’re working for the C.I.A.
    They wouldn’t have you in the mafia

    Why can’t we be friends?
    …[repeat]…

    You get it!

    For the record, these songs don’t get picked randomly, but we can’t always play the entire tune, which is why we provide a link to the full song on YouTube.

    • #12
  13. ericB Lincoln
    ericB
    @ericB

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    but we can’t always play the entire tune

    Right, I guessed that, which is why I thought the part you unfortunately couldn’t fit in was worth highlighting.  So surprisingly relevant from multiple angles.  Nice song pick!

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

    ericB (View Comment):

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    but we can’t always play the entire tune

    Right, I guessed that, which is why I thought the part you unfortunately couldn’t fit in was worth highlighting. So surprisingly relevant from multiple angles. Nice song pick!

    I actually tried to cut into the song in the middle to capture that part, but could not make it work. But good on you for noticing! 

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

    An addendum to the David French segment on today’s show:

    Siri, what is a terrible example of whataboutism?

    • #15
  16. JuliaBlaschke Lincoln
    JuliaBlaschke
    @JuliaBlaschke

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Rob says that China isn’t a great place to sell, because they don’t respect intellectual property, etc.

    A bigger reason might be that people who earn – what, $10 a day? – to assemble iPhones, couldn’t possibly afford to BUY an iPhone.

    There are a great many Chinese who make a lot of money.

    • #16
  17. DudleyDoright49 Inactive
    DudleyDoright49
    @DudleyDoright49

    The picture of the ballers must be Bird & McHale.  No?

    • #17
  18. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Rob says that China isn’t a great place to sell, because they don’t respect intellectual property, etc.

    A bigger reason might be that people who earn – what, $10 a day? – to assemble iPhones, couldn’t possibly afford to BUY an iPhone.

     

    Fact check: After the U.S., China is Apple’s biggest market by a large margin. 

     

    • #18
  19. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    When James said Rob was going to tell a very funny joke, I was expecting:

    This guy comes into a talent agency and asks for representation for his family act.

    The talent agent says, “Well, what’s your act?”

    The guy says…

    Well, you know the rest.

    • #19
  20. ericB Lincoln
    ericB
    @ericB

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    Fact check: After the U.S., China is Apple’s biggest market by a large margin. 

    According to the graph, for 2015 China’s 71.2 even surpassed the U.S. sales of 70.3!  Wow.

    Of course, that said, increased profits are still not a sufficient excuse to throw ethics into the wastebasket.  I’m just surprised that the size of their China market was even temporarily larger.

    • #20
  21. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    ericB (View Comment):

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    Fact check: After the U.S., China is Apple’s biggest market by a large margin.

    According to the graph, for 2015 China’s 71.2 even surpassed the U.S. sales of 70.3! Wow.

    Of course, that said, increased profits are still not a sufficient excuse to throw ethics into the wastebasket. I’m just surprised that the size of their China market was even temporarily larger.

    With only three or four times the population.

    • #21
  22. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Rob says that China isn’t a great place to sell, because they don’t respect intellectual property, etc.

    A bigger reason might be that people who earn – what, $10 a day? – to assemble iPhones, couldn’t possibly afford to BUY an iPhone.

    Chinese people really do love iphones if they can afford it. 

    • #22
  23. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Arahant (View Comment):

    ericB (View Comment):

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    Fact check: After the U.S., China is Apple’s biggest market by a large margin.

    According to the graph, for 2015 China’s 71.2 even surpassed the U.S. sales of 70.3! Wow.

    Of course, that said, increased profits are still not a sufficient excuse to throw ethics into the wastebasket. I’m just surprised that the size of their China market was even temporarily larger.

    With only three or four times the population.

    That was the basis of my point.  Why doesn’t the left insist on $15/hour – or more! – in China?

    • #23
  24. ParisParamus Inactive
    ParisParamus
    @ParisParamus

    Something that occurred to me while listening to the excellent Ms. Strassel: with social media, the Internet, and well, internet memory, it’s much harder and suicidal for a lefty Democrat to “tack to the middle” after getting nominated, if they get nominated.

    • #24
  25. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    kedavis (View Comment):
    That was the basis of my point. Why doesn’t the left insist on $15/hour – or more! – in China?

    I hope they do. In fact, let’s ship all the SJW’s to China for a few weeks so they know what racial prejudice really is, and oppression, and poor working conditions, and questionable food safety.

    • #25
  26. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    ericB (View Comment):

    What’s Happening in Syria? A Guide for the Perplexed

    Until now, Trump’s poorer impulses have been tempered by wiser council. If Trump does not relent and this exceedingly rare and precious beginning is drowned in blood because of Trump’s reckless disregard for the strong warnings from advisors (echos of the foolish Obama pullout) and from across the political spectrum, then this would tip me over to welcoming impeachment by the House and removal by the Senate.

    Because any of the Democrat candidates would be so much better with Syria/the Kurds, too?  No thanks.

    • #26
  27. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    This one is for you Lileks. A meme of my own design.

    • #27
  28. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    With only three or four times the population.

    That was the basis of my point. Why doesn’t the left insist on $15/hour – or more! – in China?

    Have no idea what the cost of living is there (guessing you don’t either), so $15/hour in China may not be necessary. Nonetheless, the point of my comment was that clearly, billions of people there have enough discretionary income to buy pricey iPhones.

    Full disclosure: this comment was composed on a newly purchased iPhone 11 Pro (it’s pretty great, too).

    • #28
  29. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    DudleyDoright49 The picture of the ballers must be Bird & McHale. No?

    What makes you think that?

    • #29
  30. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    EJHill (View Comment):

    DudleyDoright49 : The picture of the ballers must be Bird & McHale. No?

    What makes you think that?

    • #30
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.