First podcast of 2013 and it’s a doozy: Rob Long checks in from Paris and New York, Peter reveals his secret workout routine, and James explains how to have a successful New Year’s Eve. Later, AEI president Arthur Brooks joins to discuss the fiscal cliff and what Boehner should have done. Then, Governor Mitch Daniels joins us for his final interview as the chief executive of Indiana. We get the state of the state and a look ahead to his new job as President of Purdue University. Welcome back, everyone!

Music from this week’s episode:

The Ricochet Podcast opening theme was composed and produced by James Lileks.

Our thanks to the legendary EJHill for the live Photoshopping.

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There are 27 comments.

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  1. Profile Photo Inactive
    @RyanM

    EJ – I think you should have put a yellow tank-top on James, under the sash.  :)

    • #1
  2. Profile Photo Contributor
    @jameslileks

    Never before has the SHOW MORE option filled so many with dread.

    • #2
  3. Profile Photo Member
    @JimmyCarter

    Peter, You too will look like Lileks in a few weeks after using Yer P90x… or You can use the rubber bands to tow a trailer when You flee california.

    • #3
  4. Profile Photo Contributor
    @PeterRobinson
    Jimmy Carter: Peter, You too will look like Lileks in a few weeks after using Yer P90x… or You can use the rubber bands to tow a trailer when You flee california. · 16 minutes ago

    My boys will construct a giant slingshot to fire me into Nevada!

    • #4
  5. Profile Photo Coolidge
    @AlbertArthur
    Jimmy Carter: Peter, You too will look like Lileks in a few weeks after using Yer P90x… or You can use the rubber bands to tow a trailer when You flee california. · 18 minutes ago

    I’m telling ya, if the Romney campaign had made a bigger deal about Paul Ryan’s physique, they would have won.

    “Enough with the 47% talk, how about Paul Ryan’s 7% body fat, eh? EH?”

    “I got binders full of pictures of Paul Ryan’s abs.”

    “Gun control? Paul Ryan’s biceps are all set, thanks.”

    • #5
  6. Profile Photo Podcaster
    @EJHill

    Isn’t it a custom to take before and after pictures when on PX90?

    • #6
  7. Profile Photo Inactive
    @AaronMiller

    Nevada, Peter? I think you can do better.

    • #7
  8. Profile Photo Contributor
    @PeterRobinson
    Aaron Miller: Nevada, Peter? I think you can do better. · 15 minutes ago

    Texas, then.

    • #8
  9. Profile Photo Contributor
    @PeterRobinson
    EJHill: Isn’t it a custom to take before and after pictures when on PX90? · 1 hour ago

    EJ, oh, EJ, if only you could photoshop my life.

    • #9
  10. Profile Photo Podcaster
    @EJHill
    Peter Robinson  EJ, oh, EJ, if only you could photoshop mylife.

    You mean I haven’t?

    But I could not give you a better wife, better children, or career.

    I’m just here for comic relief. And to keep folks humble. And to get in trouble over Popes and Puppies.

    • #10
  11. Profile Photo Inactive
    @DanielSattelberger

    Peter, you can find my response to you governor question to Governor Daniels here.

    • #11
  12. Profile Photo Coolidge
    @Rightfromthestart

    Has anyone considered that maybe Rob’s voice goes in and out in real life?   

    • #12
  13. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius
    Peter Robinson

    EJHill: Isn’t it a custom to take before and after pictures when on PX90? · 1 hour ago

    EJ, oh, EJ, if only you could photoshop my life. · 2 hours ago

    Its a good thing you didn’t say wife. You are a brave man, Mr. Robinson.

    • #13
  14. Profile Photo Inactive
    @IsraelP

    I am driving to Haifa Wednesday to give a genealogy lecture. This should be good for the journey. Maybe you can give me a Law Talk to go with it.

    • #14
  15. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius

    The Pope is a cat fan

    The 10-year-old black half-Persian secured his audience with Benedict XVI after howling at the Holy Father during his visit to the Oratory last month. A famous cat-lover who is said to have fed strays in Rome, the Pontiff stopped to stroke Pushkin.

    His owner, Father Anton Guziel, said: “As soon as the Pope arrived the most terrible howling could be heard. There was an awesome presence there and Pushkin wanted to acquaint himself with it.

    “Once the Pope had prayed, he saw the cat and smiled delightedly and came over and he started to talk to him. He said, ‘aren’t you pretty, aren’t you pretty? What’s his name? How old is he?’ Then he stroked him, tickled him under the ears and shook Pushkin’s paw. At that point the cardinals all rushed in and started taking photographs.”

    • #15
  16. Profile Photo Inactive
    @user_659173

    Why don’t the House Republican’s propose legislation, rather than to shut down the Senate, but capitalize on the current weakness of the fiscal cliff compromises? For instance: lowering the payroll tax 3% permanently, a flat tax of 20% (Warren Buffet’s rate), fast track immigration for high skill petitioners, oil shale permits with the number of jobs they would create tagged along, child tax credit raised to $2000/child, etc etc? These would be reforms that immediately benefit the middle class that would be nearly impossible for the Progressives to oppose. Ricochet should lead the charge.

    • #16
  17. Profile Photo Inactive
    @LeslieWatkins

    We’re trying to boil the ocean.—Rob Long

    I am so stealing that line.

    • #17
  18. Profile Photo Inactive
    @NickStuart

    Rob’s recommendation:  do small clear things?

    Vodka shots?

    Good idea. That’ll help a lot for the next 4 years & beyond.

    • #18
  19. Profile Photo Member
    @ScottR

    Governor Daniels is as close to perfect in temperament, persuasion, and leadership as could be for a Midwestern politician. Ideology, too.

    What I wouldn’t do to have him in the White Hou- …. Oh, nevermind. It hurts, darn it. 

    • #19
  20. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Wolverine

    I absolutely love the opening of this Podcast. Every time I hear the Dean scream followed by Reagan’s “There you go again’ I laugh my a** off.

    • #20
  21. Profile Photo Member
    @

    Scott: Re #17, with all the respect in the world, what you say may well have been/is so, but Gov. Daniels chose not to run that particular guantlet…

    • #21
  22. Profile Photo Contributor
    @RobLong
    Leslie Watkins:We’re trying to boil the ocean.—Rob Long

    I am so stealing that line. · 23 hours ago

    Steal away!  I stole it from someone myself….

    • #22
  23. Profile Photo Inactive
    @AdrianaHarris

    Congratulations on buying the P90X program Peter (I sound like a sales person, but I’m not).  I’ve done the whole program twice and part of the program three times (one injury and two trips prematurely ending the program for me). I’m currently starting week four and I really enjoy it.

    You need to start mentally preparing yourself to work really hard and just accept being sore most of the time. And remember, the second time you do Ab Ripper will be horrible. The 1st time your abs are out of shape, it’s awkward and never ending, but the second time you can add in major soreness on top of it. Just keep going. Best of luck and keep us posted on your progress.

    • #23
  24. Profile Photo Coolidge
    @AlbertArthur

    Rob, I think I know who you stole it from. I had to paraphrase just slightly, but here it is:

    I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to scare the sick and perpetually extend unemployment benefits to the jobless; this was the moment when the oceans began to boil and our planet began to weal; this was the moment when we escalated drone strikes and undermined our nation and betrayed our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment – this was the time – when we came together to rip apart this great nation so that it may always reflect our most progressive ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of Obama. And he will, because he’s my dad.

    • #24
  25. Profile Photo Inactive
    @LKSkinner

    So where’s the page to permanently track Peter’s progress?

    Inquiring minds want to know.

    • #25
  26. Profile Photo Contributor
    @PeterRobinson
    EJHill

    Peter Robinson  EJ, oh, EJ, if only you could photoshop mylife.

    But I could not give you a better wife, better children, or career. · January 4, 2013 at 5:50pm

    Well, not a better wife or children, anyway.  (As for my career, you could photoshop my books onto the New York Times bestseller lists.)

    • #26
  27. Profile Photo Coolidge
    @ChrisO

    Late to this game, but as a Hoosier, previous resident of Chicago, and frequent user of the Toll Road, I wanted to address a few points.

    First, Indiana shares a climate with many midwest states that has extremes with 90+ temperatures for many days of the summer, and winters that can be harsh though in recent years have been relatively mild. That alone wreaks havoc with our roads. Add that to the fact that it is a major artery between New England and Chicago, among other places (the rest of the northern plains), and you get a picture of how abused these roads are.

    The toll road requires a lot of maintenance. Without the cost of entering and exiting, the real appeal of a private company managing this would be lost: the islands. The toll road “islands” are fuel, food, and convenience centers. There are four or five on the stretch that runs through Indiana. I imagine it is the potential revenue from these that attracted companies to bid on managing the entire system.

    The islands were previously managed by a company in Illinois and when I traveled through there, I almost always found them in poor condition. Thanks, guys!

    • #27
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