Taki's Daily Blog
Considering certain recent discussions on this website, readers might find the release today of Pope Benedict XVI’s second encyclical, Spe salvi, of some interest. In particular, the Holy Father stresses that Christianity is not a religion of political revolution: “Christianity did not bring a message of social revolution like that of the ill-fated Spartacus, whose struggle led to so much bloodshed. … [Read More]
On Wednesday, November 28, Derrick Shareef pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Chicago on federal charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. I’ve discussed the Shareef case before on this website, most notably here, here, and here. In the past, I’ve suggested the Shareef case was only the tip of the iceberg, and that those who thought … [Read More]
Ron Paul’s supporters forced the media to pay attention with their (okay, OUR) Nov. 5 “money bomb,” if only because it broke fundraising records. The credibility this achievement gained for the campaign was incalcuable--but much of that money is already committed or spent. So the same folks who put together the Guy Fawkes event are asking us to pony up again … [Read More]
Hold the presses. Teddy Kennedy has just signed a contract with John Karp, the publisher of 12, an imprint of Hachette, for—get hold of this—8 million dollars, for the senior senator from Massachussetts’ memoirs. Just think of it. 8 million big ones for Teddy’s side of the story. And here’s my exclusive. My Kennedy spies tell me that all of the … [Read More]
Everybody is going through the motions again as part of the ongoing charade known as the Middle East ”peace process”, now in its latest incarnation at the Annapolis conference. At this stage, what it all boils down to is how to get the Palestinians, or rather their leadership, to accept their status as a conquered people, to do it officially and … [Read More]
The Real Rudy In his New York Times column (November 23, 2007), “conservative” commentator David Brooks complains that his favorite political figure has gone over to the dark forces of the “anti-immigrant movement.” Brooks recalls those happier days when Rudy, in an address at the Kennedy School of Government in October 1996, recognized that xenophobia had overwhelmed his own party, … [Read More]
It is a quiet, country road going uphill. I had a beer for breakfast in the train station at the foot of the hill. I’m on the road to Vierzehnheiligen. The professor of European literature from England wanted me to stay on the train with him and go to Coburg, the hometown of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. The night … [Read More]
Over at Townhall.com late last night, Michael Medved slipped in some Thanksgiving Eve--well, “thoughts” would be too strong a word: “The Thanksgiving holiday provides an opportunity to refocus on the motivations of early New England settlers, who crossed the ocean not to escape the Old World, but to change it by the force of their example.” Really? I’m not a particular … [Read More]
Take note of a compelling article in the London Review of Books late last month by Jim Holt entitled “It’s the Oil, Stupid”. I did plan to comment upon it and bring it to the attention of the readership of Taki’s TD, but got sidetracked. Matthew Engel beat me to the punch last weekend in the Financial Times, in its wonderful … [Read More]
At long last the ADL has pinpointed Ron Paul’s “extremist” associations. According to ADL’s assistant director of civil rights Steve Freeman, Dr. Paul’s campaign was reckless enough to accept the donation of Don Black, the owner of a white supremacist website, Stormfront. The candidate then refused to return the gift and, in an interview with Reason magazine, he dared to … [Read More]