Comments for Via Meadia http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm Walter Russell Mead's Blog Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:12:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on South Africa: Addicted to Corruption by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/22/south-africa-addicted-to-corruption/#comment-64962 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:12:35 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21999#comment-64962 "Corruption truly is a cancer eating away at the prospects of improving the wellbeing of the 62 percent of the country’s population living in poverty." And gee, I wonder what the effects of that will be on racial harmony... “Corruption truly is a cancer eating away at the prospects of improving the wellbeing of the 62 percent of the country’s population living in poverty.”

And gee, I wonder what the effects of that will be on racial harmony…

]]> Comment on Bankruptcy in Birmingham by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/22/bankruptcy-in-birmingham/#comment-64961 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:09:02 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21989#comment-64961 "boring machines were entombed in half-completed tunnels beneath the river" Despite the ill will I bear them, I am nonetheless saddened by the fate of so many of my former professors. “boring machines were entombed in half-completed tunnels beneath the river”

Despite the ill will I bear them, I am nonetheless saddened by the fate of so many of my former professors.

]]> Comment on New Study: Tar Sands No Global Warming Threat by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/22/new-study-tar-sands-no-global-warming-threat/#comment-64960 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:02:54 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=22028#comment-64960 "the extremely detrimental environmental effects of extracting the resource" Did you forget "allegedly"? “the extremely detrimental environmental effects of extracting the resource”

Did you forget “allegedly”?

]]> Comment on The Venezuelan Inquisition by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/21/the-venezuelan-inquisition/#comment-64957 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:43:15 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21995#comment-64957 "The Venezuelan Inquisition" Everybody expected this Venezuelan Inquisition! “The Venezuelan Inquisition”

Everybody expected this Venezuelan Inquisition!

]]> Comment on Mexican Oil Good, Canadian Oil Bad? by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/21/mexican-oil-good-canadian-oil-bad/#comment-64956 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:42:18 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=22006#comment-64956 Or maybe it's just that Keystone was Very Important Indeed for his green base, while this latest issue is less so (for now). To think that this is the best possible defense of Obama... Or maybe it’s just that Keystone was Very Important Indeed for his green base, while this latest issue is less so (for now).

To think that this is the best possible defense of Obama…

]]> Comment on The Venezuelan Inquisition by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/21/the-venezuelan-inquisition/#comment-64955 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:38:11 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21995#comment-64955 Robert Heinlein: "Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as 'bad luck'." Robert Heinlein: “Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as ‘bad luck’.”

]]> Comment on How Thick is Your Bubble? by Diane http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/01/27/how-thick-is-your-bubble/#comment-64954 Diane Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:17:16 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=20197#comment-64954 The majority of comments made so far sound as though they are coming from uptight close-minded fools! Your intolerance and holier than thou attitudes are shameful. The majority of comments made so far sound as though they are coming from uptight close-minded fools! Your intolerance and holier than thou attitudes are shameful.

]]> Comment on Beyond Blue 5: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs by Luke Lea http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/20/beyond-blue-5-jobs-jobs-jobs/#comment-64953 Luke Lea Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:55:44 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21761#comment-64953 @ Toni - "Luke, has it occurred to you that you can do something directly to help America’s less fortunate? . . . That is, you, Luke Lea, can donate and/or volunteer to help America’s less fortunate. (I do both.) Join a Boys or Girls Club to mentor at-risk youth. Tutor a kid from a local school. Volunteer at a hospice, to help families whose loved one is passing." Thanks, Toni. You make me feel guilty. I've tried to concentrate my efforts on what I know best, which isn't very much I'm afraid: http://facingzionwards.blogspot.com/ @ Toni – “Luke, has it occurred to you that you can do something directly to help America’s less fortunate? . . .
That is, you, Luke Lea, can donate and/or volunteer to help America’s less fortunate. (I do both.) Join a Boys or Girls Club to mentor at-risk youth. Tutor a kid from a local school. Volunteer at a hospice, to help families whose loved one is passing.”

Thanks, Toni. You make me feel guilty. I’ve tried to concentrate my efforts on what I know best, which isn’t very much I’m afraid: http://facingzionwards.blogspot.com/

]]> Comment on Beyond Blue 5: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs by Kris http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/20/beyond-blue-5-jobs-jobs-jobs/#comment-64950 Kris Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:39:41 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21761#comment-64950 Woops, I need to clarify my previous comment @73: I tend to believe that inequality in wealth distribution in a free market is not of particularly great concern (within limits). Social inequality, on the other hand, is. Whether the former leads to the latter is a matter of culture. What should be done, can be done? Dunno. Economics is easy, culture is hard. Woops, I need to clarify my previous comment @73:

I tend to believe that inequality in wealth distribution in a free market is not of particularly great concern (within limits). Social inequality, on the other hand, is.

Whether the former leads to the latter is a matter of culture. What should be done, can be done? Dunno. Economics is easy, culture is hard.

]]> Comment on Beyond Blue 5: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs by Jim. http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/20/beyond-blue-5-jobs-jobs-jobs/#comment-64949 Jim. Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:08:58 +0000 http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/?p=21761#comment-64949 @WRM-- Brilliance, sheer brilliance! This is it, this is how to make it happen. Perfect! @Luke Lea-- Chinese wages are climbing. A tech writer from India who five years ago would accept $22k/yr is now in a position to turn down $37k/yr. Things are changing, and changing fast. Perhaps Unionism can even survive. The Chinese learned how to make Mercantilism work; the world will change again if they can master Fordism. Environmentalists will cringe, as global consumption rises... but if they can be persuaded to pursue sensible ends, like fishery management, they can be a welcome and critical member of the team. There are reasons for hope. All may yet be well. @WRM–

Brilliance, sheer brilliance!

This is it, this is how to make it happen. Perfect!

@Luke Lea–

Chinese wages are climbing. A tech writer from India who five years ago would accept $22k/yr is now in a position to turn down $37k/yr. Things are changing, and changing fast.

Perhaps Unionism can even survive. The Chinese learned how to make Mercantilism work; the world will change again if they can master Fordism. Environmentalists will cringe, as global consumption rises… but if they can be persuaded to pursue sensible ends, like fishery management, they can be a welcome and critical member of the team.

There are reasons for hope. All may yet be well.

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