Congrats to Mr Clegg. I learned so much from him and others and it was all fun, even the beatings. I also approve his choice of prize as that was the book that introduced me to Ms Berlinski.
I too do yoga, though only so I can eat with gay and unhealthy abandon.
I especially like the description of the yogi so thin you could view her spine from the front. And Jonas thinking so hard his head grew warm. I am dying to know if Jonas scored but it’s probably best left unanswered.
Thanks to the Cosmopolitan Globalists for this much-appreciated kudo. As for my prize, really there is no alternative—I'd like a signed copy of Claire's Thatcher biography.
Thanks, Claire. Margaret Thatcher was one of those exceptional leaders, made by history, who make history. I look forward to reading There Is No Alternative. Here's my address:
I suspect by Monday morning in Europe Belarus is going to be the subject on everyone's mind here at the Cosmopolitan Globalist? I guess the question I would have for Toomas, Monique, and Claire is what is your justification that the way to fix all of these problems with Belarus and Russia is to crackdown on tax havens which I am already hearing as of Sunday night in North America?
Do we actually know that if the Russian public was presented evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt that Vladimir Putin has lets say 100 Billion Dollars in a Swiss Bank account that would actually change anyone's mind about him in Russia? We have already seen in the US that things that were historically seen to be political death for any US politician when done by Donald Trump were simply brushed off by Trump's core supporters.
I bring this up as the arguments against tax havens were in place long before Putin i.e. those against drug smuggling and drug use, those against income equality and tax competition. How do we know these anti tax haven arguments from Monique, Claire, Toomas and others aren't just these old arguments just in new clothing.
One of my favorite games at work is to present some recent bad behavior done by a sitting president as done by President Obama... then watch the slowly dawning comprehension that Obama wasn't president in 2018.
It's not very nice, but it's the only way to get around certain kneejerk apologetics.
The best argument for seizing Putin and other Russian/Belorussian funds in the EU is that were stolen but this could also be said to be true of some of Trump properties in Europe. It is pretty well known he used his influence as President to get the US govt to give contracts and money for different Trump properties in Scotland and Ireland for example thus tainting them as kleptocratic.
I guess I see most anti tax haven policies to date such as the US FATCA legislation as having the primary the effect of and I suspect intention of reducing cross border migration, openness, and financial and business opportunity across borders. Those who want to crack down on tax havens seem to want a less globalized, more regulated, nationalistic, and statist world(in fact the same values that Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko claim). So at least in my interpretation of what it means to be against tax havens I don't see how anyone who calls themselves a "Cosmopolitan Globalist" can be against tax havens. And as Arthur Brooks and later Adam Posen put it these values of openness are not just ones of economic efficiency but of morality.
Finally in probably one of the most controversial things I will probably ever say is that someone like US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse(one of the biggest pro FATCA and anti tax haven people in the US) who is close to some of CG's like Toomas is not murderer and torturer like Putin or Lukashenko but I believe all three share the same values of nationalism, illiberalism, national control, and extreme views of national sovereignty(Whitehouse unlike Putin and Luka is also a small d democrat but more importantly an "illiberal" democrat). Now maybe some Cosmopolitan Globalists think a tactical alliance is needed with illiberalism of the political left like Whitehouse to defeat Putin but one should not kid themselves that the values of Whitehouse are not Cosmopolitan Globalism.
Years ago, I decided to take advantage of some newly acquired singlehood and take in a bit of Los Angeles. Besides a few sights, I decided to visit a few of the West Coast versions of places I'd typically visit at home: ethnic food, jiu jitsu, museums, and a yoga class.
I arrived early and introduced myself. I tried to enter the practice area humble. I tried to be quiet, and conduct myself in a manner appropriate as a guest. But after I told this tower of a woman my name, every statement she made was personalized catalog of my faults. I seemed to have earned her undivided attention.
"Matt! Fingers pointed towards the front of the room."
"Matt! Slide your foot forward."
"Matt! Weight into the palms of your hands."
I had become completely accustomed to a vague sense of yoga common to my East Coast instructors. Apparently I had been brought up tender of heart, unfamiliar with yoga of this ferocity.
"Just, like, reach to where your body feels comfortable today. That's good."
"You guys are, like, so good at breathing."
"Thanks for coming and playing yoga with me today. Remember, it's a practice."
I think I'm still scared of the West Coast and prefer the vague intentions of my Atlantic practice.
Thanks for the information Claire. What I find in the US right now is either no news on this subject at all (which is the main thing) or the tendency to look at this by comparing it to US and Mexico. Which I suppose is natural.
Congrats to Mr Clegg. I learned so much from him and others and it was all fun, even the beatings. I also approve his choice of prize as that was the book that introduced me to Ms Berlinski.
I too do yoga, though only so I can eat with gay and unhealthy abandon.
I especially like the description of the yogi so thin you could view her spine from the front. And Jonas thinking so hard his head grew warm. I am dying to know if Jonas scored but it’s probably best left unanswered.
Thanks to the Cosmopolitan Globalists for this much-appreciated kudo. As for my prize, really there is no alternative—I'd like a signed copy of Claire's Thatcher biography.
I'm touched! Send me your address, it shall be yours.
Thanks, Claire. Margaret Thatcher was one of those exceptional leaders, made by history, who make history. I look forward to reading There Is No Alternative. Here's my address:
Thomas M. Gregg
52744 Farmingdale Drive
Granger, IN 46530
I'll copy this now and then let's delete it, okay? We don't need to advertise your address to the whole world.
too late
Good point, all that fan mail would be très annoying...
I've taken the liberty of sending you Frankfurt School's Greatest Hits, Volumes I-XXV, cash on delivery.
(also: congrats)
I suspect by Monday morning in Europe Belarus is going to be the subject on everyone's mind here at the Cosmopolitan Globalist? I guess the question I would have for Toomas, Monique, and Claire is what is your justification that the way to fix all of these problems with Belarus and Russia is to crackdown on tax havens which I am already hearing as of Sunday night in North America?
Do we actually know that if the Russian public was presented evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt that Vladimir Putin has lets say 100 Billion Dollars in a Swiss Bank account that would actually change anyone's mind about him in Russia? We have already seen in the US that things that were historically seen to be political death for any US politician when done by Donald Trump were simply brushed off by Trump's core supporters.
I bring this up as the arguments against tax havens were in place long before Putin i.e. those against drug smuggling and drug use, those against income equality and tax competition. How do we know these anti tax haven arguments from Monique, Claire, Toomas and others aren't just these old arguments just in new clothing.
One of my favorite games at work is to present some recent bad behavior done by a sitting president as done by President Obama... then watch the slowly dawning comprehension that Obama wasn't president in 2018.
It's not very nice, but it's the only way to get around certain kneejerk apologetics.
The best argument for seizing Putin and other Russian/Belorussian funds in the EU is that were stolen but this could also be said to be true of some of Trump properties in Europe. It is pretty well known he used his influence as President to get the US govt to give contracts and money for different Trump properties in Scotland and Ireland for example thus tainting them as kleptocratic.
I guess I see most anti tax haven policies to date such as the US FATCA legislation as having the primary the effect of and I suspect intention of reducing cross border migration, openness, and financial and business opportunity across borders. Those who want to crack down on tax havens seem to want a less globalized, more regulated, nationalistic, and statist world(in fact the same values that Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko claim). So at least in my interpretation of what it means to be against tax havens I don't see how anyone who calls themselves a "Cosmopolitan Globalist" can be against tax havens. And as Arthur Brooks and later Adam Posen put it these values of openness are not just ones of economic efficiency but of morality.
https://youtu.be/EcIkIz98zXU?t=850
Finally in probably one of the most controversial things I will probably ever say is that someone like US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse(one of the biggest pro FATCA and anti tax haven people in the US) who is close to some of CG's like Toomas is not murderer and torturer like Putin or Lukashenko but I believe all three share the same values of nationalism, illiberalism, national control, and extreme views of national sovereignty(Whitehouse unlike Putin and Luka is also a small d democrat but more importantly an "illiberal" democrat). Now maybe some Cosmopolitan Globalists think a tactical alliance is needed with illiberalism of the political left like Whitehouse to defeat Putin but one should not kid themselves that the values of Whitehouse are not Cosmopolitan Globalism.
Years ago, I decided to take advantage of some newly acquired singlehood and take in a bit of Los Angeles. Besides a few sights, I decided to visit a few of the West Coast versions of places I'd typically visit at home: ethnic food, jiu jitsu, museums, and a yoga class.
I arrived early and introduced myself. I tried to enter the practice area humble. I tried to be quiet, and conduct myself in a manner appropriate as a guest. But after I told this tower of a woman my name, every statement she made was personalized catalog of my faults. I seemed to have earned her undivided attention.
"Matt! Fingers pointed towards the front of the room."
"Matt! Slide your foot forward."
"Matt! Weight into the palms of your hands."
I had become completely accustomed to a vague sense of yoga common to my East Coast instructors. Apparently I had been brought up tender of heart, unfamiliar with yoga of this ferocity.
"Just, like, reach to where your body feels comfortable today. That's good."
"You guys are, like, so good at breathing."
"Thanks for coming and playing yoga with me today. Remember, it's a practice."
I think I'm still scared of the West Coast and prefer the vague intentions of my Atlantic practice.
Claire, any good reading material on Morocco and the migrant crisis?
Spin, if you put these articles through Google Translate, I think you'll find the French-language media is doing a better job of covering this than the Anglophone media. (I'd bet the Spanish-language media is doing a good job, too, though I haven't looked.) Here's Le Monde: "Migrant crisis in Ceuta: it's time we stop looking at Morocco through naive eyes." https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2021/05/21/crise-des-migrants-a-ceuta-il-est-temps-de-sortir-d-une-certaine-naivete-dans-le-regard-porte-sur-le-maroc_6081001_3232.html
https://www.euronews.com/2021/05/18/scores-of-migrants-swim-to-spain-s-ceuta-enclave-from-morocco "Europe will not be intimidated."
"Four questions to understand the migratory crisis in Ceuta." https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/ceuta-4-questions-pour-comprendre-la-crise-migratoire-20210520
"Ceuta, the blindness of humanitarianism" https://www.lefigaro.fr/vox/societe/mathieu-bock-cote-ceuta-l-aveuglement-de-l-humanitarisme-20210521
I'll have a look to see if I can find a good analysis in English. And if I can't, it's pretty clear what we need to work on!
Thanks for the information Claire. What I find in the US right now is either no news on this subject at all (which is the main thing) or the tendency to look at this by comparing it to US and Mexico. Which I suppose is natural.