The Dispatch Monthly Mailbag with Alex Demas

Our fact checker answers readers’ questions.

By
41
Alex with an alpaca in the Cotswolds, England. (Photo courtesy of Alex Demas)

Hello everyone. Thanks a ton for the amazing questions. I’m going to separate them out into some general themes and try to hit as many as I can that way. Jump to the end if you want to check out the incredibly self-indulgent cocktail section—it’s a bit long, so I saved it for last.

This content is available exclusively to Dispatch members
Try a membership for full access to every newsletter and all of The Dispatch. Support quality, fact-based journalism.
Start Your Free Trial
Already a paid member? Sign In
41
By
Comments (41)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    I Googled “class action lawsuit Jonah Goldberg AEI” to see if you weren’t joking

    Collapse
  2. Avatar photo
    Danny M

    Much respect to you, Alex, for including the Boulevardier in the cocktail section. My personal twist on the drink is below, courtesy of many iterations and experimentations by the bartenders at Alfio's Buon Cibo in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Cincinnati:
    1. 2 oz. bourbon (I default to Woodford Reserve, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond, or Maker's)
    2. 1 oz. Aperol
    3. 1 oz. sweet vermouth
    I discovered I like Aperol in place of Campari due to Alfio's being out of Campari on one occasion. I found I actually preferred how the sweetness of Aperol plays with the bourbon. The sweetness gets balanced out by the extra ounce of bourbon, which I discovered courtesy of my bartender at Alfio's 'accidentally' giving me a double pour one time.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
      Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

      Thanks for the rec, I’ll have to try this. I actually also generally sub Campari for Aperol in many recipes, so good shout.

      Collapse
  3. Bobmckendrick

    A thought on your whiskey soda cocktail: Pour the 500ml of scotch in a glass, throw all that other stuff in the trash can, sit back and sip the scotch.

    Collapse
  4. Avatar photo
    Aylene Wright

    Alex. Thanks for one of the most laugh inducing Mailbags ever.

    I hope you will one day score a Remnant appearance as some of your fellow Goldberg ex-interns have done.

    Collapse
  5. Craig B.

    Dude, how did you break your shoulder? That sounds very, very painful. Be honest- Jonah was making you climb on his roof to scrub the chimney, wasn’t he?

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
      Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

      It was one of the many wounds I sustained in AEI’s intern fighting pits. I came up against Stirewalt’s intern, who hadn’t been fed in a week, so it was a particularly ferocious battle.

      Collapse
      1. Craig B.

        I could totally see that, with Jonah looking down from above while puffing on his cigar and letting forth an evil laugh while Stirewalt crunches the numbers as to who will survive.

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
          Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

          It’s unfortunate that for every 2 interns who enter AEI, only one emerges. A lot of lost talent.

          Collapse
  6. Avatar photo
    David Ridenhour

    not gonna lie, I snort laughed about the republican debate low-shelf vodka drink idea. good job Alex.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
      Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

      You’ll do the same thing if you take a swig of that recipe.

      Collapse
  7. Janice Gravelle

    Very informative mailbag. I want to point out that it is Indiana University, not University of Indiana.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
      Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

      Given I’m the descendant of Greeks who immigrated to Indiana, I really should have gotten that right. Let’s just both agree to blame the editors for not catching it.

      Collapse
      1. Janice Gravelle

        Seems fair enough. I will say that this is a very common error across media.

        Collapse
  8. RH

    Had I understood better your background in political economy I would have asked: if you could cook up a high school economics course, what would it look like?

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
      Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

      That’s an interesting question. At the high school level I’d probably focus on trying to demonstrate some of the more fun and readily applicable parts of Econ, so wouldn’t dive super deeply into anything but instead do a bit of a survey course. Start with a basic intro into micro/macro, then some game theory and a bit of behavioral economics. Nothing will turn a high schooler off of pursuing economics in college like forcing them to draw endless graphs for some old macro model that isn’t even used anymore.

      Collapse
  9. Avatar photo
    I Am the Eggman

    On political philosophy, I would recommend Leo Strauss as well. He is actually quite different from the weird neocon bogeyman image that some on the left were pushing during the W administration. I recommend his book "Introduction to Political Philosophy", especially for those who have never read any serious political philosophy.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photocircle-angle-nib
      Alex Demas vertical-nib Author

      Don’t worry, it’s impossible to work anywhere near Jonah and not witness an occasional deep dive into straussianism. I actually have that book on my shelf, but haven’t cracked it yet. Maybe this is the sign I need to do so.

      Collapse
      1. Galeg

        Interesting talk about political economy, Alex. Two of my really smart buddies are in that game: Eric Schliesser, at U. Amsterdam, is probably the foremost interpreter of Adam Smith extant. And Erik Angner, Swedish dude, is now a major hit with arguing that economics can save the world [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alz9g5xmnbo[/url]So if you get a spare moment at the Dispatch you might take a look.
        Meanwhile, keep a low profile! It's safer that way. Really.

        Collapse
      2. Avatar photo
        I Am the Eggman

        Yes, that's what it is... a SIGN. :)

        Collapse
  10. Avatar photo
    EricRemcon@gmail

    Great answers, Alex!

    Thank you for taking the time to offer detailed answers instead of falling back on ‘My team is X’ type stuff. I feel I got to know you a little better (even though you artfully sidestepped my Jonah/Guy question). 😅

    Collapse
Load More