Nearly 12 years ago, NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman propounded the so-called "Golden Arches Theory:" no two countries that each had at least one McDonalds had ever gone to war. This fact became well established in pop culture; in 2004 Lazyboy TV used it as one of their background spoken facts in the song "Facts of Life." My mother has informed me of this fact several times, so it's known across the age spectrum.
Sadly, it is no longer true. Both Russia and Georgia have McDonalds.
There's nothing you can trust. Get used to it.
only took a few friedman units to get it right for him
ReplyDeletei used to like friedman - no more. he was a cheerleader for iraq way too long
I agree in that I was aghast at his support for the Iraq war- and his continuing insistance that the problem was the way it was waged, not its existence. However, I respect his thoughts, even when I disagree with them. I generally see him as a challenge- when I disagree with his arguements, my task is to figure out how to challenge those arguements, not simply dismiss him as a neocon crank. Which is what I do with much of Bushco. I get kind of fed up with some of Left Blogovia that ridicules Friedman, his phrasing, and his conclusions, but often never adresses alternative lines of EVIDENCE.
ReplyDelete