No "Notlob" Jokes or Routine Allowed  Dear Weekend Jolter, I am about to share a message from John Bolton. Now, I know there are some of you (a tiny group, thank the Creator) who, when they hear "Bolton," think about "Notlob" and dead parrots and other accented foolery. Such folks need counseling. Most, though, when they hear "Bolton," think (praise the same Creator) – the smartest conservative foreign-policy guy in the U.S. Yep: That's the very John Bolton about whom I write. OK, so: What did John say or do? Well, earlier this week he sent an email to the conservative world urging one and all to join him in New York City on October 25th to celebrate the glorious William F. Buckley Jr. Prize Dinner. John was short and sweet: As a conservative, I place tremendous value on the National Review mission, which has guided the movement since Bill Buckley founded the magazine in 1955. I am pleased to serve as a trustee of National Review Institute, which is hosting its fourth annual Buckley Prize Dinner this fall honoring Bruce and Suzie Kovner and Tom Wolfe, meaningful leaders of the conservative movement. All funds raised go to support NRI, and I enthusiastically encourage you to join us for this remarkable evening. Do come. A remarkable blast it will be. And now, on with the Jolt. Editorials Here's the important opining this week by my colleagues: 1. It's simply titled "Trump at the U.N.," but it is a largely welcoming piece -- with some constructive criticism -- about the President's "Rocket Man" speech. From our take: Trump ended his address with an ode to patriotism, noting that a desire for a free nation has inspired some of history's most admirable fights: "Patriotism led the Poles to die to save Poland, the French to fight for a free France, and the Brits to stand strong for Britain." In a rebuke to those who imagine a body like the U.N. eventually growing into a global government, Trump argued that the world is best served when nations "defend their interests, preserve their cultures, and ensure a peaceful world for their citizens." 2. In "Another Chance on Health Care," NR takes on Senator Rand Paul's opposition to Graham-Cassidy. From the editorial: A true replacement of Obamacare would be better than Graham-Cassidy, but Graham-Cassidy is still much better than Obamacare. It abolishes the individual and employer mandates, caps per capita spending on Medicaid, blocks federal funds from going to insurance plans that cover abortion, and lets interested states attain freedom from some of Obamacare's regulations. Some of those states could use that freedom to create markets in which people outside of Medicare, Medicaid, and employer-based coverage would finally be enabled to buy cheap, renewable catastrophic-insurance policies. 3. And speaking of health care, yuckster Jimmy Kimmel gets comeuppanced for his "failed test." From the editorial: One of the problems with having the national discussion led by lightly informed celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel is that people begin to believe their own rhetoric, in this case that Republican health-insurance reformers are motivated by sheer malice or by obscure financial considerations. (Never mind that the biggest financial players in this case, the insurance companies themselves, oppose current Republican reform efforts and largely supported the ACA.) That makes discussing the actual problems at hand, and potential solutions to them, difficult or impossible. Conservative Candy for Your Ear's Sweet Tooth I wanted to write an idiotic headline, and there it is. Moving on. There's plenty of new NRO Podcasts to listen to. List away: 1. What say The Editors, you ask? Plenty. In the new "Rocket Man" episode, Rich, Reihan, Charlie, and Michael Brendan Dougherty discuss Donald Trump's U.N. speech, the GOP's "Graham-Cassidy" healthcare proposal, and the outlook for Paul Manafort. 2. In his new QandA podcast, Jay Nordlinger quizzes Douglas Murray about politics, policy, poetry, and music. By the way, you ought to get Murray's new book, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam. And while we're at it, Jay's collection, Digging In. 3. But wait, there's more QandA. Jay also interviews Ben Shapiro, dubbed "The Lion of Berkeley." Enjoy. 4. Political Beats makes a left-hand turn this week: MSNBC's Chris Hayes discusses Beck with hosts Scot Bertram and Jeff Blehar. 5. Over at The Bookmonger, John Miller discusses the new spiritual novel, Blythe, with author John E. Kramer. 6. As usual, it's non-stop Miller: In this week's edition of The Great Books, John interviews Professor Peter Jennings about Xenophon's classic, The Expedition of Cyrus. 7. It's a bad week when there's no new Mad Dogs and Englishmen -- so this is a good week. In the new episode, Kevin and Charlie discuss pen names, secession movements, Trump's speech at the U.N., and the Republicans' latest and perhaps last attempt to repeal Obamacare. 8. I am sure that between the time I file this and the time you receive the Jolt that David French will have published a new episode of The Liberty Files. Check out some of the past interviews right here. 9. To no avail, I lobbied for "California, Here I Come" to be the theme song (dig this Ray Charles version) of NR's Radio Free California podcast. But Will and David found a much better opening (you'll have to listen to find out). Here's the new episode: The Golden Duo discusses the coup d'état inside the California State Assembly Republican leadership; newly released census data that show California with the nation's highest poverty rate; and the damage of crony capitalism in California pro sports (plus they announce RFC's first-ever Stooge of the Week!). 10. Hold on -- Three Martini Lunch stumbles into the Jolt, with the mid-week episode reviewing the Wisconsin court decision upholding the controversial right to work law, plus a discussion of "hate speech" as protected speech, and about a political ad that horribly parodies Top Gun. Nine National Review Pieces You Really Must Read 1. On Trump's U.N. speech: Elliott Abrams liked it. A lot: Fair judges will call this speech a real success. Trump rose to the occasion and offered a speech that had both striking rhetoric and a sound argument that the success of individual states, each looking out for its own interests, is the basic building block of a successful U.N. and international system. This was a rare speech in that chamber, which has been filled with decades of lies, hypocrisy, and globaloney. Trump paid the organization and the delegates the courtesy of telling them squarely how his administration sees the world. 2. Kyle Smith finds Hillary Clinton's memoir, What Happened, to be "a recycling bin full of evasions, misleading statements, and flat-out whoppers." Enjoy yet another great Smith piece, here. 3. Billy Beatdown: In this blast from the past (1967), Bill Buckley gets -- incensed (rimshot!) -- about Mass in the vernacular. With all the lunacy coming out of the Vatican, methinks you'll want to read this. 4. Related: My colleague Nick Frankovich, who doesn't write enough, IMHO, pens this beautiful and thoughtful piece about Catholic liturgy (Latin v. Local) and the arc of faith that really isn't all about Rome. Even if you aren't Catholic, I believe you will find his article worth your time. From it: The Church began in Jerusalem, with the Big Bang that was Pentecost. The apostles -- literally, those who are sent forth -- went forth. According to tradition, Thomas made it as far east as India, but the direction in which most of the going forth happened was west. Paul wanted to evangelize in Asia Minor, but the weather kept pushing him to Europe. There the spirit of Jerusalem met the spirit of Athens, and the rest is history. In pious tradition, Peter preceded him to Rome and both were martyred there. Rome's place in salvation history is expansive and high. But it is not infinite, and it is not supreme. 5. There will not be a quiz. But that doesn't mean you should ignore the wisdom I am imparting. When is an organic apple not an organic apple? As Julie Kelly reports, maybe when it is explicitly labeled an "organic apple." 6. Some people look at Jimmy Kimmel and see a comedian. Must admit: I've never found him funny. Anyway, Jimmy Kimmel seems to hope you will see the funny man also as a public intellectual. In his new piece, Theodore Kupfer ain't having it. A slice: George Carlin was outraged, Dick Gregory was righteous, and Dave Chappelle is incisive. But even at their rawest, each was understood in the popular imagination to be a comedian. Does Kimmel want a career change? Or does Hollywood simply want to feel better about its propensity to wax earnest about complicated public-policy questions? Regarding anything in the era of Trump, it's apparently time for comedians to get serious. They volunteer to do their part, not their bit -- replacing good jokes with good points, laughs with nods. 7. It's about Clapper. No, not that one, but the James Clapper one, who, Andy McCarthy explains, never refuted that the Obama Administration spied on Team Trump. 8. Feminism isn't feminist when the woman is a conservative. Alexandra DeSanctis thoroughly exposes the progressive double standard. 9. Time to rebuild the military. Jim Talent says the defense sequester has got to go. BONUS: This about real love. The kind dogs have for humans. Who else to better explain this than Jonah Goldberg? Eight Worthwhile Pieces from Other Places Not Named National Review 1. At the Library of Law and Liberty, Louisa Greve writes about the late Nobel Peace Prize Winner, China's Liu Xiaobo, and his fight for freedom in the face of suffocating commie oppression. 2. Well, it seemed that editorial writers for the Daily Princetonian were writing too many right-of-center pieces, so the paper's honchos canned them. The College Fix has the story, with the intrepid Jennifer Kabbany reporting. 3. We love The College Fix so we'll give it a second bite: Greg Piper, who anchors the D.C. office, reports on Northwestern University's jihad against film professor Laura Kipnis over her common-sense criticisms of Title IX lunacy. 4. A "nuclear renaissance" in state policy is underway. American Legislative and Exchange Council guru Sarah Hunt explains in a juicy new report. 5. Obama, spy. Over at The Hill, Sharyl Attkisson has an excellent rundown of America's Stasi. 6. In her Wall Street Journal column, Kimberley Strassel opines that Alaska's Lisa Murkowski needs to step up and support Graham-Cassidy. 7. Was London's Tube bomber a "coward"? Writing for City Journal, Theodore Dalrymple looks at word usage, facts, and emotion, and thinks not. 8. Swedes are starting to react to just how badly their elites have damaged the country by allowing massive immigration of Muslim refugees. Bruce Bawer reports for Gatestone Institute. BONUS: You already knew this, but you can never hear it enough: As Professor Benjamin Ginsberg explains in depth in Modern Age, there is an unholy alliance between college administrators and leftist activists. Keeping Up Appearances The All-Powerful Rich Lowry will be appearing on Meet the Press on Sunday. Seasonal Musical Interlude "September Song" has enough melancholy to last a year. But isn't it a beautiful song? The answer is yes. Here are four of the many recorded versions: By Walter Huston, for whom the song was originally written, Frank Sinatra, and then of course Jimmy Durante, and last but never least, the beautiful Ella Fitzgerald. Friends and Family 1. Are you a business owner who is into peace and prosperity? Check out The Bastiat Society. 2. Wyoming Catholic College is looking for a chaplain. Yeah, it would be good if the applicant is a priest. 3. Gary Kasparov headlines the Goldwater Institute's annual dinner, this October 19th in Scottsdale. Get more info here. Follow, follow, follow Tweethearts worth following, I humbly suggest: Jennifer Kabbany, Lens of Liberty, Yankee Institute, Pacific Legal Foundation, Goldwater Institute, Alexandra DeSanctis, Rick Brookhiser, "Vinegar Bob" VerBruggen, LifeNews, John McCormack, Colin Reed, Dana Perino, Pat Sajak, Brent Bozell, James Rosen, Andrew Stiles, Andrew Stuttaford. A Mighty Baseball Warrior Here's someone who wouldn't take a knee during the National Anthem: Warren Spahn was one of the greatest players ever to put on stirrups. Over 21 seasons, the southpaw had a 363-245 record, mostly for the Braves (Boston and Milwaukee), was the definition of a workhorse (5243 innings!), pitched in three World Series, won the Cy Young award, was a 17-time All Star, and made the Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility. Like a lot of Big Leaguers, Spahn missed three prime years due to military service. But unlike most, the Army engineer served in combat, and saw plenty of it: As this excellent bio reports, Spahn "earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, a battlefield promotion, and a Presidential citation. That made him the most decorated ballplayer in World War II." I recommend this very cool interview in which Spahn discusses his under-fire actions at Remagen Bridge. Interesting fact: In the final days of his career, in 1965, Spahn found himself in the same dugout as another baseball ancient, Yogi Berra, playing for the lowly Mets. Like Spahn, Yogi had also served his country in war, as a sailor, and saw action on D-Day. RIP to both. A dios As the vapory Royal Dane said, the glow-worm shows the matin' to be near, so I bid you adieu, adieu, adieu. Until next week, remember me, and also remember to never be cheap, to subscribe to National Review magazine, to buy Victor Davis Hanson's new book, The Second World Wars, to wear earphones if you are listening to idiotic music in public, to give your seat to a pregnant lady, and to just forget about dating my daughters if you have tattoos, piercings, or a man bun -- it ain't happening pal. Thanks to Phil the Editorial Wonder Boy for making this edition of the Weekend Jolt a reality. All the best, Jack Fowler P.S.: My colleague Meredith Bogacz plays a very mean fiddle. By popular demand, she has put together a terrific album, as we still call them. It's called As She Does. Check it out. Related: My ukulele album will be released on October 32nd. | 
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