Author Archive

Au Revoir, Dear Readers

Written by Taki on September 17, 2002. Posted in Breaking News, Posts

"Why do we hold such different views of Nazis and the Soviets?" asks the great Arnold Beichman in a Washington Times book review of Martin Amis’ Koba the Dread. Why do we, indeed. Beichman is an academic who is also street smart. He goes on to tell us that in New York’s "gentrified slum," the
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Heroes & Villains, Pt. XVI

Written by Taki on August 27, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

I woke up to the sounds of an oompah band marching through the main street in Gstaad. Is there a nicer sound to wake up to high in the Alps? I don’t think so. It was a lovely day, the Swiss burghers dressed up in their finest lederhosen, the mountains glistening in the sun, the
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John Lennon, No-Class Hero

Written by Taki on August 20, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

I hear that my old friend (figure of speech, thank God) Sam Waksal has been indicted on charges of insider trading, bank fraud, forging a signature and destroying records to obstruct a federal investigation. Although I’ve been brought up to never kick a man who’s down, I will make an exception in the case of
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I Was Blown Away

Written by Taki on August 13, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

I missed out last week as I was on a classic sailing boat battling 65 mph winds–called the Mistral–somewhere off Corsica. The Mistral lasts from three to six, possibly even nine days, and legend has it that if one murders his wife on the ninth day, judges turn a blind eye to the vile deed.
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Mugabe & Michel, Today’s Gangsters

Written by Taki on July 30, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

Back in October of 1968, Olympic Airways passengers flying from Kennedy to Athens were surprised by an announcement that their flight had been canceled. No reason was given. People were already on board when the announcement was made, and if memory serves–I was not on that flight but a friend of mine was–there was lotsa
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Teach the Bard; Sue the Saudis

Written by Taki on July 23, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was about to be taken into Athens to see the latest American import, Beau Geste starring Gary Cooper, a pseudo-historical thriller about three brothers who run away and sign up with the Foreign Legion…you can guess the rest. Then my great-uncle arrived, remonstrated with the nanny
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Let Them Eat Pet Food

Written by Taki on July 16, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

Okay, let’s get this over with as quickly as possible. I’m off to the South of France for some badly needed rest and recreation. n I spent Independence Day in freezing and rainy old London, with Wimbledon a wash-out and the great sage Paul Johnson’s annual garden party forced indoors. (Paul’s parties always have fair
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Bad Choices in the Mideast

Written by Taki on July 9, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

Bad Choices in Israel & Palestine Mind you, markets are not helped when crooks get to the top of the corporate ladder and start cooking the books. Although we are now in the third year of a bear market, a performance unseen since the 40s, we are in reality facing not so much a crash
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Tom Stoppard & Lucien Freud

Written by Taki on July 2, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

I want to tell you about two men, both English, although both foreign-born. One is known as England’s greatest living playwright, even if in my opinion he is the world’s greatest living playwright, Sir Tom Stoppard. The other is always referred to as Britain’s greatest living painter, Lucien Freud. One is a wonderful man, full
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Gonging Mick Jagger

Written by Taki on June 25, 2002. Posted in Miscellaneous, Posts

Call it the Taki curse–I did, after all, ask for his arrest in last week’s column–but happiness is waking up in rainy London and reading in the Herald Tribune that the former chief executive of ImClone Systems Inc. has been arrested by the FBI and charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Hear, hear! In
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