Comments on: Without a Hitch

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 23:10:00 +0000

The woman in the audience has logic on her side. Presumably the Hay bans smoking because of the dangers of passive smoking.

Why should they then make special allowances for guests who insist that people should breathe their second hand smoke if they are to listen to them?

And there is certainly no reason for Hitchens to be abusive about it.

By: Jim Bliss

Jim Bliss — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 09:42:00 +0000

Chris; surely it should be present tense that is reformed. I "reed" and I "read" (as in "head"). For some reason I like the spelling "reeder" more than "reader".

By: Chris Baldwin

Chris Baldwin — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 07:35:00 +0000

OK, this is a geeky point, but the verb "to read" really needs to be reformed. Obviously it’s fine in spoken English, but having the present and the preterite written in the same way is just annoying and slightly confusing. Why couldn’t we have "I red" or "I redd"?

By: bwanadik

bwanadik — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:51:00 +0000

It’s funny, I read Christopher saying all religionists are inherently horrible and repulsive, and gently roll my eyes. Then, I read Peter saying ‘faith’ in Darwinism is exactly equivalent to faith in Christianity, and that further you should choose between descriptions of the universe based not on the degree they correspond to reality, but how morally and aesthetically pleasing they are to you personally, and instantly have the burning desire to proclaim my militant atheism.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 08:57:00 +0000

NIB – It just means someone who used to adhere to Trotsky’s political philosophy, usually when they were a student. It’s often used as an insult, but in both Hitchens’ case it happens to be true (I think C Hitchens was in the SWP at one point, though he now damns them as a ‘creepy sub-Leninist sect’)

By: Pearsall Helms

Pearsall Helms — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 06:49:00 +0000

Extended exposure to the thoughts of Lev Davidovich Bronstein (for that is he) is enough to turn anyone weird.

By: N.I.B.

N.I.B. — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 05:16:00 +0000

Could anyone explain this whole ‘ex-trot’ thing? I hear the Hitchens brothers being described as ‘ex-trots’ all the time. As well as lots of other people (I’m sure someone’s made a list).

What exactly is one of these, and why are they all so, well, weird? Or is it just a euphemism for ‘weirdo’?

By: Larry

Larry — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 05:05:00 +0000

Hitchens just comes off as being incredibly rude. Cigarette smoke smells horrible, and if someone has gone along to a debate on the understanding that they are not permitted to smoke then it's only fair that Hitchens himself abstains.

I'd usually agree with that, but I imagine that meeting his twat of a brother in public must have been rather a stressful experience for him. He knew in advance that he'd want to smoke during it, and the festival said "no problem". So I can understand him not taking any shit from uppity members of the audience.

By: lth

lth — Tue, 31 May 2005 10:02:00 +0000

Tsch. Hitchens just comes off as being incredibly rude. Cigarette smoke smells horrible, and if someone has gone along to a debate on the understanding that they are not permitted to smoke then it’s only fair that Hitchens himself abstains.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 31 May 2005 06:58:00 +0000

That's a great few exchange. I quite agree.

The beginning bit of the interview on communist history was dull as hell, though. There's more than ideology kees me from being a Trot.