Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Watcher's Council Nominations, 5/14/08




Every week, the Watcher's Council members nominate two posts each, one from the Council members and one from outside for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week's Council nominations can be found at the site of our fearless leader, the infamous Watcher of Weasels

Do take the time to check out the non-Council links as well - they're always worthwhile.

So here's this week's lineup...enjoy!

Lebanon Becomes Hezbollahstan Joshuapundit - Hezbollah continues to consolidate its control over Lebanon, who's destiny apparently is to become a colony of Iran and Syria.... with some striking similarities to what occurred in Gaza, and for a lot of the same reasons.

I speculate on how it could have been avoided and what lessons the West can take from this.

While this has been coming for a while, I'll wager this was a direct response from Iran to the defeat of their main proxy in Iraq, the Mahdi Army. In that part of the world, the perception of strength is everything.


"Evolution" = "Growth" Soccer Dad - this week, Soccer Dad looks at common tendency in the dinosaur media...find a left-leaning Jewish writer on staff to write a 'nuanced' article on how American Jews are becoming more 'nuanced' on Israel and present it as a concensus..and a step in the right direction.As he points out, aside from being blatant agenda journalism, the attitude is a major step backwards.

Making Capitalists Bookworm Room has an intersting post this week on author Horatio Alger, who specialized in 'rags-to-riches' stories that emphasized the capitalist virtues of thrift, hard work and education.She likewise reflects on how it might have affected the readers of this author back in the day.

The Audacity of Newsweek Wolf Howling - GW writes about an article in 'Newsweak' that essentially paints anyone voting against Obama as a racist and fearmonger. I agree with him, it's appalling, but hardly unexpected - and there will be a lot more of it from the dinosaur media before November. As Al Gore put it in 2000 after successfully disenfranchising perfectly valid 4,000 military absentee ballots in Florida on a technicality, "a win is a win"...

Curiouser and Curiouser The Glittering Eye - Dave Schuler speculates on a mystery explosion in an Iranian mosque.

And People think George W. Bush Is a Moron The Colossus of Rhodey - Hube has a good time dissecting some sheer idiocy by Cwayzie Unkie Jimmy Carter. In Carter's case, of course, the idiocy pays pretty well

And he's by no means the only one on the payroll.

BUMPED: McCain Ahead In Electoral Vote Race? Rhymes With Right - Greg sagely reflects on something that's all but lost in the mania over polls - that it's the electoral votes that count, and McCain is curently ahead of the Chosen One in that regard.

I would differ slightly with him in that I would put Pennsylvania and Colorado(because of the Hispanic vote) in play as well at this point rather than giving it to Obama.I also wouldn't be surprised to see Ohio leaning towards McCain as well.

Where we went wrong Hillbilly White Trash - Lemuel Calhoon has a simple formula to revive the fortunes of the Republican Party - emulate Reagan and re-embrace the conservative philosophy.

Protecting Marriage Done With Mirrors - Callimachus has a lot of fun with a proposed Pennsylvania amendment to the state Constitution sponsored by Republicans that would define marriage as between one man and one woman...and a cheekily malicious attempt by a democrat to tack on an amendment prohibiting most divorces!

Los Angeles' Combat High School The Education Wonks - Edwonk reflects on a story that was downplayed by th emedia in Southern california - what amounted to a race war in a local high school between black and Hispanic students.

This sort of scenario is being played out throughout Southern California, with even the police chief, Bill Bratton in denial. At least publicly.

One side comment. The school is listed as 65% Hispanic and 35% African American, but apparently there's a least one Asian there, a senior named Victor Wong who was asked by some of his Hispanic friends to participate in the fighting, but declined:"They asked for my help, but I'm graduating," he said. "I'm done with all that."

I think there's a message there, unwilling as some of us may be to take it in...


And Tango Makes 420 Cheat Seeking Missiles - Laer's post this week concerns the American Library Association and an announcement of the list of this year's "most challenged" books...targets of a formal written complain tasking it to be removed from the library because of content.


Poll: America Is a Sucky Place To Live Right Now Right Wing Nut House - As Rick settles into his new home, he examines a poll that shows that 82% of Amwericans think the country is on the wrong track, and sees a debacle coming for the Republican Party and an Obama presidency.

I could of course question the polls sampling and how the question was presented. However the only comment I have is: Assuming Rick's prediction comes to pass,if these people think the country is on the wrong track now, just wait until Barack Hussein Obama gets his hands on it!

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