Eye on the Watcher’s Council

As you may know the members of the Watcher’s Council each nominate one of his or her own posts and one non-Council post for consideration by the whole Council. The complete list of this week’s Council nominations is here. Here’s what the Council members nominated this week.

The Glittering Eye, “Speculating on the Impact of Zarqawi’s Death”

In my submission for this week I consider what impact Zarqawi’s death might have. It’s tough making predictions, especailly about the future but I suspect that the effects will be political and on morale rather than operational.

Dr. Sanity, “Reaction on Zarqawi’s Demise from the Reality-based Community”

Pat Santy rounds up reactions from to Zarqawi’s death from the Left Blogosphere.

ShrinkWrapped, “Skepticism and “News””

ShrinkWrapped considers the news and propaganda with lots of links about the incident at Haditha and the “Gaza Massacre” that touched off the Second Intifada. I suspect it was always thus and we’re only now recognizing it. Naif that I am I still believe that, at least in this country, journalists are just doing their jobs as best they can but, being human, they’re always trying to sell us something (if only that they’re good eggs).

New World Man, “We’re All Pro-choice Here!”

Matt Barr writes on the pharmacists’ conscience clause in Illinois.

Done With Mirrors, “Hix Nix Chix”

Callimachus notes that the bad feelings about the Dixie Chicks is less now about their position on the war in Iraq and more about their disrespect for their own fans.

Joshuapundit, “The Gaza Beach Killings: The Latest Production from PallyWood”

Freedom Fighter, too, is writing about propaganda giving useful details about the Gaza beach killings incident.

The Strata-Sphere, “Mankind’s Best Friends”

AJStrata mourns the loss of a beloved dog. My heart goes out to you, AJ. As I’ve noted a couple of times previously, we’re going through the same thing ourselves so I know how you feel. I’m with Will Rogers: “If there are no dogs in heaven then when I die I want to go where they went”.

Right Wing Nut House, “Spinning Their Way to Defeat in November”

Rick Moran comments on the politics of some Democrats’ reactions to the news of Zarqawi’s death. My own view is that refusing to give Bush a win is transparently churlish and won’t help Democrats’ prospects in November a bit. All but the most vehement Ba’athis supporters among the Iraqi bloggers were heartened by the news: take your cues from that.

The Education Wonks, “Sickening Situation”

O tempora! O mores! EdWonk reports that a 13 year old boy and a 27 year old female teachers’ aide are fighting over custody of the child conceived as a result of the aide’s sexual assault of the boy.

Rhymes With Right, “Judge In Eminent Domain Attrocity Seeks Higher Bench”

Greg comments on the re-election campaign of a judge in his neck of the woods who made a rather controversial ruling in an eminent domain case there.

Gates of Vienna, “Outer Darkness”

Comments threads can veer off the subject in puzzling ways sometimes and in the instance that Dymphna recounts from her blog it looks to me as though she was buried in an avalanche of straw men. Dymphna elaborates and institutes a comments policy.

The Sundries Shack, “Kerry Spokesman Shows His Class”

Jimmie Bise fisks the statement of a Kerry spokesman about Karl Rove.  The only thing I can contribute to the discussion is that sexual misconduct in the prisons is a scandal of our penal system not a feature.  That it is countenanced even implicitly in any form by any one is an indictment of our childish lack of willingness to pay for what our legal system mandates.

Well, I’ve decided which posts I’ll vote for this week.  Which posts would get your vote?