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.

The Glittering Eye, “The Chinese Sphere of Influence”

In my submission for this week I reflect on Burma, China, and international relations.

Soccer Dad, “The Unraveling Narrative”

Soccer Dad considers media narratives, the Palestinians, the Israelis, and the al-Duras case.

Rhymes With Right, “Pelosi On Anti-Christian Poster for S-M Fest”

Greg is outraged at a poster for a homosexual sadomasochistic event parodying Da Vinci’s The Last Supper and at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reaction to it (the “fair” takes place in her district). I’m a Christian and I don’t happen to be outraged by it but I’m also not interested in it. I find the whole matter tawdry and boring.

Done With Mirrors, “Carrots, Sticks, Poisoned Apples”

Callimachus posts on the history of the growth of executive power.

Cheat Seeking Missiles, “Reporter-God Sy Hersh’s Dixie Chick Moment”

For nearly as long as I’ve been aware of him Seymour Hersh has been taking a political judgment, finding disaffected State or Defense Department people to quote anonymously whose statements support the political judgment, and running with it. Sometimes you get a Pulitzer Prize-winning story that way. 9 out of 10 times you get nothing. Laer notes that this time he’s got nothing.

The Colossus of Rhodey, “Oh No! Dearth of Gays on Network Tube!”

Hube comments on a news report that there are fewer gay characters on network TV than there used to be. Does the idea of representation in network TV programs strike you as odd? It does me. If network TV were truly representative there’d be a lot more older folks, more married people, more people with kids, a lot more homely people, fewer Californians, and fewer homosexuals than there are. But television takes place in an absurd fantasy world in which everybody (including high school kids and bank presidents) is between 25 and 35 and is beautiful and everywhere is Southern California. Even Cleveland has palm trees in the background and everyone is beautifully coiffed. While it may be representative of the Southern California entertainment industry I doubt it. What I think it really is is a fantasy of Southern California. And somebody’s outraged that fantasy isn’t theirs? Caramba!

Big Lizards, “Gratefully Not Dead: Iraq Civilian and US Military Deaths Plummet”

Dafydd ab Hugh considers measuring progress in counter-insurgency, particularly in Iraq. As I read Dafydd’s description of the Iraqi insurgency I couldn’t help wondering how much influence Bedouin culture and more to the point fantasies about Bedouin culture (both on our part and on the parts of members of al Qaeda and the Iraqi Sunni insurgency) play in shaping what’s going on in Iraq.

Bookworm Room, “Ward and June Cleaver Revisited”

Bookworm posts on marriages and roles in marriage with an emphasis on traditional roles e.g. Ward and June Cleaver. She’s stumbled on a great secret: patterns are empowering. It’s breaking the mold and operating without patterns or models that’s exhausting and frustrating.

Joshuapundit, “What Ahmadinejad Was 100% Right About”

I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with one of Freedom Fighter’s posts as much as this one. In their treatment of Iranian President Ahmadinejad on his recent visit to the United States American boors on the right and left have handed him a PR victory greater than any he could have achieved without their help.

‘Okie’ on the Lam, “Can American Culture Survive the Constant MSM Onslaught?”

Is patriotism really the glue that holds American society together? ‘Okie’ expands on a column by Jonah Goldberg. I’m not so sure. I think that rather than patriotism it may be consensus as in “we hold these truths to be self evident…”.

The Education Wonks, “Boondoggle Chronicles: Public Housing for the Affluent”

EdWonk, in a rare departure from the education beat, comments on a subsidized housing program in Fairfax County, Virginia that includes by simple inertia families with incomes well into six figures. I think that what this story really highlights is how tough-minded one must be to do good. Whom does one blame for something like this? There’s plenty to go around. The people without honor who continue to seize handouts from the mouths of the poor. The bureaucrats who are just doing what’s easy to administer. I think that the greatest level goes to the bureaucracy and politicians one level up from that who should be evaluating the performance of programs solely on how much they benefit the target population not on how many are served overall.

Right Wing Nut House, “Man Without a Party”

Rick Moran bids (at least a temporary) farewell to the Republican Party. I can’t help but wonder if part of the problem with both of our political parties is the viability of a career in politics and the longevity of our politicians. We’ve seen the same old faces for decades now. Not to mention their wives, husbands, sons, and daughters.

Well, I’ve made up my mind which posts I’ll vote for this week. Which posts would get your votes?

1 comment… add one
  • kreiz Link

    Although he barred comments on this particular spot, Moran’s “Man w/o a Party” piece was brilliant and deserving of weekly honors. Rick’s free thinking needs to be rewarded.

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