Soccer Dad

Watcher's council in transition 07/16/08

After many years of devoted service to the blogosphere, the legendary Watcher announced his retirement. As the remaining members of the Council try to figure out the best arrangement for continuing, Joshuapundit has graciously volunteered to host the first post Watcher Watcher's Council voting.
1.JoshuaPundit: Will Israel Attack Iran? - This week's Council Host examines the question of how Israel could possibly attack Iran's nuclear facilities. Last year a pair of researchers at MIT suggested a plan of attack. Daniel PIpes summarized their findings here. Pipes also investigated what could happen if Iran retaliated.I thought that the retaliation scenario was rather exaggerated. Seraphic Secret concurs with Joshuapundit. He also mentions the photoshopped Iranian missile launch. It may be that the photoshopping was done to suggest that Iran has an operational Shahab-3 when, in fact, it has not figured out how to launch it successfully.
2.Soccer Dad:The Army's Top 10 inventions And The Legacy Of Harry Diamond - My post this week is about the army's top 10 inventions of 2007 and the one invention of those that continued the work of Harry Diamond, the inventor of the proximity fuze.
3.The Glittering Eye: Sen. Obama Re-States His Plan for Iraq - The Glittering Eye reviews Sen. Obama's op-ed in the NYT proposing a withdrawal from Iraq. He notes that Obama does not propose a full troop withdrawal and suggests that he wishes to leave some troops in Iraq to cover himself just in case things still go wrong. He also questions the matter of how much money Sen. Obama thinks the U.S. will be saving by the withdrawal.
4.Cheat Seeking Missiles: Laundry Guilt
Cheat Seeking Missiles looks at "green" ways to do laundry and keep iPods powered. 5.BookWorm Room:It's official: Obama doesn't flip-flop, he just does nuanced "rephrases"
Bookworm Room comments on Sen. Obama's efforts to re-define his position, especially concerning Jerusalem. See yesterday's op-ed in the NY Sun by Rick Richman for more.

6.Rhymes With Right: Ny Times Sides With Border Jumping Immigration Criminals - Rhymes with Right takes issue with a NYT editorial that condemned the authorities for raids on Iowa slaughterhouses that netted hundreds of illegal immigrants.To the Times they were committing victimless crimes. RwR points out that the violations of the law were not, in fact, victimless.
7.Wolf Howling: Critiquing The Obama Manifesto On Iraq
I had wanted to critique Sen. Obama's NYT op-ed. Wolf Howling did a much more exhaustive critique than I would have managed. He demolishes nearly all of Sen. Obama's claims.
8.The Razor:What Can We Do To Reduce Oil Consumption?
Using spreadsheets the Razor investigates ways for indivicuals to reduce oil consumption.One conclusion: drive less.

9.Done With Mirrors: Poetry Matters
Poetry's discussed at Done with Mirrors
I don't know if matters
If it doesn't rhyme.
10The Colossus Of Rhodey:The Latest - Global Warming Causes Kidney Stones!
You can tell when a "bogeyman" argument rather than a scientific argument is being made. When every single ill in the world is attributed to something then you have a bogeyman. Global Warming causing kidney stones is a perfect example.
11.Hillbilly White Trash:What To Do About The Dollar
Hillbilly White Trash provides a list of steps to take to strengthen the dollar.
12.The Education Wonk: Texas Teacher Shortage?
The Educations Wonks suggest that Texas needs to raise the salaries it pays teachers.

Read, Enjoy. Be Informed.

watcher's council.