What are the Alpha Bloggers posting about today?

Kathy Shaidle has more evidence of Wikipedia’s clay feet (I like Wikipedia but it sure has taken a beating lately). Now the Washington Post has refused to retract an article it wrote which contained a Wikipedia based error:

Following the devastation in Lisbon in 1755, priests roamed the streets, hanging those they believed had incurred God’s wrath. That event ’shook the modern world,’ he notes, changing people’s idea of a benevolent, all-caring God.’

Ann Althouse has her latest podcast up. She likes a movie called “Heavenly Creatures” which apparently was made by Peter Jackson of LOTR fame. Who knew? She doesn’t like King Kong’s snot free nose.

The Captain finds another example of success in Iraq:

Americans wouldn’t know this from their own media, but the Telegraph reports that Tal Afar has been transformed by the American destruction of the Zarqawi-led terrorists there, through rebuilding and cultural sensitivity that has made the Americans more popular than ever

Damian finds Iran manipulating our Western feelings of “tolerance”

The Iranians have studied Western discourse well, whining about how we should be more “tolerant” of their President’s opinion that the Holocaust didn’t happen…. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts

Debbie Schlussel finds her prediction’s noted:

The December 19th issue of The Weekly Standard cites me and this blog, for my correct prediction (here and here) that Islamic Jihad founder, leader, and terrorist, Sami Al-Arian, would walk (he was acquitted or the jury deadlocked in all counts in his now completed federal trial). As I’ve said numerous times, I wish my prediction was wrong.

Nick Packwood points us to another great “bunnies” reenactment. This time is is Star Wars! Which will make no sense to me because I have never seen a single one of the movies. I have seen snippets but never the whole movie. I have also never seen an entire James Bond movie. I rented one of the ones with the Remington Steele guy in it once. But I fell asleep halfway through.

Hugh Hewitt didn’t see Bush’s speech he read it. Guess what Hugh the two are really really different. I saw parts of it and it didn’t come off as conversational as you might think.

I didn’t see it. I read it. It was a good one. I’m not usually wild about presidential speeches because presidents rarely sound like they’re just talking to us (and that’s what I want to hear)– just the nature of presidential speech-writing and the fact that they’re talking to millions of people at once. Bush is particularly vulnerable to this. He’s great when he’s just talking to folks; not so great on the soaring speeches of nobleness. Being a war President, however, usually requires the soaring speeches of nobleness.

As much as I like Bush and support the war on terror, he really does poorly in those canned formal speeches.

Glenn Reynolds sorta agrees with me but does find some positive things:

I just watched Bush’s speech. Nothing new there for anyone who’s been paying attention to the speeches he’s been giving over the past couple of weeks. But one big thing struck me: In this national televised speech, Bush went out of his way to take responsibility for the war. He repeatedly talked about “my decision to invade Iraq,” even though, of course, it was also Congress’s decision. He made very clear that, ultimately, this was his war, and the decisions were his.

Why did he do that? Because he thinks we’re winning, and he wants credit.

Michelle Malkin also weigh’s in:

I think the speech was an excellent summation of why we invaded Iraq, the progress we’re making, and–key point–the dire consequences and costs that the Democrats’ defeatism would impose not only on the Iraqi people, but on all Americans as well she also has tons of links to other blogger reactions.

Pajamas Media finds a certain South American crackpot showing his, cracks:

Any casual but regular observer of Venezuela would have noticed that in the past two weeks things have changed in Venezuela. The result of the December 4 election has triggered something that is still too early to evaluate. And even more difficult to predict its consequences….

And of course they have lots of links to the blogosphere’s reaction to Bush’s speech.

Powerline on the Washington Post and “torture“:

The combined Democrat/MSM war on information has been characterized by cheap sloganeering. The Washington Post has been perhaps the worst offender, calling Dick Cheney the Vice President of torture, for example. Indeed, the Post has attempted to preempt debate and avoid real analysis through its loose use of the word torture. It hopes to invoke images of U.S. intelligence workers dismembering suspects and administering electric shock treatment, when in fact the practices in question generally involve largely psychological techniques which the ordinary citizen probably does not consider torture.

Exactly! Putting someone’s underwear on their head and pointing at them is not torture. Pulling their teeth and fingernails out is. People should realize that.

Kate has an email from a Liberal riding official to an RCMP officer who politely and professionally outlined why she wouldn’t be voting Liberal this time. The Liberal response:

take your NRA , GUN LOVING ASS BACK TO THE U.S. WHERE YOU BELONG, E. BETITO

Now will this make the mainstream news? If a Conservative campaign worker did something like this it would be on the front page.

Steve Sailer finds another “Eurocentric” practice:

Unlike Christianity, pagan religions are local. This causes practical problems for politically correct American pagans who want to use the seasons of the sun to commemorate the unity of humanity under nature. Their problem is that nature treats humans very differently depending upon where they live. For example, while Dec. 21 is the shortest day for the Inuit (i.e. Eskimos), it’s the longest day for Australian Aborigines. And for Mbuti pygmies living on the equator, it’s just another day. In truth, Winter Solstice celebrations are (gasp) Eurocentric! Or, to be precise, “Nordocentric.”

The Volokh Conspiracy finds a glorious example of Christmas capitalism:

Sales tags touting deep price cuts were flying like battle flags this week in the electronics department of Wal-Mart in Manassas. Twice each week, about a dozen employees sneak into enemy territory — Target is just two miles away — to scope out prices. When they return, the store starts discounting, undercutting the competition by 5 percent or more, manager Beth Melson said.

And last but not least Tim Blair has the latest dispatch from the war on my favorite meat:

The deporking of Australia continues:

It has also overhauled its entire menu so that all meals are now halal – containing only meat and other food prepared according to Muslim customs.

I’ve said it before and will say it again. I can’t worship a God that won’t allow me to eat ham and ribs and bacon and sausage…..

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