Culture: Lots of Iraqi Good News, Few Idiots of the Week

Culture Watch vol. 36
Nancy Morgan
RightBias.com
October 13, 2008

God is still smiling.

---

No, Shirley, the world hasn't melted down. Despite the media insistence that the US is once again facing an unprecedented crisis, there remains much to celebrate.

Yes, the US seems to have started down the path of socialism. The good news is, Americans are starting to realize this. And they're starting to protest. Polls are showing that a vast majority of the American people are, once again, at odds with the political and media elites. They are against the recent bailouts of Wall Street. And even though a new global poll found of 17 countries found a huge preference for Obama to be our next president in 16 of those countries, the same poll showed America still preferred McCain.

As the media focus on all the problems of the world, almost unnoticed, is the fact that there is still plenty of:

GOOD NEWS


Remember Iraq? Not too long ago it was problem number one for the American people. Lo and behold, Iraq is now doing very nicely. The Iraqi stock exchange is booming. Last month, the general index increased 40%. Year to date, Iraq's fledgling stock exchange has increased 25%, due to improved security.


Remember Sadr City? Until 6 months ago, Sadr City was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the Iraq war. Today, schools are back in session. As we reported last week, Baghdad is in the process of being turned into a vacation hotspot. Can we say 'Mission Accomplished' yet?

It looks like Iraq thinks so. Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister has told Britain that their combat forces are no longer necessary to maintain security. Go on home, he says.


Our military services, including their reserve components, have all met their recruiting goals for fiscal 2008. I guess our military is doing fine, despite what the media would have us believe.

With the war on terror increasingly including Afghanistan, the word is, we're kicking butt there, too. Taliban fighters suffered one of their heaviest defeats on Sunday when scores were killed in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand. Its getting so terrorists can't find a safe haven anywhere these days.




Other terror nations, like Iran, are starting to feel the crunch of lowered gas prices, with oil prices plunging as we speak. This is bad news for the bad guys. Lower oil prices are cutting into their terror budgets in a big way. Who knows, pretty soon these countries may not be able to afford all those one way tickets to martyr's paradise.

For Americans, however, its good news indeed. The national average price for self-serve, regular unleaded gas fell 35.03 cents to $3.3079 a gallon on October 10 from $3.6582 two weeks earlier.

Despite the financial crisis that has left America and other highly ranked nations facing market meltdown, the US has again topped a widely-watched index ranking country competitiveness.
Meanwhile there is also good news in the
CULTURE WAR:

The left suffered a devastating defeat as the Supreme Court refused to grant a new trial to one of their icons, convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. I guess Mumia will have to be content to be the left's new martyr. And he didn't even have to blow himself up. Just shoot a cop. Go figure.

In California, the words 'bride' and 'groom' have been reinstated on all marriage license applications, replacing the androgynous 'applicant A,' and 'applicant B.' Hey, its a start.
In Arizona, Americans now have the right to sport 'choose life' license plates. A small but important victory, achieved only after a long legal fight.

A McDonalds executive who had been on the board of directors of the national Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has stepped down following a successful boycott of McDonalds.

A little noticed news item has huge ramifications for our floundering political system. In Indiana, two challengers for a congressional seat have agreed to be hooked up to lie detectors during a debate. The incumbent's party dismissed the idea as 'bizarre,' which indicates to me that they have the most to hide. Here's hoping this becomes a trend.


More good news - RightBias could not find enough idiots this week to publish a separate list. You'll have to be content with just one:
IDIOT OF THE WEEK AWARD:

Bureaucrats in Switzerland win first place this week. Apparently, geneticists in Switzerland must now conduct their research on genetically modified rice, corn and apples 'without trampling on a plant's dignity.' Which begs the question, "How does one humiliate an apple?" Inquiring minds want to know.

In these chaotic times, I hope you all remember that there's plenty of good news out there. America has survived far worse things than venal politicians and amoral rent seekers.


Till next Monday, keep smiling,


by Nancy Morgan
RightBias.com

Culture Watch may be reprinted, with attribution to RightBias.com

Sign up to receive Culture Watch in your email