Propeller Week In Review: June 20, 2008 — Jun 20th 2008

By James Marcus

RUSSERT IS GONE

"Tim Russert Dies of Heart Attack at NBC" got the most votes of any story this week: 229. It also prompted an outpouring of sadness and sympathy in the comment thread, which indicated Russert's extraordinary status as a talking head. "Election night will not be the same," said TimALoftis. Replied ZiegfeldGirl: "I'm sorry he didn't get to see how this one turned out, he was so looking forward to it." Another member, spkguy, suggested that Russert would in fact be observing the returns from a celestial moderator's chair: "He will still get to see, it although from a higher perspective. A consummate professional and a real gentleman, he will be greatly missed by many!" For jimdoze, Russert's death was a kind of memento mori for us all: "His abrupt parting is a sad and frightening reminder that the measure of our hour upon the stage eludes contemplation and is beyond our control." And Bkumm imagined a heavenly conclave of the broadcasting greats: "Rest in peace, Tim. I know that if there is anything after this, then you and Edward R. Murrow and Peter Jennings are having a heck of a time right now." Most striking were the numerous expressions of personal sorrow, as if Russert had been a member of the family. "I was outside when I heard," recounted lvrofwolves. "My son came home from work almost in tears [and] said, 'I just heard on the radio that Tim Russert died....' Wow! It was a shock."

HOOP DREAMS

On a more cheerful note (for at least half the audience), there was "Celtics clinch 17th title in blowout fashion," with 168 votes and 35 comments. DeadXXXManXXXTalkin was in a festive mood: "Now all those people who were comparing Kobe to Jordan will finally shut up. The Celtics wanted it more and they took it. Better balance, better team." KicBoxStallion agreed: "Yep, way better team, and they proved it with a stomping triumphant blowout right back on home turf, Beantown! Sweet!" So did CaptainLucid, although for different reasons: "I am glad that Boston won, not because I like Boston but [because] I hate the Lakers above all." There was also a mini-dispute about the perennial Bryant-Jordan comparisons. "Kobe can only do so much, just like Jordan," argued newbie0420. "The difference in this series was Kobe's supporting cast, [who] played like garbage." But tanglang dismissed the whole argument: "Jordan could not live up to the hype of being the next Jordan. (Wizards) So what makes anyone think that someone else can?" Let's leave the last word to enginebin: "Celtics rule."

REGARDING DUBYA

As his second term winds down, George W. Bush is still capable of igniting some lively debate here at Propeller. "President Bush: An Appreciation," with 162 votes and 571 comments, was an excellent example of the president's polarizing powers. Klarissa was quick to thank AlphaGnosis, who posted the story: "AG, so nice to hear something positive for a change." Justice4All jumped in with a dissent: "He's ruined the economy. He's done far more damage to the country than al-Quaida could ever have done." He was joined by hdthehn: "The earth hasn't been struck by asteroids, meteors, or comets, so under your premise, George W. Bush has done a great job of protecting us from the cosmic boogie men, too." Then the thread swerved into a discussion of the president's conduct on 9/11. Said lfergie812: "If I were president and my country was being attacked on 9/11, I would have gotten off my posterior and left the school immediately." AlphaGnosis defended POTUS: "He didn't want to alarm the children. And I'm sure he was just as shocked as you and I were." So did Nonnie22: "It's not like he hung out there, read two or three more books with those kids, got a pedicure, and moseyed on over to A.F. One and took a nap." A less complimentary assessment, "100 years to recover from Bush," bagged 186 votes and 415 comments. Locky12 questioned the whole point of the post, an interview with crusty contrarian Gore Vidal: "Since when was Gore Vidal worth reading/listening to?" Replied BLO2L: "Everybody is worth listening to." And KazamaSmokers sounded a stubbornly partisan note: "One party is more a slave to corporate interests (as opposed to populist interests) than the other. If you fail to recognize that, you've got the Kool-Aid in your veins." And let's complete the trifecta with "W. Regrets Almost Nothing," which earned 158 votes and 273 comments. One member, gbilly08, cut straight to the chase: "W is a moron." Another, gamahuche, filed a dispatch from the Old World: "The blazing hostility toward W. has faded to indifference and a sort of fatigued perplexity about how les imbeciles de regime cowboy got into office, and how America could have put the world through all this craziness." But slate insisted on putting things in perspective: "Other than maybe Nixon, which president has ever said he regretted what he did in office: Clinton, Reagan, Carter, Johnson, Ford, or Kennedy? Kennedy almost blew up the planet with his knuckleheaded handling of Russia, for God's sake, and you worship him."

AND DON'T OVERLOOK....

"Supreme Court Justices Rule Terror Suspects Can Appeal in Federal Courts" rang up 216 votes and 416 comments. Several members responded to Justice Antonin Scalia's widely reported assertion that the decision would "almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed." Said Beau7890: "I'm AMAZED that he believes that giving a few people the right of judicial review will result in more American deaths. Too bad he couldn't spell out the logical process behind that--it almost reminds me of the way some folks on Propeller argue." Endoscopy advocated a non-judicial approach to oppose the court's decision: "If the courts are going to give civil rights to enemy combatants, we may as well just kill them. In a firefight anything can happen." Meanwhile, Teagen threw down the gauntlet to the legislative branch: "If Congress really wanted to do something this year, besides the non-binding resolutions, tax increases, and cutting the military, how about drawing up laws concerning terrorists? Carter gave non-uniformed combatants (at that time, the PLO) more protection than regular military troops have. Dump the UN bylaws and create something we all can live with." Elsewhere, the Propeller community sounded off about Al Gore, oil prices, and plastic surgery. A story about offshore drilling generated 144 votes and 248 comments, including this bit of electoral algebra from antibrainwasher: "Big Oil=John McCain=Cheney/Bush 4 more years." (Replied FSU92grad: "Leave it to an angry liberal to pee on everyone's parade.") And finally, there was "Theory Of Gravity Found To Be Wrong," with 155 votes and 113 comments. "First I find out that Pluto isn't a planet, now the Earth's center isn't dragon's blood!" lamented ind06. "Was anything they taught me in school correct?" Responded Mdiar: "Well... what did they teach you in Sex Ed?" Later in the thread, it appeared that BronxBomber and Beeboppin71 were heading straight for some kind of consummation--and that's where we'll draw the curtain, folks.

Tags: week-in-review, wir

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