TV's Tough Timeslots by Diane Kristine (Jan. 3)
Diane probes the programming mess that prevents us from viewing all the great shows available on TV. Counter-programming is problematic, at best. Quality shows are pitted against each other, forcing viewers to choose between them. Regardless of how many televisions, VCRs, and TiVOs you have, you simply can't watch everything! Yet, we try.
Culture
Culture Editor: Lisa Hoover
The Good, the Bad, and the Truly Ugly: A Very Subjective Look at 2005 by Victor Lana (Dec. 31)
Victor takes us on a walk backwards through 2005. It's a great read and anyone who can use "pastiche" correctly in a sentence gets extra brownie points from me.
Poking Fun at Depression - Not a Sane Thing by Mark Edward Manning (Dec. 30)
Can you imagine if the commercial Mark referred to ran on US television? Instant anarchy. Mark, speaking as one who's been there, urges readers to take depression seriously.
Jerusalem Should Get What it Wants by diana hartman (Dec. 26)
Only Diana could use a brother, a light bulb and a jelly jar to make a point such an eloquent point about conflict resolution.
The Year in Pop Culture by Chip Ross (Dec. 23)
Chip takes his own look back at 2005, Hollywood-style. Confidential to Chip: South Africa last I heard and because chicks dig him.
Politics
Politics Editor: Natalie Davis
Bush's Most Frightening Policy To Date: Domestic Surveillance by Jackson Smith (Dec. 23)
In this finely written article, the author insists that the president's controversial
warrantless-eavesdropping operation - which many believe is illegal - is dangerous for the nation. Smith warns, "Using the precedent of this justification, Bush can now conceivably take any imaginable action against terrorism, no matter the inherent sacrifice of civil liberties. His power is virtually unlimited and unchecked. If the administration gets its way, the United States' presidency will go from being vaguely imperial to clearly tyrannical." (Suggested by Assistant Politics Editor Scott C. Smith)
The New York Times and US News & World Report - Aiding and Abetting? by Z.Z.
Bachman (Dec. 28)
I love Z.Z. Bachman's enthusiasm. In each of his writings, that passion for conservative ideals comes through, and even if one can't agree with the opinions presented, one must walk away impressed by the author's commitment to his point of view and amused by his targeting of the political left. In this piece, Bachman takes on two mainstream news outlets and charges them with aiding and abetting his nation's professed enemy via their reporting. Just when one might assume that the writer is all about dishing up rousing red meat for the right wing, Bachman turns the tables and offers a concluding call for real
balance. Very cool.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Egad! Thanks mates!
Much fine reading here - get it while it's hot
2 - Ken Edwards
Gaming pics fixed. They now show the new picks.
3 - Deano
Hey Eric,
The editors picks missed Dec 21 through to December 26! Your last batch was Dec. 14-20th and this batch is Dec. 27 to Jan.4th....What gives?
Of course I ask from a completely altruistic perspective...not because I posted a terrific (and brilliantly written) news post on Dec. 21st (which you obviously criminally missed reading completely)...(that's a hint by the way...)
4 - Eric Berlin
Congrats to all pickees !
Deano, I mention up top that the editorial staff took the week off over the holidays. Sorry that your post got lost in the mix!
5 - Deano
Curses! Another piece of scintillating breathless prose lost to the ages because of the vageries of #$@#&*%^!* editors...
6 - Eric Berlin
Dude, editors need some time off, just like everyone else! We publish over 400 stories a week -- that's a lot to cull through, even with the burst of energy that scintillating breathless prose gives.
7 - RJ Elliott
Ah! Thanks for the mention, Suss! :)
8 - Al Barger
Thank you for your kind words.
On a related note, check out my new Beatles Photo Gallery.
9 - uao
Thank you Connie, for the kind thoughts on the article, I really appreciate it. I can't really take full credit though; the Blogcritics and visitors who commented made the piece a lot better.
I didn't know about the picks picking picks, but I will do my bit. Just want to read some of the ones I've not gotten to yet this week...
10 - Nik
Thanks also for your kind words toward my meager scribblings! Much appreciated!
11 - Diane Kristine
Thanks! For my editors' pick pick, I'm going to go with Brandon Valentine's DVD review of Pi (http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/03/165123.php). Brandon's reviews are always well thought out and well written, and this one is for a lesser-known movie that isn't for everyone, but he really captures why those of us who like it, love it.
12 - Eric Berlin
That's brilliant Diane but you jumped the gun a little -- time frame is 1/4-1/10 for the next set of picks. No worries though, if you don't check in with a new one, we'll see if we can sneak Brandon's piece through!
13 - Diane Kristine
Oh, sorry, I thought it was for the same time period as the title. You're asking for a lot ... good reading comprehension AND that I'll remember to think of this in a week.
14 - El Bicho
Thank you for the selection, Connie. Is the brief mention with it yours or Eric's?
15 - Eric Berlin
Diana -- We know you can do it!
El B -- All annotations here are the work of the section editor(s). I personally commented on each pickee's article page this week as well.
16 - Eric Berlin
Joan -- Thanks for selecting my television piece! (I didn't pay her, I swear!)
17 - diana hartman
my sincere thanks for the pick!
*smiles* abound!
me and my younguns have been sick since new year's day so this was a great pick-me-up!
18 - Bennett
Thanks for the nod Lisa! Okay, here's my nominee for editorial pickin' glory
NFL Picks of a Thoughtful Fool, Season Wrap-Up by David Mazzotta
David started doing a weekly NFL column during week eight of the season, and immediately became one of my "must read" favorites. His scientific tomfoolery and solidly logical predictions were one thing, his deadpan humor was another thing altogether.
He delivered more laughs from day one, than almost anyone else on BC, in a football column no less.
I'm not kidding when I say that I looked forward to the "Thoughtful Fool" each week as much as I used to look forward to Joe Bob Briggs' Drive-In Movie Column in the Sunday paper, back when I was a younger pup.
David's clever writing should be rewarded with enough hard cash to allow him to bet big in Vegas. Every single week of the football season.
Mr. Mazzotta is a huge asset to blogcritics.
19 - sal m
I'd like to nominate Mark Steyn Predicts The Collaspe Of "The West" - Sadly I Agree, by Hugh Hewitt at
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/08/060238.php
as an editor's pick for the week of 1/4-1/10.
Mr. Hewitt has crafted a well-thought out addendum to a great piece by Mr Steyn, that deals with a very difficult and complex subject.
This kind of well-thoughtout and well-written article is a great example of what blogging is all about.
20 - Nik
If it's not too late, I'd like to tap H. Michael's piece here for 1/4-1/10:
"Buy the World An iPod" was a nice paen to that must-have consumer good; bought my first one myself last fall and it's my favorite material possession. J. did a nice job just summing up the simple pleasures of the pod, without lapsing into critical overhype or aimless wandering. A fun, short piece!
21 - Scott Butki
Congrats to all picked. There's a bunch of pieces here - especialy the tv ones - that i am going to bookmark to read this weeken.