Happy 4th Of July Reading

I've worked 16 days straight, usually over 10 hours a day, so having today off is a blessed relief.

And it being the Fourth of July makes it particularly blessed. I love the Fourth because I love our founding fathers and the super-human but oh-so-human thing they did 231 years ago. I love flying the flag (which I put up between sentences), and I love celebrating Incredible Wife's birthday today to boot. (She really is a firecracker!)

And this Forth is particularly nice because I can relax with some of the best reading on the Web, the Watcher's Council's weekly pickin's.

This week I was torn between two humorous (to me, anyway) entries, Quote of the Day: Islamophobia Edition and Glasgow Attack! Ready For Leftyblogs! I submitted the former, but ...

Here's all the entries, Watcher's Council self-nominations, their nominations for non-Council best post, and a few self-posted entries. (If you blog, I encourage you to enter, following the rules for the offer of link whorage.)

Council links:

1. That Reason Should Rule
   The Glittering Eye
2. Spin City, Here We Come
   Big Lizards
3. With Snark
   Done With Mirrors
4. Democrat Debate Thy Name Is "Irony"
   The Colossus of Rhodey
5. The Terror Under the Carpet
   Soccer Dad
6. Condescension As Bigotry
   Bookworm Room
7. Live Earth's Al Gore -- A Pompous Piece O'...
   ‘Okie’ on the Lam
8. Quote of the Day: Islamophobia Edition
   Cheat Seeking Missiles
9. Libby Commutation
   Rhymes With Right
10. This I Believe
    The Education Wonks
11. Guess Where Your President Was Wednesday Morning... Insh'allah
    Joshuapundit
12. Cage Match: Assimilation vs. Multiculturalism
    Right Wing Nut House

Non-council links:

1. Bless the Beasts and Children
   Michael Yon
2. Understanding Current Operations in Iraq
   Small Wars Journal
3. Seven Things We Now Know About Today's Car Bombing Attempt
   The Huffington Post
4. The Liberal Obsession With Whiteness at the Expense of Instilling Academic Excellence In Black Communities
   Booker Rising
5. The Parallel Universe of the New York Times' "Style" Section
   Searching for Bright Light
6. But Who Are They?
   Classical Values
7. My Valentine to Delta Airlines
   Hugh Hewitt
8. Doctors, Sadists, and the Beasts of Radical Islam
   Dr. Sanity
9. Chertoff Scolds Senate on Immigration
   Texas Fred's
10. Guess Who Likes Earmarks?
    Captain's Quarters
11. Not Forgetting the Basilisk
    Canker
12. Happy Independence Day -- Enjoy the Commute
    JustOneMinute
13. Interesting
    Logosphilia
14. Hillary's AIDS Lie
    Outside the Beltway

Finally, Watcher gave an honorable mention nomination to frequent self-poster Dodgeblogium:

1. Islamist Provocation... of Their Own...
   Dodgeblogium

As always, thanks for what you do, Watcher, and happy reading everyone!