Open Thread – 8/9/2010

Yesterday I dozed through most of my religious service, but the Dallas Diocese defeated the Cincinnati Diocese 16-7.  Preseason fully begins this week, and one month from today, we celebrate the High Holy Day celebrating the miraculous return of the Ellipsoid Orb on opening day.  I stayed up to date on comments and returning comments and should have no trouble doing so today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:42.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: Bloody Bill-I’m-always-wrong-about-everything Kristol continues his track record on Fox News Sunday this week when he predicts that the Republicans will play a game of chicken with President Obama and decide its better for them politically to block extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class if they can’t keep them for the upper earners as well.

Rather than cave in to the Republicans, only to be blamed for the resulting increase in deficit, we should force them to either relent or raise taxes for millions of poor and middle class voters during an election year.  If all the cuts expire in January, because of their actions, we can pass tax relief for the poor and middle classes only early next year using the same budget reconciliation process Bush used to pass his tax cuts for the rich.

From NY Times: A two-year study by a group of academics on American Muslims and terrorism concluded that contemporary mosques are actually a deterrent to the spread of militant Islam and terrorism.

No religions support or are responsible for terrorism.  The blame rests with extreme fundamentalism, regardless of the religion in which it occurs.

Cartoon: from Cagle.com

OGIM!