I was 5-6-1 last week. Here are my picks for today - Ga Tech (-14.5) over Kansas, South Carolina (-3) over Georgia, Florida (-16.5) over South Florida, Cal (-10) over Colorado, Notre Dame (-3.5) over Michigan, Miami (+8.5) over Ohio State, LSU (-10) over Vandy, Tennessee (+10) over Oregon, Washington (-13) over Syracuse, Penn State (+13) over Alabama, Stanford (-6.5) over UCLA, and UVA (+20.5) over USC, Also an EPL special - Chelsea over West Ham.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

Gainesville disowns Terry Jones. What the residents think: He's "a lunatic", "a publicity hound" and "a weirdo."

In New York, supporters of the Islamic Center held a vigil near Ground Zero.

"Stand Up To Cancer" dominated the airwaves tonight, did anyone see it? Thoughts?

New York Magazine has a very funny recap of last night's Jersey Shore, which was the best episode of the season (if that's not an oxymoron): "It Puts the Lotion on the Butt."

This week's episode was for the ladies. The plate-throwing, hair-pulling, sex-having, plastic-bag-wearing ladies, who were uniformly on their absolute worst behavior, in the most incredible way.

The recap is funnier than the episode, but there were some gems. First there's a knock-down fight between Sammi and Jenni in which they lost their fake fingernails, later found in the kitchen, along with their pulled out hair extensions. Then Snooki's getting ready to "get intimate" with her new guy, and she's putting extra hairspray, perfume and lotion on: “If it's a smoosh, you gotta put lotion on your butt.” Then she dresses up like an exterminator to clean the "communal smoosh room."

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I don't know what they are drinking over at The American Prospect, but this is a strange post:

It also, should be clear, what the stakes are here for progressives. As frustrating as Lincoln is, there's unlikely to be a true progressive representing Arkansas. Keeping the likes of Boozman out of the Senate is a as good a goal to have as any.

I can hardly think of a less intelligent goal. Setting aside Lincoln's record, which is awful (her opponent's is worse), Lincoln is down 30 points. She is done. Any dime or minute spent on Lincoln is a dime or minute wasted. A true progressive champion, Barbara Boxer, is fighting for her political life in California. If progressives have any money or time to spare, it should be going to fight for Barbara Boxer, not Blanche Lincoln. That TAPPED post is nuts.

Speaking for me only

President Obama's today:

"I’m prepared to work on a bill and sign a bill this month to ensure that middle class families get tax relief.” But he says Republicans are “holding middle-class tax relief hostage” in order to “give tax relief to millionaires and billionaires.”

This is the message. It resonates with me.

Speaking for me only

Open thread.

Andrew Sullivan:

In New York, this [the Koran burning Christian cleric] is demanding a meeting with the Imam of the Park51 mosque, while not quite canceling plans for a Koran burning. And so one group of fanatics reveals a religious mindset that immediately threatens mass violence if one nutjob in America performs a foul stunt of bigotry; and another group of fanatics tries to leverage that violence to prevent a perfectly legitimate religious center being built in New York City, a position actually endorsed by the leading figures of one US political party.

So Islamism, via Christianism, threatens Islam, while Christian extremism deeply wounds and slanders actual Christianity. All of it brings the world to the edge of violence and war that kills innocents and makes the work of the troops even harder than it already is. Now, of course, Jones has every right to do whatever he wants in an America with a First Amendment. But think of a GI in Kandahar right now. You really think he needed this?

How very intemperate of Sullivan.

Speaking for me only

Americans oppose tax cuts for the wealthy:

A majority of Americans favor letting the tax cuts enacted during the Bush administration expire for the wealthy. While 37% support keeping the tax cuts for all Americans, 44% want them extended only for those making less than $250,000 and 15% think they should expire for all taxpayers.

81% support the Obama tax cuts for the middle class. This is a winning issue for Dems and, incidentally, good policy. Gallup:

[T]he middle ground of extending tax cuts for low- and middle-income Americans but allowing them to expire for wealthy Americans -- the Democrats' most likely proposal -- is the specific option the public prefers most.

Speaking for me only

Big Brother is down to the Final Three. Anyone but Enzo please. Project Runway is also on. And a new Jersey Shore.

Is there any news besides Pastor Terry Jones today?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Saying he'd been lied to, Pastor Terry Jones has backtracked from his announcement calling off his Quran burning project. Now he says he's contemplating going through with the stunt.

We're definitely going to think it over and reconsider it," the Rev. Terry Jones told reporters Thursday night. "Now we're in somewhat a state of limbo, and we have to rethink of course our position."

In addition to this morning's plea from President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Jones today. The FBI was on scene at his Dove World headquarters today. They also issued a bulletin:

"While the FBI has no information to indicate a specific attack has been planned against the United States or U.S. assets in response to the 'International Burn a Koran Day' event, the FBI assesses with high confidence that, as with past incidents perceived as acts of desecration against Islam, extremist actors will continue to threaten or attempt to harm the leaders, organizers, or attendees the event," the FBI posted in a bulletin.

Were they there for security or to warn him he could be arrested? For what? I wrote up some possibilities here.

Update: Iman says Islamic Center will not move. Terry Jones was mistaken.

"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans," Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said in a statement. "However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri (of Florida). I am surprised by their announcement. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."

Pastor Terry Jones has called off his Quran burning stunt. The pastor said he was doing so because the he reached an agreement with unnamed "muslim leaders" that the planned Islamic Center in New York would be moved.

No one has yet confirmed this "agreement" to move the Islamic Center.

I hope Terry Jones' 15 minutes are over, although I expect the damage he has caused will last quite a while. Shame on him. It's way past time for him crawl back under whatever rock he sprang from.

Update: Via TMZ: Donald Trump offers to buy the Islamic Center site for cost + 25%, payable in cash at closing, if the owners agree to build their center at least five blocks further than the current planned site. Letter here. You can listen to Trump here.

Update: Thread closing due to insults between commenters. It will be cleaned.

John Bunz, age 90, battered his wife to death with a hammer after an argument about health care. They had been married 68 years. He then tried to kill himself, but failed. (Photo by AP shows his self-inflicted wounds.) A neighbor discovered both bodies.

Bunz, a retired chemist, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter was sentenced today to 17.5 years in prison followed by 5 years supervised release (similar to parole).

He was originally charged with second degree murder. Why plead to the lesser crime? He gets an effective life sentence either way.

Here's President Obama on ABC this morning (commercial free), saying Terry Jones should "listen to those better angels" and skip the Quran burning. Obama says it will endanger the troops and serve as a recruiting tool for al Qaida, including suicide bombers in American cities.

He also says "his understanding" is there's no crime if Jones proceeds, other than a citation for public burning. If Obama believes Jones' acts will serve as a recruiting tool for al Qaida, why doesn't he have him charged with conspiring or attempting to to provide material support to terrorists? Or attempt or conspiracy to violate 18 USC Section 2383, Rebellion and Insurrection?

Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

Maybe Obama should have Jones arrested on one of these charges and ask for detention, and then dismiss the case and release him on 9/12? [More...]