{"id":10499,"date":"2013-06-23T02:09:01","date_gmt":"2013-06-23T09:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=10499"},"modified":"2013-06-23T02:09:01","modified_gmt":"2013-06-23T09:09:01","slug":"open-thread6232013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2013\/06\/23\/open-thread6232013\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–6\/23\/2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m writing early in what should (hopefully) be a one day heat spell.  It\u2019s just after Noon, and the temperature as already 86\u00b0 at my desk.  Not fun!  I wish these patches would stop sputtering out.  I\u2019m running out of matches.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s took me 3:36 (average 5:36).  To do it, click here<\/a>.<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From Think Progress<\/a>: <\/font>Parts of Alberta, Canada were hit by extreme flooding the size of New York State on Friday, forcing 75,000 to evacuate<\/a> their homes. Hit by heavy rain, people have abandoned their cars and low-lying residences in flooded waters Mayor Naheed Nenshi described as \u201can ocean at the moment.\u201d <\/p>\n

Across the world, cities in Germany have also been wrecked by flooding \u2014 one estimate puts the damage as high as $7.7 billion.<\/a> Climate science explains that global warming leads to a 5 to 10 percent increase in rainfall, and subsequently leads to a higher risk of flooding<\/a>. <\/p>\n

As Climate Central notes<\/a> in its reporting on the Calgary floods: \u201cA study published in the journal Nature Climate Change<\/a> on June 9 found that flood frequency as well as the number of people at risk of inundation from flood events are both likely to increase as the world continues to warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gee! Increasing temperatures that melt ice caps, putting more water into the world’s weather system actually increases flooding? Who would have imagined!! I know who wouldn\u2019t have!  Scheeeesch!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From Raw Story<\/a>: <\/font>A federal judge slashed 10 years off of his prison sentence of former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling on Friday, a decision that could set him free as early as 2017.<\/p>\n

U.S. District Judge Simeon Lake reduced his term to 14 years from 24 years, accepting a deal struck between prosecutors and Skilling\u2019s lawyers that will end years of appeals.<\/p>\n

Under the deal, more than $40 million of Skilling\u2019s fortune, which has been frozen since his conviction in 2006, will be distributed to victims of Enron\u2019s collapse.<\/p>\n

It would have been better to increase Skilling’s sentence each time he refused to return stolen funds to his victims, instead of allowing him to buy a shorter sentence with his ill gotten gains. That’s unequal justice favoring a 1% vulture capitalist.<\/font><\/p>\n

From YouTube<\/a>: <\/font>Senator Jeff Merkley speaks at Netroots Nation 2013.<\/p>\n