{"id":13304,"date":"2014-07-25T04:11:17","date_gmt":"2014-07-25T11:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=13304"},"modified":"2014-07-25T04:11:17","modified_gmt":"2014-07-25T11:11:17","slug":"open-thread7252014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2014\/07\/25\/open-thread7252014\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–7\/25\/2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m writing for tomorrow, day 95, before leaving to do volunteer work in prison.  The plan is to go to bed, when I return tonight, and then do the puzzle and upload the articles whenever I wake up.  I\u2019ll be meeting with around 100 prisoners.<\/font><\/p>\n

Late (Early) Update<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Meeting was fantastic.  I\u2019m frazzled.<\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today\u2019s took me 5:21 (average 5:14).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From The New Yorker<\/a>: <\/font>Britain\u2019s Prince George, who is celebrating his first birthday this week, is facing a rising chorus of criticism within the United Kingdom, with many calling the first year of his reign a major disappointment.<\/p>\n

Alistair Strott, a journalist and one of George\u2019s most outspoken critics, calls the Prince\u2019s first year \u201clong on hype and short on solid achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike a lot of us, I followed the royal birth last year with a great deal of excitement and anticipation,\u201d says Strott. \u201cBut one year in, we all have to look at each other and say, \u2018That\u2019s it?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

While defenders of Prince George cite a packed schedule of events during his first year, Strott is unimpressed. \u201cYes, he\u2019s been on TV and magazine covers,\u201d he says. \u201cSo have the Kardashians.\u201d<\/p>\n

I trust Andy realizes that, on this side of the pond, the media have had little trouble assigning blame: it’s Obama’s fault.<\/font><\/p>\n

From Daily Kos<\/a>: <\/font>In a new ad similar in style to her previous ad<\/a> on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s support for Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare budget, Kentucky Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Alison Lundergan Grimes is taking aim at McConnell’s statement earlier this year<\/a> that creating jobs isn’t one of his jobs.<\/p>\n