{"id":5485,"date":"2011-07-29T00:11:05","date_gmt":"2011-07-29T07:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=5485"},"modified":"2011-07-29T00:11:05","modified_gmt":"2011-07-29T07:11:05","slug":"open-thread7292011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2011\/07\/29\/open-thread7292011\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–7\/29\/2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I spent most of the day in prison, working as a volunteer.  The high points of the day were addressing over 100 men on why helping others is the most selfish thing we can do and learning that a ,man I\u2019ve worked with for years has a parole date.  The guys never cease to inspire me with their dedication to remake themselves.  A few of the men are aggravated murderers, justly sentenced to life without possibility of parole.  They will die there.  But they have realized the magnitude of the grief they have caused and joined in that grief.  They have found peace through changing themselves and helping others to change, return to society, and enjoy freedom that they will never know.  These men are a big part of my opposition to capital punishment.  I got home late, as I always do on prison days, and it is now about eight hours past my bedtime.  If I can I\u2019ll reply to comments, and this article will be my only one today.<\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today it took me 4:57 (average 5:29).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From Bloomberg<\/a>: <\/font>Creating jobs is a more important mission for Congress and President Barack Obama than reducing the deficit, according to a poll of likely voters in the 2012 U.S. election commissioned by a manufacturers\u2019 group. <\/p>\n

Sixty-seven percent of those questioned said they would prefer that politicians focus on employment, according to a report by Washington\u2019s Mellman Group and Ayres McHenry and Associates Inc., of Alexandria, Virginia. The study, released today, was sponsored by the Washington-based Alliance for American Manufacturing. <\/p>\n

Republicans don\u2019t to talk about jobs.  They have created loads of jobs\u2026 in China.<\/font><\/p>\n