It’s been a busy day with little time for blogging, but here’s some stuff for y’all to chew on:

1. Columbia OKs spending $35 million on new stadium — The money will be borrowed, and paid back with meal taxes over the next 30 years.
2. Israel Agrees to Brief Truce, but Gaza Invasion Is Seen to Loom — The biggest news story in the world today, it would be the lede were this a VFP. WashPost reports that Chance of ground invasion is ‘very high’…
3. Court upholds Assange arrest warrant — This guy, Snowden, still at large. Only one of these we’ve managed to prosecute is Bradley Manning, who says he’s not Bradley Manning any more. So our prosecution track record isn’t great on protecting classified material.
4. Cursing the lack of darkness — I listened to this report while driving to Aiken this morning, and it occurred to me — I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Milky Way. You?

Or whatever y’all want to discuss…

I’m going to be kind of tied up the rest of the day, so here are some things to discuss amongst yourselves:

1. Boehner splits with Palin on call for Obama impeachment — You know, things have come to a pretty bad point when all you have to do to look like a statesman is not want to impeach the president.
2. Germans Order Expulsion of Top U.S. Spy in Espionage Case — So much for that big World Cup win putting the Germans in a good mood so that they forget about this.
3. Iraq insurgents seize nuclear material — First, AP tells us they’ve found chemical weapons in Iraq (“Iraq says Islamic State militants have control of facility holding 2,500 rockets filled with chemical weapons“, then backtracks (“CORRECTION: Iraq: Facility held by extremists holds remnants of degraded chemical rockets (not active weapons)“). Now this. Listen, folks, it doesn’t do us any good to find the WMD now…
4. The girl who has everything — I noticed that Haley ex-Chief of Staff Tim Pearson is rather exercised at The State for having referred to the governor as a “girl.” Or rather, he’s upset with the Post and Courier for not standing up for the governor, since they got so worked up about the “little girl” thing a while back. Below you see the headline as it appeared in the paper; it appeared as “woman” online. Thoughts?

Some possible topics:

1. Smallpox vials found in NIH storage closet — Which gets me to thinking… I was vaccinated against smallpox either two or three times as a child (when we lived in South America, we were required to get boosters on top of the one I’d gotten before starting kindergarten back in SC). So… if this gets loose, am I covered? Or has it been far, far too long?
2. Germany Gives Brazil Das Boot With 7-1 Win; Enters World Cup Final — This morning at breakfast, my friend Wolfgang Buchmaier urged me not to forget to cheer for Germany today. Well, I forgot, but they obviously didn’t need me. Wow. With a score like that, it’s almost like they were playing American football. Oh, and to the NPR headline writer who tried to be cute: “Das Boot” means, “the boat.” I don’t see how that makes sense here.
3. Israel pounds Gaza Strip with air and naval strikes — That was the headline in The Guardian. The New York Times reported, “Exchanging Attacks, Hamas and Israel Step Up Air War,” acknowledging that both sides were escalating. Israel said Hamas fired 160 rockets into its territory, so Israel responded with 160 air strikes. An eye for an eye, I suppose. Although I’m gathering that the Israeli strikes were more effective, meaning more deadly.
4. Ben Hoover gratified by fan support — Yesterday, Bryan emailed me to let me know some Hoover fans were picketing WIS. Unfortunately, I was already at home when I got the message. The State got some pictures, though.
5. Defiant Abdullah claims Afghan win — There are reports he may be setting up a “parallel government.”

Or, whatever interests you, within reason…

Some possible topics…

Let’s have some REAL ethics reform — Will Folks, in this Tweet, reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to address since the weekend — the op-ed piece co-authored by Tom Davis and Vincent Sheheen, who are working for real ethics reform, something better than the bill they killed at the end of the session.

Sarkozy busted! — And under the Napoleonic Code, you’re guilty until proved innocent, right? I heard an interesting discussion on NPR this morning about how the judiciary isn’t quite as independent as it oughta be in France, so that it actually isn’t too tough to get a judge to take action against your political opponents. Which, given some of the questions raised about the judiciary here in SC, is interesting…

Japan Moves to Permit Greater Use of Its Military — Yeah, that’s some really good news. ‘Bout time they took up some of the slack for collective security in this world, and so forth and so on. At least, I think this is good news. I mean, uh, nobody’s uncomfortable about this… are they?

Or… whatever y’all want to talk about…

Some possibilities for discussion:

No hope on immigration reform — How depressing is that? The president of the United States holds a press availability in order to announce that there is no hope for commonsense immigration legislation. So much for change, and… that other thing we were supposed to get with this president. Not that I’m blaming him for a failing that seems entirely the doing of the House GOP, but I do wonder — would my West Wing friends have let Bartlet hold a press availability to say, “I give up. There’s no hope?” What’s next? A presser in which POTUS comments on “the predicament of Man forced to live in a barren, Godless eternity like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void with nothing but waste, horror and degradation, forming a useless bleak straitjacket in a black absurd cosmos?“

Bodies of three missing Israeli teenagers found — Outside of our inward -focused country, this is today’s lede story. This could be a watershed event, and not in a good way. Something about this feels kind of like an Israeli version of the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in this country 50 years ago.

Vincent Sheheen releases 2013 tax returns — He made $333,042 last year. Which on the Doug scale makes him the salt of the Earth, and on the bud scale makes him a lucky stiff. Or am I oversimplifying?

A topic from Twitter:

Iraq accepts Russian jets, experts. As Washington dithers, is Moscow making a move? http://t.co/2r7sqbpBUn

— Walter Russell Mead (@wrmead) June 30, 2014

Other topics are welcome, assuming of course that they stay within certain limits of propriety…

For the second day in a row, The State had a rather extraordinary front page today, dominated by three stories that would have made strong lede stories on any ordinary day.

We’ve already talked about the dramatic happenings at the State House yesterday, so let’s deal with the other two:

The mayor and the (alleged) strippers — Well, we knew that at some point, someone involved in this highly complicated case was going to try to pull the mayor into it. But these particular allegations go beyond what I had expected. All of a sudden, there’s a sort of Bada-Bing element. Has anyone seen any comment from the mayor or his representatives? I ran into him and breakfast yesterday morning; if only I knew what would be said hours later, I could have asked him…

Continuing ramifications from Metts indictment — The interim sheriff’s first move was firing four of Metts’ top guys. Metts is scheduled to appear for arraignment on July 1. What next?

What next, indeed?

With all of this, the overrides of the governor’s vetoes practically went unnoticed…

A lot going on at this hour. Perhaps you’ll want to discuss one of these topics:

1. Continuing bad craziness in SC Senate — So they postponed the vote on Yancey McGill today. The State says they postponed the vote making him lt. gov., but surely they mean making him president pro tem, after which he would automatically become Gov Lite on McConnell’s departure. This is ostensibly to allow some Republicans a chance to contest the post, because you know, there are Republicans who think the sun won’t rise tomorrow if a Democrat occupies an almost meaningless statewide post for seven months. Which is ridiculous, but there it is. On the other hand, the delay might be about sorting out votes on whether Leatherman or Martin replaces the person who is automatically demoted to Gov Lite. So. As I said. Both bad, and crazy.
2. Lexington Sheriff Metts indicted — By a federal grand jury, on charges of accepting bribes and abuse of his position. Wow. Metts has been sheriff of Lexington County since forever.
3. U.S. captures top Benghazi suspect — Translation for some of our Republican friends — this means one of the attackers, not the Obama administration. So don’t get all excited.

Or whatever y’all prefer to talk about.

Some quick suggestions:

1. Big new tire plant in Chester County — It’s expected to employ 1,700 people. That’s quite an industry cluster we’ve got going.
2. U.S. and Iran Hint at Joint Effort to Quell Iraq Insurgency — Wouldn’t that be wild? Meanwhile, ISIS captures a key city on the Syrian border.
3. WashPost report slams Sally Atwater — The report suggests you listen to this “really awkward interview,” below…

I haven’t had time to post today, which may be just as well because I’ve noticed that however much I do post on Fridays, y’all don’t comment much. But for those few of you who remain engaged on this day, here are some possible topics:

1. A new thing: A terrorist Army — There’s a piece in the WSJ that you can’t read because of the pay wall, but I just call your attention to the headline: “The Terrorist Army Marching on Baghdad.” Back in the olden days — like, up to last week — we thought of terrorism in terms of asymmetrical warfare: Terrorists just attacked a nation’s confidence in its own security, since they couldn’t attack a national army in the open. Now, we have a terrorist army, with its own flag and everything, that a national “army” doesn’t dare stand up against, but just melts away as it advances. ISIS is a terrorist group “too extreme even for al Qaida,” according to NPR, but unlike the tattered remnants of al Qaeda, hiding in the shadows, it’s an army — and it’s just rolling along, Blitzkrieging everything in its path, as though it were the Wehrmacht. What does this all mean going forward, Mr. Natural?
2. McKinney leaves SC lieutenant governor race — Good thing, too, since he seemed to have no idea what the job entailed. Did you see his TV ad, talking about wanting to roll back regulations and lower taxes? In what universe did he think the SC lt gov got to do stuff like that? He had a whiteboard and everything, as though he knew what he was about. But he didn’t.
3. Zeke Stokes on same-sex marriage — Zeke is a Democratic operative from SC — you may recall when he helped run Inez Tenenbaum’s U.S. Senate campaign. Anyway, Zeke defends Hillary Clinton’s account of how she came to support same-sex marriage (have you heard the clip of her getting hyper-huffy with “Fresh Air’s” Terry Gross?). He says that he, a gay man, used to not support it himself, so he identifies with the ex-SecState’s evolution on the subject.
4. In fact, maybe that Clinton interview is its own, separate topic — You can listen to it, and read about it, here. I might do so myself — I’ve heard chunks of it, but not the whole thing.

Or, bring your own topics.

I’m not going to have time for further posts today, so I thought I’d do one of these to get us through the rest of Wednesday.

Possible topics:

Other topics are welcome…

Sorry I haven’t given you anything new today. Been busy. Of course, there are some posts from yesterday with no comments, so I don’t feel too bad. I mean, ya gotta meet me halfway, people. I need positive reinforcement.

Anyway, here’s your first VFP in a while:

1. Russia’s $400B gas deal with China, dulls sanctions’ impact (WashPost) — Nobody else is leading with this right now, but I think they’re wrong. This looks to be the most significant thing happening out there, in strategic terms.
2. Solar shining after dark ages (thestate.com) — Were this The State and not my blog, this would likely be the lead. The SC House unanimously passed a bill designed to boost solar power in our state. A victory for SC environmentalists (and maybe for consumers), and a defeat for the out-of-state solar industry people who fought it.
3. U.S. Sends Troops to Help in Hunt for Nigerian Girls (NYT) — It’s only 80 Air Force people, not anybody who might go toe-to-toe with the terrorists, but maybe it will help. Meanwhile, Boko Haram is believed to have killed 48 people in three villages.
4. At VA,‘if there is misconduct it will be punished’ (WashPost) — That’s POTUS speaking.
5. Justices weigh Missouri execution (The Guardian) — I continue to be fascinated by the Brits’ fascination with our increasingly peculiar institution, the death penalty. I learn about developments on that front from reading British publications, when U.S. papers are basically ignoring them, or downplaying them.
6. Newberry Sheriff’s Office issues BOLO for missing horse (thestate.com) — Are we in a western here, or what? What’s the sheriff gonna do once he runs down the thieving, rustling varmint?

It’s probably just as well that y’all seem to prefer these to Virtual Front Pages. These are easier to throw together.

Some possible topics — all local, for a change of pace:

1. Attorney General asks SC Supreme Court to overturn Judge Manning — Wilson strikes a blow in the ongoing saga. What will the high court do?
2. SC adjutant general step closer to becoming appointed job — This may not make your heart go pitter-pat, but I’m excited. This is the one constitutional officer that it is most absurd, and unAmerican, to elect. Folks, I lived in a country where military officers were political animals — we had a military coup while I was there — and that is not something you want.
3. Gov. Nikki Haley meets her hero Joan Jett — In her defense, she also looks up to Carroll Campbell and Margaret Thatcher. As for me, I always forget which is Joan Jett and which is Pat Benatar. And I think maybe Chrissie Hynde hangs out in the same room of my mental palace.
4. The State endorses Henry McMaster for lt gov — He was easily the best choice among the GOP candidates for governor last time. He’s certainly overqualified for this. Surely primary voters will acknowledge that this time. Won’t they? By the way, his primary opponents are Mike Campbell and Pat McKinney.

But feel free, as always, to bring up your own topics…

Just some suggestions to get you started:

1. Apparently, I live in the safest county in America — I say that because today’s Most Wanted person in Lexington County is a young woman who wasn’t born when I started working at The State in April 1987. She’s 5’4″, and weighs all of 135 pounds. And she’s wanted for… wait for it… forgery! Two whole counts. I am not making this up. I’m sure we’ll all breathe easier when she’s off the streets. Then we can start hunting down terrorists and such. This, by the way, is in a county where it seems a meth lab gets busted about every five minutes. But this is our public enemy No. 1.
2. U.S. Charges Chinese Army Personnel With Cyberspying — This reminds me of something. There was a fascinating piece in The New Yorker several weeks back about a man who was born in China but lived most of his adult life as a very productive American, who ended up getting locked up for sharing technical secrets with the folks back in the old country. A wonderfully nuanced story about divided loyalties and the ways real agents rationalize what they’re doing — and quite an antidote to the sexed-up flash of “The Americans.”
3. Former British Imam Convicted in Terror Trial in New York — For y’all who believe we should treat terrorism as discrete crimes rather than wage war on it, this is a victory.

Well, that should be enough to get y’all started.

I’m pretty busy today, so I thought I’d encourage you to talk amongst yourselves.

Some possible topics:

• Haley acknowledges need for improvement at Richland DSS — Not sure what to make of this. Thoughts?
• Coke, Benjamin and Harrell push family fitness — The photo above, which Mayor Benjamin Tweeted out this morning, just struck me as interesting. Anyway, if Coke is pushing fitness, well, good for them.
• Cantor finds himself a target of tea party — Talk about your irony, eh?
• Conservatives blame Hillary Clinton for Boko Haram — No, really. They are.

Just to make up for not posting all day, here are some potential topics:

First Baptist to buy downtown YMCA — What is the Y’s thinking in selling? They say they’re not leaving downtown, but what does that mean? And why are they trying to be so secretive about it? If I read this correctly, John Monk found out about it despite their best efforts to keep it from the public. What made them think they could keep it secret after distributing a memo to staff? And other questions.

Are things getting better, or worse, in Ukraine? — Some headlines emphasize Putin moving troops away from the border. Some make it sound like a good thing that he’s calling for a postponed referendum. Others make it sound bad that he’s backing any referendum. It’s confusing. But based on what we’ve seen so far, I’m not terribly optimistic.

Mayor Rob Ford says “Rehab is amazing.” — And therefore the people of Toronto should vote for him again.

Or whatever you want to talk about…

I’ve been really busy today, but here’s a place for you to sound off on whatever interests you.

Some possible topics:

• The Post’s 2014 midterm forecast — The WashPost took the trouble of putting this together, so I thought I’d share.
• Supreme Court Allows Opening Prayer at Town Board Meeting — That seems to be most papers’ lede story at the moment.
• Nigerian Islamist group ‘to sell’ abducted girls — And now, for news fresh from the 14th century…
• 1,000 ounces of gold recovered from sunken ship off SC coast — I figure that at current rates, that’s about $1.3 million worth.

Or… talk amongst yourselves about whatever you’d like…

My last post indicates that y’all are warmed up and ready to comment at length on serious topics today. Well, comment on whatever you like. If you can’t think of anything right away, here are some possible conversation-starters:

• Gathering of Republicans, Democrats, activists, victims celebrate Emma’s Law at State House — I think this is wonderful. At the same time, I mourn the fact that a precious child had to die to bring our elected leaders together around sensible policy this way.
• U.S. Economic Growth Slows To a Crawl in First Quarter — I’m not an economist, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that doesn’t sound too good.
• Senate GOP blocks minimum wage increase — I know what Democrats will say about this, and I know what Republicans will say. But what do y’all think?
• Kiev ‘helpless’ in east Ukraine — Hate to see the good guys, or those I perceive as the relative good guys, at such an impasse. (Actually, I wish I had saved that Ariail cartoon to go with THIS post.)
• White House: Executions must be done humanely — Anybody else see that as a tad oxymoronic?

Or, pick your own topic…