John McCain derides "tea party hobbits" in debt ceiling fight

Sen. Smeagol hates filthy tea party hobbitses. In other breaking news, dog bites man. 

Irish prime minister: Vatican has 'calculated, withering' abuse stance

The piling on continues.

Disregarding real attempts by Pope Benedict and other officials to prevent future child sexual abuse and to be open in response to reported cases, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has accused the Vatican of clericalism and obstruction, based on a judicial investigation into the Church's handling of the sexual abuse crisis in the Diocese of Cloyne.

Google+ pulls in 20 million in three weeks

Any bets whether Google will ever be viewed as evil as Microsoft, or Wal-Mart?

Web-traffic watcher, comScore, using a Nielsen-like methodology, estimated earlier this week that Google+, a social network play to challenge Facebook, has had 20 million unique visitors since its launch three weeks ago. Data regarding quality of views were not readily available. What's particularly impressive about Google+'s growth is that access has been by invite only. Google+ allows sharing with various "circles of friends," or the public. Like other social network sites, content includes sharing of comments/status, articles, photos, and videos. Google is expected to use its other services (search engine, Gmail, YouTube, Blogger?) to integrate features and market Google+.

Wall St. makes fallback plans for debt crisis

I consider the debt limit Countdown to Doomsday on Aug. 2 to be overblown greatly. On the off chance that I'm wrong and there is a genuine crisis, it will not be limited to the US government, but will ripple through the economy. Panic peddlers see this as only heading for a crash. But never fear, while there certainly will be dislocations, perhaps severe, the economy's shock absorber is pumping up in anticipation: market competition. Wall Street firms have been preparing for months to play key elements the coming "crisis" in multiple ways, including by: increasing system monitors, building in trading flexibility, raising cash. With so many looking at the possibilities, two things are certain: 1.) there won't be "radioactive" steam let off as the market assimilates the disruption(s) as some would have us believe a la 2008, and 2.) the market's credibility will endure. The problems we know about aren't the ones that get us (think Y2K); it's the ones that catch us off guard that do (think 2008).

Bachmann continues to surge

With Michele Bachmann in a dead heat today with Romney (slightly ahead in a recent poll from the Democratic PPP), we can expect the whisper-smear pieces of the last week about her religion and her migraines to continue. Frankly, the idea that life in the Beltway bubble may give her headaches isn't necessarily a negative for me. And, for the record, the WELS teaching that the pope is the antichrist is not a fundamental article of the faith. I'd wager she'd keep her distance from it.

Pope appoints Archbishop Chaput to Philadelphia archdiocese

No doubt a solid choice for an historically important see. Plus NY's Archbishop Dolan could clearly use some back-up.