Open thread for today’s games. But let’s make it interesting: pick this week’s games (before kickoff) — you each get New Orleans over Minnesota as my gift — and the poster who gets the most correct wins the coveted prize, “Commenter of the Week”. Or some such hokum. Pick the final scores of the Monday Night games as a (potential) tie breaker. Here are my picks: Miami over Buffalo Tennessee

Kim Strassel thinks so. Me, I remain dubious — if only because 1) I don’t trust any elected Democrat who hasn’t long ago distanced himself from Obama’s quasi-Marxsist / fascist ruling style, and 2) I can envision a scenario wherein Obama takes the rejection of the electorate so personally that he goes nuclear to teach us a lesson in who is boss. He isn’t the good man I knew. Strassel:

“Lucky Me” (thanks to Jonathan W)

Finally. Some hope and change I can get behind… (thanks to JD Wade)

Which, that’s a good thing. Byron York: Republicans don’t believe it, or at least the insiders involved in the midterm effort don’t believe it. As they see it, they’re in a good position to pick up the 39 seats needed to win control of the House, but polls showing a huge GOP lead are simply wrong. “I’m assuming that Cook and Rothenberg and Rove and the others have got different

The irony. It burns. Hey, I’m not a big fan of legalizing prostitution — but then, I wouldn’t protest a Nevada brothel with a hired gimp buckled on to my joint, either. (Okay, I lied. I am. And I would. But you get the point…)

AP: A federal judge in Southern California has declared the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips on Thursday granted a request for an injunction halting the government’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gays in the military. Phillips says the policy doesn’t help military readiness and instead has a “direct and deleterious effect” on the armed services. […] Government lawyers argued Phillips

Barton Hinkle offers a new modest proposal: The latest issue of Time purports to explain “Why Israel Doesn’t Care About Peace.” (Hint: Blame the money-grubbing Jews!) There will be earnest efforts to point out why this is nonsense, but they will fall on deaf ears. These days a defense of Israel requires stronger measures. And perhaps nothing could do Israel more good than for the United States to declare war

Back by popular demand, a monthly post wherein I ask you to send me your hard earned money, and certain bloggers make snide comments about my doing it. Because they don’t blog for money, you see. They’re better than that. As they’ll be the first to tell you, with a marked sniff. Luckily, I’m a douche. So pony up. And thank you. **** update: Incidentally, thanks to Sarah R for