Congratulations To Tsonga for Beating Federer from Two Sets Down

Great play by Joe Wilfried Tonsga, who continued the tremendous serving that helped him beat Rafael Nadal two weeks ago before losing to Andy Murray at Aegon, a grass-court tune-up. Tsonga came from two sets down to beat Roger Federer 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. This is the first time Fed has lost after a two set lead in 179 such major matches. 

Sometimes, it's simple. Fed couldn't break Tsonga's serve. Actually, Fed broke Tsonga the first time he served, then never got another break point in over three hours. Fed won more points, 146 to 139, had half as many unforced errors as Tsonga against nearly as many winners and won 71% of the points on his second serve -- but lost. 

See the stats from IBM's Pointstream from the Wimbledon.org site. Click to enlarge. 

Afghanistan-Iraq-Pakistan Wars Costs $4 Trillion | Reuters

It's in the interest of both political parties to grossly understate the enormous cost of our occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, so both Presidents Bush and Obama follow similar lines.

A new study shows the true cost of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars will go well past $4 Trillion. Earlier, Noble economist Joseph Stigliz estimated that the Iraq war cost the U.S. economy a total of $3 Trillion.

Those expenses come at the same time the Bush43 tax cuts, extended under Obama44, cost the government $4 Trillion. Combined, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Bush tax cuts equal roughly $8 Trillion. This was, apparently, the first time in America's history that the country responded to major, war expenses not by paying for the cost, but instead cutting taxes. So, we're told Americans have to have their retirement and healthcare cut to pay for the result.

A hidden gem in the study: Estimates that more people have been killed in Pakistan by the American/ NATO war than in Afghanistan. Excerpt: 

Interactive Guide to Tennis Grunting

Slate has a creative presentation: Click to play a grunt, then select which tennis player emitted the noxious noise from a rotating set of four options. 

Click here to play. 

GOP Risking Default to Save Private Jet Tax Deductions.

This would be comical if further damage to our entire economy wasn't at stake.

Rafael Nadal Abuses Time Rules Against Del Potro at Wimbledon -- Again

Rafael Nadal continues to abuse tennis rules, taking excessive time to serve, delaying play, and taking mysterious injury time outs, whenever he is being outplayed, while weak chair umpires let Nadal basically cheat. 

Obama's Failure to Take A Stand. Any Stand | Dowd

Maureen Dowd's latest take on President Obama's appearance on both sides of every fence he can find. 

Reagan Knew Not to Get in the Middle of a Civil War | Friedman

Some rare insight by OpEd columnist Tom Friedman, debunking the GOP mantra that President Reagan would have doubled-down on Afghanistan.

Andy Roddick Ridicules John McEnroe: "Irresponsible"

Andy Roddick had some choice words for yet-another of John McEnroe talk-then-think moments, this one suggesting tennis players should walk straight out on court and play the first point without hitting a single warm-up:

“I’ve been sitting around for four and a half hours, and he wants me to go serve 145,” Roddick said, referring to McEnroe. “That’s irresponsible is what it is.”

Apple Orphans Galleries, File Sharing,

Apple Inc. has finally acknowledged the range of online services it is discontinuing with the move to iCloud.

Business Investment Soars Under Obama

OK, so if there is anything more boring than politics it is economics, but I like it so there.

The last thing I want to do is defend Obama44. But the GOP's disinformation campaign is too much to abide. Among the latest: Business won't invest because of fear that Obama will, well, do something. Impose Sharia law, maybe? Or worse, actually enforce U.S. laws against bank fraud? No way.