Standard-Examiner Editorial Board

Can anyone show any leadership in Washington over the debt limit talks? The sole accomplishment over reaching a deal to maintain America's ability to pay its bills is that Congress has agreed to return to work on July 5. This has oddly been hailed as a sign of resolve. Only among politicians is taking one day off for a holiday considered a sacrifice.

It's time for all members of the political game in Washington -- and that includes President Barack Obama -- to get to the negotiating table and hash out a plan that is fiscally sound and will extend our nation's obligations and credit. The pre-planned walkout of talks with Vice President Joe Biden by Rep. Eric Cantor and other Republicans was cynical and unserious.

And President Obama needs to insert himself into the debt limit talks. His scoffing at such a suggestion at last week's news conference underscores his oftentimes reluctance to lead. We didn't elect Vice President Joe Biden to guide this nation out of its fiscal dysfunction. Being the president comes with required leadership responsibilities -- President Obama should meet that criteria.

On Thursday, July 7, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will open Layton's city council meeting with a prayer. Layton, like many other communities and cities, begins meetings with prayer. However, Mayor Steve Curtis and Layton administrators seek diversity with the prayers, inviting denominations of different religions to send a representative to offer prayer.

It's a great way to defuse the tensions that come with having prayer in a public meeting. Rather than having a consistent Christian-based prayer that could be considered exclusionary to some people, the variety of prayers work because they stress the diverse difference that make up communities. Instead of being exclusionary, the prayer becomes an instrument of inclusion. Also, having prayers from distinct faiths is a teaching tool -- it provides an education of world beliefs.

Zed, who is president of the Universal Society of Hinduism and a contributor to the Washington Post's "On Faith" section, plans to read from the Rig-Veda, which are ancient Hindu scriptures. After reciting the prayer in the ancient language of Sanskrit, Zed will read an English translation.

Seven justices on the U.S. Supreme Court were absolutely correct in telling the state of California that it can't step in and regulate the rental or sale of violent video games to kids. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote a majority opinion that expressed the opinions of five justices, stated it very clearly by reminding California that government should not "restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed."

Here’s a warning to police officers working on a stakeout or standoff when there are no working toilets available.

Don’t leave bottles of your urine behind.

You never know who might get a hold of this bodily fluid, and say, have it tested just to see what's in it.

It is a shame that in the aftermath of last weekend’s 16-hour standoff with Jason Valdez, that the Ogden Police Department would have to deal with an embarrassing public relations episode because of the condition officers left one of the rooms at the Western Colony Inn.

Local law enforcement and firefighters are going to have a blast this summer, especially around the Fourth of July and Pioneer Day.

Only it’s not going to be fun.

This summer a number of past consumer fireworks restrictions have been lifted. This means more devices with bigger bangs and bigger potential for problems.

We are happy to hear that the worst of the flooding in the Top of Utah may be over.

Because of cooler temperatures the last four weeks, the massive snowpack in the nearby mountains has melted at a slower rate, allowing water managers to stay ahead of the game with releases from area reservoirs.

It has been a combination of good planning and good luck. Let’s hope both continue.

However, when the high water does recede, the buzz is we may be faced with a different kind of flood of blood suckers.