In the meantime, do we dare ignore the widely touted significance to Muslims of August 22, or the fact that Ahmadinejad postponed Iran’s response to civilization’s nuclear “cease-and-desist order” until that day? According to Islamic tradition, that is the day after Muhammad made his nighttime journey to Jerusalem and then flew to heaven from the Temple Mount, lighting up the skies over the holy city in his wake. August 22 may pass without event, and some will breathe a sigh of relief if it does. But please pardon me, dear readers, if I am unable to work up much of an appetite between now and then for playing a quick pop in Citi shares, or a head-fake in Beazer Homes. Such silly games seem rather beside the point right now, a distraction from real-world events that are probably too terrifying for most of us to contemplate.