A (Semi) Comforting Rationalization...: Maybe the US' World Cup loss to Ghana was for the best?

...And for the Unconvinced: If you're too upset by the game to buy that, maybe it's time to move on to the Sounders' upcoming games.

Chicken Revolutionaries: Did you know we're living in a hotbed of debate about chicken rights?

Invest in a Paper Shredder: Students protested not politics but finances as Sarah Palin spoke at broke California State University, Stanislas last Friday night. Students reportedly found portions of her contract in a trash can, prompting Palin to call the dumpster-diving students "a wasted resource."

Not Just Pride Weekend: The state Democratic convention is also happening this weekend, where Senator Murray totally burned obliquely referenced Dino Rossi. Delegates also voted 314-185 to endorse I-1068 to legalize the sale and use of marijuana.

Election Day (of Reckoning?): Both Kyrgyzstan and Guinea are holding landmark votes this weekend. The constitutional referendum in Kyrgyzstan come just weeks after ethnic violence almost brought in the Russian military, with fears that the vote could trigger even more violence between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups. Meanwhile, Guinea is holding its first free and fair presidential election since independence in 1958, coming after 18 months of military rule.

All or Nothing: Remember that 2,000-page finance reform bill? It's either the "biggest overhaul of US financial regulations since the 1930s" or "nothing more than window dressing." You be the judge!

Divine Intervention: The Pope condemned recent Belgian raids on church officials' property, including the raiding of a retired bishop's home and the opening of one (or two) tombs of former archbishops. Meanwhile, the head of the Belgian commission investigating the abuse alleges he was not informed of the police's actions.

Where's My Inhaler: The EPA's inspector general found that the agency is 10 years behind in developing air toxin guidelines, in a report released Friday. The EPA blames lack of sufficient funding for the Clean Air Act since its 1990 restructuring, while other environmental groups blame the EPA.

Three Cheers for Tolerance: A van advertising for Islam reportedly had feces smeared on its windshield while it was parked across the street from the Islamic Center of Eastside. "It could possibly be bias or a hate crime, but there's no indication right now that it's anything other than poop smeared on a van," a department spokesperson told seattlepi.com.

68 Days Late and 20 Billion Dollars Short: BP wants to start over in the Gulf of Mexico, changing the underwater infrastructure to be better prepared for hurricanes and bringing in additional ships to process more oil.