Hopefully we can get enough goals against Slovenia and Algeria so if we advance we don't have to play them in the next round.

It's been interesting reading all of the commentary (here and elsewhere) about the world cup.  I feel like for the first time Americans are getting really into it.  It's not just the usual soccer fans.  Or in the words of this guy:

"What? Is this some kind of parallel universe? I have woken up in a country that gives a damn about the World Cup and, more than that, is celebrating a draw? Am I going to go outside and see the road signs in meters?

...

Today, America, you have become a true soccer nation. Because today, like the rest of the world, you have overreacted to a single game of soccer. You have, magically, without even a penalty shootout, turned a tie into a win."

The author of Arizona's controversial new immigration law is considering a new proposal that would block the children of illegal immigrants from becoming citizens if they were born in the United States.

Critics of the bill that Republican state Sen. Russell Pearce is weighing say it would fly in the face of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the country.

Pearce has been hinting for months that he may introduce legislation targeting the so-called "anchor babies," but had not detailed his plan until an interview last week with Time magazine.

"This is an orchestrated effort by them to come here and have children to gain access to the great welfare state we've created," Pearce said of Hispanic immigrants.

Pearce contended that the bill would not violate the 14th Amendment, saying only that "we would write it right."

South Africa now says they will not ban them, since they are an expression of local culture. I think it will come down to a battle between local culture and TV commentators who want to be heard, and won't be if everyone is muting the TV. I think the players should have the final say.

They blow each other up by mistake. They bungle even simple schemes. They get intimate with cows and donkeys. Our terrorist enemies trade on the perception that they're well trained and religiously devout, but in fact, many are fools and perverts who are far less organized and sophisticated than we imagine. Can being more realistic about who our foes actually are help us stop the truly dangerous ones?

Yesterday, Chevron discovered a leaking pipeline that was spewing 50 gallons of crude oil per minute into Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake City, UT. By the time crews capped the leak, more than 21,000 gallons -- between 400-500 barrels -- of oil had spilled out, "coating geese and ducks" and closing the city's largest park.
...
Depending on amounts, the spill could disrupt the food chain for the long term, killing bottom-dwelling invertebrates that feed fish, said Walt Baker, director of the state Division of Water Quality. link

and giving and giving and . . . .

Rand Paul on mountaintop removal

Q: What about mountaintop removal?

PAUL: I think whoever owns the property can do with the property as they wish, and if the coal company buys it from a private property owner and they want to do it, fine. The other thing I think is that I think coal gets a bad name, because I think a lot of the land apparently is quite desirable once it's been flattened out. As I came over here from Harlan, you've got quite a few hills. I don't think anybody's going to be missing a hill or two here and there.

And some people like having the flat land. Some of it apparently has become quite valuable when it's become flattened.