Party at ground zero, a B-movie starring you
And the world will turn to flowing pink vapor stew
Johnny, go get your gun
The commies are in our hemisphere today
Ivan, go fly your MIG
The Yankee imperialists have come to play

For the first time since the Cold War ended, the Czech Republic will play in the World Cup. As Czechoslovakia, this team qualified for the World Cup eight times and reached the finals in 1934 and in 1962. But it's been more than 16 years since the Czechs last qualified for the World Cup tournament.

I'll be drinking beer at the embassy next week to watch FOTBAL! Kež bych byla v Čechách... Stýská se mi po vám.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door

"We should not trust government to know what kind of laborers we will need 20 years from now."

More of my colleagues weigh in on the immigration debate with an op-ed claiming that immigration spurs American creativity.

It's amazing to me that people consider themselves patriots and oppose immigration. Do we need to go over the difference between patriotism and nationalism yet again?

I love you
I love you
In the good morning
And in the night

Jacob can help you find the best shots of espresso, but I'm of the Howard Schultz school, so for me it's about the -- let's say it together, kids -- experience.

My top five coffee experiences?

5. Iced doppios from almost anywhere on a sleepy, hot summer afternoon.
4. Making americanos and eggnog lattes with my dad when I'm home for the holidays.
3. Americanos and sugar bagels at Bauhaus with my tribe, the Sunday NYT, a crossword pencil, and a view of the Space Needle, the Sound, and the Olympics.
2. Bringing Walker's Hi-Spot americanos and savory scones home to my tribe (or having them delivered if I'm the one still passed out on the couch) for a post-party morning on the back deck with bacon, fresh OJ, and Joseph's poached eggs.
1. Stopping for a cup o' joe at any truck stop or roadside diner after backpacking or camping.

Honorable mention goes to the Belltown Top Pot for being so dang pretty (and for having donuts).

Far
We've been traveling far
Without a home
But not without a star

Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream

On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again
They're coming to America

Finally, a dose of sanity in the immigration debate:

"Immigration is the greatest anti-poverty program ever devised."

Thank you, Alex. It's one of the best things we've heard on the subject since Neil Diamond's big hit.

I'm a part of your circle of friends

I heart Alina's new music blog. (The blog is new, not all of the music is.)

Last night, Zack and I drank wine and listened to my favorite jazz record.

We gave up chewing at the end

Last night my cousin, Ryan, and I won the first two events of the heptathlon to which we've challenged another pair of cousins. It won't come as a surprise to most of you to know that the first event we won was a test of lyrical knowledge, the board game Encore. It probably also won't surprise you to know that the second event we won was a meat-eating contest.

Here's how much steak, hamburger, and chicken we consumed last night:

Ryan 30.75 oz (1.04 % body weight)
Wendy 35.75 oz (1.64 % body weight)
Opposing Cousin A 39 oz (1.19 % body weight)
Opposing Cousin B 40.25 oz (1.22 % body weight)

Victors' combined intake: 66.5 oz meat/5144 oz of us (1.29 % collective body weight)
Losers' combined intake: 79.25 oz meat/6568 oz of them (1.21 % collective body weight)

Knowing all that, it won't surprise you to know that I went to bed full, woke up full, and didn't eat until a couple hours ago. Last night I may have set a record for the most amount of meat I've ever consumed at one time, but today I think I set a new record for the longest amount of time I've gone without food: 16 hours!

Now, I pretty much feel like this:



Why?

In the wild lions sleep about 20 hours a day.

In the wild lions can eat up to 65 pounds of meat in a day, but they
don't need to eat every day.

Lions, like all cats, do not chew their food, but swallow it in chunks.

A lion will gorge itself.

An adult will typically eat 40 pounds (18 Kg.) of meat at a time, with
reports of as much as 75 pounds (34 Kg.) consumed in one sitting.

After eating a large meal, lions will sleep for as long as 24 hours.

A good, full meal for a pride may result in four days of little
activity, and no great desire to hunt until the sixth day.

Stay tuned for more from the field. When it's all said and done, Ryan and I expect to be victorious.