Washington Post, June 30, 2008:

Twenty thousand soccer fans are expected in the Washington area this week to watch teams of Ethiopians from the United States and Canada compete. The annual tournament has become one of the largest gatherings of Ethiopians outside their homeland.

Otis Redding singing Sam Cooke's classic.

Welcome to the March 9, 2008 edition of the Carnival of Maryland. A warm welcome to all referred visitors from BlogCarnival.com!!

Our first-among-equals "Ecumenical Pillagearch" Attila is first up, though let it be noted than in matters scatological and flatulent, he clearly has no equal. Pillage Idiot presents Taking the Green Line, not the 7 Train, to Flushing posted at Pillage Idiot, saying, "There's nothing that says "GUY" quite like a synchronized flush of the toilets at a new baseball stadium. Why didn't they invite me?" Attila, please never get civilized. It would break my heart if you ever started walking upright, or discovered fire or the wheel.

I was enchanted by this hauntingly simple, beautiful site dedicated to the restoration of the mother church of Eastern Christianity, the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) cathedral in Istanbul, to active status as an Orthodox house of worship.

Allan Uthman of The Beast: America's Best Fiend, "Dumb as Dixie", February 2008:

But why is it really that presidential campaigns pull out their dirtiest, most detestable tricks in South Carolina? Why, after all, do they reserve their metaphorical brawn only for this one primary?