Things are going well, everybody!

The US and Iran have antagonized one another for decades, which is why a short phone call between President Obama and newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is sort of crazy. It's the first time leaders of the two nations have spoken since the late '70s, and an indication Rouhani's placatory statements since he took office aren't a bluff. The two leaders agreed to speed talks on doing away with Iran's nuclear enrichment program. As always with Iran's opaque ruling structure, this is all contingent on the mercurial blessing of the country's "supreme leader," Ali Khamenei.

But, I mean, not THAT well. It's eggs and shoe for Rouhani back in Tehran. Always eggs and shoe.

BUT THEN, the UN Security Council was finally able to agree on Syria yesterday, securing a unanimous vote to destroy the country's chemical weapons. So that's incredible progress.

But how are we going to destroy anything with the government shutdown? That's still coming, largely because of House Republicans, who've so far opposed a stop-gap bill passed by the Senate yesterday. Man those guys hate Obamacare.

India, in response to vicious rapes being reported more and more, is developing women-only everything: parks, banks, businesses, buses, hotel floors...other things.

This alarming piece on the rate of the planet's climate change reminds me a lot of this.

Our friends/loathed perceived rivals to the north have reached a milestone: Seattle now has the country's highest concentrations of gay couples. At least, apparently. It might be roughly tied with San Francisco, which had held the crown since 2000.

Leaders of Greece's neo-fascist Golden Dawn party are being arrested, accused of forming a criminal organization.

To quote Jay-Z: "Kanyeezy! You did it again, boy! You a genius!"

Here at Good Morning, News!, we talk about weather even when it's not cool to talk about weather. It is a hobby of ours, sure. But it's a passion, too. Well, this weekend it's cool to talk about weather, apparently, and those hacks at the TV stations and daily newspaper have decided to edge in on our territory. Whatever. Bottom line: It's going to rain, folks, and rain well. Soccer: cancelled. Sunday Parkways: cancelled. Hillsdale's vaunted farmers market: CANCELLED. Milwaukie's, too. Basically any pleasant outdoor pursuit you were planning this weekend has been obliterated by the diluvial menace coming our way.

But I've still got to move this weekend! NoPo, y'all. Learn about it.

Anyway, sheathe yourself!

I suspect I've posted this before on GM,N!, but now it's actually appropriate. And if you can find a better in-song monologue anywhere, I'd love to hear it.