Iraq's already teetering on the edge of sectarian civil war. That's not likely to be helped, now that a leading and revered Shiite cleric raised a call for people to fight against Sunni extremists who've been winning battles and taking over Iraqi cities with worrying ease.
Not everyone's so fearful of the shockingly violent ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), which is extreme enough that even al-Qaeda keeps its distance. Some fear the Iraqi army more.
And it looks like the US may get involved in this mess, after all. Though President Obama just said, as I wrote this, he won't send troops back into Iraq.
Also: Ukraine is still a thing.
State Sen. Ginny Burdick says the parents of the 15-year-old who killed a classmate at Troutdale's Reynolds High School on Tuesday should face criminal penalties. Jared Padgett used an AR-15 he took from his home. Burdick's been one of Oregon's most-vocal lawmakers around gun control, but the state's had no success pushing new strictures in recent years.
With Eric Cantor essentially out of the picture—the victim of conservative backlash—who will Republicans pick as the new House Majority Leader? Someone more moderate than Cantor, looks like. Huh.
This is good news. Big changes are afoot on SE Foster. The city council has approved an ambitious plan to calm the high-crash arterial, removing regular lanes, adding bike lanes and making it less terrifying for non-drivers. (If you followed our Pedalpalooza recommendations, you already knew that.)
Sweet Camaro, bro. It's been recalled.
Han Solo: Not as spry as he used to be. Still shot first.
"The owner of a vacant luxury house teetering atop a crumbling 75-foot cliff over a Central Texas lake has decided to burn the home." Sounds legit.
This rain is an outrage.
BUT IT'S ALMOST THE WEEKEND.
