What I'm Reading 6.26; Psychic Ocopi, no-hitter nonsense, Dracula and the World Cup

While I dredge my mind for details to the now-week old trip to Las Vegas I'll place some information down, you may or may not find interesting - but, nonetheless I've been paying attention to.

How 'bout them Reds! Back in first place after an apparent collapse in the land of baseball teams named after fishermen. I went to the game last night and despite the stale air of the ball park, it is phenomenal to feel the pulse in this city that really does live for baseball, but has been starved and sadly, atrophied into apathy from a lack of competitiveness the past decade.

Currently, I'm watching the World Cup, Uruguay has just beaten S. Korea...so, if the U.S.ers can beat Ghana (a challenge of desire for me, due to Ghana being, well, Ghana) they will play the Uruguans...or however, you say it.

Also in World Cup news, a psychic octopus has predicted each German outcome perfectly. A line from the story as it appears on BBC.com: "after correctly predicting Germany would beat Australia in their opening match, then lose to Serbia, and then beat Ghana..." Apparently, 'Paul' the octopus is a psychic, who knew it was possible?

In other news, screen-vampire Robert Pattinson is a blood relative to the 'real' dracula; Vlad the Impaler.

Turtle deaths are being blamed on shrimping, not the oil.

Dusty Baker dancin' in the dugout.

Ford is dropping the Lincoln Towncar and Crown Victoria.

The Governator WON'T... be back.

Another no-hitter...on 149 pitches and wait for it, 8 walks. Yuck.

Chihuahua takes ugliest dog prize!

A dog, driving his owner's car, ran over...his owner.

And, a list of wacky events this summer around the country. The cow-chip throw has always sounded like a blast.