Is this because it's a Christmas tree? Friday, during the Pioneer Courthouse Square tree lighting ceremony, a 19 year-old named Mohamed Osman Mohamud tried to ignite what he believed to be an active vehicle bomb. In reality, all of the explosives were inert and his "partners" were undercover FBI agents; it is unclear how Mohamud's plans would have materialized if no one had shown interest in developing them.

And some good news: North Portland-based education-outreach program, Self Enhancement, Inc., is garnering local support and national attention for its success with at-risk youth.

"No can predict the ensuing consequences": North Korea responds to U.S.-South Korea naval exercises in the Yellow Sea, which are themselves a response to North Korea's recent bombing of a South Korean island.

Run me out twice, shame on you: The New York Times reports that waves of returned Iraqi refugees are finding the country so volatile and dangerous that they are abandoning their homes yet again. Interestingly, human rights groups are saying that Somalia (Mohamud's home country) is even more dangerous for civilians than Iraq.

Underground rail for drug smugglers, but not PDX: Thursday, FBI agents discovered the second rail-equipped tunnel connecting San Diego, Cali., and Tijuana, Mexico, this month—complete with lighting and ventilation!

Take that! Rey Decerega, the director of programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, elbowed President Obama in the mouth during a basketball game Friday morning. The president has been well attended-to with an ice pack and 12 ultra-fine stitches to minimize scarring.

Torrent take-down: Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement began seizing the domains of copyright-infringing sites like torrent-finder.com and rapgodfathers.com. ICE was operating with a seizure warrant, and many of the affected sites are already up again and operating at new addresses.

Adorable cat dies: Yes, it's true—Prince Chunk is dead. He was "about 10 years old".