3 matches on tap today, starting at noon continuing till 8 pm. Here are my picks : Cameroon (PICK +160) over El Tri (Mexico), Mexico is cpaable of losing to anyone. I think they are 3 and out at this World Cup.

Spain (-130) over Netherlands. Spain is my favorite. I think they repeat.

Chile (-1 -120) over Australia. Chile is very good. Australia is not. Really like this one.

My group picks are: Group A - Brazil, Group B- Spain, Group C- Colombia, Group D -Uruguay, Group E - Ecuador, Group F - Argentina, Group G -Germany, Group H - Belgium. As you can see, I'm big on home continent advantage.

I have court at 8:00 am this morning, 45 minutes away. So there will be nothing from me this morning.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

World Cup starts today in Brazil with the host country facing Croatia.

Much polemic in USA ranks as Jurgen Klinsmann, the German great who runs the USA team, left the greatest player in USA soccer history, Landon Donovan, off the team.

Probably doesn't matter as USA is in a group of death, with Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and the best African team who knocked USA out of the last 2 World Cups, Ghana. It'll take a near miracle for USA to advance.

Teams to watch - Belgium, Colombia. While the casual fan will not be aware, the soccer world knows the talent on these 2 squads. Otherwise the usual favs - Brazil, Messi's Argentina, defending champs Spain and the perennial favorite Germany.

Players to watch: Brazil's Neymar, Messi, Uruguay's Suarez (recovering from knee surgery) and of course Cristiano Ronaldo.

Should be tons of fun. Picks tomorrow. Today I like Croatia (+2 goals) to keep it close. Open Thread.

Tonight is the gran finale of El Capo 3. It began March 25, and I have watched all 56 episodes at least once. I'm totally not okay with it ending tonight.

The past few weeks have not been as compelling as the first weeks, but I can't tell if that's because without subtitles, I'm missing too much, or whether they decided to cut the number of episodes after filming and did a less than stellar editing job. I suspect it's the latter, but of course have no way to know. [More...]

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Can California Chrome become the first horse since the great Affirmed did it 36 years ago to win the Triple Crown? Me and over 100,000 of my closest friends will be at Belmont Park this afternoon to see if he can.

Open Thread.

I'm wiped out from my motions. Got the last one filed at 11:59 pm -- deadline was midnight. Then I read the 50 or so motions filed by lawyers for co-defendants. I doubt I'll be up before noon.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

I've got motions due tomorrow and am taking a few hours off to watch El Capo 3, Senor de los Cielos and La Vieuda de Negra. I'll be back to blogging late tonight or tomorrow.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Our last open thread is full so here's another one. All topics welcome.

I'm swamped today. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

For anyone looking for the link to the continuously updated Global Incident Map of drug busts around the world that I mentioned in my talk today, here it is. It is searchable by country, drug and date. Just scroll down past the map. The number of persons extradited from Colombia to face criminal charges here is 1,600 since 1997, according to the State Department's International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Volume I, Drug and Chemical Control, March 2014:

Remember the Colorado cake shop that wouldn't make a wedding cake for a gay couple? The Colorado civil Rights Commission has ordered Masterpiece Bakery to change its discriminatory policy and train its staff accordingly. It also must submit quarterly reports. The owner sounds just as clueless as ever:

I'm off to NORML's annual Aspen legal conference. My talk this year: "Federal Responses to Marijuana Legalization, Both Good and Bad." Here's the entire agenda, it's a privilege to be included with these impressive lawyers.

I'll be back Saturday night, after the annual Owl Farm picnic.

Enjoy the weekend, the weather is beautiful here. This is an open thread, all topics welcome.(I'll put up new open threads if this one fills up.)

(Date corrected from Friday to Thursday)