Too Big to Win: Securities and Exchange Commission files lawsuit that claims Goldman Sachs sold mortgages and investments that were secretly made to fail.

Disco Balls to the ER! President orders hospitals to recognize gay relationships, provide medical power of attorney, give partners access to hospital rooms.

Desire for More Streetcar: City council looks ready to endorse extending Broadway Streetcar to Aloha Street. Here's our recent coverage of the neighborhood lobbying.

Midterms: DNC announces it will shell out unprecedented $50 million for mid-term elections, focusing on minority, young, and first-time voters. But GOP candidates are out-fundraising Dems.

A Third From the Right: Dems target three GOP senators to support financial overhaul.

Battle Over the Bridge: City council still okay with building 520 bridge now, essentially precluding light rail forever:

Trains would arrive a generation or two from now, if ever, the council presumes. Sound Transit and the state lack money to add light rail. The council further predicted that "buses may provide a more flexible and effective form of high-capacity transit for this project area." If the twin carpool lanes can't run at 45 mph, cars should be kicked out and the lanes converted to "bus rapid transit," the council says. More buses are coming soon anyway, funded by a federal grant to experiment with 520 tolls, as a means to reduce car traffic.

Mayor Mike McGinn, in a separate letter Thursday, took a stronger line for rail — urging the state to work up to another year to design a bridge that is truly rail-compatible. ... McGinn went further, urging the state to consider a leaner four-lane footprint over Portage Bay; that way, the (bus and/or rail) lanes of 520 would end at Montlake, having served the Eastside-to-University corridor.

Dead Whale, Dead Whale! People in West Seattle clamor to observe, poke 36-foot dead Gray Whale that washed ashore.

Astroturf: Downtown Seattle Association lobbies its members for last-minute push for feckless, unjustified, misleading aggressive panhandling legislation. But lawmakers—who aren't a paid business lobby—are coming out to oppose the measure.

Long Beach: Hotel owner, fed up with local authorities, threatens to sell property to Aryan Nations.

Praise the Lord: Judge rules that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.