Well, being that it’s Friday, make that three happy thoughts. But given that today marks the start of the World Cup and the last day that we’ll hopefully ever have Tom DeLay in Washington, it’s looking to be a great day. Host country Germany kicks off the tournament against Costa Rica — this DCist’s favored team — today at noon, at which time DeLay will be packing boxes in his Capitol Hill office and trying to rid himself of the evidence that will hopefully land him in jail. Soccer is a welcome addition to the District, DeLay’s exit just the frosting on top.

JetBlue Takes on Competition in Dulles: Big carriers beware — budget carrier JetBlue has announced that they are adding six nonstop daily flights to New York, reports the Post. The flights, which will cost as little as $39 each way, directly challenge larger carriers and seek to profit off of the increasing number of travelers going to New York on a daily basis. The JetBlue flights will land at JFK International Airport.

Tiger Cubs Get First Check-Up: The National Zoo’s newest adorable additions, three tiger cubs, got their first visit from a veterinarian, where they were finally determined to be two girls and one boy, reports NBC 4. And please, do yourself a favor and go see pictures of them on the zoo’s website.

Mayoral Hopefuls Split on Racist Traffic Cameras: Yesterday the Washington Times kicked off a mini-firestorm with an article hinting that the District’s traffic cameras target African American motorists. Not ones to let the story die, today they’re reporting on what the city’s mayoral contenders had to say about the allegations. Not much, or so it seems. All of them hedged towards the middle, spare Michael Brown, who promised to get rid of the cameras altogether. Speeders and red light runners everywhere have suddenly found their man.

Virginia Promises Crackdown on HOV Violators: If you’re one to think that you somehow qualify as two people while you sneak through HOV lanes in Virginia during rush hour, think again — the Post is reporting that Virginia officials have promised a swift crackdown on carpool lanes. The lanes along I-95 and I-395 have seen a spike in traffic this year, one attributed to HOV cheaters and the increase in hybrid vehicles on the road, which are allowed to travel in HOV lanes. Starting in July, hybrid vehicles will no longer enjoy the privilege.

Briefly Noted: Cardinal McCarrick gives ok to civil unions … Hate crimes reported in Howard County … Woman killed by Metrobus … District resident raises awareness on assaults … Greenbelt abortion clinic threatened with bomb.

This Day in DCist: On this day last year, we interviewed Andy Zipf, explored populism in District politics, and hosted our first Unbuckled show starring the Bicycle Thieves and Cartel (now known as Cedars).

Picture snapped by Grundlepuck