When tourists ask for the bathroom in the Minneapolis airport lately, it's usually not because they have to go.

It's because they want to see the stall made famous by U.S. Sen. Larry Craig's arrest in a sex sting.

"It's become a tourist attraction,"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Travelers Ask to See Craig Bathroom - Other on The Huffington Post

Well, the legislation Bush promised never materialized, and on Wednesday attempts to arrive at a compromise oil law collapsed.

What's particularly revealing is the cause of the breakdown. Last month, the provincial government in Kurdistan, defying the central government, passed its own oil law; last week, a Kurdish Web site announced that the provincial government had signed a production-sharing deal with Hunt Oil of Dallas, and that seems to have been the last straw.

Now here's the thing: Ray L. Hunt, the chief executive and president of Hunt Oil, is a close political ally of Bush. More than that, Hunt is a member of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, a key oversight body.

Okay, that's comment one from Paul Krugman. I'd like to combine that with this quote from Executive Order issued July 17, 2007

(i) to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of:

(A) threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq; or

(B) undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people;

(ii) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, such an act or acts of violence or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(iii) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.

(b) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section include, but are not limited to, (i) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order, and (ii) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

Now by my interpretation of this, it seems that Hunt Oil's move to create a separate plan with the Kurdish provincial government clearly undermines the efforts to create a unified Iraqi government. That would appear to be in violation of the executive order. Of course since Ray Hunt is a good buddy of W, and part of his Advisory Board, there's no way in hell that's going to go anywhere.

What I can say with 100% certainty however is whether or not any law was broken, this is a HUGE conflict of interest for Hunt to be involved in both sides of this.

San Jose Mercury News - Bush ally's Kurdish oil deal proves the surge has failed

Pentagon and CIA officers say they believe that the White House has begun a carefully calibrated programme of escalation that could lead to a military showdown with Iran.

Now it has emerged that Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, who has been pushing for a diplomatic solution, is prepared to settle her differences with Vice-President Dick Cheney and sanction military action.

Because two failed wars just isn't enough.

Bush setting America up for war with Iran - Telegraph

The remodeling work in summer and fall 2000 more than doubled the size of the house, a four-bedroom structure that is Stevens' official residence in Alaska.

Stevens has said while the contracting bills were first sent to Veco for accuracy checks, he paid all bills on the home that he received.

So if they didn't send the bill...

It's called bribery. I don't care how you parse it, it was a bribe given, and a bribe received. Senator Stevens from the Great State of Alaska? Come on down, you're the next contestant on the Price is Jail.

adn.com | front : Allen says Veco staff worked on Ted Stevens home remodel

Michael Flory, 33, of Jackson, Mich., told a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge that his humiliation and self-destruction should be punishment enough for his guilty plea to a sexual- battery charge.

Judge Peter Corrigan couldn't have disagreed more.

Gotta side with the judge on this one.

The woman and Assistant County Prosecutor Carol Skutnik said Flory and his friends later executed a campaign of Internet postings and whispers within the state GOP, accusing the victim of loose morals and character assassination.

I also find this part of it particularly offensive, but hey, it's the same way they run elections, so why not?

Michigan GOP activist gets 5 years for sex assault - cleveland.com

Each participant was wired to an electroencephalograph that recorded activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, the part of the brain that detects conflicts between a habitual tendency (pressing a key) and a more appropriate response (not pressing the key). Liberals had more brain activity and made fewer mistakes than conservatives when they saw a W, researchers said. Liberals and conservatives were equally accurate in recognizing M.

In other words, liberals are not as big a bunch of fuck-ups as conservatives. Case closed.

Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brain - Los Angeles Times

The US Justice Department has said that internet service providers should be allowed to charge for priority traffic.

The agency said it was opposed to "network neutrality", the idea that all data on the net is treated equally.

Okay, I'm a bit confused here. I can see where FCC, ICC or hell even the DoD, or SEC might espouse an opinion on this, but WTF is DoJ doing sticking their ASS in on this one?

BBC NEWS | Technology | US backing for two-tier internet

Addictive...

Flash Element TD | Novel Concepts

The researcher said Benoit's brain scan looked similar to those of Alzheimer's patients.

He described Benoit's brain as "very abnormal, something you should never see in a 40-year old."

This is still a sad story, but this helps understand how it happened.

Brain Study: Concussions Caused Benoit's Rage - News Story - WSB Atlanta

Here's another question to ask: does the Minneapolis police force look around its members for officers they think might be attractive to gay men? Or do they specifically search out recruits who would make good undercover "twinks," "bears," and "silver foxes"?

There's an actual point in her column, but this was too good to pass up.

Arianna Huffington: In the Age of Terror, Isn't Busting Toe-Tappers an Insane Use of Our Law Enforcement Resources? - Politics on The Huffington Post