Things That Make You Go Hmmm  —  John Schwenkler was kind enough to engage Andrew once again over the origins of Trig:  —  [Is] it still possible to think that the Palins might have pulled off the greatest con in American political history by pretending to be the parents of a Downs Syndrome baby …

A ‘coup’ in Honduras?  Nonsense.  —  Don't believe the myth.  The arrest of President Zelaya represents the triumph of the rule of law.  —  TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS -  —  Sometimes, the whole world prefers a lie to the truth.  The White House, the United Nations, the Organization of American States …

Post Publisher Cancels Plans for Off-the-Record ‘Salons’  —  Washington Post Publisher Katharine Weymouth today canceled plans for a series of policy dinners at her home after learning that marketing fliers offered lobbyists access to Obama administration officials, members of Congress …

New GOP ad: The stimulus isn't working  —  From Boehner's office, an odd, hokey first effort at pushing a meme that could deliver the House to the GOP if it's still true next November.  There's too much in the way here to focus on the message — split-screen, soundtrack, cornpone narrator …

Obama, Party Tout Lower Figure for Health Reform  —  Senate Democrats and President Obama, trying to assuage fears about the cost of health reform, yesterday touted new estimates that put the price tag for one bill at $611 billion over the next decade.  —  But the measure drafted …

Sanford book deal falls through  —  (CNN) - Gov. Mark Sanford and his publisher have parted ways.  —  “Sentinel has agreed to release Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina from his contract to write a book about fiscal conservatism, which was to be called WITHIN OUR MEANS and was scheduled …

McKinney held in Israel, to be returned to U.S.  —  JERUSALEM (CNN) — Former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney — who was aboard a ship the Israeli navy intercepted this week — is in a detention center and will be returned to the United States, the U.S. Embassy said.

Now they want Reagan's name off the airport  —  At Wednesday's Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board meeting, chairman H.R. Crawford - a former District Council member and Marion Barry confidante - told fellow Board members that he has heard talk on Capitol Hill …

Seven banks fail, pushing 2009 tally to 52  —  Regulators close six Illinois banks and one Texas bank, setting the FDIC back a total of $314.3 million.  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Seven banks were shut down by authorities Thursday, pushing the tally of failed banks for 2009 to 52, more than doubling the failures in 2008.

That '30s Show  —  O.K., Thursday's jobs report settles it.  We're going to need a bigger stimulus.  But does the president know that?  —  Let's do the math.  —  Since the recession began, the U.S. economy has lost 6 ½ million jobs — and as that grim employment report confirmed …

Dawn of the Revolt  —  My travels with Mousavi.  —  May 23rd: Tehran's Azadi Indoor Stadium, 20 days before the election.  The press had difficulty getting in the gates.  “All full,” the guards kept telling us.  And full it was, overflowing in fact, for a Mir Hossein Mousavi campaign rally.

Judge Acquits Lori Drew in Cyberbullying Case, Overrules Jury  —  LOS ANGELES — A federal judge on Thursday overturned guilty verdicts against Lori Drew, issuing a directed acquittal on three misdemeanor charges.  —  Drew, 50, was accused of participating in a cyberbullying scheme …

Smells like deflation  —  The grim jobs number wasn't the only scary thing in today's BLS report.  Here's the rate of wage change over the past three months, expressed as an annual rate: Bear in mind that inflation usually runs below the rate of wage change, thanks to productivity growth.

Make the Ask  —  This magazine has made no secret of its high regard for Barack Obama.  Which makes it all the more distressing for us to observe the approach that his administration is taking on gay rights.  During the campaign, Obama said all the right things (well, almost all …

Exclusive: ‘Get real’ - Darling warns the bankers  —  Chancellor says return of the bonus culture threatens to undermine global economy again  —  Alistair Darling has warned bankers to stop backsliding into their bad old ways as he promised a much tougher regulatory system to prevent a repeat of last autumn's financial crisis.

Defining Snark: I have been reading David Denby's book, Snark.  I have some problems with that book, but they are essentially the same ones that the reviewers have talked about, viz., that Denby's book is ultimately dissatisfying because it adopts a partisan view of snark.

Obama Administration to Involve NSA in Defending Civilian Agency Networks  —  The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site …

Judge admonished for explicit pics on Web site  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — A judicial council on Thursday admonished the chief judge of the nation's largest federal appeals court for having “sexually explicit photos and videos” on his personal Web site, but decided against any further punishment.

Agreements must be honored  —  Dov Weissglass slams Obama Administration's denial of Israeli agreement with Bush  —  On May 1 and 16, 2003, during discussions of Israel's reservations in respect to the Road Map initiative, it was agreed that there will be no construction at Jewish communities in Judea …