Weekend Odds and Ends

Got last Harry Potter book. Gonna read every chance I get. No spoilerzzz! Here's news...

President Bush has issued an executive order finally banning torture. Ummm, Sort of.

Holy imperial presidency, Batman! From the Washington Post: "Bush administration officials unveiled a bold new assertion of executive authority yesterday in the dispute over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, saying that the Justice Department will never be allowed to pursue contempt charges initiated by Congress against White House officials once the president has invoked executive privilege."

Is there anyone out there who can defend this? Hello? Hello?

Valerie Plame's civil lawsuit against her neocon foes has been dismissed by a federal judge.

Sneaking through ethics reform... from Roll Call (via TPMmuckraker): "Instead of waiting for the traditional conference committee to create a compromise version of the [ethics] bill, the Democrat leadership is expected to use parliamentary tactics to both block amendments and speed the bill to the Senate, where Reid is hoping that popular sentiment will sway enough lawmakers to ensure a filibuster-proof majority." Let's hope this amounts to more than Reid's usual hopes do.

And Mr. President, fire up that pen, here's that bill you've been waiting to veto: "[A] Senate committee on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a five-year, $35 billion expansion of a children's health insurance program that would be financed through higher tobacco taxes." Tobacco taxes? How Bloomberg of them!

Finally, a Manhattan steam pipe explosions makes people realize.. old cities need work!