More Odds and Ends

Just some more miscellaneous news of interest that have popped up since yesterday...

The Clintons have finally released their tax return info... late on a Friday afternoon, knowing that next week the media attention will be taken up by Gen. Petraeus' testimony. Ohh, those wacky Clintons.

Speaking of the Petraeus testimony, ahead of it there are some calls-- by U.S. lawmakers, etc-- for the administration to release the contents of the latest Iraq NIE, so that they can have a point of view other than the falsely rosy view we can expect from Petraeus.

Moreover, this announcement is likely intended as a political ploy to get the administration positive press ahead of the testimony, but I suppose is still good news regardless: "The Bush administration plans to announce next week that U.S. soldiers' combat tours will be reduced from 15 months to 12 months in Iraq and Afghanistan beginning later this summer."

Back to campaign news, the idea of a Michigan primary do-over is now officially dead. Howard Dean insists he will find a way to get the delegates seated at the convention. Sen. Obama says let's just split the delegates 50-50.

Finally, in China, what's a few dead protestors between friends?