Gee whiz! Sound familiar? A man was arrested Wednesday after the FBI noticed his radical Islamist rhetoric, offered to help make the plot a reality, and then gave him a fake car bomb that he tried to detonate, unsuccessfully. Except this time it was in Maryland, and Facebook was involved. (What a sly way to announce jihad!) This story notes one humorous difference from our own Very Serious Bomb Plot: "After the FBI sting in Portland hit the headlines, Martinez worried that he too was being set up. 'I'm not falling for no b.s,' the FBI said Martinez told the federal agent."

In news about a politically motivated bomb plot that did actually kill someone, a jury yesterday turned in a guilty verdict against the right-wing father and son accused in the Woodburn bank plot. But as Sarah notes in this week's news section, one little word has been missing from talk about the blast: Terrorism.

TriMet's bad year gets worse. The agency is facing three new lawsuits—seeking $30 million in damages—filed by parents of a woman who was killed last spring, and her boyfriend, who survived, when a bus illegally turned left into an Old Town crosswalk. The driver has been dismissed since, but the union is appealing.

And now back to the best story going: Hackers pissed about the treatment of WikiLeaks.org continue to wage cyber-havoc against companies that have played ball with the U.S. government. Targets include Amazon, MasterCard, and PayPal. Activists desperately want to bring down the latter. Just don't call it a war, some say. Meanwhile, a word from Julian Assange's stepfather.

North Korea's daffy leader visits China, days after President Obama personally begged asked the Chinese to intervene in a phone call. No details on the visit yet. Also no word if China had actually placed that call, looking to collect on the billions we owe them, and got through because Obama didn't look at the Caller ID.

Speaking of American debt, Democrats' tax cut rebellion may be short lived. The majority party registered its disgust this morning, but leaders also are acknowledging they don't have the votes to smack Republicans (and the president) on the nose. (Not that Oregon's delegation isn't trying to help.) Weirdly, however, there may be some Tea Party reinforcements.

More congressional sah-sidge. The DREAM Act, offering a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants brought here as kids, muscled its way past the House yesterday, but faces tough sledding in the Senate. No one's hopes should be "up."

Dick Cheney has been indicted! (In Nigeria. Also—and settle down all you godless, anti-American libs—not for war crimes.)

HOLY SHIT CIGARETTE SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOU AND YOU SHOULD STOP PUFFING ON THAT DIRTY CANCER STICK LIKE RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Assholes. Seriously, what insane, shitty, sickening assholes.

In Britain, beloved Capcom character MegaMan is apparently a ginger. And his woman won't lay him unless he tarps up. Let's hope he isn't showing up with his Quick Boomerangs, too!