QF6/Best of the Northwest (4/11/05)

A worker performs maintenance on a sign reflecting high gas prices Monday, April 11, 2005 at a station near the University of Washington in Seattle. Gas prices soared an average 19 cents in recent weeks, a trend some believe is due to lingering high crude oil prices, growing demand and higher refining costs.

Don’t look now but Playboy mag will be trolling for nudity as it invades Pullman for another “Girls of the PAC-10 pictorial.” The Horndogs have been to the Palouse before — in 1985 and 1993. The Daily Evergreen tells you all about it here .

1. Political ‘Toon Fix: Eric Devericks /Seattle Times ( Military recruitment ), Chip Bok ( Bad intelligence ), and Rob Rogers ( Patriot Act ).

2. Humor Fix: John Kerry is on crutches after knee surgery. The good news – today he put in for another Purple Heart — Jay Leno .

3. My Way Fix: This Day in History here , Today’s Birthdays here , and Positive Quote here .

4. Top of the News Fix: D.C. cops tackle suspicious man here , Baghdad raid nets dozens of suspects here , Zarqawi had close call with Marines here , Bush meets with Sharon in Texas here , and Singer licked boy’s head, former publicist testified here .

5. Northwest News: Outside panel to scrutinize King County voting here , WSU tries to unlock mysteries of bear hybernation here , Senator likens stem-cell research to Holocaust here , Whoopi pokes fun at religion, politics, hormones here , and Brothers lead WSU baseballers here .

6. IMHO NW: Dan Popkey /Idaho Statesman ( Retiring ISU prez ), Joel Connelly /PI ( Passports no panacea ), Idaho Statesman ( 2005 Idaho Legislature ), Art Thiel /PI ( Mariners’ woes ), and Paul Andrews /Seattle Times ( MoveOn.org ).