As Iran hurtles toward welcoming the Twelfth Mahdi with its planned nuclear Armageddon, the New York Times is cheerily sponsoring guided tours of the Islamic Republic, in the company of its own Elaine Sciolino.  Ira Stoll reports in Smartertimes: For the price of $6,995, the New York Times is offering 13-day tours of Iran guided by Times journalist Elaine Sciolino. Promotional material for the tour on the Times website promises "luxurious hotels" and describes Tehran as a city where "the young and fashionable adopt a new trendy joie de vivre." Also on the itinerary: "a pleasant evening stroll around the colorful bazaars," along with insights into the "accomplishments" of the late Ayatollah Khomeini. No mention of joining the festivities at public executions of homosexuals. But hey, the Times group could get lucky. The Times promotional language says participants will "Enjoy some time haggling over spices,...(Read Full Post)