Round-up

Here are a few things that I found interesting today-

• A large Political Action Committee (Super PAC) is now raising money to pay back its founder and primary backer, and perhaps others. Love or hate the Super PAC, at least we live in an era where intense media scrutiny works to provide greater transparency. Needless to say, it is not a cause to which I will be contributing.


• I just used the phrase "needless to say." This is a phrase that is always accompanied by the speaker saying whatever the speaker once thought needed no saying. This phrase belongs in the "with all due respect" (I don't respect you) english language dustbin.


• Newt Gingrich may name a running-mate well in advance of the Republican National Convention. This is funny because by that time Newt may only be in the running for head of his local homeowner's association. The fact that said running mate may be Texas governor Richard Perry means that they'd better "save a pretzel for the gas jets."


• If you are predominantly a mouth-breather, you can now put that hot air to work thanks to a Brazilian entrepreneur. He's invented a device that will let you do a little Darth Vader act, powering little turbines to charge your mobile devices.


• The apparent murder of 16 Afghans by a U.S. serviceman is a terrible, terrible tragedy. It seems clear that the situation there is worse than we are being told, and the return on our very costly investment is smaller and smaller.