New HK From Benchmade

Benchmade has come out with a new HK licensed folder. Ambi thumbhole opener, reversable carry clip, stainless handle, glass breaker AUS8 blade… Hmm…

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Groovy picture on Flickr. I like bagel sandwiches. Especially one of them new-fangled varieties like asiago cheese and shallot bagel, toasted, and spread with fresh chicken salad. My wife likes ‘em, too, but getting them to work can be a pain and preparing one at work can be messy. Enter the ubiquitous CD spindle case as storage container. Perfect!

No Dollar Left Unspent

It is reported that Illinois Senator Barack Obama has generated $25 million in capaign donations in the first three months of this year. That’s just $1 less than what Hillary Clinton did. The article goes on to report that the Republicans have ginned up $40 million for the campaign, while the Dems have a war chest of about $80 million. It’s no secret that it takes a boat load of money to win the Presidency (as opposed to having an actual plan to help the country instead of just blustery, empty rhetoric). Although I am disturbed that the best marketed candidate will win (I’m no naive), that’s not what hacks me off. If you pay US income tax, there’s a groovy little box that you can check off near the top of your form that send a few ducats to the Presidential Election Fund (PEF). It doesn’t increase your taxes and is optional, but most tax payers take a pass. Ostensibly, the PEF provides matching funds to candidates for the office of President that meet certain minimum acceptance thresholds and agree to abide by certain campaign spending limitations. A recent issue of Reason magazine commented on how the PEF is at its end. “End?” you say? Yep. Not many folks contribute. But what’s more is that it is predicted that there will be no major candidate, if any, that will avail his or her self of the funds. Why? Because accepting payment from the PEF restricts how much they can spend on their campaign. If they opt out of the PEF program they can spend as much as they can raise. In hard or soft money. Aren’t we lucky?