Can political winds power our electricity grid? Find out that and more as we "flASHback" on the week's news that amused and confused:

• Gov. Linda Lingle is off to the Mainland again on her third campaign swing for John McCain and Sarah Palin. I hope Duke Aiona is watering her plants.

• The presidential campaign is starting to sound like a schoolyard. Barack Obama cried that McCain hurt his feelings by calling him names and McCain responded, "Nanny-nanny-boo-boo."

• The GOP bought Palin $150,000 worth of clothes and accessories, spending $75,000 at Neiman Marcus and $50,000 at Saks. I knew I saw her famous wink when she stopped her campaign bus for some photo-op shoppin' at an Ohio Wal-Mart.

• A judge said the Army can't prosecute 1st Lt. Ehren Watada for dissing President Bush and refusing to go to Iraq. His lawyer hopes to free him from lesser charges in time for Bush's retirement party.

• Mayor Mufi Hannemann says opponent Ann Kobayashi conspired to give Duke Bainum her old council seat, and she says he's plotting to run for higher office before his term is up. If this were a contest for best political sneak, we'd have two fine candidates.

• If Democrats re-elect Calvin Say as House speaker, he'll ask them to drop their 36 percent pay raises because of the budget crisis. Sounds like a good way to become ex-speaker, but he'll be well paid if colleagues who covet the money retire him to the back bench.

• Lingle trumpeted a deal with Hawaiian Electric Co. that could result in O'ahu getting a third of its future energy from Neighbor Island wind farms. It was nice of her to blow into town for the announcement.

• The governor released $1.85 million to improve energy efficiency at the state Capitol. If we could harness the hot air from that building, O'ahu wouldn't need to import wind from Lana'i.

• Homeless residents of the state's Kaka'ako shelter will soon be asked to pay $60 a month. Why should they shell out cash when they can live for free in Kapi'olani Park?

• Despite the tourism slump, Walt Disney Resorts is moving forward with its hotel and time-share development at Ko Olina. Our economic ship may be sinking, but there's hope if the mouse isn't deserting it yet.

And the quote of the week ... from Hawaiian Electric CEO Constance Lau, comparing the electricity deal with the state to marriage: "It really reminded me of what everybody feels when they are about to walk down the altar." Shocked?