Our state leaders were busy angling for power and giving away money as we plant tongue in cheek and "flASHback" on the week’s news that amused and confused:

» U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, passed over once for the Senate, put out word she’ll run against U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in next year’s Democratic primary. Her campaign is expected to center on entitlements: Social Security, Medicare and Dan Inouye’s right to anoint his successor.

» Hanabusa immediately drew the backing of EMILY’s List, which provides financing for women running against men — even men with impeccable records on women’s rights. When men behave like this it’s called male chauvinism; with women it’s called, "Shut up, I’m always right."

» Schatz, who has youth on his sideat 21 years Hanabusa’s junior, had no comment on the challenge she poses. He said there will be plenty of time to talk about politics after he outgrows his milk teeth.

» Hawaii’s other U.S. senator, Mazie Hirono, was among a group of senators invited to dinner at the White House as President Barack Obama wooed Congress with a new "charm campaign." He’s focusing on members who could use some.

» Jumping in quickly as the first Democrat to announce a run for Hana­busa’s U.S. House seat, City Councilman Stanley Chang had no specific platform, but promised a "fresh vision." He just hasn’t thought of what it is yet.

» Gov. Neil Abercrombie dodged a bullet when the formidable Hanabusa decided to run against Schatz and not him, leaving him no announced opposition for re-election. I don’t know what’s of more concern: the job Abercrombie has done or that nobody thinks they can do better.

» After battling public-worker unions his entire term, the governor hastily settled contracts giving hefty pay raises and better medical deals to teachers, blue-collar workers and administrative employees. It’s amazing how quickly an upcoming election can open the state vault.

» House and Senate budget negotiators agreed on a two-year, $23.8 billion state budget three days ahead of schedule and without the usual drama. The arithmetic became pretty simple once Abercrombie gave all the money to public workers.

» Ousted House Speaker Calvin Say is launching a six-part TV series on ‘Olelo called "An Oral History: The Life of Calvin Say." The plot is kind of a cross between "The Walking Dead," "Fantasy Island" and "Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In."

And the quote of the week … from Senate Ways and Means Chairman David Ige on public-worker contracts: "It does appear that the actual agreements are coming in higher than we anticipated, so we’re just reworking the numbers and trying to see, and make sure, that we can afford it." And if we can’t afford it, they’ll pay it anyway.

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Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.