Is That Lint In Your Pocket, Or Are You . . . June 6, 2022June 5, 2022 SAVING THE EVERGLADES The Fanjul brothers are bipartisan. Alfy gives to Democrats; Pepe gives to Republicans. They are Big Sugar. But look at this! Surge of Momentum in Bipartisan Effort for Sugar Industry Reform In Florida, of all places. Who knows? Are such things even possible any more? MARYLAND I almost never get involved in primaries, and care even more about holding Congress than flipping governorships, important as that is. But if you have any connection to Maryland, or just want to help a really good guy, take a minute to read the Washington Post‘s remarkable early endorsement of my friend Tom Perez, and consider tossing a little something into the pot, before tomorrow’s reporting deadline. iPHONE LINT . . . . . . or why it’s always good to keep a young person handy. Here I am having increasing trouble charging my phone over the last few weeks . . . the cord plug in at the bottom, it buzzes . . . but then sometimes it doesn’t buzz (could it be the cord?) . . . or buzzes and then when I’m not looking stops charging. Sometimes jiggling helps. (I am that sort of computer scientist.) Saturday night it just gave up the ghost and would not charge. “We have to go back early — I have to get a new phone,” I explained, detailing the saga to a young friend. “There goes $1,300 and hours of my life upgrading to a new phone.” “Have you got a paperclip?” he asked. I replied with a skeptical squint. “Have you got a paperclip?” I found him a paperclip, raised right eyebrow adding to the squint. “Give me your phone.” “Don’t electrocute yourself,” I said, both eyebrows now raised . . . mindful of the stupidity, as the phone had now not even the power to summon Wordle, let alone electrocute anybody. He twisted open the paperclip and started probing the power slot. Nothing. Eyebrows now lowered, squint maintained, lips pursed, head tilted to the . . . “really?” . . . angle. But before long, a bit of, well . . . pocket lint appeared. And then more. And then more! How had it all fit in there?! The squint had become wide eyes — then delighted eyes as the phone immediately went back to its normal perky buzzy indispensable self. It’s never a bad idea to keep a young person around. I’m guessing you knew that. (But did you know about the pocket lint?) Have a great week. The hearings start Thursday.