Apresidential visit and other "Wicked" holiday happenings are on tap as we plant tongue in cheek and "flASHback" on the week’s news that amused and confused:

» President Barack Obama and family will take their annual Hawaii vacation between Dec. 17 and Jan. 6, presuming he doesn’t fall off the fiscal cliff. The first visit was to decide if he wanted to run for president; this time, it’s to remind himself why he wanted to keep the job.

» The state Elections Commission decided not to fire or discipline Chief Election Officer Scott Nago for ballot shortages, long lines and frustrated voters on Election Day. In our state government, screwing up is the surest path to job security.

» Election commissioners, noting that they’re unpaid volunteers, won’t finish their investigation of what caused the Election Day fiasco until January. The staff is worried it’ll delay planning on how to mess up the next election.

» Gov. Neil Abercrombie said the bungled election "eroded public confidence" and proposed that future elections be conducted entirely by mail, but Nago said he doesn’t have the infrastructure. Postal voting requires a whole new technology for miscounting ballots.

» State agricultural inspectors said delivery of this year’s supply of Christmas trees to Hawaii has been slowed by the appearance of slugs. Are state legislators micro-managing again?

» Even before final design is complete on the 21 rail stations along the city’s $5.26 billion commuter line, the transit authority is starting to dole out $5 million for artwork to decorate the stations. It’s never too early to line up your graffiti.

» A telephone scammer dialed the wrong number when he tried to squeeze money out of Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry, who recorded the call and warned the public. The con artist thought he was calling the University of Hawaii.

» Hawaii was one of only eight states not in on the excitement when the Powerball lottery paid a record $587 million jackpot to two lucky winners in Arizona and Missouri. In Hawaii, the closest thing we have to lottery tickets are general election ballots.

» The musical "Wicked" started a two-month run at Blaisdell Concert Hall, bringing Hawaii its Oz-ian world of fantastical characters. It fills the entertainment gap between the election and the Legislature.

And the quote of the week … from new City Councilwoman Kymberly Pine: "There’s not a lot of big egos in this team. I think everyone really loves and deeply cares about their community, and that’s their main priority. I think it’s going to be one of the best councils, I think, the city has ever had, to be honest with you." Nobody’s been that peppy since Spanky of "The Little Rascals" said, "Hey gang, let’s put on a show."

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