After the legislature leaves town in the summer, especially in years when no state offices are up for election, the political news in the state capital can slow to a crawl.

The lull never lasts long, and it hasn't this year. Some stories become hard to miss, scandals that confirm people's worst thoughts about politicians or policy decisions whose scope is wide enough to affect the lives of average citizens.

Other stories are like the new specialty flavor at the ice cream shop, interesting enough but not likely to grab your curiosity more than once.

Here are some thoughts on a few of the latter, just in case you happened to miss them.

State lawmakers' decision to create a "fat tax" for state workers has become a topic de jour. The notion of charging people more for health insurance if they're fat hasn't been very well received in some quarters.

The change will go into effect in 2011, with employees who record a 40 on a body-mass index being placed into a more costly insurance plan. In 2012, a 35 will put people into the more expensive plan. (Being 20 pounds overweight, I still come in below 30.)

It's not real clear why all the hubbub now. Private employer-based insurance plans have been charging smokers more for health insurance for several years (as will the State Health Plan under the new rules). Did anyone really believe that obesity wouldn't be next? The only question is, when will Ronald McDonald be called for a round of tough questioning by a congressional committee?

Gov. Beverly Perdue, along with state commerce officials and business leaders, headed to Asia last week. The trip to China and Japan, intended to improve business ties and trade, will cost about $82,000. Republicans criticized the timing, coming just after budget cuts and state employee layoffs. Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, called the decision "tone deaf."

Actually, paying $52,000 to have a chauffeured Mercedes van haul you and your spouse around would be tone deaf. (Please see expense listing of previous state government junket by previous governor.) Given recent history, cheeseburgers may well be on the menu for this trip.

Home-grown LED light-maker Cree announced it would be adding 575 jobs and wants no state incentives to do so. The announcement came just as Dell Computer said it was closing its Forsyth County plant, a few years after being promised $280 million in state and local incentives to open. Cree, at least, has decided to embrace capitalism and stand on its own, no longer seeking charity from taxpayers.

Ken Lewis announced his resignation as Bank of America's chief executive officer, and some groups want the Obama compensation czar to seize his $53 million pension. In 2008, Lewis' compensation totaled nearly $10 million. Doing a little math, that compensation came to 143 times mine. It's good to understand our respective values to society.