OUCH. INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY: Yes, people were dying in a gunfight across town, but Obama had a speech to give.

GOOD REVIEWS FOR RICK PERRY: Perry shines on Crossfire. “If only this Rick Perry had shown up in 2012. The Texas governor and former presidential candidate turned in a sterling performance Wednesday evening in his face-off with Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley on CNN’s Crossfire, shelling out a slew of impressive statistics touting his state’s economic progress and landing a couple punches on his counterpart.”

INSTEAD, MAKE HIM DEFEND THE HOLLYWOOD TAX CUTS: Chris Dodd is going to tell you how search engines are the devil.

HEY, I made Twitchy! Always a pleasure!

IN RESPONSE TO NSA SPYING SCANDALS, Brazil looks to break from US-centric Internet.

AT AMAZON, Warehouse Deals in Cellphones & Accessories.

Also, deals in Amazon Instant Video.

Plus, the Kindle Deals of the Day.

COLORADO: Gun-grabber Angela Giron embarrasses herself again.

ADVICE TO THE NEXT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT: With the obvious politicization of the bureaucracy, which probably isn’t limited to the IRS, what to do about the civil service, which is overhelmingly Democratic? My advice: Flood them with interns. And as part of their training, the interns should be told: “If you see anything funny, talk to us (the intern program office) about it.” Result: Thousands of eyes and ears everywhere.

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Surviving Whole Foods.

HIGHLIGHTS IN JOURN-O-LISM: New York Times Editors, Columnists Met Off-The-Record With Obama During Syria Push.

WORKING ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN STREET CLOTHES: Was That Too Much To Ask?

AT AMAZON: Feed Your Fans: Gameday Entertaining In Kitchen & Dining.

Plus, coupons galore in Vitamins & Dietary Supplements.

WITH A VERY STYLISH PIC: Rand Paul Makes Vogue. “Tough talk and fearless politics have made Senator Rand Paul a leader in the Republican Party. Could he—and his charming, secret-weapon wife, Kelley—win the White House?”

STEVE LONEGAN: Were Cory Booker’s Law Firm Payouts Illegal?

ANSWERING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: What Happens If I Put Rocket Fuel In My Gas Tank?

WELL, THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY: Smart Robots Can Now Work Right Next to Auto Workers.

JUST FINISHED S.M. STIRLING’S The Given Sacrifice, his latest Change novel. Quite good; if you liked the earlier books you’ll like this one.

ANSWERING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: Just How Dangerous Is Daydreaming While Driving?

DEBT CEILING: CBS’s Mark Knoller Smacks Obama With Flashback Quotes.

WALT MOSSBERG likes the iPhone 5s. (Video review).

SUPINE SERVANTS: U.S. Telcos Have Never Challenged NSA Demands for Your Metadata.

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Insiders Reaping Profit After Drafting ObamaCare. “Those who had a hand in the law’s passage are now finding lucrative work in the private sector, as businesses try to understand the complex measure, reshape it by pressing for regulatory changes — or profit from it. That means boom times for what might be called an Obamacare cottage industry, providing work for dozens of former administration and mostly Democratic Congressional officials whose immersion in health policy minutiae, and friendships, make them invaluable to private business.” Chaos Umpire sits. . . .

MORE GREEN FRAUD: Feds make arrests in massive fraud investigation of biofuels firm.

GOOGLE GETS INTO the life-extension business.

DOSSIERS ON ENEMIES ARE TOO VALUABLE: Contrary to Claims, IRS Has Not Destroyed Conservative Donor Lists.