Happy Birthday Bird

The genius Charlie Parker was born August 29, 1920.

McCain's Gift

Senator John McCain should never be forgiven for selecting Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate and thereby providing her with national prominence. That McCain still holds her in high regard is testament to his enduring stupidity.

Bachmann and Elvis

Rep. Michele Bachmann opened her South Carolina campaign for the Republican presidential nomination by asking the crowd to join with her in wishing Elvis Presley happy birthday. The only problem is that August 16th is the date Presley died. The congresswoman has a rather curious habit of making up shit.

Pathetic Newt

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Pillsbury doughboy, finished far back in the back of the over-hyped but meaningless Aimes straw poll. With campaign advisors exiting his campaign, not unlike sailors trying to save themselves from a sinking ship, and with a message that hasn't gained much traction among the party faithful, Gingrich is a politician whose best days are behind him. He should follow Tim Pawlenty's example and exit stage right.

A New Low

According to a Gallup poll, President Obama's approval rating now stands at an anemic 39%, which is even lower than his predecessor George W. Bush at a comparable time in his presidency. A bus tour through the Midwest isn't likely to change the situation.

Dennis Rodman

Last night Dennis Rodman was inducted into the Basketball Hall-of-Fame, thus proving that accomplishment and performance sometime will not be overshadowed by eccentricities and abnormal behavior, at least in the eyes of those individuals voting on such matters.

Queen Bachmann

Newsweek magazine has caught a lot of heat for presenting Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann in a negative light. Those on the right of the political spectrum reflexively call it yet another example of liberal bias in the mainstream media. And even some women's groups have gotten into the act calling this photo "sexist." I don't understand all the fuss. The picture, in my opinion, captures the essence of Rep. Bachmann: a crazed, right wing nut with no discernible qualifications for being president.

Credibility

In light of its downgrade of the U.S. government debt, the question is just how credible is Standard and Poor's? After all, this is the rating agency that remained supportive of Enron before its implosion, issued triple A ratings to institutions in the housing debacle, and bestowed an A rating on Lehman Brothers before it collapsed. Apparently the standard is poor.

The Caged Bird

This image of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak stretched out on a stretcher or gurney in a cage in an courtroom, where he is being tried for corruption and the killings of political protestors, undoubtedly sends a chilling message to other Arab strongmen determined to avoid a similar fate.

Bubba Smith 1945 - 2011

Bubba Smith, who was found dead today, was an outstanding defensive end for the Baltimore Colts and other NFL teams and later an actor famous for his role in the Police Academy series.

Gene McDaniels 1935 - 2011

Singer and songwriter Gene McDaniels, who died Friday after a short illness, wrote the fifties hit Hundred Pounds of Clay and Compared to What for pianist Les McCann and saxophonist Eddie Harris.

Giffords Returns

Without a doubt the most heart warming moment in yesterday's House vote to raise the debt ceiling was the return of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), 8 months after she was shot in the head by a gunman last January.

Obama Capitulates

Having voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election and witnessing, in what was for those of my generation, his improbable victory as the nation's first African-American chief executive, I am beginning to feel a sense of buyer's remorse with each decision the president makes, the debt ceiling deal being the latest case in point. Despite the lofty rhetoric, Obama falls painfully short when it comes to bold, decisive action. At the outset of this manufactured crisis, Obama insisted on a balanced approach of budget cuts and increased taxes on corporations and the rich. What we ended up with is a deal that focuses on spending cuts but says nothing about the revenue side of the equation. So much for the balanced approach and shared sacrifice.