Never Fear, Friday's Here!

What a week folks, what a week, between Super Tuesday and the near coronation of John "I'm NOT A Liberal" McCain, Bush's bank-busting budget proposal and much more, never a dull moment in this country;

1) Further Proof That There Is A God: The Spice Girls cut short their reunion tour. Hmmm, could it be due to extreme lack of interest or the rather limited shelf-life of talentless pre-manufactured pop bands? Nyaaahhhhh, the usual "family and personal committments" they say, story HERE


2) She Just Can't Catch A Break: Poor Cynthia McKinney, first she gets national headlines for slugging a Capitol police officer, then gets soundly defeated in here home district (Fulton County GA) by another Democrat in a runoff election, then she angrily leaves the Democratic Party for the Green Party, moves to San Francisco, only to be dealt ANOTHER humiliating blow, she LOST the Green Party's nomination for President to none other than Ralph Nader. Hooo boy, you can bet she'll be spewing her usual high-volume/no content inflammatory racist/anti-Semitic invective and epithets. More HERE

3) The Never Ending Farewell: What is is with Cher? After a nearly 3 year Farewell Tour, she supposedly "retired". Well, in the world of extreme-glitz spectacle entertainment, retirement is just a code word for " coming up next, a slickly marketed comeback for the 50 thousandth time. Appears that Cher is taking a cue from the Sireen Dijon playbook and doing a run of show in Las Vegas, promising to be even more over the top than her previous spectacles that almost dwarf Ringling Bros! Well, as long as those surgeries and such work, more power to her. But wait, is it REALLY Cher or an Animatronic one? See video HERE (she's still her smart-ass self as always, would you have it any other way?)

4) McSweeny's Lists: This is some HILARIOUS stuff! A compilation of humorous lists on far flung subjects like "James Bond Movies for the George W Bush Era" (ex - "You Only Have to Show Your Boarding Pass Twice") , "If Alan Ginsberg Wrote Popup Ads", "Rejected Introductions to Days of Our Lives" and so much more hilarity ensues, http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/

5) Tough Love #251: This ABC News story was a real attention getter for me. A mother, having disciplinary problems with her second-grade son gave him a stern yet humane punishment he'll likely remember for a long time, She forced her son to stand in public with a sign admitting that he behaved badly in school and that he promises to make better choices next time. I dare say that Bill Cosby would get a kick out of this one, the kind of purposeful discipline he talks about in his recent book "Come On People". This Owl applauds the mother 100%! See video HERE

ON THE PLAYER:

Nostalgia 77 Octet: Weapons of Jazz Destruction

This 2007 release is from 8 feisty young Brits (4 horns, piano, bass, drums and guitar plus an occasional vocalist) that combines the grit of funky old-school R&B with equally gritty old-school 60's Blue Note style jazz with a number of twists that will surely grab your attention. "Journey Home" with it insistent rhythm, snaky melody line and colorful horns is a real highlight.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!