Children weep for an iPhone, and other weekend notes

The more things change the more they don't. In my struggling parenting day, the kids begged for the latest pair of Nike shoes and whatever else the other kids had. On a newspaper salary, it was very hard to keep up with the Joneses -- especially when all your spare money went to tuition to a private school where many of the children had nannies and $50,000 birthday parties.

Now I watch my grandchildren under the same pressure. But this time it isn't for a "dumb" pair of Nikes. It's for an iPhone so they can Skype with all their little wired friends. Sigh and sigh. The more things change the more they don't. (BTW, the grandkid weeping for an iPhone is 8 years old. It is good to be a grandparent.)

Obama gets ass kicked in debate; SNL thinks that's not funny

First, let me confess that I love Saturday Night Live. The funniest years are always when the writers mercilessly skewer everyone. But sometimes, because it does come from largely a left-wing perspective, the writers don't have the balance to find humor in their idols like Barack Obama.

Such was the case over the weekend when SNL admitted that they had trouble finding any humor in the debate in which Mitt Romney mopped the floor with Obama.

You can see the admission here from the head writer.

What the SNL writers missed was a great opportunity to lampoon a teleprompter-less Obama. Perhaps spoof his inability to think on his feet. Maybe even go so far as to suggest that he's not all that smart when it comes to the economy. Or, hey, since he prepped for the debate in Las Vegas, do a few flashbacks about what he was REALLY doing in Las Vegas when he was supposed to be studying.

But SNL was blind to all that. And more's the pity. (Call me, SNL, next time you get stuck.)

FBI arrives in Benghazi three weeks late

There's so much to say about the murder of our ambassador to Libya and three others, and the mainstream media isn't saying it. It is astounding how puppy dog-ish the NYTs and the Washington Post have been on this current event. It's almost like they are working with the Administration to provide the Administration cover.

Personally, I don't believe that. While it is true most reporters are left of center and will probably vote for Obama, all the ones I know work on a higher level than that. They always question authority, left or right.

But in Benghazi the MSM has yet to swing into action. Hope they do, because the storyline Obama fed the American people on this stinks.

Congrats to Norm Clarke

I watched former Mayor Oscar Goodman marry Norm Clark and The Leggy Blonde Saturday night at the Smith Center. It was a beautiful wedding. Congrats Norm and Cara. You deserve all the best.

The dinner was held in the Jazz Cabaret room at the Smith Center and Clint Holmes sang. Man, that is one fine venue. And Clint Holmes is one fine performer. I never saw the Rat Pack, but if we could somehow bring Old Blue Eyes back, I'd put Clint Holmes up against Sinatra in a sing-off any day and bet you the mortgage he compares favorably.