The political world is still going on and on about Barack Obama's admission to high school students that he used alcohol and cocaine in his youth. This isn't a new confession, but a detail of the presidential candidate's life he wrote in a memoir published years ago. Smart idea. I'm sure Obama has been planning this run for sometime. Why not get a skeleton out of the closet earlier, so anyone announcing, it as if it is a newly revealed secret, looks like a fool?

I like it. 

But that's not what's going on right now. Bill O'Reilly and those other wacks, who have an entire closet of real nasty secrets from lewd sex to abuse of prescription drugs, are all hot about Barack's candor with the kids.

You see, we're not supposed to share those things with kids. They can't handle it. If they hear someone in a position of authority admit they've done drugs, then watch out, man, those kids are gonna go crazy in a Reefer Madness-meets-Russell Simmons kind of way. 

Critics accuse Obama supporters of clinging to the phrase, "he's only human," in his defense. These same folks say Obama shouldn't hide his cocaine use, but certainly not preach about it. "I used and I regret it." Anything more from their POV doesn't provide a good image for Leader of the Free World material. 

I voted for Bill Clinton. (I'm rolling my eyes right now.) Don't you remember when his marijuana use came up during discussion of Clinton's Sixties Fun Fest? "I tried mar-gee-wana, but I never inhaaaled." I listened, and like others who voted for him, I swallowed hard. I pretended those words were never recorded. But at home, at night, in the privacy of my voting heart, I thought, "Why couldn't he just admit it."

"Yea, I smoked like a chimney back then. We all did. Even little Hillary had a bong stashed in her closet. But we have a child now ... we don't do that no more. And, like, I've got to run Arkansas and stuff. You just can't move forward in this work when you're stoned.'" 

This election season, I'm not going to care about Obama admitting he snorted a little. He told those kids he was wrestling with his identity back then. Now those who understand the demons caused by denying who we are or being put in a box that doesn't fit: Understand a little blow could go a long way in making life seem content (or MJ, or lots and lots of beer - take your pick). 

Ain't that right, Bill? "Ohh, yea Mari," Bill says, his finger pointing right at me, making me feel like I just asked about Monica. "But I never snorted any of that stuff back then."

I'm tired of my World Leader jumping rope to the rhythm of the right. This is no longer a world where presidential candidates are placed on a pedestal. There are hardly any secrets left in this era. No one can pretend to be a Truman or a Kennedy anymore. They're better off admitting they're just like us... human. 

Someone just called in, quite upset, to complain that we ran "a picture of the inside of a human skull" on our back cover.

He said he was going to complain about us to the City Council and the Board of Supes, as well as on Channel 12.

Turns out he was talking about an ad for some counseling service or something, on our back page, that included a drawing of a brain.

Just thought y'all would like to know that.

I was an invited guest to the pre-opening of Zinburger, a Fox Restaurant Concepts place that I predict will be another winner. Sam Fox consistently knows how to satisfy Tucson's dining public.

I wrote about Zinburger in my Noshing column this week, but that was before I ate there.

The dark merlot hue of Bistro Zin is long gone, and the new decor is light woods and big pictures of cows in meadows. Someone used a whimsical wand for the interior design. Then the woman's restroom is a hoot. When you sit down on the toilet (sorry for being so graphic), something funny is looking down at you. You'll have to experience this firsthand.

My friend Marianne Bernsen and I shared the Zinburger, which was awesome. Marianne didn't like the veggie burger as much as I did; she wanted it to be more crispy. The burgers are juicy, just like they should be. You can even order them with a fried egg on top. The sweet potato fries were crispy, but the fried zucchini fries rocked the house.

And the desserts--oy vey--a gourmet soda fountain experience. But maybe I'll stick to a robust zin instead.

One problem: Zinburger is LOUD. Everyone at my table was speaking very loudly. Sitting outside on the heated patio would be more conducive to conversation. You can sit at the bar and watch wide screen TVs.

Zinburger should be crowded next week when it opens. Enjoy!

This week's issue includes our annual Get Out of Town! selections, our GASP! last-minute gift guide and all the other stuff you've come to know and love about the Weekly. And it's all online and ready for you to peruse!

Feel free to comment here on the Dec. 13 issue. And enjoy!

Here are a few events received too late for inclusion in our Dec. 13 print issue. We recommend calling event organizers for last-minute changes in location, time, price, etc.

• Thursday, Dec. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m.

  Gallery Row at El Cortijo

  3001 E. Skyline Drive

  Art in Wilderness Exhibit. Artists, musicians and poets from around Arizona will gather to showcase the work they produced, inspired by a weekend trek through the Tumacacori Highlands. The exhibit will also be on display from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 15. In addition, the following galleries will be open with complimentary wine tastings from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday: Madaras Gallery, The Max Gallery, Mountain Shadow Gallery, Wilde Meyer Gallery and Details Art and Design. The John Ronstadt Trio will perform live jazz.

• Saturday, Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. to noon

  Jacobs City YMCA

  1010 W. Lind St.

  Clog Dancing Demonstration. Learn the history of clog dance, basic steps and more. Free. Call 888-7716 for information.

• Monday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m.

  Stone Avenue and McCormick Street

  International Day to End Violence Against Sexworkers. A short candle-lit processional takes place, ending at El Tiradito Shrine on Main Street at 6:45 p.m. Free. Call 309-1330 for information.

• Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

  St. Mark's Church, in the Knox room

  3809 E. Third St.

  Tucson Organic Gardeners. A monthly meeting will be held. At 7 p.m., browse free literature, shop in the mini-market and visit with members. At 7:30 p.m., the program "Pushing the Envelope: Specialized Sub-Tropical Fruit Trees" by Jim Verrier will be presented. Free. Call 670-9158 or visit http://iwhome.com/nonprofits/TOG.

(Thanks to Jim Nintzel for the correction!) 

The wonderfully wise (and I say that with tongue firmly planted in cheek) Arizona Board of Education has done it again.

In order to better prepare students for the "real world," or at least college, they have upped the requirements for graduation. Now students need to have three math and three science credits to graduate.

While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with that idea, I haven't heard how it will be paid for. Or if there is any plan to recruit more math and science people to teach the classes.

But what gets me is that the math requirements—at least according to what I've read so far—are Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II or an equivelent. School districts are allowed to play with that a little, but I know that if I had been made to take Algebra II, I'd still be in high school (or would have dropped out because I know I would never pass it).

And when have most of us used all those higher level algebra skills on a daily basis? Geometry, maybe. That is a skill used in many occupations.

A more sane solution would be for everyone to take a practical math class. This could consist of learning about bank accounts, loans, credit and budgets. Students could learn how to fill out a job application (I know that this is taught some places, because in a past life, I taught such topics). But still, in my day job, I see a lot of kids who can't do it. Lessons on writing a resume would work, too.

The Arizona Board of Education is a reactionary group of people who think they have great ideas, but in realityn have no idea how the world works.

We’re delighted to announce that we may have more than 20 participants in Project White House, our first-ever presidential campaign contest.

As our blog regulars know, we first launched Project White House a few weeks ago to invite our readers to put their name on the ballot in Arizona’s Feb. 5 presidential primary.

That’s not as difficult as you might think since you merely have to send a two-page notarized form to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office to run in the Democratic or Republican contest.

We’re not quite sure of the exact number of participants in Project White House just yet, because several of our would-be candidates from across this great land of ours have promised us they’re going to send in a nomination form on their own—and we all know just how much we can count on the promises of politicians.

But at least a dozen candidates have turned up at our office in recent weeks to drop off their platforms and have front-desk chief Robbie Jones notarize their paperwork. Thanks for all your help and patience, Robbie!

We’ll be introducing you to these courageous candidates in our first issue of 2008 when we launch our spectacular Project White House Web site.

Even if you missed your chance to participate in Project White House, there’s still time to get into the presidential primary.

The deadline for getting your paperwork to Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer is 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 17. Hurry up and download the form.

When not reviewing films for the Weekly, I occasionally make films. Anyway, a short film of mine got over 16,000 YouTube hits in the last couple days, and was linked on blogs like Andrew Sullivan and Crooked Timber.

Jimmy Boegle said I should include a link here, and, like most attractive young men, I do whatever Jimmy Boegle tells me to do. So here is the Kant Attack Ad. Politics as German philosophers would have done it.

The latest candidate to launch a presidential campaign as part of Project White House: Jim Anderson, the owner of the Meet Rack bar and grill.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the loquacious Anderson: Back in the 1980s, he was a regular candidate for mayor in Tucson while he was running one of Tucson's most unusual taverns, Someplace Else. (When I asked him this summer why he wasn't running this year--since he would have had the Democratic field all to himself--he said he didn't know there was an election coming up. Of course, given the turnout on Election Day, it appears he was not alone ...)

Anderson, who was briefly profiled in our recent survey of dive bars in Tucson, didn't take much convincing. I dropped by the Meet Rack and explained what Project White House was all about. His response: "I'm in."

Also, Project White House has a new Web page up. Thanks to Dave Maass and Sean Fitzpatrick for their help.

Remember, you have until noon on Monday to launch your own presidential campaign!

Both dailies are reporting that Lute Olson has filed for a divorce.

Well, I guess that explains things a bit, don't it?