BITCH OF THE YEAR? At Time's website, visitors can vote for the following bizarre list of Person of the Year candidates:

Steve Jobs
Bill and Melinda Gates
J.K. Rowling
Condoleeza Rice
Bono
George W. Bush
Pope Benedict XVI
The Google Guys
Rick Warren
Valerie Plame
Mother Nature
Lance Armstrong

Offline, the magazine hosted a panel on the subject and Mother Nature continued to make her very strong case by striking Iowa with tornadoes and stirring things up in Japan with an earthquake/tsunami combo. (Let's see you do that, Rick "Purpose Driven Life" Warren!) As reported by Gawker, Anderson Cooper called MoNa a bitch and Brian Williams even invoked the name of Bea Arthur. The other possible nominees seem inconsequential in comparison.

Meanwhile, real-life damage control continues. Dara Holzman informs me that from 6-10 pm Tuesday night the Sly Bar (310 Spring Street) will be hosting a fundraising event to raise money for the Tipitina's Foundation, which benefits New Orleans musicians. Proceeds from the sale of special drinks and Dara's Record Pop Tops bras will go to the charity.

Ah, Tipitina's. Have I mentioned that I saw a great performance by Bad Mutha Goose there? A local (teen?) band opened and did some good work that night, too. The crowd danced all night.