Health Care Reform: What Up With That?

Well, all signs point to a health care reform bill being passed, possibly/probably as soon as this weekend. Up until about twenty minutes or so ago, I had no idea who is gonna be voting on what, which bill was being passed in which house and how, what will be reconciled with who, or when the doctor is going to insert his what in my where. I'm sure many of you are with me in my confusion.

So I did the old reliable cursory internet research. And now I think I have quite the handle on things. I thought I'd share.

Here are some helpful links to help get you up to speed... Reading these won't take you more than the twenty minutes it took me to read and compile, I promise. It's all awfully informative and will surely allow you to partake in some delightfully pretentious conversation at your upcoming cocktail parties:

Health care news from today

The "self-executing rule." WTF?

"Reconciliation." WTF?

A summary of how everything will likely play out

(Thank the Good Lord for About.com!)

Boy, if those Dems don't get this thing passed right now, they damn sure deserve one of these:

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech

Add Nobel Peace Prize to the List

The Norwegian Nobel Committee says U.S. President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." [AP]

George Bush Doesn't Care About White People Barack Obama Hates White People - Glenn Beck

Okay, so as you can see, I've fallen in love with "strikethrough". But whatever.

For those of you unfamiliar with Glenn Beck:

Yesterday on the "Fox & Friends" morning show (i.e. exactly the forum where you'd expect this type of thing to happen), Glenn Beck finally went over the deep end, and called President Obama a straight-up racist. More specifically, he thinks Obama has shown himself to have "a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture." Well that's nice.

Now if you'll allow me, a little commentary:

Not only is what he said inaccurate and completely unfounded (i.e. fucking outrageous), for a television personality whose job it is to inform people and "tell it like it is" (i.e. the difference between him and Kanye, an entertainer and self-publicist) to say that our fucking president hates white people is irresponsible and incredibly dangerous - life and death dangerous. Clearly, Beck (despite being an asshole) is smart enough to know that, and that's the most evil thing about this - it's as if he wants someone to listen to him and take Obama out. And not out of office. Ugh... I can't go on.

/end rant.

[MSNBC]

Turkish News Anchor Reports on President Obama with Black Face

A Turkish news anchor wore dark face paint while he reported on President Obama's trip to the country.

A rough translation: "Welcome, Mr. Obama. You took our hearts with your hospitality. We appreciate your kindness. We will do whatever America asks of us, as friends. Now, we ask the same of you."

It's not clear if the broadcast is a spoof or not. BuzzFeed says that the face darkening is meant to be "a metaphor for the way the Bush administration "darkened" the face of the Turkish public, and how the anchor hopes Obama will turn things around." [Huffington Post]

President Barack Obama Gifts iPod to Queen of England

President Barack Obama visited with Queen Elizabeth II today. He brought her a gift:

President Obama's gift to Queen Elizabeth II: an iPod. Contains footage of her 2007 visit to the U.S.

Well, at least it was better than DVDs he gave to Gordon Brown that won't play in England.

[Time]

Presidents: They're Just Like Us!

President Obama took the time out of his busy economy-fixing schedule Tuesday to fill out his NCAA Tournament bracket with Andy Katz of ESPN.com. He even submitted it to the website just like millions of other people (if he wins, I'm petitioning my local Congressman for an investigation). You can see Katz's interview (and bracket-filling) with the President on Sportscenter at noon today.

I feel like Obama's philosophy about his job is a little like my boss's: work hard, watch sports hard(er). I wonder if he has a Kegerator in the Oval Office. Probably not - it must be in Rahm's office.

For the record: Obama's Final Four? Louisville, Pitt, Memphis and UNC. Just like mine.

[ESPN.com]

UPDATE: Mr. President picked North Carolina to take it all. It's like I'm finding new reasons to love this man every damn day. Oh, and if you happened to think that he had some college-age White House intern make all his picks and then passed them off as his, think again. (Great article.)

President Obama Going on Leno

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has landed a spot on Jay Leno's late-night talk show, a chance for the president to add a light touch to his effort to get the economy back on track.

NBC says it will be the first time a sitting president has appeared on such a program.

The White House said Monday that Obama will visit "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno'' during his trip to Los Angeles on Thursday. NBC will tape the program and then air it that night, after Obama has returned to Washington.

Somewhere, Conan O'Brien is crying and cursing off Leno.

HAHAHAHA

Pretty funny t shirt. Imagine the cash Obama would have raised if he sold these on his website [Kanye]

Welcome, Mr. President.

Doug Mills/The New York Times

:-)

[story via NYTIMES]

Tiger Woods to Give a Speech During Inauguration Festivities

Tiger Woods has accepted an invitation to speak during the Presidential Inauguration festivities on Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial. [ESPN]

Obama to Close Gitmo in First Week in Office

Barack Obama will close Guantanamo Bay in his first week in office after he is inaugurated according to Obama's advisors.