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Tag: White House

  • White House Pastry Chef Leaves: Blame FLOTUS?

    A few days ago we brought you a story about Bill Yosses, the White House Executive Pastry Chef. Yosses has been in his position at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since 2007, when he was hired by Laura Bush. In that capacity, he has been in charge of all desserts prepared for the First Family, as well as other Executive functions, such as State dinners and events.

    But now Bill Yosses is leaving his job, a job where he has become known as “The Crust Master”, a nickname given him by President Obama himself.

    According to the New York Post, Yosses says that, although he loves the work he has done, it was First Lady Michelle Obama’s attention to healthy eating and the growing problem of obesity in the United States that caused him to have a change of heart about how his work affects others.

    “She has done it with humor and good will, without preaching, just the way you would hope the ‘Mom in chief’ would do,” Yosses said.

    Yosses says that he is leaving to spend more time with his husband, but also to start “a group and foundation of like-minded creative people” that can show young folks in school that food choices can be delicious and healthy.

    “Food knowledge should be part of a complete curriculum,” he said. “We used to learn about food as a part of everyday growing up, but I think we’ve lost that. I think it has a place in schools.”

    However, the news that Yosses was leaving has taken a twist in some circles. The Daily Caller ran with the headline:

    White House Pastry Chef Resigns: “I don’t want to demonize cream, butter, sugar and eggs.”

    This bent on the news played to those who think the First Lady is a busybody, meddling in the diets of young children. But if you read the article, Yosses was not saying he was leaving *because* Michelle Obama somehow “demonizes” those things. Rather that he himself was looking into healthier alternatives, but does not think those ingredients are inherently evil.

    TMZ ran with something similar:

    White House Pastry Chef: I Didn’t Butter Up Obama

    And finally, this one:

    The White House is losing its pastry chef because of Michelle Obama

    Leave it to most people to read only a headline and start spreading the “news” from there, and you end up with these kinds of results:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bill Yosses, Pastry Chef, Leaving White House In June For New York City

    William “Bill” Yosses has been the Executive Pastry Chef in the White House since 2007. He was hired by Laura Bush, the former first lady. After serving delectable desserts for the White House for seven years, the 60-year-old pastry chef is ready to hang up his apron.

    The announcement came when Yosses was interviewed for The New York Times. After his resignation, which will be effective in June, Yosses will be moving to New York and will be focusing on teaching culinary arts to adults and children. He is going to focus on sharing his knowledge on eating healthier.

    “It’s a bittersweet decision,” said the pastry chef. Despite leaving a job that he is passionate about, Yosses is looking forward to moving to New York, as he will be with his husband. His husband is a teacher and they have been living apart for 11 years.

    When the Obamas came to the White House, first lady Michelle Obama asked him to create healthier desserts in small portions. Yosses described Obama as, “an inspiring boss, a combination of spontaneity and seriousness.” Although he has been creating healthier options for the first family, Yosses said that he has not given up on his former way of making desserts.

    According to sources from the White House, they still do not know what direction the first lady will take when hiring Yosses’ successor.

    Although Yosses has shifted towards healthy desserts, he is still known in the White House for serving the best pies and has been nicknamed “The Crustmaster” by the president. Yosses also said that the White House still creates traditional desserts about 20% of the time for special occasions.

    In a statement, the first lady said that she is sad about Yosses’ departure, but she is grateful for his outstanding work and she wishes him the best in his future undertakings.

    Bill Yosses at TEDx

    Image via YouTube

  • Jonah Hill’s Mom Wants You to Sign Up for Obamacare

    The open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act is dwindling, as the March 31st deadline is fast approaching. Let’s call this part two of the White House’s celebrity-oriented campaign to get people to sign up in the next two weeks.

    The White House’s new hopefully viral video promoting Obamacare comes with its own hashtag: #yourmomcares. It features the mothers of some famous actors and musicians urging Americans to sign up for health care, you know, for your mommas’ sanity.

    “Trust me, us moms put up with a lot,” says Sharon Feldstein in the video. “But one thing we should never have to put up with is our kid not having healthcare.”

    Feldstein is joined by the mothers of Adam Levine, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Lopez–as well as by Michelle Obama to urge people to get covered.

    “Get covered at healthcare.gov. Moms put up with a lot, but there’s nothing worse than feeling their child isn’t protected. Go to healthcare.gov and get covered before enrollment ends on March 31. Do it for your mom,” says the Your Mom Cares initiative.

    It’s unlikely that this video will further the White House’s goals as efficiently as the last one the President participated in. Earlier this week, Obama appeared on an episode of ‘Between Two Ferns,’ Zach Galifianakis’ long-running online comedy show. That appearance on the Funny or Die-produced webseries caused a giant spike in traffic at healthcare.gov.

    According to the White House, 4.2 million people have enrolled via the marketplace in the last five months. The administration not only hopes, but needs that number to rise sharply in the next two weeks.

    Image via Your Mom Cares, YouTube

  • Obama Misspells “Respect” in Aretha Franklin Tribute

    Every president makes his share of flubs, and President Barack Obama is no exception. During the Women of Soul tribute at the White House on Thursday night, Obama delivered a speech and acknowledged Aretha Franklin. During the speech, he tried to tie in part of the chorus from Franklin’s hit song Respect, but goofed up the spelling of the word.

    The Women of Soul event was part of the White House’s Women’s History Month celebration. Quite a few singers performed at the event, including Melissa Etheridge, Patti LaBelle, and the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. When Obama started talking about the impact Franklin has had on women, he flubbed the spelling of the word “respect,” which drew quite a few chuckles from the audience.

    “When Aretha [Franklin] first told us what R-S-P-E-C-T meant to her, she had no idea it would become a rallying cry for African Americans, and women, and then everyone who felt marginalized because of what they looked like or who they loved,” Obama said. “They wanted some respect.”

    Check out President Obama’s Aretha Franklin tribute speech below.

    This isn’t the first time that the president has misspelled a word, but the last time was part of a team effort. Back in 2012, Obama and three others attempted to spell out the word “Ohio” using hand gestures at Ohio State University. Check out the failed attempt below.

    In other Obama news, the president found himself the center of a slam based on a children’s rhyme over the weekend. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin modified Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham to make a few points about overspending and Obamacare.

    “I do not like this Uncle Sam. I do not like his healthcare scam,” Palin said. “I do not like these dirty crooks or how they lie and cook the books. I do not like when Congress steals. I do not like their crony deals. I do not like the spying man. I do not like ‘Oh yes we can.’ I do not like this spending spree. We’re smart we know there’s nothing free. I do not like reporters’ smug replies when I complain about their lies. I do not like this kind of hope. And we won’t take it, nope, nope, nope. Hat tip the Internet.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Alyssa Mastromonaco Leaving Obama Staff

    The Associated Press tell us that President Obama’s deputy chief of staff for operations, Alyssa Mastromonaco, is officially resigning from the White House. Mastromonaco was in charge of most of Obama’s schedule, the White House’s staffing as well as his event planning. She’s one of his longest standing partners– she was one of his first staff members when he moved to Washington D.C. in 2005. She began her career with the Obama camp as scheduling director, and was promoted to deputy chief of staff in 2011. Since then, Mastromonaco has helped with domestic and international strategic decisions as well as scheduling President Obama’s basketball games.

    It has been said that Mastromonaco has expressed the desire to leave before now, even before the president’s second term, but he convinced her to stay. News of her consideration has been circling around since December, and know it looks to be official.

    The reasons why she wishes to resign, however, are not as open to the public. As with all official government affairs, the fine details are being kept confidential. Sources that relayed the information of her nearing departure only spoke to the media on the conditions of strict anonymity. It has been stated that Mastromonaco is seeking a job in the private sector, but she is also at some points still required to continue advisement on the president’s affairs.

    Mastromonaco is one of the friendlier faces of politics– born and raised in Rhinebeck, New York, she majored in French at the University of Vermont. A Democrat, she once interned for Republican Bernie Sanders as he campaigned for another term in the House of Representatives.

    Image via Wiki Commons

  • U.S. Imposes New Sanctions in Ukraine Crisis

    The U.S. State Department imposed a ban on visas and a freezing of U.S. assets for officials and other individuals considered to have threatened the territory of Ukraine, the White House announced Thursday.

    According to a statement issued by Jay Carnay, the White House spokesman, the ban is significant because it will apply to both Russian and Ukrainian citizens who are responsible “responsible for or complicit in threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

    President Obama also issued an executive order that provides a legal basis for imposing penalties on such “individuals and entities” who have undermined the territory of Ukraine, misappropriated Ukraine’s assets or have asserted authority over parts of Ukraine without the approval of the Ukrainian government.

    The White House said the measures were a response to Russia’s “ongoing violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, a reference to its intervention in the southern peninsula of Crimea.

    The ban “is a flexible tool that will allow us to sanction those who are most directly involved in destabilizing Ukraine, including the military intervention in Crimea, and does not preclude further steps should the situation deteriorate,” the White House statement said.

    The penalties could involve the freezing of U.S. assets of such people or entities, as well as a ban on travel to the U.S. and doing business with Americans.

    These measures are in addition to visa restrictions that have already been imposed on parties considered responsible for causing political oppression and human rights abuse in Ukraine territory.

    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to meet with Russian foreign minister Sergey V. Lavrov on Thursday.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

     

  • Comedian Petitions Obama to Formally Label Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni a ‘Ding-Dong-Boob-Poopy’

    Comedian Eugene Mirman has pretty solid proposal for how President Obama should handle Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

    He should publicly call him a “ding-dong-boob-poopy.”

    Oh yeah, and then he should spend a little bit of time trying to convince the controversial leader to off himself.

    It’s all right there in an official petition on the White House’s We The People online petition site called “Tell Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni that he is a Ding-Dong-Boob-Poopy and request he kill himself.” There you go.

    Of course, Yoweri Museveni is in fact a ding dong boob poopy–so the petition has that going for it. The Ugandan President recently signed morally bankrupt legislation that imposes incredibly harsh punishments for homosexual behavior in his country.

    “We are disgusted by Uganda’s backwards, human rights betraying anti-gay law that passed recently. Knowing that it is not appropriate for the President to swear in front of children on television (even HBO), we ask that Barack Obama calls Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni a ‘ding-dong-boob-poopy’ over and over and then sincerely for five to ten minutes, tries to convince him to commit suicide. We’d then like Obama to sternly request that everyone involved with passage of that law puts “their ding-dongs into their own hoo-hoos for up to forty-five minutes,” says petition creator, E.M. of Brooklyn.

    The White House petition site doesn’t post full names of petitioners, but we’re pretty confident that Mirman is behind this one.

    Ok, fully confident.

    Mirman had tried a similar petition earlier, one asking Obama to tell Uganda to go fuck itself. That one was unfortunately removed.

    The new petition would have to hit the 100,000 signature threshold to garner an official response from the administration. It still has a long way to go with just over 200 signatures. But if this petition can get over 263,000 signatures, well, anything is possible.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ozzie Smith and Budweiser Want to Make Opening Day a National Holiday

    The White House’s We the People website is no stranger to odd petitions. After all, it was just last month when the White House was petitioned to allow beer drones for easy beer delivery and to deport Justin Bieber. Now, thanks to a joint effort by MLB Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and Budweiser, the White House has a new petition on its hands–to make MLB Opening Day a national holiday.

    The petition, which you can access through the Budweiser website as long as you’re at least 21 years old, or access via the We the People website, was started on Monday. Ozzie Smith and Budweiser will have 30 days from the time the petition was started to get the 100,000 signatures needed for the White House to review the petition. Once the petition receives the minimum number of signatures, the White House is supposed to issue a response.

    The reason provided for making MLB Opening Day a national holiday on the petition page is that Opening Day is a widely anticipated American tradition. Check out the full explanation provided for the petition below.

    MLB Opening Day is more than just the beginning of the season. It’s a symbol of rebirth. The coming of spring. The return of America’s national pastime. It’s a state of mind where anything is possible. You can feel the electricity in the air. Opening Day brings with it the promise of a new beginning. Every fan is in good spirits. It’s a day of celebration. It’s a day of hope. It’s a day that, for generations, has been looked forward to by baseball fans every off-season. It’s an American tradition, and it deserves to be recognized as an American holiday. Join us in our quest to make sure every American can exercise their inalienable right to celebrate the day those two magical words are uttered for the first time: “PLAY BALL!”

    Smith and Budweiser are promoting the petition on their Twitter pages, and judging from some of the responses, people are certainly enjoying the far-off dream that Opening Day, which is on March 31, could become a national holiday.

    “Coming from St. Louis, of course being such a baseball town, it’s sort of an unofficial holiday, Opening Day, so they thought it would be a good idea for Mr. Smith to just take a trip to Washington,” Smith told ESPN. “I don’t know exactly what the odds of success are. With the Budweiser machine behind it, I’m sure that we’ll get the 100,000 signatures.”

    That sounds about right, as the petition is only two days old and already has just under 25,000 signatures. While it is highly unlikely that the White House will act on this petition–as nice as it would be to have a paid holiday to stay at home and watch baseball–it is certainly a good way to drum up interest in the MLB.

    Image via Budweiser

  • Francois Hollande Attends Lavish State Dinner Solo

    Francois Hollande, French President and rumored philanderer, attended Tuesday night’s state dinner with the Obamas all by himself shortly after a very public scandal and break up with his first lady.

    The French President and the Obamas enjoyed an impressive guest list, including actors Bradley Cooper, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mindy Kaling, as well as comedian Stephen Colbert. They also enjoyed entertainment from music legend Mary J. Blige, according to AP.

    Of the scandal, Ben Jealous with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People spoke with admiration saying, “I think the French are way cooler than we are on a whole lot of fronts,” he said, including “way better gossip.”

    The place was not only host to a line of celebrities, but also a large group of corporate leaders, including Merck & Co. Chief Executive Officer Ken Frazier, Viacom Inc. CEO Philippe Dauman and Elon Musk, co-founder of electric-car maker Tesla Motors, Inc.

    Hollande is here for a number of reasons involved with repairing chilly relations between France and America, one of those being business and investment, according to Bloomberg.

    He is flying to California today to attend a private lunch with the likes of Facebook, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, Google, Inc. Chairman Eric Schmidt, Elon Musk, and many other leaders of Technology and Internet Companies.

    “This economic recovery in the United States is an opportunity for Europe, but it also is an example to be followed” when it comes to innovation, Hollande said at yesterday’s news conference. “That is precisely the meaning of my visit to the Silicon Valley.”

    The French economy is the fifth largest in the world and has really struggled over the past two years. Unemployment is at a 16-year high and France’s gross domestic product grew only around 0.2 percent in 2013.

    The European Commission is hopeful that growth will expand 0.9 percent this year, and will hopefully increase 1.7 percent in 2015.

    Hollande said he wants to promote innovation as a way to spark the French economy.

    “There comes a point where, after an ordeal, you have to be stronger than you were before the ordeal, before the crisis,” he said. “You need to be able to mobilize more strength, more energy.”

    Obama stated during his ovation,

    “We’ve stood together for our freedom for more than 200 years. And tonight I again want to pay a tribute to President Hollande for the principles of leadership and personal friendship and courage that he has shown on the world stage.”

    Hopefully, as things move along here in the U.S. during Holland’s visit, relations can continue to mend between these two world powers.

    Image via wikimedia commons

  • Elizabeth Hurley Denies Affair Rumors

    Elizabeth Hurley Denies Affair Rumors

    Sorry Monica Lewinsky … it looks like you weren’t the only one sneaking around with the former president Bill Clinton. Accusations of another mistress have surfaced, although she completely denies the claims.

    Elizabeth Hurley allegedly had an ongoing affair with Clinton, during his time in office. However, she says that it never happened. So, here we are again … did Clinton have sexual affairs with this woman? According to Hurley’s ex-boyfriend actor Tom Sizemore, they did and he says that he knows this for a fact.

    Sizemore, who was known for his role in Saving Private Ryan , can be heard on an audio recording, that was released by the British tabloid The Globe, talking about the alleged affair, describing, in detail, the things that Hurley had confessed to him.

    In 1998, during a screening of Saving Private Ryan at the White House, Clinton supposedly asked Sizemore if he had dated Hurley and if he was still seeing her. When Sizemore said that he did, Clinton proceeded to ask for Hurley’s number, call her, and set up a time for her to fly on a private plane to the White House.

    After their rendezvous, Sizemore asked Hurley details about the White House, and if Hillary gave them any problems. “I asked her, what was it like there?…I said was Hillary Clinton a problem? And she said ‘No, they sleep in different bedrooms,’” Sizemore revealed.

    Despite Sizemore’s admission, Hurley remains firm in saying that she did NOT have an affair with Clinton. She took to her personal Twitter page to address the rumors saying, “Ludicrously silly stories about me and Bill Clinton. Totally untrue. In the hands of my lawyers. Yawn.”

    Image via Twitter

  • White House To Host Maker Faire This Year

    White House To Host Maker Faire This Year

    Every year, Make magazine hosts Maker Faires in San Francisco, Detroit and New York. The events attract people from all over the world to show off their latest engineering and artistic creations. For those who can’t make it to the three main Maker Faires, local groups host their own in places like Luxembourg, Rome and Tokyo. Starting this year, the White House will be joining their ranks.

    The White House announced this morning that it will host its own Maker Faire in 2014. While no stranger to hosting events that celebrate the sciences, this will be the first time the White House has hosted an event that focuses on makers – young and old.

    So, why is the White House suddenly interested in hosting a Maker Faire? It says that Joey Hudy – the kid that made the marshmallow cannon – inspired the administration to host a Maker Faire after Hudy handed Obama a business card that said, “Don’t be bored, make something.” The administration will be using this, alongside the hashtag #IMadeThis, as a rallying cry for the upcoming Maker Faire.

    While the Maker Faire is not exclusively about 3D printing, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few at the White House later this year. The administration has heavily invested in 3D printing as the future of manufacturing, and the hobbyist-built 3D printers are some of the best being made today. The White House would love to highlight these 3D printers as further proof that America is leading the charge in new types of manufacturing.

    There’s no specified date yet for the Maker Faire, but the White House says it will take place later this year. If you want to participate, you can send an email to maker@ostp.gov with the details of your invention.

    Image via The White House/YouTube

  • Justin Bieber Deportation Petition Gaining Steam

    You think you’re sick of the Biebs? Well, a group of dedicated Americans is working to have the Canadian pop sensation deported back to the Great White North.

    The petition was filed on the White House website, which hosts petitions for citizens looking to advance a cause, or just rid the country of drunk-driving Canucks who write bad love songs. The petition makes its aims very clear:

    We the people of the United States feel that we are being wrongly represented in the world of pop culture. We would like to see the dangerous, reckless, destructive, and drug abusing, Justin Bieber deported and his green card revoked. He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nations youth. We the people would like to remove Justin Bieber from our society.

    While the petition to kick Bieber out of the U.S. most likely started as a joke, it has become very real due to having collected over 100,000 signatures. Unfortunately for the Biebs, 100,000 is the point at which the petitions are required to come under presidential consideration. That’s right, on top of the economy and bipartisan bickering President Obama now has to worry about whether to earn the disdain of every pre-teen girl in North American and beyond.

    All joking aside, the success of the petition is quite remarkable when looked at beside other petitions that have been filed on the site, which include calls for everything from the legalization of illegal drugs like Marijuana to a presidential pardon for wikileaker Edward Snowden.

    Bieber’s recent arrest for drunk driving surely hurt his side of the debate. If the arrest ends up affected the visa that allows him to be in the states then the petition may prove to be a moot point for true Bieber haters.

    [Image via CNN on YouTube]

  • Deport Justin Bieber Petition Gets Counter Petition

    The “Deport Justin Bieber” We The People petition has topped 100,000 signatures, which means that technically, the White House has to respond. But as unlikely as it is that the pop star will actually be booted back to Canada, a counter petition has been started on the site claiming that Bieber doesn’t deserve the treatment he’s getting after being arrested for drunkenly drag racing in California.

    Bieber, who is underage, was arrested on January 23 for DUI; the incident followed several run-ins with the law, including one in which they obtained a search warrant to enter his home during a vandalism investigation (he was accused of egging a neighbor’s home) and found cocaine, which allegedly belonged to Bieber’s pal Lil’ Za. The rapper was arrested at that time, and Bieber was let off the hook. But his antics of late have caused the once adoring-public to tire of his headline-making ways, and the petition didn’t take long to garner enough signatures to be looked at by the White House.

    Created on January 25, the counter-petition states, “Stop Justin Bieber from getting deported. He is a human being and he makes mistakes. He does not deserve this. The whole idea of Justin Drew Bieber getting deported, is completely unfair. He doesn’t deserve this…. With your help, we can stop it. He’s human. He’s not perfect. The media sees the bad side of him. Please. He’s saved so many lives. Including mine. A lifesaver, Shouldn’t deserve this.”

    Unfortunately for Bieber’s fans, the new petition only has 1,745 signatures so far. Just 98,255 to go.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • State of the Union Address, GOP Responses All Streaming Live on YouTube

    State of the Union Address, GOP Responses All Streaming Live on YouTube

    At 9pm EST, President Obama will address the nation for the fifth time and tell us that the state of our union is strong (that’s what they all say, right?). And whether you’ll be nodding your head in agreement or shaking it in frustration, you can watch it live on YouTube.

    In fact, YouTube has a full slate of SOTU content tonight. This includes a handful of GOP responses as well as specific coverage from a variety of news outlets.

    “Tonight at 9 p.m. ET, President Obama’s fifth State of the Union address will stream live on the White House’s YouTube channel, followed by the Republican response by Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers on Speaker Boehner’s channel. Senator Mike Lee will deliver the Tea Party response and Senator Rand Paul will offer remarks as well. Several of our news partners will also share their coverage of the event on YouTube, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Young Turks, and NowThis News,” says YouTube’s Brandon Feldman.

    The first pups are ready for the big speech.

    Political insiders say that you can expect the President to tackle a variety of issues tonight – many of which shouldn’t be all that surprising. The 2014 SOTU address should mention immigration, income inequality, and the situation in Afghanistan.

    Image via White House, Twitter

  • Michelle Obama and LeBron James Team Up in Videobomb

    We all know that Michelle Obama has a playful side. After all, who can forget when the First Lady did the “Dougie” dance with some students or the time she did the “Mom Dancing” video with Jimmy Fallon? This time, however, Michelle has outdone herself by joining forces with LeBron James to videobomb his Miami Heat teammates.

    Members of the Miami Heat took a trip to the White House to work with the First Lady on her “Let’s Move!” campaign, which is an effort to encourage healthy eating habits and exercise in kids. The NBA has worked with Michelle Obama on the campaign in the past and also sponsors NBA Fit, a program that offers advice on exercise and nutrition.

    Everyone knows that James is an avid videobomber–he and Dwyane Wade made headlines for videobombing Heat teammate Chris Bosh just last month–but Michelle? Apparently she has some videobombing skills herself. While Wade and Ray Allen were being interviewed, Michelle and James did a little videobombing that included the First Lady doing a slam dunk.

    Check out Michelle’s skills below.

    The video has been viewed almost 1 million times and has earned Michelle the new nickname “Air FLOTUS.” As you can tell from some of the Twitter comments, people are loving seeing the First Lady’s silly side come out again.

    If you enjoyed the Michelle Obama slam dunk video, check out some more of her funny videos below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Prince Harry Gifted Booze from Australian Air Force

    Prince Harry spent a good part of 2013 traveling the world, visiting with leaders or wives of leaders or dignitaries of varying rank. During all of these stops the prince was gifted a variety of unique items as a thank you for his visit. Buckingham Palace recently released a list of the gifts the prince received, along with a notation about the gift givers in each case. Michelle Obama gave Harry a brown leather flying jacket–a thoughtful gift, and probably one the young prince will actually wear. Other U.S. dignitaries, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gave the prince a fleece jacket, and book and a bronze commemorative medal.

    The executive director of a nonprofit youth development program in Harlem gifted Prince Harry with Harlem RBI baseball shirt and two autographed baseballs, and the USA Swimming Team was excited about giving him a blue duffle bag, pair of swimming shorts, pair of swimming goggles, swimming cap, golf balls and two novelty key rings.

    This is how it went pretty much everywhere the prince visited. When he left the country he made a stop in Australia, meeting with the commanding officer of the Australia Special Air Service Regiment. He apparently thought it befitting to gift the young prince some whiskey and a flask in which to carry his booze. Of course it should be mentioned that the flask was engraved. In addition he gave Prince Harry a pair of military goggles, pair of sunglasses, baseball cap, T-shirt, tie, two cup holders and a selection of photographs.

    So what do you suppose the whiskey and the flask were all about? Was it a blatant statement saying Australians know how he spent some time partying in Vegas a year or so ago? Or was it simply as assumption that all Brits like their whiskey and keep it close to them always?

    Regardless of the reason behind the unusual gift, Prince Harry has some funny stories about his travels to share with his friends and future generations of the monarchy for many years to come. They will all, without a doubt, want to visit Australia when roaming the globe after they hear Harry’s tales.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Justice Sotomayor Blocks Birth Control For Nuns?

    In a move that will surely make some people scratch their head, Justice Sotomayor has issued a reprieve a day before the Affordable Healthcare Act would be the law of the land. The government is temporarily prevented from enforcing contraceptive coverage requirements against (wait for it…wait for it…) a group of Denver-based nuns. The Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged for whatever reason expect that area of the Affordable Healthcare Act to apply to their organization.

    A statement released by the White House said that they, “…remain confident that our final rules strike the balance of providing women with free contraceptive coverage while preventing non-profit religious employers with religious objections to contraceptive coverage from having to contract, arrange, pay, or refer for such coverage.”

    In other words if you want to have condoms and birth control pills available to you, they will be. Meanwhile if you’re a nun who no one is expecting to require either of these items for a host of reasons, you won’t be forced to endure the nightmare of health care coverage for them either.

    But it’s not just the nuns who came forward and ask that the law be blocked. Other religious bodies such as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, Catholic University and the Michigan Catholic Conference, have asked for the law and related fines to be delayed while they make their arguments. Government officials are expected to respond by Friday.

    Some individuals religiously and morally object to any form of birth control to the point that they do not want to be reimbursed for any of it; they simply want to avoid paying for it altogether. It should be noted that unwanted pregnancies will cost American taxpayers of all faiths about $11 billion dollars a year. This is apparently no small price to pay to do what you feel is right religiously.

    The idea that persons can opt out of American Healthcare Act by raising a “religious” objection might be a slippery slope. How many Americans who’ve never gone to church a day in their life can suddenly cite first amendment rights to avoid paying for the health care benefits of their employees? No doubt more sensible compromises will be reached. If not, it should set quite the precedent.

    What do YOU think: Was this reprieve given because the groups raise important legal questions or was it religious posturing over a secular law? How should the government respond to circumstances like this?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • White House Extends Health Care Enrollment Deadline by One Day

    White House Extends Health Care Enrollment Deadline by One Day

    Today was the deadline specified by the Affordable Care Act – infamously known as Obamacare – for Americans to enroll in the healthcare marketplaces in order to have insurance coverage by January 1, 2014.

    But in a move that doesn’t surprise many as the entire process has been fraught with not only controversy but several speed bumps along the way, the Obama administration announced on Monday that it will extend the enrollment deadline by one day.

    “Anticipating high demand and the fact that consumers may be enrolling from multiple time zones, we have taken steps to make sure that those who select a plan through tomorrow will get coverage for Jan 1,” Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokeswoman Julie Bataille said in a statement.

    HealthCare.gov has been tweeting updates from its official Twitter account:

    The extension brings to mind the policy on voting days: if you’re in line at the polling location before the cut-off time, you’ll get a chance to cast your vote.

    A White House official told NBC’s First Read: “The deadline is today, but if people are in line, we will make sure they get insurance.”

    White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri said in an interview on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports that consumers need to make sure they’re trying to get enrolled on Monday, otherwise the extension may not apply to them.

    Does the extension apply to consumers in states that are running their own healthcare exchanges?

    The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that officials of California’s exchange – Covered California – were still “working on developing a position.”

    The same sort of confusion exists in Connecticut, another state that is running its own exchange:

    Rhode Island moved its deadline from December 23 to December 31.

    According to NPR’s Julie Rovner Maryland and Minnesota have also extended their enrollment deadlines.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Turkey Pardon: White House Turkey Duel Shocks the Internet

    In a move that might have caused more complaints than the ObamaCare website, the White House announced a competition between two turkeys for the title of National Thanksgiving Turkey. This doesn’t sound bad until you remember that the National Thanksgiving Turkey receives a presidential pardon. In other words, it appears that the losing turkey will end up on the president’s table.

    A White House Hunger Games, as some people are calling it, sounds a little creepy, right? People have flooded Facebook and Twitter with posts slamming the White House for letting people vote on which turkey dies, but things aren’t quite what they seem.

    It’s true that the White House has set up a little competition on their website, just like last year. They have two turkeys going for the title, one named Caramel and one named Popcorn. Each turkey has been given a biography, including date of birth and favorite song. Caramel loves some Beyonce while Popcorn likes Lady Gaga. People who care enough go to the website and vote by clicking a button to share their favorite turkey on Facebook or Twitter.

    That’s cute and all, but the White House goofed up early on–they forgot to tell people on the website that the losing turkey wouldn’t die. The White House goofing up on a website? Talk about déjà vu. That has been corrected now, so everyone who was furious over the Thanksgiving Hunger Games can rest easy. The White House website now includes the following not-so-fine print:

    On Wednesday, November 27th, President Obama will announce the National Thanksgiving Turkey. Both turkeys will be pardoned, but only the American people will decide which bird takes the title. Learn about each bird, listen to their gobble and then make your selection.

    Even though the White House has updated their website, a lot of people still think the losing turkey is going to die and are still venting on Twitter. One can only imagine what this scandal will do to President Obama’s approval rating.

    [Image via Instagram]

  • Idris Elba to Attend White House Screening for “Mandela”

    Famed actor Idris Elba has definitely had a lot on his plate lately. With two films in post-production, one currently filming, and another two in pre-production, it’s safe to say he’s a busy man. However, there’s yet another film in particular that has caught a vast amount of media attention – “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” Elba stars in the Justin Chadwick-directed film as none other than Nelson Mandela, himself. The biopic, which is based on the 1994 autobiography of Mandela, chronicles the South African politician’s life.

    The film starts with Mandela’s humble beginnings in a rural African village to his most memorable moments of triumph, being elected as the first official president of South Africa. While preparing for the initial screening of the film in Johannesburg, Elba was slowed down by a health scare, due to complications of asthma. The “Prometheus” actor suffered a severe asthma attack, while in route to South Africa. Due to the severity of the attack, he was taken off the plan and rushed to the hospital. He ended up missing the Johannesburg press conference as a result of his hospitalization. However, the minor setback didn’t stop him.

    In fact, according to the Guardian, Elba ended up catching another plane out of Heathrow International Airport, arriving ‘just in time’ for the premiere. The British actor was lauded for his performance, receiving Mandela’s approval and high regards from many of his close family members who also attended the private screening. But the pre-screening praises won’t stop here.
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/Mandela_-_Long_Walk_to_Freedom_poster.jpg

    While the Johannesburg screening was first priority on the screening list, it’s definitely not the only one, as there will be two others in the coming weeks. In addition to the pre-screening in South Africa, the film will also be shown at another prestigious location – the White House. The film’s distributor, the Weinstein Company, stated that President Obama will screen the film on Thursday. Mandela’s two daughters, Zindi and Zenani, and Elba, along with his co-star Naomie Harris, will all be in attendance for the prestigious event. Former president, Bill Clinton, will also host a screening for the film, Nov. 20 at the Kennedy Center.

    “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” is tentatively scheduled for international release on Nov. 29, 2013.
    http://youtu.be/hmm-aazQQKA

    Image(s) via Wikipedia | Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom     Wikimedia Commons | Idris Elba

  • Default Porn-Blocking Is Your Hilarious White House Petition of the Day

    It’s been a while since I’ve looked at We The People, the U.S. Government’s online petition site that’s, well, whatever is worse than an exercise in futility. Think of something that could be described as that, and then think of something worse. Then add a shiny layer of platitudes. Ok, now you’re close. The site wasn’t up during the government shutdown, so I kind of forgot it existed.

    But I kid the White House, with love. There have been a couple of moments in the past where the White House has made an important response to a popular petition. Those moments are here and here. That’s it. If you want to take a look at all of the petitions that The White House are ignoring – someone made a whole site devoted to it. There are currently 25 unanswered petitions that have successfully hit the signature requirements, and the average waiting time on those responses is 308 days.

    Because of this, the We the People site is generally used by me (and many others) as a place to find humor. You know, what kind of wacky stuff are people demanding now? Over the past year or so, we’ve seen people ask Obama to recreate a Frozone scene from the Incredibles, make Google keep Google Reader alive, make R. Kelly’s Ignition (Remix) the national anthem, and various Star Wars–related demands. Oh, and some people wanted to secede. That was fun.

    Ok, so now someone has petitioned the White House to block all of our porn by default. You’ve gone too far, M.G. of Greenbrae, California.

    “Require Porn to be an “Opt In” feature with Internet Service Providers rather than a standard feature,” they say.

    In its current state, Internet porn seeks out users by email solicitations and massive amounts of free content throughout Internet browser searches. The average person, even children, can type in the word “cat” or “home” or “soup” and instantly be inundated with offensive and disturbing pornographic images. Parents and individuals have to go to great lengths to install Internet filters that often don’t weed out all porn. We are asking for greater protection and responsibility from Internet Service providers and our country. We are asking that people who are interested in porn should have to seek it and choose it. They should have to “Opt In” for it by making arrangements to receive it with their Internet Service Provider. Everyone else should be free from it and assumed “Opt Out”.

    Meanwhile, this petition concerning NSA leaker Edward Snowden has been sitting well across the threshold barrier, totally ignored, since the summer. Good thing we finally have an official response on what it means to be truly gluten-free…on a petition that never actually crossed the signature threshold.

    It’s clear that the UK-inspired opt-in porn system is doomed to fail. For one, it’s on the We the People site – so that’s reason enough. Also, it’s only on pace to get about 15,000 signatures or so – maybe. That’s not going to cut it, anti-porn crusaders.

    Still, part of me hopes it hits the 100,000 signature threshold. I’d love to see a response, and the day-after headlines. “Obama wants your kids to have easy access to gay porn.” Thank you, We the People, for continuing to amuse me at every turn.

    Image via WhiteHouse.gov