In honor of President’s Day, here are some tips on staying healthy and fit from  the most powerful couple in the world:

Presidential Tip #1: Always schedule time for exercise.
You know it’s important, so schedule it like everything else in your life!  You can always find ways to fit it in – Michelle used to work out at 4:30am and Barack starts most days in the gym.  Not even constant traveling deters him; during his presidential campaign, Obama’s aides “arranged workouts for him in several dozen states. The staff called gyms a few days before his arrival and persuaded them to close late or open early to oblige the candidate’s schedule.”

Gyms on campus are usually open pretty early and late, so we don’t have to worry about making special arrangements (or having assistants to do so)! Still feel like you don’t have time? Even if you’re losing a bit of precious sleep, the benefits of exercising probably outweigh the half hour of sleep you might lose (or less if you work out right!). Obama has the same problem with the “trade off  between sleep and working out,” but insists that a workout makes him feel much better throughout the day.

Presidential Tip #2: Don’t let bad habits stop you from exercising.
Did you know that Obama smokes the occasional cigarette when he’s stressed? He knows it’s unhealthy, and he’s practically quit, but sometimes he slips up. Clearly he’s not perfect, and neither are we. If our president doesn’t waste time beating himself for a bad choice every now and then and doesn’t let it deter him from continuing to try and live a healthy lifestyle, we shouldn’t either. Get out there and exercise – forgive and forget your bad habits.

Presidential Tip #3: Plan what you’re going to do beforehand.
Obama has his routine pretty set in stone – 4 days of weightlifting, 2 days of cardio. So when he gets to the gym, he knows exactly what he’s going to be doing. He’s even been spotted following exercises written on a sheet of paper. Why would we go to the gym without a presidential agenda of our own? Having a list ensures you won’t be there all day deciding which muscles to work, which cardio machine you want to use, or how many reps you should be doing. And you’ll feel much better after accomplishing the items on your list!

Presidential Tip #4: Find out what you love and use it to exercise!
Obama loves basketball. While on the campaign trail, he “got in the habit of shooting hoops with friends on the days of primary elections, and that carried over to such major events as his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention…” Clearly, exercise doesn’t have to be all treadmill and free weights. Just find out what kind of exercise you actually enjoy doing and you’ll find yourself wanting to stick with it!

Presidential Tip #5: Work out with friends.
…It’s just more fun that way! Michelle worked out in the wee hours of the morning with a friend, and Barack had some friends fly in to play basketball with him. Having workout partners keeps you motivated and accountable.

Presidential Tip #6: Eat mostly healthy, but don’t feel bad when you slip up.
Michelle’s got our backs on this one! She goes by the 90-10 rule. If 90% of the time you’re eating healthy, don’t feel bad about a relatively unhealthy 10%. The Obama’s live by this mantra – they know sometimes you need to treat yourself! To help maintain this healthy lifestyle, they keep a ton of healthy food around (such as bowls of apples) and only eat out once every few weeks.

Presidential Tip #7: Know why you exercise and let that be a natural motivation.
If you are more aware of the reasons you exercise, you’ll be more likely to continue exercising. Take out a sheet of paper and write down reasons you exercise. How do you feel during? How do you look afterwards? How do you FEEL afterwards? Obama is well aware of his reasoning. He says exercise is his “key to remaining fresh and focused in the face of a punishing schedule.” He also says he uses exercise “to clear my head and relieve me of stress.” Why do you exercise? Post it somewhere you can clearly see and let it motivate you everyday!

And there you have it – a workout fit for a President.
Seriously, if the leader of our country can find time to get fit, so can you.

There are only two things I didn’t do enough in 2008: read about Barack Obama, and drink. And, like any two problems, it turns out you can fix those with a simple drinking game. But I don’t this to be some namby-pamby Johnny-come-lately one-night drinking game. For better or worse, I want this drinking game to last as long as Barack Obama is the president. For the next four years, I want Obama streamed directly into my life. And I want to be really, really drunk.And unless our national situation shapes up soon, you probably will, too. So:

The 2009-2013 Barack Obama Presidential Term Drinking Game.

- Drink every time Obama shoots a three-pointer as a publicity stunt. Drink again if he makes it.

- Drink every time an annoying conservative blogger photoshops Obama in a compromising political situation. Chug if it’s hilarious, like “PHOTO EVIDENCE: HUSSEIN OBAMA SHOWN WITH MINIATURE TALIBAN RADIO TRANSMITTER AND 40 VIRGINS UNDER TURBAN.” Chug and sob if FOX decides that bad photoshops are “news.”

- Drink every time Obama is implied to have planned or caused the following events: the economic crisis, 9/11, the Iraq insurgency, the Pearl Harbor bombings or the assassination of Julius Caesar.

- Drink in celebration every time one of the Big Three auto industries makes a full-featured, attractive, affordable electric car (please get out of the car, first).

- Alternately, take a shot every time one of the Big Three goes bankrupt or gets bought by Toyota.

- Drink every time any senior Democrat says “worse before it gets better.”

- To avoid mass pan-American blackouts, times when Obama says “hope” or “change” will be reduced to one-quarter of a drink each.

- Drink every time Obama pisses off the Russians (missile defense system in Poland, anyone?) Drink again if Putin responds with more shirtless martial arts videos.

- Drink every time Obama is hotter shirtless than Putin anyway.

- Drink whenever Michelle Obama is compared to Jackie O.

- Drink whenever Barack Obama is compared to JFK, and drink to calm your nerves whenever you see him in an open-air venue (was anyone else inexplicably terrified during the election night speech?)

- Drink whenever Obama is shown with any kind of nasty un-Presidential personal technology.

- Drink whenever Obama’s cabinet is described as a “second Clinton administration,” a “throwback,” a “dynasty” or anything similar. Chug if Bill Clinton ends up with an official Obama administration post.

- Drink every time someone paints an Obama mural in a European city.

- Drink a Shirley Temple every time Obama makes a speech in a predominantly Muslim country.

- Take one drink for every point Obama’s public approval ratings fall below 50%. Hopefully, this one won’t kill anyone outright through alcohol poisoning.

- Drink every time the Obama girls don’t get arrested for drunk driving or fake IDs. Heh, heh.

- Pound a few shots if, upon taking office, Obama turns out to be an evil overlord and replaces the Washington Monument with a giant statue of himself. Pound a few more if the statue shoots lasers from its eyes.

- Finally, until the Dow makes it back over, say, 10,000, drink every time you’re able to afford it. Obama might be smiling up a storm in office, but the next four years could be rough.

Print a copy, keep it in your pocket. Be ready whenever, wherever. And play responsibly, yeah?

Beyonce may have more super powers than we thought.

Imagine trying to find pants to fit the world’s longest legs!

Old men have become hot and sexy, according to Kate Winslet.

GM is pimping Barack Obama’s ride.

Tell your guy to hold out on that huge diamond purchase, they will be on sale soon!

Too lazy/exhausted of thinking of your status updates? Use this.

Peru wants to provide the presidential dog. It could be the ugliest dog alive.

Sarah Jessica Parker is the ultimate New Yorker.

Rock these looks for the Fall/Winter 2008.

Wax on, Wax off.

Of course, no celebs are immune to the occasional “what the hell were they thinking?” moment, but for the most part, these celebs look foxy and fabulous and inspire us all to do the same.]

My style idol this week is none other than Ms. Halle Berry, whom I think is one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. You gotta admire the fact that she is 40 years old and a new mom, yet still manages to look phenomenal while playing at the park with her baby, or posing for photogs on the red carpet.

Berry’s got a classic style that puts emphasis on her sex symbol status (and really shows off those amazing…er… assets of hers) without looking trashy or “40 year old who’s trying to relive her 20′s.” With that gorgeous skin tone and megawatt smile, she can wear a variety of colors, which she is adept at. Her shapely legs and perfect cleavage only give her more room to experiment with different cuts and shapes, and her body always looks smokin’, whether making a political statement in jeans and a tee, donning a floor length gown while preggers, or rockin’ a mini dress.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Halle’s been one of Hollywood’s best dressed for years now, and it’s no wonder why: she’s the woman other women want to be, and the one that every guy wants to have on his arm. And on top of it all, she makes it all look so effortless.

A few weeks ago, the Conventions were full of politician life stories; I was once poor, I’ve had some hard times in my life, I come from a small town, I’m just a hockey mom…blah blah blah blah blaaahhh. These would-be presidents and VP’s spend hours convincing us that they understand what it’s like to have bills, to choose between a full tank of gas and certain grocery items, and to raise a family in today’s trying times.

But here’s my question: once you’ve ascended Politician status, are you still really “one of us”?

Like it or not, in today’s society, you can’t run for a big political office without having a lot of money in your pocket, a lot of important friends, major clout, and usually – a big important degree from a big important school (unless, of course, you’re Palin). You dress in the best clothes, you’ve got an entourage checking and double checking everything you say, and all those speeches you give to the American public? Mostly written by someone else. Oh yeah…and the media stalks you. Every day.

Even if these politicians grew up like some of us, are they really still in touch with what makes up the average American? Is it possible that they can remember what it feels like to walk a mile in Everyman’s shoes?

Even my mom can’t understand what it’s like to be a college student today; how is it possible that John McCain or Joe Biden remembers? Just because Sarah Palin is a mother, does that mean that she speaks for mom’s everywhere? Just because she has boobs, does that mean she immediately knows what it’s like to be a young women in say…Virgina?

Honestly, I wish politicians would stop trying to talk down to us (“I’ve been poor and in trouble like you!“) and start telling us in honest, straightforward ways how they’re going to use their position of supreme power to help us. Obama, Biden, McCain, Palin: You’re not the average American. Use that to your advantage.

What’s your opinion? Are they really like us?

Because nighttime is the worst, I tend to be unable to move enough to even change the channel, thus rendering me helpless to my parents’ whims and the oddness this Nation televises every four years: The Democratic Convention.

Politics often mystify me, even though I try to learn as much as I can from a few different outlets, so I was prepared to feel stupid in the wake of so much government and strategy mumbo jumbo (plus, I was taking a lot of pain meds the last three nights…they make the world seem complicated). But instead of feeling like a lame invalid who knows nothing, I felt something stronger rising up in my chest (and no it was not barf) — I felt laughter. Incredulous laughter at the sheer ridiculous of this political phenomenon.

If you haven’t caught the Convention yet — and you really should because stupid or not it is history — let me break down how most of the speeches go:

Democrat (usually a Senator, Senator’s wife, or, if it was last night, the Vice Presidential nominee): I am proud (applause) of being a Democrat (GIANT APPLAUSE) and thanks to all of you (applause) for being such damn good human beings (applause) and believing that this country has turned to sh*t under Republican rule! (GIANT APPLAUSE). Barak (applause) Obama (APPLAUSE) is our future (Applause lasting 5 minutes) and John McCain (boos) loves Bush (GIANT BOOS) and is old (applause) and wants to stay in the old way of thinking. (boos) YES BARAK OBAMA!! (Giant applause and shot of Bill Clinton with his mouth open)

Now, don’t get me wrong, a lot of the speeches are inspiring, but I find the abundance of sheer joy and clapping sounds to be just slightly over the ridiculous line. Add in countless media journalists spending hours turning over the same damn issue (“Will Hillary endorse Obama enough?” “Hillary needs to endorse Obama with spirit!” “If Hillary doesn’t endorse Obama enough, we’ll see those old wounds again…” “Hillary needs to lick her wounds and regroup.” “Do you think Bill Clinton is still pissed off?”), and you’ve got a three hour spectacle that is so full of pomp and pride I had to stop myself from grabbing a handful of meds and stuffing them into my mouth in an attempt to pass out.

I’m sure the Republican Convention will be just as full of redonk as the Democratic one, but you will never be able to convince me that three hours of clapping and blasting 90′s songs effects how individuals see candidates or parties. Maybe Barack will “change” things will his speech tonight, but if people continue to clap every .34 seconds, I’m turning on a rerun of “The Office.”

Every dude’s dream: Pam VS Jessica

Barack is the new Barbie

If girls ruled the internet

Watch Amy Winehouse punch people

What’s Lindsay doing these days?

Dear Jesus: Heidi wants to sing about you

Best cities for jobs in 2008

Ruben Studdard sings about his wife. Sort of

Guess what I’m having at my next pool party?

King Kong: a racist, sexist romp?

Um, did you buy that Louis Vutton from eBay?

DMX…calm yourself

Bye-bye Hillary… As more and more news outlets and political insiders come out in support of Senator Barack Obama as the democratic presidential nominee, pressure is mounting for Clinton to drop out so that the democratic party can turn their focus onto defeating McCain—whom many are calling Bush III.

This week’s Economist led with an article entitled “Almost there: Barack Obama deserves the nomination. It is not yet clear whether he deserves the presidency”. The article went on to state:

“As The Economist went to press, Mrs Clinton was publicly still promising to keep on fighting right the way to the Denver convention. That remains her right. But it is hard to see what she, her party or her country can gain from the struggle.”

The New York Times—who had endorsed Senator Clinton– posted a rather scathing editorial in which all but call upon her to drop out, stating that while it is her right to continue the fight,

“Mrs. Clinton will be making a terrible mistake — for herself, her party and for the nation — if she continues to press her candidacy through negative campaigning with disturbing racial undertones.”

The Obama campaign meanwhile has been wasting no time in capitalizing on the growing anti-Clinton pro-Obama sentiment. Not surprisingly, they are feeding it. On Sunday, David Azelrod, Obama’s campaign manager told Fox News, that,

“we’re coming to the end of the [nomination] process”.

In the opinion of this writer, it is no longer a matter of “if” but rather “when” Senator Clinton will drop out. Over the past year as I have watched her campaign, I have been inspired by her enthusiasm and determination to change this country’s course. It is for this reason, however, that I must add my small voice to the growing chorus calling upon her to move aside. She deserves the nomination, but not now, not like this.

In Other News:

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake has killed at least 9,000 in the western Sichuan province of China. According to Reuters, over 7,000 of the dead were in Sichuan’s Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County where 80 percent of the buildings were destroyed. One in 10 residents were either killed or injured.

Nearby in Myanmar, the official death toll is close to 32,000 and potentially still growing. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sad on Monday that the government of Myanmar’s response to the devastating cyclone has been “unacceptably slow”. He went on to state:

“We are at a critical point. Unless more aid gets into the country very quickly, we face an outbreak of infectious diseases that could dwarf today’s current crisis, I therefore call in the most strenuous terms on the government of Myanmar to put its people’s lives first.”

The first US aid plane landed in Rangoon, Myanmar today along with aircraft fro Medecins Sans Frontieres (trans: Doctors Without Borders) and Medecins du Monde (trans: Doctors of the World)

And Now for Something Completely Different:

The Birds! In Florida last Thursday, an avian-biped collision left one dead and another hospitalized over night. Debbie Shoemaker was apparently swimming near St. Petersburg, FL when a large pelican slammed into her, ripping a large gash in her face. The bird died in the crash and Debbie was taken to a nearby hospital where she required 20 stitches. It is thought that the pelican was diving for fish and simply failed to see the bathing woman.

That’s the News, see you tomorrow!