The week the White House launched a website called Reality Check, obviously aimed at the younger “internet set” to voice its side of the story on Obama’s healthcare reform and answer some of the questions that have arisen. This is one of those issues that I’ve heard about all. over. the place. But the sad truth is, I haven’t been listening much, and either have a lot of other people our age. It suddenly occurred to me that I have heard an awful lot about what our parents and grandparents think on the issue, but next to nothing on it from girls like me.

Are you all like me and just not paying attention, or is it just that we aren’t talking it out?

Well here’s your chance, ladies. If you don’t know what’s going on, it’s time to get informed. If you do, well, duke it out. I want to know what you all think.

But first, we all gotta know what’s up. If you’ve been a little lax in your news watching (like me) or if you just love legalese, here’s the official barackobama.com PDF on the healthcare reform plan. Now, if you weren’t patient enough to wade through all of that (because who is?), I’ve slogged through a lot of the recent news on both sides and here’s the gist: Read More »

We’re back with another edition of G.W.W.E. (Guys We Wanna Eff)!

This week, the release of photos of the Obama girls’ new puppy, Bo (So. Effing. CUTE!), had all of America swooning. But there’s another Bo who’s pulling my heartstrings—of course I’m talking about the sublimely funny Bo Burnham, who’s heating up the internet with his musical comedy.

At just 18, Bo has become the epitome of modern celebrity: an internet star who is breaking out big time into film and music. He has deferred his admission from the NYU class of 2012 to travel the world with his one-man “pubescent musical comedy” act, singing songs about everything from race and sex to family matters. He regularly pokes fun at himself in his songs, like in “My Whole Family,” where he laments about his parents thinking he is fat.

You can check out his not-so-innocent ditties on his YouTube channel or on his website, which includes links to his iTunes downloads and Twitter feeds. My particular favorite video of his, which can be found here, features Bo on piano before a large studio audience, where he is introduced by pop star Katy Perry. (Katy, please go back to kissing girls, and leave Bo’s cherry chapstick for the rest of us, okay?)

I actually heard about Bo from a College Candy reader, and immediately after discovering him, I sent links to all my friends (sorry, girls, for harassing you). With his mature-yet-boyish good looks, he’s like the best high school crush I never had. Oh, and did I mention he’s reportedly working on a new film with Judd Apatow? Talent + funny = eff me, please.

March Madness kicks off today with the first 16 teams competing to move ahead, and while one CollegeCandy writer isn’t into the games, everyone else in the world is.

It’s the most exciting three weeks of the year for college sports as the entire country stops everything they are doing (seriously, even President Obama is trying to squeeze some game viewings in between his NATO meetings) to see which college basketball team is the best in the country.

Not into basketball? Well, then it’s an excuse to paint your face and drink beer on a weeknight. Not that you really needed an excuse…

Everyone is buzzing about the Presidente’s NCAA picks (UNC to go all the way?). Do you agree? Who do you think will take the title this year? Let out your school pride in the comments section below!

President Obama is slowly but surely losing support on his nearly $800 billion stimulus plan. Everyone is starting to hate!

Now, I know this is a lot of money he is looking to spend, and I know that everyone is wondering where all this money is going to come from, but we kinda need all the help we can get, no?

I’m not going to pretend I am 100% educated on this plan; when it comes to economics, just the word gives me a headache (I’m a right brained kind of gal). I do know enough, however, to know that this country is in the crapper right now and there are quite a few things this stimulus could really help with.

So, here are a few reasons I’m in full support of Obama’s Stimulus Plan. Bring on the money!

1) I like shopping. I miss shopping. And I think all you ladies out there can agree that the current economy has put a damper on this venture. Even all those great sales are going un-shopped because I can’t even justify a sale purchase. Horrifying, I know. Read More »

Although you probably do not know who Lilly Ledbetter is (I didn’t know until this past week), you should thank her.

For the last ten years of her life, Ledbetter has fought for equal pay rights in the work place for women. After experiencing pay-based discrimination because of her sex (and learning about it through anonymous letters in her work mailbox), Ledbetter filed a complaint of gender discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Making a long story short (however, you should read the whole story over at CNN), President Obama stepped in and signed the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Restoration Act this past week making the fight for women’s rights and equality better upheld through the law.

While I feel gratitude for Ledbetter’s ongoing battle with the Supreme Court and Congress to pass this act that will give women the rights they warrant and money that is rightfully theirs, I know that work is still left to be done.

It may seem hard to believe, but to this day, full-time working women get paid “on average, only 77 cents for each dollar full-time working men get paid,” according to the Wage Project. This happens in every occupation across the nation, and while it impacts women in different ways, the reality of it is that hardworking women with outstanding college degrees lose money in their pockets simply because of their sex.

Think about it. Imagine working at the same place, doing the same job as a man (who has the same degree and amount of experience as you), putting in the same hours, only to find out he is, in fact, making more money than you on an annual basis. How is that fair? It’s not, at all.

But it is reality. Read More »

This week was definitely one that will go down in history. I think it’s safe to say that President Obama will remember this one forever!

Sure he might have botched the oath a smidge, but with a speech like that, who cares? With all the inaugural balls he had to juggle, his Tuesday night definitely topped mine. I must say, both the President and the First Lady looked stunning! This may be the hottest Commander-in-Chief since JFK! There’s a lot riding on Mr. President this term.

There are plenty of things we’d like to see change and it looks like this administration might make it happen.

Other than that, the week was pretty standard. Gossip Girl and The City made their weekly appearances in our living rooms, and I had a quick chat with Brody Jenner. You know, the usual. Maybe I can lure him to be Valentine this year. Ah, wishful thinking. Chances are I’ll spend V-day alone rocking out to jams that I will never admit to listening to. Such is life…

Ok, so we are immature. But, come on; inaugural balls? Juggling? That’s funny!

[Photo and Headline courtesy of CNN]

Last night’s Inaugural Ball was a star studded event, to say the least. With celebrity guests from P. Diddy (or Puff Daddy, or Puffy, or whatever goes by these days) to Faith Hill, President Obama’s Inaugural Ball was one for the books.

When Denzel Washington introduced the President and his wife and they walked in to the traditional “Hail to the Chief,” I got goosebumps! The President and First Lady’s first dance had me crying like a single girl during “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” And her dress!! I want to get married in that dress!

The Inaugural Ball was all glitz and glamour, and as I sat on my couch with my boys Ben and Jerry in tow, all I could do was wish I was there. Wish that I was lavishly dressed in a Jason Wu gown as opposed to my overly-used Hofstra sweatpants, oversized sweatshirt and fuzzy socks. Wish that I was dancing with a successful, handsome man instead of snuggling up to my teddy bear. Wish that I was eating some freakin delicious dinner instead of Ramen. Wish that Beyonce sang a song just for me, instead of me dancing around to her jams in my underwear with my hairbrush. Wish that 1,000 people would come out to celebrate my life, instead of sitting home trying to friend people on Facebook.

But, alas, I am not Barack Obama. Or Michelle Obama. Or any Obama. I was an Obama voter, though. That’s gotta be something, right?

Shortly after taking the oath of office at his inauguration today, Barack Obama delivered his highly anticipated inauguration address. In the speech, Obama pointed out the problems with our country that he now must face as President, focusing mostly on the “badly weakened” economy. President Obama told the people of America:

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.”

As usual, Obama was inspiring and eloquent. I thought the speech really set the mood for the next 4 years to come, and the mood of “change” was definitely in the air. I’m excited to watch Obama fulfill his goals and bring about the change everyone is hoping for.

What about you? What did you think of Obama’s speech?

(And if you missed the speech, you can read the transcript here.)

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. Read More »