From SportsCrunch: "Here’s the video of President Barack Obama making the first pitch at the 2009 All-Star Game. Before the pitch President Obama said his nerves were getting the best of him."

I often wish I was president (or invisible) just so I could do cool stuff like this.

From BoingBoing: "Here's John Hodgman doing a stellar job at the Radio and TV Correspondents' Dinner, addressing President Obama at the head table on the subject of being a true Nerd President. I was disappointed that Obama couldn't remember the name of the god that Conan worshipped."

Another excellent quote from John Hodgman, "As I've mentioned before, any fantasy baseballist has more in common with someone who dresses as an orc on weekends than an actual athlete, because they are analyzing and processing massive data, and communicating with unknown others on the web"

I received the following email from the people behind Buzzard Bay Brewery and Westport Rivers Vineyard, 2 of my favorite local booze creators. Please contact your state representatives to stop this as soon as possible.

Original email follows:

“The Tax Story behind Beer and Wine

—-

Part I: Taxes levied by our State & the Feds
Every brewery and winery in the United States pays taxes on the beer and wine it produces. Yes, we pay income tax, payroll tax, property tax and corporate tax. But we also pay an excise tax on the production of beer and wine. Very few farmers or producers are required to pay this type of excise tax – but breweries and wineries are one of them.

Beer is taxed: $0.11 per gallon in Massachusetts and $0.23 per gallon federally.
Wine is taxed: $0.11 per bottle MA and $0.21 Feds
Dessert Wine is taxed: $0.11 per bottle MA and $0.31 Feds
Sparkling Wine is taxed: $0.14 per bottle MA and $0.67 Feds

In 2008, Buzzards Bay paid taxes on over 43,000 gallons of beer. Westport Rivers paid taxes on over 26,000 bottles of wine, 2,500 dessert wine and 20,000 sparkling wine.

Between the two companies, we paid over $39,000 in state and federal excise taxes.
(more…)

From Wonkette: "Let’s drink to Change tonight, and Hope, and to a variety of other words and phrases we expect to hear as President Barack Obama makes his first address to a joint session of Congress."

Click here for the rules

As if the president elect didn’t have enough to worry about (Iraq, US economy, what color to paint the oval office…) he mentioned last night on 60 minutes that he planned on leveraging his executive powers to encourage NCAA football to adopt an 8-team playoff bracket to determine the nation’s top college football team. Finally, a political talking point that I’m interested in. Here’s the clip:

A guy at work (thanks Shaun) told me about Amazing Super Powers and I’ve been reading the seriously funny, but even more seriously demented comic strip religiously ever since. Click the image below to read the whole thing. Also, be sure to mouse over the comic… sometimes the alt description is even funnier than the strip.

“…its got a Hummer limo inside of it where they’re shooting a Jay-Z video…” classic!

If this was real, I’d totally vote for McCain. Actually, I think someone should write a Rambo-esque screenplay starring McCain and call it “McCain”. I’d vote for that!

PS. In case you missed it, I’m now hooked on Onion Video.

Everyone’s heard of the “Sports Illustrated Curse.” If you haven’t, basically a bunch of people that have appeared on an SI cover have had some sort of unfortunate incident immediately after the issue’s release (2 examples: Nomar’s split tendon & Mo Vaughn’s 0-14 slump in the 1995 playoffs).

Well, it looks like one SI cover that doesn’t doom is the Swimsuit Issue. According to some, the S&P 500 performs better when an American is featured on the cover. Its comforting to know that, as this country braces for a recession, a topless Marisa Miller of California can raise the hopes of so many.

(Editor’s note: this post was an obvious attempt to end the drought of hot bikini chicks on LiveManly.com)

Uncle Sam’s about to send an extra $600 your way. Here’s how we think you should spend it:

4 bottles of 1998 Dom Perignon: $590.36

Rent a 1959 Cadillac Convertible for 1 day: $595

72 shares of Playboy stock: $598.32

5.8 Cu. Ft. Stainless-Steel Kegerator: $599.99

Apple iPhone plus 3 months activation: $578.97

Polaroid 32″ LCD HDTV: $599.99

XBox 360 with extra controller, 12-month Live subscription and 3 games: $599.97

If none of these options appeal to you, maybe you should put the money away for a rainy day… a rainy day at a strip club.