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Radio Xtanima 11-23-09.mp3

Health Care Bill Clears Second Senate Hurdle
Date: Tuesday, December 22, 2009, 5:31 am
By: Erica Werner, Associated Press

WASHINGTON D.C. - (AP) Two down and one to go. The health care bill has passed another 60-vote test in the Senate.

Democrats remained united as they started voting at sunrise Tuesday, pushing toward their goal of passing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul by Christmas.

With not a vote to spare, the Senate voted 60-39 to shut off debate on Majority Leader Harry Reid's version of the bill. An earlier vote to approve a 400-page package of changes that sealed Democratic support for the health care bill also passed 60-39, though only a simple majority was required. No Republicans voted in favor.

With partisan feelings running high, Reid appealed to senators to forgo personal attacks. Democrats must pass another 60-vote test Wednesday before they vote on final passage, expected to come on Christmas Eve.



"I don't know if there's a senator that doesn't have something in this bill that was important to them, and if they don't have something in it important to them, then it doesn't speak well of them," Reid said Monday.

Examples include $100 million to pay the full cost of a Medicaid expansion in Nebraska — home to Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson, the crucial 60th vote for the bill. Another concession, sought by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) exempts roughly 800,000 seniors in Florida from potential benefit cuts by private Medicare Advantage plans.

The 10-year, nearly $1 trillion plan would extend coverage to some 30 million uninsured Americans, with a new requirement for almost everyone to purchase insurance. Subsidies would be provided to help lower-income people do so, and businesses would be encouraged to cover their employees through a combination of tax breaks and penalties.

Unpopular insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with existing health conditions would be banned. Uninsured or self-employed Americans would have a new way to buy health insurance, via marketplaces called exchanges where private insurers would sell health plans required to meet certain minimum standards.

The legislation will make a "tremendous difference for families, for seniors, for businesses and for the country as a whole," Obama said Monday.

The American Medical Association announced its endorsement after Reid made some last-minute changes to please the doctors. A 5 percent tax on elective cosmetic surgery procedures was replaced with a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning services; a proposed fee on physicians to enroll in Medicare was dropped; and payment cuts to specialty and other physicians to pay for bonuses to primary care doctors in underserved areas were also eliminated, said the AMA's president-elect, Dr. Cecil B. Wilson.

"America has the best health care in the world — if you can get it," Wilson said at a press conference with Reid and other leaders. "For far too many people access to care is out of reach because they lack insurance. This is not acceptable to physicians."

Democrats prevailed 60-40 over Republican opposition on the first test early Monday, voting to block a threatened GOP filibuster of a last-minute package of Democratic amendments. Tuesday morning a simple majority will be required to approve the amendments, and then 60 votes to move to consideration of Reid's bill.

A final 60-vote hurdle awaits Wednesday, and final passage of the legislation — requiring a simple majority — is set for late Thursday, Christmas Eve, if Republicans take all the available time. As of Monday they said they would.

"I am willing to stay here. The flight that I have is Christmas morning, and I don't plan on changing that reservation," Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told reporters after a meeting of GOP senators. "We potentially are getting ready to pass a bill that there's no question in my mind is going to lead to huge deficits down the road."

The Senate measure would still have to be harmonized with health care legislation passed by the House before a final bill could go to Obama.

Atlanta rapper T.I. released from Arkansas prison
(AP) –12/22/2010

ATLANTA — Atlanta rapper T.I. has been released from a federal prison in Arkansas and is headed to a halfway house in Georgia.

A lawyer for T.I. said the rapper was released Tuesday morning.

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., last May began serving his sentence of a year and a day for illegal firearms possession and possessing a gun as a convicted felon.

Steve Sadow said his client was expected to report to Dismas Charities halfway house in Atlanta on Tuesday night and will be there for up to three months.

Sadow said Harris "did his very best to adjust to his circumstances" in prison and knew he had to pay for his crime. He said Harris was most looking forward to getting back to his family and being as productive as he can be.



REPORT: Tiger Woods’ Injuries Came From Wife, Not Crash

From the Examiner:

UPDATE, 7:23 PM: A source familiar with the situation tells the Huffington Post that Woods and his wife were arguing about his alleged affair prior to the accident.

UPDATE, 7:18 PM: SportsByBrooks has postedadditional photos of Rachel Uchitel, Tiger Woods’ alleged mistress.

UPDATE, 5:59 PM: Although Woods was scheduled to speak with the police today, his agent told authorities that he and his wife are not available after all. Click here for more.

UPDATE, 3:59 PM: Woods’ alleged mistress, Rachel Uchitel, is considering suing the National Enquirer for defamation, according to TMZ. Clickhere for quotes from Uchitel, including her strong denial that she had an affair with Woods. “We have never had an affair, and the claims we did are completely false.”

UPDATE, 2:59 PM: The AP reports that the Police will release the 911 tapes on Sunday.

UPDATE, 2:53 PM: Click here for photos of Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, driving a Cadillac SUV today.

UPDATE, 1:57 PM: WFTV has obtained photographs of Woods’ damaged vehicle. See them here.

UPDATE, 1:19 PM: TMZ reports that Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, has already changed her story from what was said yesterday about using a golf club to remove Woods from his vehicle.

But we’ve learned Nordegren told a very different story to the Florida Highway Patrol, and it does not involve going back in the house for a club. Our sources will not allow us to be more specific.

Check TMZ for additional details. Click here for photos of the former model.

UPDATE, 9:39 AM: 911 tapes will not be released until Monday at the earliest, the AP reports.

*** SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS ***

UPDATE, 11/28 12:43 AM: TMZ drops a bomb, reporting that Tiger Woods’ wounds came from the hands of his wife, not a car accident:

We’re told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We’re told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV — but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club.

We’re told Woods became “distracted,” thought the vehicle was stopped, and looked to see what had happened. At that point the SUV hit the fire hydrant and then hit a tree.


Read their full report here.

UPDATE, 11:32 PM: Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Kim Montes says “we don’t believe [the incident] is a domestic issue.”

“Right now we believe this is a traffic crash. We don’t believe it is a domestic issue,” Montes said, replying to reporters’ questions. “I don’t know where that is coming from. That has not been told to us.”

UPDATE, 10:59 PM: Scroll down for photos of the accident scene.

UPDATE, 7:14 PM: TMZ reports that “multiple law enforcement officials” say Woods and his wife fought before the car crash. Days earlier, rumors surfaced that Woods was having an affair.

UPDATE, 6:13 PM: Windermere Police Chief Daniel Saylor says that Woods’ wife Elin Nordegren smashed the SUV open with a golf club to get Woods out of the vehicle. Click here for more.

Early Friday morning, pro golfer Tiger Woods was in an accident involving his SUV. As reported earlier, the police report regarding the wreck indicates Woods pulled out of his driveway, struck a fire hydrant, which caused his vehicle to hit a tree.

The incident occurred at about 2:25 a.m. and he was alone in the vehicle. Woods was taken to a hospital, treated, and released later on Friday. At the time, reports indicated he received facial lacerations from the accident.

TMZ is now reporting that a source has revealed that Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, had confronted him about seeing another woman prior to the SUV crash and caused his facial injuries.

The source claims Woods revealed that his wife “scratched up his face.” After the alleged domestic altercation, Woods apparently headed for his vehicle as Elin followed close behind with a golf club. According to TMZ, she struck the SUV several times.


Chris Brown Haters are Outrage As “Good Morning America” Books Chris Brown

From NYPost.com:

ABC has booked Rihanna-beater Chris Brown for an interview and a performance on “Good Morning America” — right after the network canceled guy-kisser Adam Lambert.

Brown will do a taped tell-all with Robin Roberts, followed by a performance of songs from his new album. But TV insiders say the appearance, slated to air the week after next, has outraged feminists and gay activists who wonder why a convicted girlfriend abuser is more palatable to the network than an openly gay man who broke no laws with his raunchy performance on the “American Music Awards.”

An ABC source said, “The network is giving a mixed message — that it doesn’t trust someone who shocked with an unpredictable show and a gay kiss, but then it is happy to go ahead with Chris Brown, who was convicted of felony assault.”

Stop hating on Chris Breezy, before MacMaal put a Chris Brown beat down on you haters...lol