Weekend Update - September 27th

• When facts, truth, scientific date, and plain old common sense doesn't work, how DO you talk to idiots? Mark Morford helps us out.
• We heard just recently that former senator Rick "man-on-dog" Santorum plans to run for president. Oh joy! But it seems that thanks to columist Dan Savage, Santorum has a "Google problem." Apparently when you Google Santorum's name you get, amongst other things, a web site that defines ...well, check it out yourself. We think it couldn't happen to a more deserving homophobic idiot.
• It has been frustrating to watch Republican leaders posture as the vigilant protectors of Medicare against health care reforms designed to make the system better and more equitable. This is the same party that in the past tried to pare back Medicare and has repeatedly denounced the kind of single-payer system that is at the heart of Medicare and its popularity. NYT editorial.
• A woman wakes up in bed and finds her shirt covered with blood. She's bleeding from her nipple, and she rushes to the emergency room. It could have been a tumor the doctor says, but luckily it wasn't. Her insurance company denied her hospital bill because "she should have known it wasn't an emergency." A sad, but typical true story.
• The latest PARANOIA from your friends at the Church of Right Wing Nutbags: Census workers with GPS's! Be sure to watch the video. Will it lead to more of this?
• With admirable calm, President Obama has sought to deflect the supercharged politics of race by expressing his optimism about American attitudes and ignoring the most extreme statements by his critics. For his own sake, as well as the nation’s, he is wise to give a pass to the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. That is not, however, what they deserve. Joe Conason: The Truth About Two Racists - Beck and Limbaugh.
• The ugly side of Evangelical Christianity. (There's a pretty side?)
• “As soon as I heard Bernie’s story, I sensed a kindred spirit,” said Kenneth Copeland. “I received a word in my heart that this man has the skills—I mean spirit, I, I mean Holy Spirit—to become an important part of our ministry.” Yes, dear friends, Bernie Madoff has found Jesus. (I swear I can hear Uncle Bob laughing...)