One of the hot button issues for the past few years that continues to come up from people on all points of the political spectrum is healthcare. And more specifically, healthcare reform.

Many of the presidential candidates have dedicated significant airtime to talking about the issue. Well, of course, except John McCain who says we don't have a problem at all.

BUT, that's not why I'm posting.

So, I just got back from Walgreens where my partner picked up some prescriptions. Last month when he picked up some prescriptions it cost him $245 on my insurance. (My employer has domestic partner benefits so I was glad to get him on my insurance - though my insurance sucks.) Well, his new insurance kicked in so with his new insurance he only paid...

Ok, guess how much he paid? Last month he paid $245 with my insurance. Did he pay $430, maybe $100, or $50.

NOPE. He paid $2! Just $1 as a co-pay per prescription.

Now how does the same prescription cost $245 one month and then $2 the next month. That is seriously flawed.

Sen. Barack Obama recently pledged to prioritize healthcare in his first 100 days - if elected President this November.

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Those that fear for a divided Democratic Party come November should be put at ease after Hillary Clinton's phenomenal speech today to her supporters. What was a very hard fought race that broke limits for women and Blacks shall be remembered as the beginning of a different America.

Hillary's speech was amazing. She ended her campaign very classy and on a very high note. The speech is long but worth every moment. Well done, Hillary!

Onward to November where we will beat McCain and get our country back on track.

I hope you enjoy this new piece of entertainment here at DyerTimes. Every week I'll bring you three new pieces of WOW | MeH | boo. If you have suggestions on what you'd like to be rated on the WMb scale send 'em on over. Enjoy!

WOW:
"The Hills", Brody Jenner, is getting his own MTV series entitled "Bromance." A group of guys will be vying to fill the opening in Jenner's entourage. They will compete in a variety of settings including "group date" and "alone time with Brody." Contestants will be whittled down via "Hot Tub Elimination Ceremonies" after which rejected "bros" will be asked to leave the bachelor pad dripping wet in a swimsuit.

MeH:
Vin Diesel allegedly fathered a child with "girlfriend", Palomo Jimenez. Their daughter was born on April 2. (Which happens to be my birthday) I'm totally over this. What happened to Vin's boyfriend, Sebastian Bonnet?

boo:
Shia LaBeouf proves to the world yet again that he's a drunken frat boy who stumbled upon the screen. "Slap me dawg, slap me, faggot, slap me!"

When given the opportunity make your bitch slap worth it! (The original video just got pulled from YouTube so this is the best alternate I could find.)
UPDATE: Here's the only video of Shia left that hasn't been pulled down from the internet. Enjoy!

Shia LaBeouf really drunk at some party - Watch more free videos

This book is a must read this summer. I've just completed the book and can't stop thinking about it. It's the perfect summer fling book. Longing. Love. The chase. Love unrequited - well, sort of, maybe.

I know what you might be thinking... A silly steamy romance novel with nothing to offer me. The serious reader.

Wrong.

Aciman narrates a beautiful story - a coming out story, a coming of age story, an awakening of love, an epitaph. And it's not all the chase. There is plenty of hot skin-to-skin to compensate you for your time.

The story takes place in the beautiful Riviera (Italy to be exact) in the 1980's in the magnificent home of a Jewish family who's summer tradition includes taking in up-and-coming scholars for the summer. Elio, the Hadyn transcribing genius, can't place his finger on what he hates and likes about Oliver, the 24 year old Columbia student spending the summer with his family. Elio's father, the liberal college professor, just might know what is going on before even Elio. What entails is the beautiful blossoming of first love and all the incredibly painful feelings that often accompany.

RATING: MUST READ

Madonna prepares to divorce Guy Ritchie, hires Paul McCartney's lawyer? Fellow bloggers DListed and Towleroad ran stories last week about Madge's divorce but according to her spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, "Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ritchie remain happily married."

HRC executives (that's the Human Rights Campaign not Hillary) gave over $4300 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign. They also gave Dodd $3000 - John Edwards $750 - Bill Richardson $500 - and Barack Obama $0.

What does gay look like? The Los Angeles Times recently published an article on the researching of "gay traits". No, not the affinity to Barbra Streisand or Rosie O'Donnell but finger length, hair whorls, and penis size. Nothing really new here - except that a lot more lefties are gay. Left handed, I mean.

Billy Crystal outs Jake Gyllenhaal. “He was always performing,” remembers Crystal. “He would sing from South Pacific and we’d all go, ‘He’s gay, he’s going to be gay.’” Jake played Crystal's son in City Slickers when he was 10. You can hear it for yourself In the DVD commentary of the new edition of City Slickers.

The latest viral video to stoke the fires of our upcoming Presidential election. The title may scare some off, "I'm Voting Republican", but most of you will get a laugh from it.

The second unveiling of David Beckham sans clothing happened yesterday in San Francisco. Becks' underwear campaign with Emporio Armani is sure to keep him quite popular in America.

Also recently released is the 2nd picture (of 5) for the campaign. Doesn't everyone workout on the beach in their undies?

Check out the video for the live unveiling.
BEWARE: Shrieking ensues, heavily.

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Senator Barack Obama has decided to forgo public financing of his Presidential campaign. Already John McCain is trying to use this decision to his advantage by calling Obama a 'flip-flopper'. The truth is John McCain refused to participate by conditions to be negotiated by both sides. McCain - like many other Republicans before him - will allow "independent" 527's to raise millions of dollars to run smear campaigns against Obama.

Obama has already asked 527's and PAC's to instead send donors to his campaign and has been successful at putting the brakes on many independent efforts - McCain doesn't wield that same power.

That is one of the reasons that Obama has decided to side with another type of public financing - that of millions of Americans giving what they can. He doesn't accept money from lobbyists or special interest PAC's.

You can hear him in his own words below talking about his decision.

Two great teams - Spain & Germany - will face off this Sunday to determine the victor for the 2008 Euro Championship. The game begins at 1:45 CST. I'll be watching the game with a handful of folks at The Nomad.

Will Michael Ballack lead the Germans to a victory? Can Fernando Torres fill in for injured David Villa and score big for Spain? Check it out for yourself this Sunday!

And, for those of you in the Milwaukee area that are soccer fans the Milwaukee Gay Soccer Association is looking for players and teams for their Summer Coed LGBT League which starts on July 9th! That league will play on Wednesday nights at Estabrook Park. Some spots still available.

The much acclaimed new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, is now in theaters and already there is much buzz about Heath Ledger's performance as Joker. Many folks - including one of my favorite writers, Dan Savage - have claimed that Heath will be nominated and win an Oscar this year.

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