GOOD MORNING, BLOGTOWN! So lonely inside, so busy out there. And all you wanted was somebody who cares. LET'S GO TO PRESS.

It's Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday today, and also a great day to serve your community. Here's a few good ideas of how you can help out today (and all the time, really).


Thousands of Portlanders attended a rally yesterday to save Obamacare (AKA the Affordable Care Act) featuring prominent state Dems such as Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and more. AND THIS WEEK IS JUST GETTING STARTED. For all the protests that are going down before and after Inauguration Day this week, check out the Mercury's "Resistance and Solidarity" calendar.

And people turned out all over the country as well yesterday to save the ACA, with Democratic leaders (such as Bernie Sanders) asking for our help to mobilize and stop the Republicans from taking health care away from 20 million Americans.

Republican Senator Rand Paul has an idea for a possible replacement for the ACA, but yet again, details are very slim. So maybe he doesn't have anything at all?

Meanwhile Trump says his plan to replace the ACA is almost finished! And it's great! And the best insurance plan ever! (It doesn't exist, does it?)

Donald Trump kicked off MLK weekend in the most Trumpian way possible: insulting civil rights hero and congressman John Lewis.

In other fucking stupid things Donald Trump said this weekend, he also accused CIA Director John Brennan of leaking the "FAKE NEWS!" about his Russian pee-pee exploits.

And he also said that NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is "obsolete." Apparently this dummy will absolutely say anything.

Today in UNNNNGGGGHHHHHH:


Gunfire broke out at an electronic music fest in Playa del Carmen, Mexico this morning leaving five dead and dozens injured.

Here's a surprising something that probably won't shock you: The eight richest people have the same amount of wealth as half of the world's poorest.

Asian American band The Slants (from Oregon!) will have their day in court (the Supreme Court!) this week to trademark their name, which the government says might offend their fellow Asians.

Now let's ponder this WEATHER we've been having: One more cold sunny day with a high of 32, and then rains (and perhaps flooding?) arrive.

And finally, in case ya missed it, here's Alec Baldwin's latest slaughter of Donald Trump on SNL complete with every pee pun you could imagine.