For all the handwringing about Health Care Reform, it looks like the law is starting to have a positive effect on people’s lives. According to the Wall Street Journal:

The number of small businesses offering health insurance to workers is projected to increase sharply this year, recent data show, a shift that researchers attribute to a tax credit in the health law.

Many small businesses, however, remain opposed to the law. Some small businesses are benefiting from portions of the law, which includes a tax credit beginning this year that covers as much as 35% of a company’s insurance premiums.

According to a report by Bernstein Research in New York, the percentage of employers with between three and nine workers and which are offering insurance has increased to 59% this year, up from 46% last year. The report relies on data from a September survey by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.

This strikes me as especially significant in an economy characterized by high unemployment, a situation that naturally reduces the need for employers to provide new incentives to find good workers.

Our guest columnist this afternoon is Martin Avila, the Lawson for Congress campaign manager.

In response to numerous queries and enthusiastic feedback, the Lawson for Congress campaign confirms that its latest radio and TV ad is indeed narrated by actor Morgan Freeman. The ad with Freeman’s distinctive voice, titled, “What is David Price Afraid Of?” can be viewed at [Note: Video offline].

The ad addresses how 22-year incumbent David Price, who votes with Nancy Pelosi more than any other Congressman, has gone on the attack with his quarter-million dollar TV ad campaign instead of standing behind his voting record of bailouts and increased deficit spending. The Freeman-narrated Lawson ad is a stark contrast to the Price campaign’s current TV ad, which uses exaggerations, lies and distortions in attempt to shock voters, rather than talking about the issues.

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It’s looking very likely that we’ll have to live with this the next six years. Tune in tonight at 7pm ET for our Election Night Open Thread/Clone Wars and find out!

Can I make it any clearer?

They also do How Mountain Girls Can Love – best bluegrass song ever.

The pressing question is whether a drunken, joyous San Francisco will have an effect on turnout, thus allowing eMeg and Carly an unearned advantage.

What is not a question? Timmy Lincecum is the man. As are the other boys on your World Champion San Francisco Giants. Big congrats to Stinque’s very own SanFranLefty — enjoy, dear.

Our little Taiwanese animator friends nail the Yellow Peril Casting Call commercial. We, for one, welcome our new Panda Overlords.

[via Fallows]

“I have another question, the most popular name in the United Kingdom, Great Britain, this was in the news this week, was Mohammed. Am I a racist to feel that I’m alarmed by that? Because I am. And it’s not because of the race, it’s ’cause of the religion. I don’t have to apologize, do I, for not wanting the Western world to be taken over by Islam in 300 years?” [ThinkProgress]