Obamapalooza: Only two days left until Barack Obama visits Ottawa

Looks like Ottawa has caught Obama fever. Here’s a round up of blogs and news from around the web today, in advance of his visit to Ottawa on Thursday, February 19. We’re just waiting for Mayor Larry to proclaim Thursday “Obama Day” in Ottawa.

 * 
Kady O'Malley writes about
[
 working in the eye of the Obamastorm
](http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/17/so-this-is-what-its-like-to-work-in-the-eye-of-the-obamastorm-huh/)
.  "The transformation of Parliament Hill into a maximum security staging area is nearly complete," she writes.  "As of Wednesday night, every single person who wants to enter the building will have to be scanned — no exceptions."   There's more: "Outside the front doors,  the bulletproof shield has been installed in the arch under the Peace Tower — at least, we assume it’s bulletproof... The front lawn is now completely encircled by not one but two sets of iron barricades..."
  

  


 * 
DaniGirl writes about
[
 stalking the president
](http://www.google.ca/reader/view/?tab=my#stream/user%2F15744358978056275728%2Fstate%2Fcom.google%2Fstarred)
: "I’m not sure why I’d be willing to stand outside in a massive crowd of strangers in the February cold just to maybe, possibly, catch a passing glimpse of a limo or, under the best possible circumstance, a brief presidential wave… but I would."
  

  


 * 
Pub 101 is
[
 changing the name of their Jägerbombs
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/materialist/archive/2009/02/17/the-drink-obama-mama.aspx)
to Jägerobama on Thursday.  Graffiti's at the Holiday Inn Select in Kanata is
[
 changing over their entire menu to honour Barack
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/omnivore/archive/2009/02/11/obamamania-comes-to-ottawa.aspx)
.
  

  


 * 
Scott Feschuk offers some
[
 briefing notes for Obama on Ottawa and Canada
](http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/17/welcome-mr-obama-and-yes-harper%E2%80%99s-hair-is-real/)
.
  

  


 * 
Maria Cook writes about how
[
 it would be great if Obama could see the inside of the Ottawa
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/designingottawa/archive/2009/02/17/what-ottawa-s-airport-might-tell-obama.aspx)
airport -- except that he'll be arriving via Hangar 11, a separate building.
  

  


 * 
Canadians for Obama lists a bunch of
[
 events and bus travel plans
](http://canadiansforobama.ca/obama-canada-visit.htm)
for Obamaniacs visiting the Nationa's Capital.
  

  


 * 
Some of the
[
 road closure details
](http://ottawastart.com/story/8919.php)
have been released.  Some closures will start as early as 7:30am.
  




 * 
CBC is looking for
[
 your questions about Obama's visit
](http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/02/17/obamacoveritlive.html?ref=rss)
.   National Affairs editor Chris Hall will be conducting a live chat on Wednesday from noon to 1:30pm.
  

  


 * 
The Ottawa Citizen alerts us to
[
 their plans for covering Obama's visit
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/newsdesk/archive/2009/02/17/obamawa.aspx)
, including live blogging, coverage on Twitter, and an invite for readers to send their photos.
  

  


 * 
And finally, Peter Simpson weighs in with a request to
[
 stop calling Barack Obama a rock star
](http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bigbeat/archive/2009/02/17/stop-calling-obama-a-quot-rock-star-quot.aspx)
.