For the next few minutes, I'm going to try really hard to avoid criticizing the "leaders" we elected to represent us in Congress.

Instead, I'd like to share some of the best summaries I've seen of the twin juggernauts that have dominated the early October news cycle -- the launch of the Affordable Care Act and the partisan shutdown of the federal government.

There's a little something here for everyone. Let's let the headlines speak for themselves:

On the shutdown:

• Government shutdown costs $12.5 million per hour (from NBC News)
   
• Absolutely everything you need to know about how the government shutdown will work (from the Washington Post)
   
• How the government shutdown affects taxpayers and tax practitioners (from the Journal of Accountancy)
   
• Tax Court closed during government shutdown; IRS announces no refunds (from the Journal of Accountancy)
   
• Government shutdown Q&A: Impact on IRS and tax administration (from the AICPA)
   
• With shutdown, taxes still due but you can't ask IRS for help (from Forbes)
   
• SEC will keep its doors open … for now (from CFO.com)
   
• Economists assess the impact of a federal shutdown (from the New York Times)

On the launch of Obamacare:

• Web traffic, glitches slow Obamacare exchanges launch (from Reuters)
   
• More Obamacare guidance available (from CPA Success)
   
• Questions abound around Obamacare exchanges (from Accounting Today)
   
• Obamacare: What to expect after Oct. 1 (from Health Insurance Exchange)
   
• Business owners really aren't that obsessed with Obamacare (from the Baltimore Business Journal)
   
• Maryland health exchange experiences glitch in first hours of launch (from the Baltimore Business Journal)
   
• How to navigate the Maryland health exchange (from the Baltimore Business Journal)