President Barack Obama meets with senior advisors in the Oval Office, Jan. 8, 2013. Attending, from left, are: Kathryn Ruemmler, Counsel to the President; Mike Froman, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics; Chief of Staff Jack Lew; Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett; Counselor to the President Pete Rouse; Nancy-Ann DeParle, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy; Senior Advisor David Plouffe; and Director of Communications Dan Pfeiffer. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
congrats lamh!!! I’m SUPER excited about coming to Mardi Gras in Feb!!! It will be my first time and I’m going to use the Vegas saying that what happens in NO stays in NO!!!
cograts LadyTNT on 1rst….. Chipsticks I dont know if you saw the last thread, but if you could RT or post the Jstreet link http://t.co/ntlGS4pt about Sen. Hagel, its for a good cause. For everyone who texts or signs their petition supporting Sen. Hagel, they will send bagels to food pantry’s to feed the homeless.
Oh and I almost forgot. Thank your posting this picture, do not know if you already knew this, but the front page of the NYtimes has a B.S. story about PBO supposedly skewing gov. posts towards men. Its written by Annie Lowrey who is the wife of Ezra Klein.
I heard about that article on Twitter. A BS story indeed. The obsession with this President is reaching but ridiculous heights! It’s as if the media goes to bed and wakes up with PBO solely on their minds. What will the media do in 2017?
amen. good article, and very hopeful conclusion. also, there’s no mention of hawaii’s two new senators, both of whom are to the left of akaka and inouye. they’re not ‘powerhouses’ but they’ll be solidly probama, and solidly dem.
CALLING OUT THE HYPOCRISY OF REPUBLICAN PARTY “NO VOTES” ON HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF
I am not a big fan of Ed Schultz, but he is doing something right now that should be done on every important vote in congress. He is calling out the Republicans in the House of Representatives who were perfectly happy to ask for funding in their states when they needed it but have suddenly decided that they just don’t support Hurricane Sandy relief for the Northeast states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. This has been the problem for the last four years. The obstructionists in the House of Representatives and the Senate voting against the common good and not paying a price.
A man reads in the paper of a white gorilla in a zoo far away. He decides that he just has to see it. The journey will be a long and arduous one but he simply cannot resist. He sets out on his trip and travels by car to the docks, and catches a boat across a huge ocean. After weeks of sea travel he arrives at the other side and takes a train to the zoo.
When he sees the white gorilla he can’t believe his eyes, it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. He simply must get a closer look, so he goes to the zoo manager and begs to be allowed into the gorilla’s cage.
After much arguing the man finally persuades the manager to let him in to the gorilla’s cage, but before he does he tells the man that whatever he does he must not under any circumstances touch the white gorilla. The man agrees and is led to the cage.
He tiptoes into the cage and is amazed, the gorilla is even more beautiful close up than it was from a distance. The white gorilla just sits quietly and looks at the man. After a while the man gets use to being so close to the gorilla and it seems so peaceful and calm that he starts to think that there can’t be any harm in touching the gorilla. He slowly moves closer and closer to it, all the time the white gorilla just looks calmly at him. He reaches out his arm and gently touches the gorilla.
Just as his arm makes contact the gorilla jumps up and starts roaring. The man turns and runs to the exit, getting there just before the gorilla. He leaps through the door and the keepers slam the door just in time.
The gorilla pulls at the door and to the man’s horror the bars start to bend. The man runs out of the zoo and to the train station and jumps on the train, which as luck would have it is just leaving. He glances back and can see the gorilla chasing after the train, but not gaining on it. The train arrives at the docks and the man quickly scampers aboard the boat.
The boat leaves and the man thinks he’s safe at last. He relaxes and starts to enjoy the leisurely cruise back across the ocean. The day they’re due back in port he’s walking on deck when he sees a small shape in the water trailing behind the boat. He can’t make it out so he borrows a pair of binoculars from someone. He focuses the binoculars on the small shape and is horrified to discover that it’s the white gorilla, swimming behind the boat. It must have been there all along.
The boat then arrives in port and the man hurries through customs and rushes to his car. He drives off just in time to see the gorilla climbing out of the ocean from his rear view mirror. He drives as fast as he can to his house and runs in locking the door behind him. All the time being followed be the huge white gorilla. The gorilla starts pounding on the door and having seen what it did to the cage at the zoo the man knows it won’t take it very long to get in. He runs from room to room trying to think of a place he can hide. He hears the door shatter and dives into a wardrobe and pulls the door closed behind him. Outside the gorilla is going mad trying to find the man, he’s ripping things up and tearing out doors. Finally he comes to the wardrobe the man is hiding in and rips the door off. The gorilla sees the man and smiles, reaches out a massive hand and gently touches the man and says…
According to Josh Sugarmann, the executive director of the Violence Policy, the NRA has been one of the players at the forefront of this push. Sponsored by leading gun manufacturers, the NRA has a program called Life of Duty specifically intended to recruit veterans and law enforcement officials into the NRA. Through these sponsorships, members of the military and law enforcement can sign up for a free membership to the NRA and receive discounted prices on guns and other armor. “It’s not just that the NRA has targeted veterans or law enforcement in the U.S., but they are doing it with the [gun manufacturers],” said Sugarmann. “And that’s the key thing, because they are doing it to target a new market primarily for assault weapons.” The NRA did not return calls for comment.
In addition to marketing these weapons directly to military personnel, the gun companies have started using military imagery in advertisements for weapons that were, after all, designed for the battlefield. Shooting Industry Magazine wrote in July, the same month of the Aurora shooting, “Another major influencing factor of gun ownership is America’s modern military veteran. There are hundreds of thousands of dads, brothers, uncles, wives, sisters, aunts, cousins and extended family and friends, who served or are serving in Iran and Afghanistan. They are respected and admired. They carried firearms to protect our country. That factor, that imagery, has had a huge positive impact on how firearms are viewed in our country.”
The White House has said for the first time it is possible that no US troops will remain in Afghanistan past 2014, as President Hamid Karzai arrived in Washington for talks with Barack Obama.
Ben Rhodes, a top US security official, told reporters the administration was still considering a range of options.
///
When asked whether the US was considering a “zero option” for a residual force after the end of the US combat mission in 2014, Mr Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told reporters: “That would be an option that we would consider.”
“The President does not view these negotiations as having a goal of keeping US troops in Afghanistan,” Mr Rhodes said, adding the US’ position would be guided by the “two goals of denying a safe haven to al-Qaeda and training and equipping Afghan National Security Forces”.
Most foreign combat troops, including Americans, will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. There are currently about 68,000 US soldiers in the country.
Chalk one up for the gun control crowd? A spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence said Tuesday that his group had scared freshman Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) off of her tough criticism of the White House gun violence task force.
The group ran newspaper ads on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. and North Dakota, two days after Heitkamp went on television to express serious concerns about gun control ideas the White House was reportedly considering in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. school massacre. A spokesman for the group said the ads worked.
“She got the message,” Ladd Everitt, spokesperson for the CSGV, told TPM. He said the 48 hours since Heitkamp went on TV showcase a new, more aggressive tactic by gun control advocates to push politicians to back its agenda.
[snip]
Heitkamp, who has an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, told This Week the article concerned her.
“I think you need to put everything on the table, but what I hear from the administration — and if the Washington Post is to be believed — that’s way, way in extreme of what I think is necessary or even should be talked about,” she said. “And it’s not going to pass.”
That perked up ears at the CSGV, which wants new gun laws passed in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting. The group ran a series of ads Tuesday calling Heitkamp out for criticizing the president’s plan.
“Shame on you, Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) for telling the country on Sunday that the Obama Administration’s response to Newtown — which may include universal background checks and a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines — is ‘extreme,’” the ads read.
Everitt said the ads show a more aggressive gun control community that has the clout and the momentum to take on politicians who oppose it, much in the way the National Rifle Association does against politicians who have expressed interest in new gun regulations. And, he says, the ads got results. Moving forward, Everitt said, a lot more politicians can expect the Heitkamp treatment if they take on gun control.
I love this. Those who proudly tout their “A” rating should be held to account for encouraging the passage of laws that have facilitated the death of hundreds of thousands of people – innocent people and babies. They’ve limited the ability of the ATF to have full authority to even inspect gun dealers, use computers to conduct analyses and comparisons, talk between agencies, and even have an ATF Director! They’ve pushed greater gun access into bills that the President needed to sign to pay troops or fund the wars, and now they are trying to use that against him. They’ve consistently valued the rights of gun owners to own deadly guns and brandish them at will, but can dare to say that measures to fight for the rights of six years old and sixty year olds to live out their natural lives shouldn’t even be talked about, as Heitkamp had the audacity to spout? They are despicable. And those “A” ratings should be reviled like a badge of dishonor.
hGrover Norquist: Idiot Terroristttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/28/1165335/-Grover-Norquist-Idiot-Terrorist via @dailykos
this is from Nov 2012 love the app discription of norquist, and he was saying same thing I guess he said today that Congress should allocate the President money monthly or as needed. OMG
I actually don’t have a problem with it. The Tea Party has done a lot of damage to this country, and those freshman tea party congresspeople should be called out from the beginning for what they stand for. Considering that the Tea Party was formed the same year that taxes were lowered, and were screeching about being “taxed enough already”… a bunch of dangerous fools.
Considering that President Obama is the one who’s wound down one war and working on winding down the other – and resisted calls for wars with Iran, etc., those same cowboys will also have President Obama, himself, to reckon with…
Sadly Theo even Dems like Granholm are guilty of buying into the whole thing about giving everyone else credit for good, smart stuff President Obama does or is doing…
I just want you to know that I drove past the National Mall tonight on my way home and the city is looking real purrty for y’all. PBO, the VP and Family will be really proud of how great things look for the Inauguration!
Oh, how lovely to have someone within our family who can pass on this wonderful news. This is so awesome, Donna dem 4 obama!!!! And just think of it all, you had a Big part of these moments to come for our POTUS and VPOTUS. Yes, We Did It Again!!! HZ
I am clearing my kitchen and now texting my brother to tell him how special he is to me and others. No more time for RM. Will not listen to those who think that this is their last time to shit all over POB.
Not this time. POB is not playing with anyone. This crap is not moving him, and neither his true supporters. You are so right, DF. “again with the bullshit.”
I am sipping on my “medical glass of wine” at the moment and the sounds of ” Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis. A classic. POTUS loves this one as well.
DF, put your feet up and enjoy your evening. You need your rest for the beautiful young minds tomorrow. Have a great time with your student. ((((((((( Lots of hugs for you, my dear one))))))))))))HZ
Love you, sweet HZ:) You always put a smile on my face….I don’t listen to them either. Can’t stand it. It seems to me like they are so unappreciative. Of anything. Of everything. As far as RM, the vast majority of the House thinks that she is an abomination because she’s gay and should rot in hell. PBO believes that she not only deserves to reach her highest potential as a human being on this Earth, but moves her forward (thank goodness!) I can’t stand the bitching from the RW wackjobs and I can’t stand the bitching, moaning and constant complaining from the LW wackjobs either! They’re all corporate whores as far as I’m concerned and line their pockets from the constant “outrage” they cook up for the masses. She’s smart enough to know better. Last time I checked, PBO wasn’t a damn dictator with a fucking magic wand. I wish! Well, I don’t wish for the dictator part, but the magic wand sure does sound good.
Anywoo….you made me smile about drinking your “medicinal wine” Yeah, that’s what I’ll call mine from now on (yes…I know it’s good for you:) My grandparents used to tell me that they were drinking “medicine” when they were sipping their Canadian Club every night 🙂 It wasn’t until I got older that I “got it”
Miles Davis…good taste. Classic. For a classy woman with good taste. Perfect.:)
My little ones seemed like they grew 6 inches after the vacation. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, it happens this time of year, every year. They aren’t babies anymore…but wonderful youngsters. I just love them. And mine….OMG. He’s so smart and adorable. He makes me proud.
{{{{{HZ}}}}}}} Hugs for you, and thanks for the good advice, as always. You are a jewel.. You are much loved here.
Thanks HZ and DF for your righteous rants! RM and all the other so called progressive bullshiters are despicable. As my granny would say, they are two-faced! Their only advantage over us is that corporate media gives them a platform and amplified microphones to trash the President. Thankfully, more and more sane and pragmatic people are tuning them out.
Yes, HZ, I would rather listen to Miles Davis while sipping a glass of Pinot Noir and reading an interesting book instead of listening to Maddow or Matthews bashing the President.
Nath, it is very nice to regroup with that bunch. I refuse to allow them to steal my joy these next four years. Jazz, a little opera, classic piano, and a nice smooth glass of wine or a hot cup of peppermint tea, and the heck with all of them. My president has my ear to help him move on.
Take care, my dear friend. I hope you had a very nice holiday celebration, nath.HZ
My sweet dear one, thank you. I am very mellow and enjoying the sounds.
I love you for being in the classroom with those precious ones. Yes, I do recall those lovely growth days after returning from vacation. Each inch represented a little more homework for them from me. “My gift for your beautiful growth.” They would always laugh and give me those sweet smiles. Love those days.
Keep up your strength and laugh a lot with them.(((((Thank you for all that you do, my dear one))))))))HZ
Thanks yardarm. Nice. Do you have “Cornbread” Lee Morgan. I think you would love that one as well. A little “Chick Corea, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs,” and lastly “Miles Davis Acoustic.” I am mellow and smooth right now. Enjoy yardarm. You are the best.HZ
Never heard of jazzonthetube.com but it looks to be all kinds of awesome sauce, Yardarm. Love that Hank Crawford clip. I subscribed to the site. Your basement is da bomb dot com. 🙂 By the way, I gave my stepdad, “The Golden Thirteen” for Christmas. He loved it. He was in the Navy; went to Vietnam and was the only AA in his group of enlisted service members (naturally). He called me earlier this evening to tell me he took it to his poker game to show off to his poker players (who are all white). All were impressed and unaware of these 13 individuals’ historic accomplishments. Thanks for that recommendation also!
Good one shoes. Tell your Dad that I was the first AA instructor in the Electronics Technician School in Great Lakes in ’63 and one of its first students in ’58. That ought to shake things up a bit, eh?
Rachel isn’t looking at the big picture. Barack Obama is trying to contain the power of the military-industrial complex. He has found in Chuck Hagel the best ally possible at this time. The best mix of knowledge, real life experience and temperament to push back against the neocons, the Israel lobby and the defense contractors.
Rachel will like the guy in a few months, when he will push back hard against attacking Iran. Mark my words.
Exactly! Besides, Hagel is not a neo-con and he apologized for his past stances on gay rights. If Bill Clinton can be forgiven for DADT and DOMA, why can’t Hagel? Also, this is an internal fight within the Republican Party. Opposing Susan Rice was one thing, but the GOP is fighting one of their own with Hagel.
Yep, Rachel will end up liking him. In the meantime, I think I’ll pass on TRMS for awhile. I refuse to encourage her emoprog tantrums. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve got my own life issues to contend with. I don’t need pundits setting off alarms where they are unnecessary. All of this would make sense if Obama was actually a bad President. He isn’t and everytime these idiots predict disaster, it never comes.
Bob Bauer left almost year ago, 2 years after his wife was replaced by @pfeiffer44 as Comm. director. Bob was the OFA campaign lawyer, and his wife Anita Dunne, was part of the debate prep team. Go back to the healthcare ruling picture released you see Ruemmler http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/8341864472/in/set-72157632418300447/
Oh Lisa I had hit reply to Audrey, and was searching through flickr for a photo I had remembered. And by the time my reply posted 8 minutes later, 5 other people had already responed w/o my knowledge, and wordpress just put it behind you. Hope that clears up any confusion.
Seriously? This is the kind of crap you post about someone you have no damn clue about? Someone who has been doing her best and serving her country? Someone who worked her ass off to make sure ObamaCare passed. This is the kind of gossipy, disgusting crap you bring to a place like this when posting for the first or second or however many times? Shame on you.
She has been the lead counsel since mid 2011. I have never read anything about her “having affairs”. May I ask, where are you getting such information?
I doubt her alleged affair has anything to do with her accomplishments as a lawyer nor does it affect her in her current post as WH counsel, and if this allegation is true, obviously PBO doesn’t really care. If your objections are to her morals, that’s fine because its your opinion, if you worry about her alleged loose morals in terms of her proximity and intentions towards PBO, let me assure you, you have nothing to worry about. Also, in defense of Ms. R, even alleged husband stealing cheaters are patriots and good Americans too ie: Bill Clinton. I don’t care much for him ( it has nothing to do with his sexcapades) but he’s a good American who does whatever he must in order to serve this country, as, I assume is Ms.R.
Please, spare us the crap and can your BS. You come here to malign the character of someone you personally know nothing of based on internet rumors. Give me a freaking break. 🙄
Why not provide a link to the info you based your allegations on? I am sorry, but I find your comment to be totally reprehensible! You have no business going on a public site to trash the character and integrity of another human being who, I take it, you do not know personally, based on unsubstantiated rumors. And the fact that you may have “posted here for years” does not absolve you from coming here to trash an individual, who also happens to work for the President, based on nothing but rumors. I am sure you would not appreciate it if someone decided to trash your character on a public blog based on rumors.
Chips, In my opinion this is a despicable comment that does not belong on this place! Audrey has absolutely no business coming here to trash the character and reputation of, Ms. Kathryn Reummler, the WH counsel, without providing any legitimate evidence. I am sorry, but Audrey’s comment repulsed me!
If these allegations were true, who cares? Now if Ms. Reummler is involved with government corruption, that’s another story. Once again, we’ve got people digging up dirt on Obama and still coming up with nothing.
Not that it has any bearing on her ability to do her job, but there does not appear to be any credible basis to this rumor.
If there is, you should post it. The burden should not be put on others to support your claim.
Here’s what we do know from credible sources:
“In 2006, she delivered the government’s closing argument in the trial of former Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, both of whom were convicted. She returned to Latham in 2007, this time as a partner, before again moving to the DOJ.”
Do I have to be concerned that Bret Baier of Fox News is following me on Twitter? I’m like duuuuuuuuude…..I am waaaaaaaaay left of everything you stand for.
Maybe its good for your @Klout score………..silver lining? BTW we were on the same wavelength on the dumb WH counsel question. I was trying to drop some knowledge re:ACA…. and you TOD had already gone to town before I was done!
HAHA, pretty much. Its for peoples self-inflated egos in some cases, but it does keep track of your twitter activity and responses in the internet ether. If your life depends of social media exposure, then it can help w/ jobs,advertising, etc. http://klout.com/home
Yeah….it’s much easier for him to focus on Sandy than on how his policies have favored the wealthy and screwed over students, women, people who need healthcare services, the middle and working class. Let’s just say he’s screwed over everyone who isn’t the 1%.
Well said! I did notice he got a new haircut for the State of the State. I actually liked it. Looked like a new suit, too. He must really want the job to be freshening up his appearance like that. Ha!
My thoughts exactly, UT. He’s making a lot of noise “on behalf of” the people of New Jersey, the same people to whom he’s been rude and obnoxious and whom he’s been screwing over for years. I don’t buy it. The same spending cuts that he was touting two months ago with Romney and Paul Ryan – and the rest of the GOP – would result in the same cuts to critical programs that would have a similar disastrous effect on people’s lives, just like Hurricane Sandy, but more permanent. They screech about spending on this occasion, but tomorrow, will complain about spending for someone else’s emergency – just like we’re seeing from the GOP today. This is who they are, and Christie’s pretending he’s not a member of that same party.
Hey prettyfoot! Did he mention talking with Gov. Deval Patrick? Apparently, Barney Frank wants the job too. Have any of these folks had the decency to talk with Gov. Deval Patrick before they go blasting their ambitions out to the world? Methinks THAT would be the honorable thing to do. Especially since Gov. Patrick is the one that makes the appointment….
That video gave me goosebumps. Both her and her husband have seen their lives shattered and yet, they demonstrate incredible determination and courage.
Anniebella, everytime I see Gabby and Mark, I just give thanks for the miracle. They are such an deep inspiration to me. I do believe that they are going to bring forth something good out of all of this. I have faith. She is another brilliant and loving spirit. (((((((((( Strength, courage, and wisdom))))))))) to them for all of us. Let us to remember to lift them up in our prayers and meditations.HZ
Absolutely breaks my heart listening to this. Yet, I have to feel that there is something good that is going to come out of this with Gabby and her husband. So many tears and I hope that their movement, however they do it becomes world spread.
I am so proud of and for President Obama and Vice-President Biden and their re-election.They have worked long and hard and they are a terrific team. I am pleased to know that they are our leaders. I know that Obama is not the type to rest on his laurels. It is such a happy place for me to see this well-deserving great man in office. He and Joe are so smart, savvy, cool, and kind. I know that we are in for more treats from them as our beloved leaders. I also love the wives-Michelle and Jill. They inspire me. They look after their men and their children. This country is in such good hands.
Congratulations on first, LadyTNT. I’m so proud of some on the left like CSGV for pushing back against our cowardly dems in Congress. We need their RW talking points like we need another ass attached to our lower backs. I will definitely be throwing some dollars its way to help pay for it’s gun control advocacy. The professor in FL is nuts for pushing the conspiracy theory that PBO planned and implemented the Sandy Hook attack on innocents. I’m hoping that if he has a wife and kids, they’ll push him to seek mental health counseling because he needs it.
How sad. I am watching Dan Rather Reports that gun ranges are growing in Las Vegas. People wait up to two hours to shut guns and of course the big draw is the AK 15. People (men, women, and kids) rent the guns to use at the gun range and it aint cheap. I am amazed so many people from other countries go these gun ranges to shot the guns that are banned in their country. They site video games and guns they see in movies for wanting to shoot these weapons. There is NO wating period in buying an assault rifle in Vegas. This is a sickness thanks to GW Bush for not continuing the assault weapons ban.
I have never held a gun or shot one and I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. I wonder if there isn’t a problem with people who are so dam crazy over guns that it makes them act like a dam crazy person if someone even mention a word about gun control. One thing that professor at FAU proves is that every nut isn’t running around talking to himself, he just might be teaching at FAU.
When I was going through a program in my community through the local police department as part of their community policing program the volunteers in training went to the gun range and we all got an opportunity to shoot the same guns the police use. I do not see the what is so great. I have not touched a gun since and that was almost fifteen years ago.
Some people act as if these guns are a piece of Heaven. So much so that they seem to lose all sense, hollowing about taking their rights away. For anyone who want to own a gun I have no problem with that as long as you go through the right channel to get that gun, but owning these assault weapons, which is just meant to kill lots of people makes no sense at all. And I’m going to say it because it’s how I feel, if the thought of those twenty 6 and 7 year old kids being blown to pieces, those bullets ripping through their tiny bodies, if that didn’t touch your heart, in order to seek some control over owning those assault weapons, those magazines, then you have no heart to touch.
One day an out of work mime is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. Unfortunately, as soon as he starts to draw a crowd, a zookeeper grabs him and drags him into his office.
The zookeeper explains to the mime that the zoo’s most popular attraction, a gorilla, has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mime accepts.
So the next morning the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before crowd comes. He discovers that it’s a great job. He can sleep all he wants, play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime. However, eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on tires.
He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience, he climbs to the top of his cage, crawls across a partition, and dangles from the top to the lion’s cage. Of course, this makes the lion furious, but the crowd loves it. At the end of the day the zoo-keeper comes and gives the mime a raise for being such a good attraction.
Well, this goes on for some time, the mime keeps taunting the lion, the crowds grow larger, and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the furious lion, he slips and falls. The mime is terrified. The lion gathers itself and prepares to pounce.
The mime is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally, the mime starts screaming and yelling, “Help, Help me!” but the lion is quick and pounces.
The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says, “Shut up you idiot! Do you want to get us both fired?”
educating ourselves about the weapons we want banned or controlled is not a bad idea–specific concerns apply to particular weapons.
‘You do not need to know the physics of how armor-piercing bullets work to have an opinion about whether they should be legal for civilians to buy. But having a basic knowledge about how these guns work is a good thing. Here’s a GIF guide to some of the weapons gun control advocates would like to see banned. ‘
Off topic and late to the party, but…..I just saw Lincoln tonight. Had a private viewing, the only one in the theater. I’m late to see it because of all that went on in my family after Thanksgiving, etc. But, I was determined to see it…..It is the most magnificent film I have ever seen! It just went totally through me…..searing me. Such truths, so heartfelt……..I truly forgot it was Daniel Day Lewis…..he WAS Abraham Lincoln, and Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens was remarkable……and what a surprise with him at the end of the film.
That is a classic movie, and a message we need to be reminded of right now. Thank you Steven Spielberg for your vision.
In my family, Abraham Lincoln was the third member of the trinity…….one grandfather was from Vermont and one was from Illinois, and Lincoln was as revered as God in our home. This movie did not disappoint, it uplifted.
One time my Vermont grandfather came to visit us in Chicago. Both my parents were busy, and my grandfather wanted to see a Lincoln exhibit at the Chicago Historical Society. He and I (I was about 9 at the time) rode the el from Oak Park to downtown. I remember looking at the exhibits with him, and his great reverence looking at the objects….a rocking chair, his shawl, his stovepipe hat, then in the middle of the room under glass, Lincoln’s death mask. My grandfather stood looking at that for long minutes, with tears in his eyes, something I had never seen before in my grandfather. He even bought me one of those old photographic postcard books that folds up of the exhibit. I had it for a long time to remind me of that special time I shared with my rather formal grandfather. You can tell it is a good strong memory, and Abraham Lincoln is a strong part of it.
Thank you for sharing that powerful memory, carolyn. Lincoln is one of my heroes too. He wasn’t a perfect man, nor a perfect president, but he did the best he could for our country and for humanity every day of his life. (Reminds me of someone…)
carolyn, i haven’t seen the film yet, because i live 50 miles from the nearest movie theater–so i’ll be watching it on dvd at some point. but i have read so many comments that, like yours, show how this film stirred their personal stories to the surface, and brought family history to light. i look forward to this movie so much! thanks for your post.
Thank you susanne for keeping POTUS and family in a relaxing and beautiful space. He looks great and the sun graced his face with such warmth to share with all of us until he returns for another Christmas celebration.
((((((((((((((( You did good, my beautiful friend))))))))))))))HZ
oh, hz, i only wish i’d had some hand in that! 🙂 but it’s true, he looks so much better after playing in the ocean, and enjoying time with his family and friends. the first lady, too– they need their time in hawaii.
aloha oe~
Wonderful story, carolyn. Very touching. I also saw Lincoln this weekend, and was riveted. I also felt like Daniel Day Lewis really became Abraham Lincoln, and I could see why President Obama loved Lincoln as a role model. They have the same passion, righteous indignation and stillness all rolled into one. It’s amazing that this is the history of the Republicans and Democrats, especially when you see what they’ve become today. It was stunning movie – the audience applauded at the end.
The Chicago Historical Society bldg (now called the Chicago History Museum) is steps away right across the street from me and always has excellent Lincoln exhibits. A few years ago I saw a wonderful reenactment of the Lincoln Douglas debate.
‘ Washington, D.C. hasn’t gotten the grand bargain that poobahs (wrongly) think America needs. But a very useful analysis from Michael Linden and Michael Ettlinger shows how much deficit reduction has already been enacted in a series of smaller deals.
It’s quite a bit of deficit reduction, about $2.4 trillion worth, and just a hair over a quarter of it via higher taxes with the rest coming from lower spending. It would be great to do more if people have more examples of genuinely wasteful spending or of revenue ideas like a carbon tax or slightly higher alcohol taxes that have other social benefits. But don’t let anyone convince you that nothing’s being done. The economic recovery is reducing the deficit, and measures already enacted are bringing further deficit reductions. ‘
A-hem. Ahem! Why are the lights still on in TOD-village? Is there something exciting going on? Energy conservation is a real concern and we can help by turning out the lights at a reasonable time. I can’t believe that so many of you are still up! What’s cooking?
It’s no ‘nice’ then that you guys left the lights on so she can see her way clearly to crawl home. Sure hope she does herself no undue harm with the excessive practice of her new sport.
Hello night owls – I just got home (4pm) and its 38C (c 100F) outside and 41C (106C) inside my house – the aircon will take at least and hour to bring it down inside – so I think I might climb into the fridge – or whatever
Meanwhile I shall take my mind off the heat & read what PBO has been winning today
yikes, 99! i hope you’re not near the terrible fires i’ve been reading about. definitely throw all your ice cubes in the bath tub, fill with cool water, climb in, and drink cool beverages. probably better read a magazine instead of anything electric, though 🙂
Hi 99ts, relax and enjoy. I am reading and listening to some jazz. So I will close with a big thanks to our beautiful Chips for our beautiful space here. I hope we will continue to respect what we have here and enjoy the company of this brilliant family who supports our POTUS and VPOTUS.
We are going to enjoy each day that we are so blessed to take life with gracious hands and handle it with love, compassion, patience, caring for others, praying and meditative hearts on those things that will continue to support POB daily.
Good Night with this for my TOD Family: ” You change the past when you change the way you see it.” Huie.
Have a restful and peaceful night all.
A special shout out to Fred and to Jackie and her sister. (((((((((((( My heart is full with love when I am here with all of you.))))))))))))))
Good Night, Mr. President and our beautiful First Lady. We thank you for bringing all of us together to share your compassion, caring heart, beautiful smile, and brilliant mind.HZ
I keep remembering all the years – as a child – and with my child – saying “good night, sleep tight, sweet dreams” – your lovely thoughts are sent back HZ
having checked briefly on you OWL-ers, I’m going to sign off, as I’m not sure whether I’ll be called for work in a few more hours or not. Sweet dreams!
from bbc, ‘ Ex-Abu Ghraib inmates get $5m settlement from US firm’–
‘ A defence contractor whose subsidiary was accused of conspiring to torture Abu Ghraib prisoners has settled with former inmates for $5m (£3m).
US firm Engility Holdings paid 71 people held at Abu Ghraib, Baghdad, and other US-run prisons, on behalf of L-3 Services, according to a legal filing found by the Associated Press.
~
The Engility settlement marks the first successful effort by lawyers for former Iraqi prisoners against defence contractors in lawsuits alleging torture.
A lawyer for the ex-detainees, Baher Azmy told the BBC’s Newsday programme that each of the 71 Iraqis received a portion of the settlement for suffering “a vast and grim arsenal of torture and abuse”. ‘
His susanne – sorry I didn’t answer earlier – I had to collect Mr 99 from work – and I nearly forgot him – so I left the aircon running & now back to 28C – cooling down
We have local fires – but nothing like the worst that are 1000Km and further south of where I am. The air, does however smell very smokey. it is good to be back home
Yeah 99ts. I meant to ask you about those fires down there. The news here portrays them as quite large and out of control. It’s been dramatized quite a bit here in Chicago.
Hello yardarm – Some areas are devastated – Tasmania (little southern state under the east mainland) gets a lot of summer fires – but these have been much worse than usual. I am in the North East of the Country (Queensland) and fortunately no life threatening fires here – and somewhat cooler than in the south (rather unusual)
That’s good to hear. You be safe there young lady. It’s 2:30 am here so I’m gonna turn in. Chips will be on my butt for signing in late in the morning. But I don’t care. I’m retired…..G’nite.
hi 99
glad you’re away from the fire zone. we have the smell of smoke in the air here quite often, but it’s from the volcano. all natural effects, i guess, and no matter where we live on this amazing planet, there’s no entirely safe place. earthquakes, hurricanes or tornadoes– as gilda radner said, it’s always something!
I live in a flood area – fortunately high up – but we are impacted by same – just our earth’s way of letting us know who is really in charge of events. I do sometimes worry about California – always seems another earthquake is overdue – vocanos seem rather scary – do hope they stay quiet.
just when we were really enjoying elvis’s birthday, here comes tricky dick–now 100 years old!
‘ Disgraced, transformational, polarizing and inscrutable, former President Richard M. Nixon, who died in 1994, turns 100 years old on January 9th, 2013. The architect of the ‘Southern Strategy’, detente, and the opening to China, Nixon is the only president to resign from office. ‘
Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol and his neocon allies went all-in to try to prevent Chuck Hagel from being nominated to be the next Defense Secretary. While the noise and “disgusting” attacks on the former Republican senator have indeed sucked a lot of oxygen in the beltway media and beyond, what really matters is what U.S. Senators think — as Congress’s upper chamber will ultimately decide Hagel’s fate. But it appears that Hagel’s chances of taking Leon Panetta’s job aren’t as bad as the media circus surrounding Hagel’s nomination is making it seem. As it stands right now, there are just five Senators — all Republicans — who have said they would vote against Hagel: Roger Wicker (MS), John Cornyn (TX), Ted Cruz (TX), David Vitter (LA) and Tom Coburn (OK).
Yet the conventional wisdom on Hagel appears to be that his confirmation is in doubt. MSNBC’s Chuck Todd reported on Monday before Obama’s announcement that he knows of at least 10 Democratic senators who would oppose the nomination and that “Republicans look like they’re going to be fairly united in opposition to Hagel.”
But the evidence doesn’t necessarily back that claim up. Along with the high-profile support Hagel received yesterday after his nomination (and throughout the last month), two top Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Carl Levin (MI) said they would vote for Hagel (thus making it more likely that their fellow Democrats will follow suit). And the top Senate Republican saying Hagel should get a fair hearing doesn’t necessarily signify “fairly united” GOP opposition.
All we have to do is remember Chuck Todd is the main one during the election who keep trying tell us that Mitt Romney had a chance of winning this pass election, he is the one who kept telling us that the Democrats were not excited about voting for President Obama, he kept saying the we were not going to show up for this President and he was wrong. And I believe the Democrats in the Senate will do the same, nothing wrong with having questions, wanting to sit down and talk with Chuck Hagel, but I believe in the end they will come through for this President.
I would endorse the last 2 words of your post amk (presumably adding the surname Todd) – I heard chuck (maybe yesterday on morning joe – I do get confused with time around the world) – and he was ranting how the senate was against Chuck Hagel. Chuck Todd has as much validity as the Kristol (of Palin selection fame). They both, get it wrong, all the time.
99ts, Yes they are wrong all the time, and the problem is they don’t admit just how wrong they are. Chuck Todd didn’t. Todd weren’t the only one of them telling us that this President had no chance of winning re-election. And don’t get me talking about those pollsters which were wrong. Number one the so call great Gallup, crap.
I saw that Governor Christie were all over the tv this morning, and I kept turning the channel till I found one without him. Now CBS news were talking about the coming Inauguration and how the excitement is not there like it was the first time in 09, to that I say So. Just trying to rain on POTUS parade. If I could I would be right there. So there won’t be the same size crowd as 08, what matters to me is we will still have the same President and First Lady, the same VP as 09. I bet if Romney had won, no one would have show up but the ones he bus in. And his supporters like Chuck Todd, Luke Russert, David Gregory, and the rest of the MSM. Oh and Beyonce will sing the National Anthem. Good for her, last time it was the First Dance were she sung “At Last”, and this time the National Anthem. Thank our Heavenly Father they didn’t select Meatloaf.
Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor also suppose to sing. Ms. Clarkson were the one who supported Ron Paul. Well at least there was never any doubt who James Taylor supported, from day one it was President Obama.
I guess this is why every hotel room and rental apartment is fully booked in DC and it’s nearly impossible to get a decent restaurant reservation at many restaurants? Maybe it also explains why the inaugural tickets sold out within seconds – before they were even announced? These people are sick and full of lies and have a dark agenda. Don’t listen to them, anniebella – we know the truth. 🙂
1. Roger Wicker – never heard of him.
2. John Cornyn – isn’t he the one who prevented Hillary Clinton from being sworn in on day one? In any case, he is a crazed Republican who has obstructed this country for at least four years.
3. Ted Cruz – absolutely crazy tea bagger who shouldn’t be darkening the halls of Congress.
4. David Vitter – should have resigned in shame years ago, and it’s a blot on the landscape that he’s still a member of the US Senate.
5. Tom Coburn – should be in jail for having facilitated the Ensign debacle.
Really – these people are so below the level of integrity required to even comment on Chuck Hagel’s suitability for any position.
Happy Wednesday! It’s 6:21am here….so, 2 hours? In the summer, it’s 3 hours behind, but since I’m busy freezing my ass off here, I know it’s not summer!
Now, Df, I don’t think it’s a good idea to freeze your nether regions off. All parts of the body have their purpose I’m told. Can’t you find something else to busy yourself with until Ms Chips arrives or it’s time to leave for school? Please try. Coffee drinking is good as a start.
And Christie said it was a “lack of leadership” by President Obama that compromises are not possible in D.C.—–Christie has reverted back to his true, self-serving, disgusting self.
.@GovChristie won't answer @MLauer's repeated questions about whether he would support assault weapon ban.
Report: Obama likely to tap Lew for Treasury as soon as this week
Jonathan Easley
01/09/13 07:38 AM ET
Lew’s likely nomination would come as Washington gears up for a new round of budget fights.…
–
But but but 2 days ago the RNC mocked the President and said their were no Women in his Cabinet, and that’s all the left can talk about and the left consistently gets played by the right and…
The Obama Diary 
me
You
congrats to you on second!!!
And congrats to you on first!
Hello LadyTNT and Hopefruit!!!!!!
Hi Chips!!!! Hope you had a wonderful day!! I’m still at work, but will be getting off soon. Yay!!
Get out of there soon LadyTNT and put your feet up!!!
Definitely!
Hiya Chips! How ya doing? Hope amk is behaving today!
YOU!! 🙂
🙂
yay me!!!!
Chit Chat Away! Congrats LadyTNT! Will there be fireworks tonight?
thanks!
Fifth!!
So close. Dang!
Hope fruit must be seconds behind! Way to be there.
Congrats on first LadyTNT!!
thanks!
3 MORE DAYS AND BACK TO LOUZ-I-ANNA!!!!!
Yeah boy!!!!
Today is my last full day of work. I’m coming in tomorrow to basically help out, but really it’s just cause I gotta turn in my badge and junk
congrats lamh!!! I’m SUPER excited about coming to Mardi Gras in Feb!!! It will be my first time and I’m going to use the Vegas saying that what happens in NO stays in NO!!!
Enjoy that semi-last day tomorrow!
Good Evening Everybodyyyyyyyyy! Does anyone know if the inaugural committee is going to have another concert like the We Are One, I really enjoyed it
I don’t think so:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/no-celebrity-filled-concert-on-the-mall-for-obamas-2nd-inaugural/
Big bummer. I was sure they would have kept the music!!
Probably safety concerns. The gun nuts are in a lather.
cograts LadyTNT on 1rst….. Chipsticks I dont know if you saw the last thread, but if you could RT or post the Jstreet link http://t.co/ntlGS4pt about Sen. Hagel, its for a good cause. For everyone who texts or signs their petition supporting Sen. Hagel, they will send bagels to food pantry’s to feed the homeless.
Done!
Thanks Lovelyplains, will check it out.
Thanks!
Oh and I almost forgot. Thank your posting this picture, do not know if you already knew this, but the front page of the NYtimes has a B.S. story about PBO supposedly skewing gov. posts towards men. Its written by Annie Lowrey who is the wife of Ezra Klein.
I heard about that article on Twitter. A BS story indeed. The obsession with this President is reaching but ridiculous heights! It’s as if the media goes to bed and wakes up with PBO solely on their minds. What will the media do in 2017?
thanks!
I signed! I love J Street!
I do too…
Everyone ought to support them. They really do good work…
I really like this picture because this group of people are most definitely in my President’s corner. They are all so savvy.
I’m grateful. http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/111731/welcome-another-golden-era-liberal-senators#
amen. good article, and very hopeful conclusion. also, there’s no mention of hawaii’s two new senators, both of whom are to the left of akaka and inouye. they’re not ‘powerhouses’ but they’ll be solidly probama, and solidly dem.
CALLING OUT THE HYPOCRISY OF REPUBLICAN PARTY “NO VOTES” ON HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF
I am not a big fan of Ed Schultz, but he is doing something right now that should be done on every important vote in congress. He is calling out the Republicans in the House of Representatives who were perfectly happy to ask for funding in their states when they needed it but have suddenly decided that they just don’t support Hurricane Sandy relief for the Northeast states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. This has been the problem for the last four years. The obstructionists in the House of Representatives and the Senate voting against the common good and not paying a price.
A man reads in the paper of a white gorilla in a zoo far away. He decides that he just has to see it. The journey will be a long and arduous one but he simply cannot resist. He sets out on his trip and travels by car to the docks, and catches a boat across a huge ocean. After weeks of sea travel he arrives at the other side and takes a train to the zoo.
When he sees the white gorilla he can’t believe his eyes, it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. He simply must get a closer look, so he goes to the zoo manager and begs to be allowed into the gorilla’s cage.
After much arguing the man finally persuades the manager to let him in to the gorilla’s cage, but before he does he tells the man that whatever he does he must not under any circumstances touch the white gorilla. The man agrees and is led to the cage.
He tiptoes into the cage and is amazed, the gorilla is even more beautiful close up than it was from a distance. The white gorilla just sits quietly and looks at the man. After a while the man gets use to being so close to the gorilla and it seems so peaceful and calm that he starts to think that there can’t be any harm in touching the gorilla. He slowly moves closer and closer to it, all the time the white gorilla just looks calmly at him. He reaches out his arm and gently touches the gorilla.
Just as his arm makes contact the gorilla jumps up and starts roaring. The man turns and runs to the exit, getting there just before the gorilla. He leaps through the door and the keepers slam the door just in time.
The gorilla pulls at the door and to the man’s horror the bars start to bend. The man runs out of the zoo and to the train station and jumps on the train, which as luck would have it is just leaving. He glances back and can see the gorilla chasing after the train, but not gaining on it. The train arrives at the docks and the man quickly scampers aboard the boat.
The boat leaves and the man thinks he’s safe at last. He relaxes and starts to enjoy the leisurely cruise back across the ocean. The day they’re due back in port he’s walking on deck when he sees a small shape in the water trailing behind the boat. He can’t make it out so he borrows a pair of binoculars from someone. He focuses the binoculars on the small shape and is horrified to discover that it’s the white gorilla, swimming behind the boat. It must have been there all along.
The boat then arrives in port and the man hurries through customs and rushes to his car. He drives off just in time to see the gorilla climbing out of the ocean from his rear view mirror. He drives as fast as he can to his house and runs in locking the door behind him. All the time being followed be the huge white gorilla. The gorilla starts pounding on the door and having seen what it did to the cage at the zoo the man knows it won’t take it very long to get in. He runs from room to room trying to think of a place he can hide. He hears the door shatter and dives into a wardrobe and pulls the door closed behind him. Outside the gorilla is going mad trying to find the man, he’s ripping things up and tearing out doors. Finally he comes to the wardrobe the man is hiding in and rips the door off. The gorilla sees the man and smiles, reaches out a massive hand and gently touches the man and says…
“Tag, you’re it”.
That was terrifying. I’m sure I’ll have lovely dreams about it tonight. Thanks amk! 🙂
Such a terrifying ending, wasn’t it ? 🙂
Good one, amk! Smilling here, good night all! : ))
Sorry, SMILING, it IS 3:00 a.m. : ((
That was so cute!
According to Josh Sugarmann, the executive director of the Violence Policy, the NRA has been one of the players at the forefront of this push. Sponsored by leading gun manufacturers, the NRA has a program called Life of Duty specifically intended to recruit veterans and law enforcement officials into the NRA. Through these sponsorships, members of the military and law enforcement can sign up for a free membership to the NRA and receive discounted prices on guns and other armor. “It’s not just that the NRA has targeted veterans or law enforcement in the U.S., but they are doing it with the [gun manufacturers],” said Sugarmann. “And that’s the key thing, because they are doing it to target a new market primarily for assault weapons.” The NRA did not return calls for comment.
In addition to marketing these weapons directly to military personnel, the gun companies have started using military imagery in advertisements for weapons that were, after all, designed for the battlefield. Shooting Industry Magazine wrote in July, the same month of the Aurora shooting, “Another major influencing factor of gun ownership is America’s modern military veteran. There are hundreds of thousands of dads, brothers, uncles, wives, sisters, aunts, cousins and extended family and friends, who served or are serving in Iran and Afghanistan. They are respected and admired. They carried firearms to protect our country. That factor, that imagery, has had a huge positive impact on how firearms are viewed in our country.”
http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/111720/guns-military-suicide-nra
The White House has said for the first time it is possible that no US troops will remain in Afghanistan past 2014, as President Hamid Karzai arrived in Washington for talks with Barack Obama.
Ben Rhodes, a top US security official, told reporters the administration was still considering a range of options.
///
When asked whether the US was considering a “zero option” for a residual force after the end of the US combat mission in 2014, Mr Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told reporters: “That would be an option that we would consider.”
“The President does not view these negotiations as having a goal of keeping US troops in Afghanistan,” Mr Rhodes said, adding the US’ position would be guided by the “two goals of denying a safe haven to al-Qaeda and training and equipping Afghan National Security Forces”.
Most foreign combat troops, including Americans, will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014. There are currently about 68,000 US soldiers in the country.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20940394
Interesting.
What will Madcow bitch about…..
35th?
AHEM.
Chalk one up for the gun control crowd? A spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence said Tuesday that his group had scared freshman Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) off of her tough criticism of the White House gun violence task force.
The group ran newspaper ads on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. and North Dakota, two days after Heitkamp went on television to express serious concerns about gun control ideas the White House was reportedly considering in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. school massacre. A spokesman for the group said the ads worked.
“She got the message,” Ladd Everitt, spokesperson for the CSGV, told TPM. He said the 48 hours since Heitkamp went on TV showcase a new, more aggressive tactic by gun control advocates to push politicians to back its agenda.
[snip]
Heitkamp, who has an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, told This Week the article concerned her.
“I think you need to put everything on the table, but what I hear from the administration — and if the Washington Post is to be believed — that’s way, way in extreme of what I think is necessary or even should be talked about,” she said. “And it’s not going to pass.”
That perked up ears at the CSGV, which wants new gun laws passed in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting. The group ran a series of ads Tuesday calling Heitkamp out for criticizing the president’s plan.
“Shame on you, Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) for telling the country on Sunday that the Obama Administration’s response to Newtown — which may include universal background checks and a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines — is ‘extreme,’” the ads read.
Everitt said the ads show a more aggressive gun control community that has the clout and the momentum to take on politicians who oppose it, much in the way the National Rifle Association does against politicians who have expressed interest in new gun regulations. And, he says, the ads got results. Moving forward, Everitt said, a lot more politicians can expect the Heitkamp treatment if they take on gun control.
“The era of no accountability is over,” he said.
More here:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/01/coalition-gun-violence-ads-heitkamp.php?ref=fpb
Excellent. I am glad the left is finally starting to learn how to fight effectively. A leaf out of the kenyan muslin’s book.
It’s purely awesome and I hope she wises up to the mess she made her first week in the Senate.
I love this. Those who proudly tout their “A” rating should be held to account for encouraging the passage of laws that have facilitated the death of hundreds of thousands of people – innocent people and babies. They’ve limited the ability of the ATF to have full authority to even inspect gun dealers, use computers to conduct analyses and comparisons, talk between agencies, and even have an ATF Director! They’ve pushed greater gun access into bills that the President needed to sign to pay troops or fund the wars, and now they are trying to use that against him. They’ve consistently valued the rights of gun owners to own deadly guns and brandish them at will, but can dare to say that measures to fight for the rights of six years old and sixty year olds to live out their natural lives shouldn’t even be talked about, as Heitkamp had the audacity to spout? They are despicable. And those “A” ratings should be reviled like a badge of dishonor.
Indeed…
Heidi Heitkamp ought to be ashamed of herself…
A mum who prizes her political ambition over the lives of innocent children isn’t worthy of any support…
hGrover Norquist: Idiot Terroristttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/28/1165335/-Grover-Norquist-Idiot-Terrorist via @dailykos
this is from Nov 2012 love the app discription of norquist, and he was saying same thing I guess he said today that Congress should allocate the President money monthly or as needed. OMG
Today would have been Elvis` 78th birthday. Happy Birrhday Elvis.
How old was Elvis when he died?
42
Thank you DF for answering.
Dude….this is waaaaaaaaaay back in 2011. Old, old, old, news.
old man = old news. oh, well.
Not sure how I feel about this. It’s kind of juvenile thing to do.
I actually don’t have a problem with it. The Tea Party has done a lot of damage to this country, and those freshman tea party congresspeople should be called out from the beginning for what they stand for. Considering that the Tea Party was formed the same year that taxes were lowered, and were screeching about being “taxed enough already”… a bunch of dangerous fools.
Oh I agree about calling them out, but this just seems like kind of a stunt.
I actually agree Mary…
There are more important things we could be doing with the money and time dedicated to this rather lame effort…
Considering that President Obama is the one who’s wound down one war and working on winding down the other – and resisted calls for wars with Iran, etc., those same cowboys will also have President Obama, himself, to reckon with…
Sadly Theo even Dems like Granholm are guilty of buying into the whole thing about giving everyone else credit for good, smart stuff President Obama does or is doing…
It’s absolutely infuriating.
Good evening TOD!
I just want you to know that I drove past the National Mall tonight on my way home and the city is looking real purrty for y’all. PBO, the VP and Family will be really proud of how great things look for the Inauguration!
I am looking “FORWARD” to the Inauguration.
Oh, how lovely to have someone within our family who can pass on this wonderful news. This is so awesome, Donna dem 4 obama!!!! And just think of it all, you had a Big part of these moments to come for our POTUS and VPOTUS. Yes, We Did It Again!!! HZ
OMG, how exciting.
Yeah!!!
Dear God…….again with the bullshit???
I am clearing my kitchen and now texting my brother to tell him how special he is to me and others. No more time for RM. Will not listen to those who think that this is their last time to shit all over POB.
Not this time. POB is not playing with anyone. This crap is not moving him, and neither his true supporters. You are so right, DF. “again with the bullshit.”
I am sipping on my “medical glass of wine” at the moment and the sounds of ” Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis. A classic. POTUS loves this one as well.
DF, put your feet up and enjoy your evening. You need your rest for the beautiful young minds tomorrow. Have a great time with your student. ((((((((( Lots of hugs for you, my dear one))))))))))))HZ
Love you, sweet HZ:) You always put a smile on my face….I don’t listen to them either. Can’t stand it. It seems to me like they are so unappreciative. Of anything. Of everything. As far as RM, the vast majority of the House thinks that she is an abomination because she’s gay and should rot in hell. PBO believes that she not only deserves to reach her highest potential as a human being on this Earth, but moves her forward (thank goodness!) I can’t stand the bitching from the RW wackjobs and I can’t stand the bitching, moaning and constant complaining from the LW wackjobs either! They’re all corporate whores as far as I’m concerned and line their pockets from the constant “outrage” they cook up for the masses. She’s smart enough to know better. Last time I checked, PBO wasn’t a damn dictator with a fucking magic wand. I wish! Well, I don’t wish for the dictator part, but the magic wand sure does sound good.
Anywoo….you made me smile about drinking your “medicinal wine” Yeah, that’s what I’ll call mine from now on (yes…I know it’s good for you:) My grandparents used to tell me that they were drinking “medicine” when they were sipping their Canadian Club every night 🙂 It wasn’t until I got older that I “got it”
Miles Davis…good taste. Classic. For a classy woman with good taste. Perfect.:)
My little ones seemed like they grew 6 inches after the vacation. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, it happens this time of year, every year. They aren’t babies anymore…but wonderful youngsters. I just love them. And mine….OMG. He’s so smart and adorable. He makes me proud.
{{{{{HZ}}}}}}} Hugs for you, and thanks for the good advice, as always. You are a jewel.. You are much loved here.
Thanks HZ and DF for your righteous rants! RM and all the other so called progressive bullshiters are despicable. As my granny would say, they are two-faced! Their only advantage over us is that corporate media gives them a platform and amplified microphones to trash the President. Thankfully, more and more sane and pragmatic people are tuning them out.
Yes, HZ, I would rather listen to Miles Davis while sipping a glass of Pinot Noir and reading an interesting book instead of listening to Maddow or Matthews bashing the President.
Thanks, nath. I’m just SO over the entire lot of them. We have work to do. They need to help or get the hell out of the way!
You are welcome, DF. I agree with you 100%. By the way, good luck on your new semester. Teaching is a noble profession!
Nath, it is very nice to regroup with that bunch. I refuse to allow them to steal my joy these next four years. Jazz, a little opera, classic piano, and a nice smooth glass of wine or a hot cup of peppermint tea, and the heck with all of them. My president has my ear to help him move on.
Take care, my dear friend. I hope you had a very nice holiday celebration, nath.HZ
My sweet dear one, thank you. I am very mellow and enjoying the sounds.
I love you for being in the classroom with those precious ones. Yes, I do recall those lovely growth days after returning from vacation. Each inch represented a little more homework for them from me. “My gift for your beautiful growth.” They would always laugh and give me those sweet smiles. Love those days.
Keep up your strength and laugh a lot with them.(((((Thank you for all that you do, my dear one))))))))HZ
Throw this in with miles HZ:
http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/hank-crawford/dont-cry-baby.html
Thanks yardarm. Nice. Do you have “Cornbread” Lee Morgan. I think you would love that one as well. A little “Chick Corea, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs,” and lastly “Miles Davis Acoustic.” I am mellow and smooth right now. Enjoy yardarm. You are the best.HZ
I’ll see what I can do.
Never heard of jazzonthetube.com but it looks to be all kinds of awesome sauce, Yardarm. Love that Hank Crawford clip. I subscribed to the site. Your basement is da bomb dot com. 🙂 By the way, I gave my stepdad, “The Golden Thirteen” for Christmas. He loved it. He was in the Navy; went to Vietnam and was the only AA in his group of enlisted service members (naturally). He called me earlier this evening to tell me he took it to his poker game to show off to his poker players (who are all white). All were impressed and unaware of these 13 individuals’ historic accomplishments. Thanks for that recommendation also!
Good one shoes. Tell your Dad that I was the first AA instructor in the Electronics Technician School in Great Lakes in ’63 and one of its first students in ’58. That ought to shake things up a bit, eh?
So true. She is trying to destroy Hagel just like the right wing nut jobs.
Rachel isn’t looking at the big picture. Barack Obama is trying to contain the power of the military-industrial complex. He has found in Chuck Hagel the best ally possible at this time. The best mix of knowledge, real life experience and temperament to push back against the neocons, the Israel lobby and the defense contractors.
Rachel will like the guy in a few months, when he will push back hard against attacking Iran. Mark my words.
Exactly! Besides, Hagel is not a neo-con and he apologized for his past stances on gay rights. If Bill Clinton can be forgiven for DADT and DOMA, why can’t Hagel? Also, this is an internal fight within the Republican Party. Opposing Susan Rice was one thing, but the GOP is fighting one of their own with Hagel.
Yep, Rachel will end up liking him. In the meantime, I think I’ll pass on TRMS for awhile. I refuse to encourage her emoprog tantrums. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve got my own life issues to contend with. I don’t need pundits setting off alarms where they are unnecessary. All of this would make sense if Obama was actually a bad President. He isn’t and everytime these idiots predict disaster, it never comes.
** deleted **
Where’d you get that tidbit from?
Bob Bauer left almost year ago, 2 years after his wife was replaced by @pfeiffer44 as Comm. director. Bob was the OFA campaign lawyer, and his wife Anita Dunne, was part of the debate prep team. Go back to the healthcare ruling picture released you see Ruemmler http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/8341864472/in/set-72157632418300447/
Hey lovely plains, I think you meant to post this in response to Audry’s comment. My question was about the veracity of what she said about Ruemmler.
Oh Lisa I had hit reply to Audrey, and was searching through flickr for a photo I had remembered. And by the time my reply posted 8 minutes later, 5 other people had already responed w/o my knowledge, and wordpress just put it behind you. Hope that clears up any confusion.
Seriously? This is the kind of crap you post about someone you have no damn clue about? Someone who has been doing her best and serving her country? Someone who worked her ass off to make sure ObamaCare passed. This is the kind of gossipy, disgusting crap you bring to a place like this when posting for the first or second or however many times? Shame on you.
u said exactly what I was thinking UT
She has been the lead counsel since mid 2011. I have never read anything about her “having affairs”. May I ask, where are you getting such information?
don’t believe we’ve met before. i personally trust whoever president obama choses to be in his inner circle. he’s earned that trust.
Whoa, I was digging up that picture from the healthcare ruling, and see some people have laid down the wood!
Audrey, if what you say is true. It takes two to tangle, so it will be up to the marry men to say yes or no.
If what you say is true.
** deleted **
cara, is that you? if it’s true what they say about you, you really, really should seek professional help before it’s too late.
I doubt her alleged affair has anything to do with her accomplishments as a lawyer nor does it affect her in her current post as WH counsel, and if this allegation is true, obviously PBO doesn’t really care. If your objections are to her morals, that’s fine because its your opinion, if you worry about her alleged loose morals in terms of her proximity and intentions towards PBO, let me assure you, you have nothing to worry about. Also, in defense of Ms. R, even alleged husband stealing cheaters are patriots and good Americans too ie: Bill Clinton. I don’t care much for him ( it has nothing to do with his sexcapades) but he’s a good American who does whatever he must in order to serve this country, as, I assume is Ms.R.
Please, spare us the crap and can your BS. You come here to malign the character of someone you personally know nothing of based on internet rumors. Give me a freaking break. 🙄
Why not provide a link to the info you based your allegations on? I am sorry, but I find your comment to be totally reprehensible! You have no business going on a public site to trash the character and integrity of another human being who, I take it, you do not know personally, based on unsubstantiated rumors. And the fact that you may have “posted here for years” does not absolve you from coming here to trash an individual, who also happens to work for the President, based on nothing but rumors. I am sure you would not appreciate it if someone decided to trash your character on a public blog based on rumors.
Chips, In my opinion this is a despicable comment that does not belong on this place! Audrey has absolutely no business coming here to trash the character and reputation of, Ms. Kathryn Reummler, the WH counsel, without providing any legitimate evidence. I am sorry, but Audrey’s comment repulsed me!
Didn’t see it til now nathkatun7, I deleted both comments.
If these allegations were true, who cares? Now if Ms. Reummler is involved with government corruption, that’s another story. Once again, we’ve got people digging up dirt on Obama and still coming up with nothing.
Not that it has any bearing on her ability to do her job, but there does not appear to be any credible basis to this rumor.
If there is, you should post it. The burden should not be put on others to support your claim.
Here’s what we do know from credible sources:
“In 2006, she delivered the government’s closing argument in the trial of former Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, both of whom were convicted. She returned to Latham in 2007, this time as a partner, before again moving to the DOJ.”
She does the good work and I am grateful for it.
Do I have to be concerned that Bret Baier of Fox News is following me on Twitter? I’m like duuuuuuuuude…..I am waaaaaaaaay left of everything you stand for.
Yikes!
Congrats. You are now famous.
Maybe its good for your @Klout score………..silver lining? BTW we were on the same wavelength on the dumb WH counsel question. I was trying to drop some knowledge re:ACA…. and you TOD had already gone to town before I was done!
I have no freaking clue what a Klout score is. Sounds to me like internet herpes.
I saw a tweet in my early days on the Twitter box: “If you know your Klout score, I’m blocking you.” ‘Nuff said.
HAHA, pretty much. Its for peoples self-inflated egos in some cases, but it does keep track of your twitter activity and responses in the internet ether. If your life depends of social media exposure, then it can help w/ jobs,advertising, etc. http://klout.com/home
Yeah….it’s much easier for him to focus on Sandy than on how his policies have favored the wealthy and screwed over students, women, people who need healthcare services, the middle and working class. Let’s just say he’s screwed over everyone who isn’t the 1%.
yanno UT….with all the gushing over him lately…..it would seem as if some folks have forgotten that…!
It’s a noun, a verb and Hurricane Sandy. Reminds me of a past mayor from a neighboring state.
Well said! I did notice he got a new haircut for the State of the State. I actually liked it. Looked like a new suit, too. He must really want the job to be freshening up his appearance like that. Ha!
My thoughts exactly, UT. He’s making a lot of noise “on behalf of” the people of New Jersey, the same people to whom he’s been rude and obnoxious and whom he’s been screwing over for years. I don’t buy it. The same spending cuts that he was touting two months ago with Romney and Paul Ryan – and the rest of the GOP – would result in the same cuts to critical programs that would have a similar disastrous effect on people’s lives, just like Hurricane Sandy, but more permanent. They screech about spending on this occasion, but tomorrow, will complain about spending for someone else’s emergency – just like we’re seeing from the GOP today. This is who they are, and Christie’s pretending he’s not a member of that same party.
ohhh myyyy Gooooooodness…..Lawrence O’Donell wants to take Kerry’s place in the Senate…wowwwwwww….now i did not see that coming!
Tooooooooooooo Funny!
I can’t believe Lawrence showed Scott brown’s nude photo in Cosmo magazine. 🙂
Oooooooooooooooooooo weeeeeeeeeeeeee……. 😆
Hay I didn’t fine it funny, I think O’Donnell would make a good choice to replace Kerry.
I’m for Lawrence O’Donnell all the way. I’m sure he was just kidding though.
I would prefer Lawrence over Barney.
ohhhh,,,,i thought it was all tongue in cheek…..ohhh my
Hey prettyfoot! Did he mention talking with Gov. Deval Patrick? Apparently, Barney Frank wants the job too. Have any of these folks had the decency to talk with Gov. Deval Patrick before they go blasting their ambitions out to the world? Methinks THAT would be the honorable thing to do. Especially since Gov. Patrick is the one that makes the appointment….
hey Isonnnn,,,HNY
i thought that it was ll tongue in cheek….mercy
Gabby Giffords angry now and working now for sensible gun laws.
That video gave me goosebumps. Both her and her husband have seen their lives shattered and yet, they demonstrate incredible determination and courage.
Thanks for this, Bill. I mentioned it early this morning, and guess who forgot to watch?!
It is a touching video.
Anniebella, everytime I see Gabby and Mark, I just give thanks for the miracle. They are such an deep inspiration to me. I do believe that they are going to bring forth something good out of all of this. I have faith. She is another brilliant and loving spirit. (((((((((( Strength, courage, and wisdom))))))))) to them for all of us. Let us to remember to lift them up in our prayers and meditations.HZ
Absolutely breaks my heart listening to this. Yet, I have to feel that there is something good that is going to come out of this with Gabby and her husband. So many tears and I hope that their movement, however they do it becomes world spread.
I am so proud of and for President Obama and Vice-President Biden and their re-election.They have worked long and hard and they are a terrific team. I am pleased to know that they are our leaders. I know that Obama is not the type to rest on his laurels. It is such a happy place for me to see this well-deserving great man in office. He and Joe are so smart, savvy, cool, and kind. I know that we are in for more treats from them as our beloved leaders. I also love the wives-Michelle and Jill. They inspire me. They look after their men and their children. This country is in such good hands.
here’s another one: ‘the president caved’ becomes ‘the parties found common ground’. i’m really sick to death of the word ‘cave’!!!
Instead of ” Gun Control “……” Public Safety “
That is a good one!
Congratulations on first, LadyTNT. I’m so proud of some on the left like CSGV for pushing back against our cowardly dems in Congress. We need their RW talking points like we need another ass attached to our lower backs. I will definitely be throwing some dollars its way to help pay for it’s gun control advocacy. The professor in FL is nuts for pushing the conspiracy theory that PBO planned and implemented the Sandy Hook attack on innocents. I’m hoping that if he has a wife and kids, they’ll push him to seek mental health counseling because he needs it.
How sad. I am watching Dan Rather Reports that gun ranges are growing in Las Vegas. People wait up to two hours to shut guns and of course the big draw is the AK 15. People (men, women, and kids) rent the guns to use at the gun range and it aint cheap. I am amazed so many people from other countries go these gun ranges to shot the guns that are banned in their country. They site video games and guns they see in movies for wanting to shoot these weapons. There is NO wating period in buying an assault rifle in Vegas. This is a sickness thanks to GW Bush for not continuing the assault weapons ban.
I have never held a gun or shot one and I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. I wonder if there isn’t a problem with people who are so dam crazy over guns that it makes them act like a dam crazy person if someone even mention a word about gun control. One thing that professor at FAU proves is that every nut isn’t running around talking to himself, he just might be teaching at FAU.
When I was going through a program in my community through the local police department as part of their community policing program the volunteers in training went to the gun range and we all got an opportunity to shoot the same guns the police use. I do not see the what is so great. I have not touched a gun since and that was almost fifteen years ago.
Some people act as if these guns are a piece of Heaven. So much so that they seem to lose all sense, hollowing about taking their rights away. For anyone who want to own a gun I have no problem with that as long as you go through the right channel to get that gun, but owning these assault weapons, which is just meant to kill lots of people makes no sense at all. And I’m going to say it because it’s how I feel, if the thought of those twenty 6 and 7 year old kids being blown to pieces, those bullets ripping through their tiny bodies, if that didn’t touch your heart, in order to seek some control over owning those assault weapons, those magazines, then you have no heart to touch.
Where in the hell were their rights?
One day an out of work mime is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. Unfortunately, as soon as he starts to draw a crowd, a zookeeper grabs him and drags him into his office.
The zookeeper explains to the mime that the zoo’s most popular attraction, a gorilla, has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mime accepts.
So the next morning the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before crowd comes. He discovers that it’s a great job. He can sleep all he wants, play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime. However, eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on tires.
He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience, he climbs to the top of his cage, crawls across a partition, and dangles from the top to the lion’s cage. Of course, this makes the lion furious, but the crowd loves it. At the end of the day the zoo-keeper comes and gives the mime a raise for being such a good attraction.
Well, this goes on for some time, the mime keeps taunting the lion, the crowds grow larger, and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the furious lion, he slips and falls. The mime is terrified. The lion gathers itself and prepares to pounce.
The mime is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally, the mime starts screaming and yelling, “Help, Help me!” but the lion is quick and pounces.
The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says, “Shut up you idiot! Do you want to get us both fired?”
Ha!
Where do you GET these, amk?? Love them!! : )))
educating ourselves about the weapons we want banned or controlled is not a bad idea–specific concerns apply to particular weapons.
‘You do not need to know the physics of how armor-piercing bullets work to have an opinion about whether they should be legal for civilians to buy. But having a basic knowledge about how these guns work is a good thing. Here’s a GIF guide to some of the weapons gun control advocates would like to see banned. ‘
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/01/gif-guide-most-bannable-semi-automatic-weapons/60728/
Off topic and late to the party, but…..I just saw Lincoln tonight. Had a private viewing, the only one in the theater. I’m late to see it because of all that went on in my family after Thanksgiving, etc. But, I was determined to see it…..It is the most magnificent film I have ever seen! It just went totally through me…..searing me. Such truths, so heartfelt……..I truly forgot it was Daniel Day Lewis…..he WAS Abraham Lincoln, and Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens was remarkable……and what a surprise with him at the end of the film.
That is a classic movie, and a message we need to be reminded of right now. Thank you Steven Spielberg for your vision.
In my family, Abraham Lincoln was the third member of the trinity…….one grandfather was from Vermont and one was from Illinois, and Lincoln was as revered as God in our home. This movie did not disappoint, it uplifted.
One time my Vermont grandfather came to visit us in Chicago. Both my parents were busy, and my grandfather wanted to see a Lincoln exhibit at the Chicago Historical Society. He and I (I was about 9 at the time) rode the el from Oak Park to downtown. I remember looking at the exhibits with him, and his great reverence looking at the objects….a rocking chair, his shawl, his stovepipe hat, then in the middle of the room under glass, Lincoln’s death mask. My grandfather stood looking at that for long minutes, with tears in his eyes, something I had never seen before in my grandfather. He even bought me one of those old photographic postcard books that folds up of the exhibit. I had it for a long time to remind me of that special time I shared with my rather formal grandfather. You can tell it is a good strong memory, and Abraham Lincoln is a strong part of it.
Thank you for sharing that powerful memory, carolyn. Lincoln is one of my heroes too. He wasn’t a perfect man, nor a perfect president, but he did the best he could for our country and for humanity every day of his life. (Reminds me of someone…)
i recognize that quote 🙂
carolyn, i haven’t seen the film yet, because i live 50 miles from the nearest movie theater–so i’ll be watching it on dvd at some point. but i have read so many comments that, like yours, show how this film stirred their personal stories to the surface, and brought family history to light. i look forward to this movie so much! thanks for your post.
Yes, thanks carolyn for your moving comments.
Thank you susanne for keeping POTUS and family in a relaxing and beautiful space. He looks great and the sun graced his face with such warmth to share with all of us until he returns for another Christmas celebration.
((((((((((((((( You did good, my beautiful friend))))))))))))))HZ
oh, hz, i only wish i’d had some hand in that! 🙂 but it’s true, he looks so much better after playing in the ocean, and enjoying time with his family and friends. the first lady, too– they need their time in hawaii.
aloha oe~
Oh, my. What a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing that with all of us.
Wonderful story, carolyn. Very touching. I also saw Lincoln this weekend, and was riveted. I also felt like Daniel Day Lewis really became Abraham Lincoln, and I could see why President Obama loved Lincoln as a role model. They have the same passion, righteous indignation and stillness all rolled into one. It’s amazing that this is the history of the Republicans and Democrats, especially when you see what they’ve become today. It was stunning movie – the audience applauded at the end.
The Chicago Historical Society bldg (now called the Chicago History Museum) is steps away right across the street from me and always has excellent Lincoln exhibits. A few years ago I saw a wonderful reenactment of the Lincoln Douglas debate.
HZ as requested – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ4lKfAUhCI
Yardarm, you are the best. That is the one. One of my favorites. Thanks for posting it. I am sure Dudette will also appreciate it.
((((((( Lots of notes of Kindness to you, Yardarm)))))))HZ
You got it!
with excellent chart:
‘ Washington, D.C. hasn’t gotten the grand bargain that poobahs (wrongly) think America needs. But a very useful analysis from Michael Linden and Michael Ettlinger shows how much deficit reduction has already been enacted in a series of smaller deals.
It’s quite a bit of deficit reduction, about $2.4 trillion worth, and just a hair over a quarter of it via higher taxes with the rest coming from lower spending. It would be great to do more if people have more examples of genuinely wasteful spending or of revenue ideas like a carbon tax or slightly higher alcohol taxes that have other social benefits. But don’t let anyone convince you that nothing’s being done. The economic recovery is reducing the deficit, and measures already enacted are bringing further deficit reductions. ‘
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/01/08/we_ve_already_done_2_4_trillion_in_deficit_reduction.html
A-hem. Ahem! Why are the lights still on in TOD-village? Is there something exciting going on? Energy conservation is a real concern and we can help by turning out the lights at a reasonable time. I can’t believe that so many of you are still up! What’s cooking?
hey, vc–we’re always tiptoeing around at this time of night. did we wake you up? 🙂
‘Lo Susanne. I should say ‘yes’, except that I hadn’t gone to bed yet. 😆 I was yakking on the phone and time got away from me.
sounds like fun! welcome to the night shift–just don’t tell mom!
The brothers were Smooth! Thanks Susanne for sharing. Brings back lots of memories. I am glad I am always here for the “night-shift.”
I think Chips is off “body surfing” again somewhere. 😆
It’s no ‘nice’ then that you guys left the lights on so she can see her way clearly to crawl home. Sure hope she does herself no undue harm with the excessive practice of her new sport.
Let us pray. She’s gonna show up in the morning talkin’ smack you can bet! 😆
It’s SO nice then…. 🙄 I’m definitely off to bed.
Cuomo to push for assault weapons ban-
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/09/nyregion/cuomo-to-propose-more-expansive-ban-on-assault-weapons.html?hp&_r=0
Hello night owls – I just got home (4pm) and its 38C (c 100F) outside and 41C (106C) inside my house – the aircon will take at least and hour to bring it down inside – so I think I might climb into the fridge – or whatever
Meanwhile I shall take my mind off the heat & read what PBO has been winning today
yikes, 99! i hope you’re not near the terrible fires i’ve been reading about. definitely throw all your ice cubes in the bath tub, fill with cool water, climb in, and drink cool beverages. probably better read a magazine instead of anything electric, though 🙂
Hi 99ts, relax and enjoy. I am reading and listening to some jazz. So I will close with a big thanks to our beautiful Chips for our beautiful space here. I hope we will continue to respect what we have here and enjoy the company of this brilliant family who supports our POTUS and VPOTUS.
We are going to enjoy each day that we are so blessed to take life with gracious hands and handle it with love, compassion, patience, caring for others, praying and meditative hearts on those things that will continue to support POB daily.
Good Night with this for my TOD Family: ” You change the past when you change the way you see it.” Huie.
Have a restful and peaceful night all.
A special shout out to Fred and to Jackie and her sister. (((((((((((( My heart is full with love when I am here with all of you.))))))))))))))
Good Night, Mr. President and our beautiful First Lady. We thank you for bringing all of us together to share your compassion, caring heart, beautiful smile, and brilliant mind.HZ
God bless and keep you sweetheart, you are such a lovely, lovely soul…
sweet, sweet dreams, hz!
I keep remembering all the years – as a child – and with my child – saying “good night, sleep tight, sweet dreams” – your lovely thoughts are sent back HZ
any ‘old’ elvis fans still up? check out these elvis gifs from buzzfeed:
and of course rock a hula baby!
many more here:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/12-gifs-to-honor-elvis-presleys-birthday
having checked briefly on you OWL-ers, I’m going to sign off, as I’m not sure whether I’ll be called for work in a few more hours or not. Sweet dreams!
Ta-ta!
GN
night vc!
from bbc, ‘ Ex-Abu Ghraib inmates get $5m settlement from US firm’–
‘ A defence contractor whose subsidiary was accused of conspiring to torture Abu Ghraib prisoners has settled with former inmates for $5m (£3m).
US firm Engility Holdings paid 71 people held at Abu Ghraib, Baghdad, and other US-run prisons, on behalf of L-3 Services, according to a legal filing found by the Associated Press.
~
The Engility settlement marks the first successful effort by lawyers for former Iraqi prisoners against defence contractors in lawsuits alleging torture.
A lawyer for the ex-detainees, Baher Azmy told the BBC’s Newsday programme that each of the 71 Iraqis received a portion of the settlement for suffering “a vast and grim arsenal of torture and abuse”. ‘
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20953889
His susanne – sorry I didn’t answer earlier – I had to collect Mr 99 from work – and I nearly forgot him – so I left the aircon running & now back to 28C – cooling down
We have local fires – but nothing like the worst that are 1000Km and further south of where I am. The air, does however smell very smokey. it is good to be back home
Yeah 99ts. I meant to ask you about those fires down there. The news here portrays them as quite large and out of control. It’s been dramatized quite a bit here in Chicago.
Hello yardarm – Some areas are devastated – Tasmania (little southern state under the east mainland) gets a lot of summer fires – but these have been much worse than usual. I am in the North East of the Country (Queensland) and fortunately no life threatening fires here – and somewhat cooler than in the south (rather unusual)
That’s good to hear. You be safe there young lady. It’s 2:30 am here so I’m gonna turn in. Chips will be on my butt for signing in late in the morning. But I don’t care. I’m retired…..G’nite.
sleep well, yardarm!
Time she understood we retired folks don’t do early mornings
Make that Hi
hi 99
glad you’re away from the fire zone. we have the smell of smoke in the air here quite often, but it’s from the volcano. all natural effects, i guess, and no matter where we live on this amazing planet, there’s no entirely safe place. earthquakes, hurricanes or tornadoes– as gilda radner said, it’s always something!
I live in a flood area – fortunately high up – but we are impacted by same – just our earth’s way of letting us know who is really in charge of events. I do sometimes worry about California – always seems another earthquake is overdue – vocanos seem rather scary – do hope they stay quiet.
just when we were really enjoying elvis’s birthday, here comes tricky dick–now 100 years old!
‘ Disgraced, transformational, polarizing and inscrutable, former President Richard M. Nixon, who died in 1994, turns 100 years old on January 9th, 2013. The architect of the ‘Southern Strategy’, detente, and the opening to China, Nixon is the only president to resign from office. ‘
http://media.talkingpointsmemo.com/slideshow/richard-nixon/1-289324?ref=fpa
alrighty, 99– lights out for me, and aloha oe~
Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol and his neocon allies went all-in to try to prevent Chuck Hagel from being nominated to be the next Defense Secretary. While the noise and “disgusting” attacks on the former Republican senator have indeed sucked a lot of oxygen in the beltway media and beyond, what really matters is what U.S. Senators think — as Congress’s upper chamber will ultimately decide Hagel’s fate. But it appears that Hagel’s chances of taking Leon Panetta’s job aren’t as bad as the media circus surrounding Hagel’s nomination is making it seem. As it stands right now, there are just five Senators — all Republicans — who have said they would vote against Hagel: Roger Wicker (MS), John Cornyn (TX), Ted Cruz (TX), David Vitter (LA) and Tom Coburn (OK).
Yet the conventional wisdom on Hagel appears to be that his confirmation is in doubt. MSNBC’s Chuck Todd reported on Monday before Obama’s announcement that he knows of at least 10 Democratic senators who would oppose the nomination and that “Republicans look like they’re going to be fairly united in opposition to Hagel.”
But the evidence doesn’t necessarily back that claim up. Along with the high-profile support Hagel received yesterday after his nomination (and throughout the last month), two top Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Carl Levin (MI) said they would vote for Hagel (thus making it more likely that their fellow Democrats will follow suit). And the top Senate Republican saying Hagel should get a fair hearing doesn’t necessarily signify “fairly united” GOP opposition.
fuck chuck.
All we have to do is remember Chuck Todd is the main one during the election who keep trying tell us that Mitt Romney had a chance of winning this pass election, he is the one who kept telling us that the Democrats were not excited about voting for President Obama, he kept saying the we were not going to show up for this President and he was wrong. And I believe the Democrats in the Senate will do the same, nothing wrong with having questions, wanting to sit down and talk with Chuck Hagel, but I believe in the end they will come through for this President.
Amazing how the pundits keep their jobs – when they get it so wrong – all the time.
I would endorse the last 2 words of your post amk (presumably adding the surname Todd) – I heard chuck (maybe yesterday on morning joe – I do get confused with time around the world) – and he was ranting how the senate was against Chuck Hagel. Chuck Todd has as much validity as the Kristol (of Palin selection fame). They both, get it wrong, all the time.
99ts, Yes they are wrong all the time, and the problem is they don’t admit just how wrong they are. Chuck Todd didn’t. Todd weren’t the only one of them telling us that this President had no chance of winning re-election. And don’t get me talking about those pollsters which were wrong. Number one the so call great Gallup, crap.
I saw that Governor Christie were all over the tv this morning, and I kept turning the channel till I found one without him. Now CBS news were talking about the coming Inauguration and how the excitement is not there like it was the first time in 09, to that I say So. Just trying to rain on POTUS parade. If I could I would be right there. So there won’t be the same size crowd as 08, what matters to me is we will still have the same President and First Lady, the same VP as 09. I bet if Romney had won, no one would have show up but the ones he bus in. And his supporters like Chuck Todd, Luke Russert, David Gregory, and the rest of the MSM. Oh and Beyonce will sing the National Anthem. Good for her, last time it was the First Dance were she sung “At Last”, and this time the National Anthem. Thank our Heavenly Father they didn’t select Meatloaf.
Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor also suppose to sing. Ms. Clarkson were the one who supported Ron Paul. Well at least there was never any doubt who James Taylor supported, from day one it was President Obama.
Yes, I’m not happy about the Kelly Clarkson appearance. I stopped liking her long before her Ron Paul debacle, but this is how President Obama rolls…
I guess this is why every hotel room and rental apartment is fully booked in DC and it’s nearly impossible to get a decent restaurant reservation at many restaurants? Maybe it also explains why the inaugural tickets sold out within seconds – before they were even announced? These people are sick and full of lies and have a dark agenda. Don’t listen to them, anniebella – we know the truth. 🙂
This is why I hate punditry.
1. Roger Wicker – never heard of him.
2. John Cornyn – isn’t he the one who prevented Hillary Clinton from being sworn in on day one? In any case, he is a crazed Republican who has obstructed this country for at least four years.
3. Ted Cruz – absolutely crazy tea bagger who shouldn’t be darkening the halls of Congress.
4. David Vitter – should have resigned in shame years ago, and it’s a blot on the landscape that he’s still a member of the US Senate.
5. Tom Coburn – should be in jail for having facilitated the Ensign debacle.
Really – these people are so below the level of integrity required to even comment on Chuck Hagel’s suitability for any position.
😕 /a whispered ‘Good Morning’/ (Don’t mind me, peeking in to see if any of the night owls are still here. ‘Research’, if you like.)
Morning, vc:) I’m here, but reading with my coffee….waiting to see if Chipster wakes! Seeing if I can get my foot in the door:)
Hi Df! 😆 Happy Wednesday to you! Are you one or two hours behind?
Happy Wednesday! It’s 6:21am here….so, 2 hours? In the summer, it’s 3 hours behind, but since I’m busy freezing my ass off here, I know it’s not summer!
Now, Df, I don’t think it’s a good idea to freeze your nether regions off. All parts of the body have their purpose I’m told. Can’t you find something else to busy yourself with until Ms Chips arrives or it’s time to leave for school? Please try. Coffee drinking is good as a start.
http://www.eclectablog.com/2013/01/5-reasons-why-america-has-a-republican-problem.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eclectablog%2FkInS+%28Eclectablog%29
He’s got a MUST READ today!!
Really. Read it!
Added it to Rise and Shine, thank youuuuuuuuu DF!
And Christie said it was a “lack of leadership” by President Obama that compromises are not possible in D.C.—–Christie has reverted back to his true, self-serving, disgusting self.
Moooooooorning!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/01/09/rise-and-shine-396/
Report: Obama likely to tap Lew for Treasury as soon as this week
Jonathan Easley
01/09/13 07:38 AM ET
Lew’s likely nomination would come as Washington gears up for a new round of budget fights.…
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But but but 2 days ago the RNC mocked the President and said their were no Women in his Cabinet, and that’s all the left can talk about and the left consistently gets played by the right and…