(Jan. 27, 2010 – Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
Saturday and Sunday: The President has no public events scheduled
Monday: The President will award Clinton Romesha, a former active duty Army Staff Sergeant, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. The event will be held at the White House and the First Lady will also attend
Tuesday: Delivers his State of the Union Address at 9:0 EST
Wednesday: Travels to the Asheville, North Carolina, area. He will return to Washington, DC in the evening (no details available yet)
Thursday: Travels to the Atlanta, Georgia, area. He will return to Washington, DC in the evening (no details available yet)
Friday: Hosts President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy in the Oval Office. Later in the morning, the President will welcome to the White House the recipients of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal
The Obama Diary 
Hello
Hi, what’s cooking? Anything edible?
Only 4-1 at home to Wigan? Sheesh. 🙄
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20841210
Whatever. We won. You concentrate on Everton tomorrow (silently whispers – Lose Man U. Lose) At least we’re not Ferguson who’s complaining and whining about not getting enough TV time for his ugly mug and Man U’s ugly mug. Prima donna much?
“Ferguson who’s complaining and whining about not getting enough TV time”
He was doing the opposite!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21391842
He’s whining about his team “not getting an extra night’s sleep” whine…whine….whine… You don’t like the schedule, don’t agree with it and take it up with the Lords, Ladies, Earls, blah..blah. Every time he’s always complaining as though the universe revolves around him. It doesn’t Fergie. It doesn’t. He needs something to revolve around his head? Hire Rooney’s squirrel for the day.
Oh dear……
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/149035.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2269688/Rafa-Benitez-says-Chelsea-tired–22-players-loan-clubs.html#axzz2KQQ2GOLk
Uh Huh. And where is he now? He must have learned that whining from the Prima Donna himself — Ferguson.
Hmm….. you’re as fond of facts as Hannity!!!! 🙂
Hahahahahahahahahaha. Now you’re comparing me to Fergie’s best friend? Tut…tut…tut. 😀
“Fergie’s best friend”?
😆
You do know he’s a leftie (a rarity in English football), a huge supporter of the British Labour Party, and a strong Union man in his working days in Glasgow?!
(Serious voice) Good for him. That’s good that he champions equal rights for workers.
Back to the other thing:
Still doesn’t negate the fact that he’s a whining, complaining, droning on and on and on and on prima donna.
Well, he’s no different to any other manager of a top club, they all fight their corner! And by common consent, the biggest moaner of the lot is Benitez – he’s a laughing stock for it, never stops whinging.
Any way, we’ll agree to differ!!!
Chi-caaaaa! Behave yourself, you stirrer-upper, you!
Congrats. I want to experiment with something is you don’t mind. Sorry is it looks stupid.
(¯`v´¯)☼*¨*• ღ¸♥ྀ
`*.¸.*.♥ •●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ☆ Hello ☆Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●•
Hahaha. Thanks.
I can’t seem to spell if. I’ll write it on the blackboard 100 times!
Hearts and stars and butterflies, quite creative. I can tell you have no young ‘uns at home so have all this time to experiment. 😆 Morning, Carolmae.
Well, I’m good at copying! 😕
Wait up, Utal, I’m so lost on what’s happening these days!
I’m trying to catch up but you guys never stand still!
Howdy. I know I’m at least two behind. Congrats to UT and VC! 🙂
According to reports, I believe POTUS is going to Asheville to promote his economic plans post-SOTU and will be visiting a school in ATL to talk about pre-K education.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/national/obama-to-visit-atlanta-next-week/nWKMw/
He has a busy week doesn’t he. Do you have his schedule for next week. I’ve got stuff going on too. I want to be sure my DVR is not too full.
His schedule’s in the post Carol!
Big oops. I usually go back and read. Too eager to post I guess.
Hadiya Pendleton’s funeral is taking place now.
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/video-update
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/livenow?id=7096082
http://wgntv.com/live/
Thanks UT.
May she rest in Peace and may her family and friends feel our love for her and our sadness over needless death. She had a great future ahead of her. May we carry forward our President’s mission to stop gun violence and heal our Nation of violent ways and the hatred in our minds. We will not forget. We can do better than this. ❤
It’s so hard to watch and listen this ( I did for a bit), I cannot imagine what her mother is feeling!
No scheduled Saturday/Sunday event? Good, sure hope things remain that way and maybe he can be at-home for his daughters while ‘wifey’ and friends go to support the hometown mourners.
I didn’t see much weather except for New York City. Do they have snow in forecast for D.C. and Chicago? I’m freezing here. Going for more coffee.
Can’t answer because I don’t really pay attention to the weather reports. I’m a little chilly around the edges as I write but that’s because I try to keep my thermostat at a moderate level so that I’m never overly hot.
Stay snug as a bug. 😉
You actually forgot to add the bug visual! 😉
🐞 For the Lady bug.
Congratsssssssssssssssss to UT….on Firsttttttt…..
thank you for your live tweeting
Thank you for the kind words. 😀
UT,,,
it cannot be stated often enough…about how Information is King…
2nd to that is being able to diseminate that information to a wide audience…you help to do that…thank you
Go UNM LOBO Men’s Basketball team!!! 17 -3!! 6-1 and on top of the MW conference! Ranked 15th!!! (We’ll take any positive national recognition we can get here in NM!)
I just made this comment on the last thread in reply to hopefruit who made a good observation of FLOTUS at the funeral today. I’m bringing my reply over because this is something that’s been bugging me every since I heard she would make an appearance:
“Thanks for this hf. I didn’t want to comment because I know some folks think that FLOTUS’ being there is a good thing. I didn’t want to ruffle feathers. I’d never felt that FLOTUS should have gone. It becomes about her instead of the young lady whose death only symbolizes the problem that is everyday life for children just like her. It gives Rahm and his police department a way to avoid the spotlight, as all eyes will be on FLOTUS. It amazes me that no one is being held responsible for the lack of apprehending and prosecuting these idiots with guns. But, the idjits also know that
1. they are not likely to be caught.
2. they know they better take the law in their own hands cause nobody’s gonna protect them.
3. there are no alternatives presented to them to live a better way.
4. there are certain parts of town where any infraction becomes a city-wide APB.
5. The PTSD that must be prevalent in many of those children are not even taken into account.
6. The parents are indeed responsible and should speak up when they know their own child has committed the act. How many of them are as afraid of their own kid or their friends?
7. Why aren’t those children ever looked at as having mental issues? Where are the social services/family services to help before the kid gets out of hand.
8. When you’re called a thug and looked on as a thug, chances are you’ll act like one.
9. Chicago hosts international events with dignitaries from all over. They host annual events that attract millions in one day. All this without any dire incidents. If they can do that, they can certainly use those resources to serve and protect the citizens of one primary area of the city where most of this is occurring.
I don’t know the answers, but I know that FLOTUS attending one funeral of the countless many deaths that have happened to children in Chicago ain’t it.
OK, breathe in, peace out cookemom”
Morning, Cookemom!
It’s ‘nice’ I think that you can feel comfortable enough to voice your misgivings. I am in two minds myself. I was initially ‘disappointed’ that FLOTUS was going because I agree that they both (or one or the other) can’t respond physically to every tragedy, and their presence is indeed never a final answer to the problem. Also, it makes me ‘mad’ when people are always telling them what they SHOULD do.
On the other hand, I was able to calm myself when I thought of FLOTUS’ involvement in another light. What if she was attending as a neighbour, a mother of a young daughter of roughly the same age. What if the mothers might even have known each other, or met, before FLOTUS became FLOTUS? Should FLOTUS refrain from giving her support because of the ‘politics’ of it? Isn’t she entitled to just be a mother supporting another with her presence despite what the media will make of it? When I started thinking of things this way I felt easier with the decision. Of course that does not address all the legit concerns that you raised, and it may have no bearing on the reason she did decide to go, but for me it gave me another angle of thought, and that relieved some of my rancor at those who are always asking more of the Obamas after all they give.
She didn’t know the family as she didn’t know the many other families who lost their children last year and this year. Maybe it’s because she did live as close to the Obama home as any so far. The cameras should be on Rahm. Period.
Maybe it’s the geographics. Yes, that’s it. The closer to the Obama homestead, the more attention. Maybe some families should consider relocating.
{{{{Cookemom}}}}
vcprez, I didn’t mean to be short with you. this whole thing makes me nuts. I live on a corner in my neighborhood and it’s in the direct path of children going to and from the elementary school nearby. I’m sure that I’m known as the ‘crazy lady on the corner’, because when I see them not acting properly, I’m out there giving them what not. Always in a nice way, but I do let them know what is acceptable behavior. I know they”re just kids, doing what kids do, until they’re given another option.
Not too long ago, I broke up a fight between two young boys and as the instigating crowd of youngsters looked on, I gave both guys a big ol’ bear hug and said to them, ‘see now isn’t that better?’ I don’t know which they thought was worse, the beating they were giving each other, or the crazy lady who had them in a head-locked, and most highly embarrassing bear hug in front of their peers.
No sweat, CookeM, I know from previous comments that the issue of guns and senseless deaths (in your city/state) ‘makes you nuts’. I also know from our past relationship that your relocating comment is not your usual fare and comes from that place of frustration. From the bit of the service I was able to watch I didn’t see the cameras on FLOTUS at all, and while your point about Rahm/Chicago leaders is valid, I don’t see that MO being there prevents the media from doing their jobs, if they were so inclined. Nevertheless, I do hear you, and I am hoping (and doing my itty-bitty tweeting bit) that this time around, the Senate and House will come up with something that is a strong start towards addressing gun violence.
Thanks vc, I should have recognized my saturation level on this. I am now slowly backing away from the keyboard…..
Well now, CM, if you back away with whom am I going to dialogue? Stay put, you, and we’ll try to talk about something else.
I’ve actually been wafting back and forth between the keyboard, the front window and my bare stairs. See, yesterday in the snowstorm my contractor came by to strip the carpet from the stairs, (he hasn’t come today) so I’m pretending today to help him my ripping up the hallway carpet, inch by inch, but of course i need to rest after each inch. The attraction at the window is that a (looking-like-a-homeless) man offered to clear the snow from my drive for $20. He seems to be almost done.
Oh, my driveway is nice and clean. I could have hugged my snow remover man! I gave him $40 and a juice box, and now I’m going on the road to get some snow salt and large garbage bags for the carpet bits. Back in a bit.
cookemom..
you raise so many questions that would take a conference to answer….but there are answers to the questions…today i have read a few things that are being proposed to deal with the issue of handguns,,,
on MHPs program this morning she raised the issue of do we have the will to end the violence that is happening on a daily basis in our cities…not to say that we should not ban military style assault weapons and high capacity magazines,,,we should…but what about the other gun violence that is taking place in our cities like the violence that is took the life of THIS particular teen…this teen out of the many has gotten our attention because of her incidental connection with PBO…
i read an article today …that HSE Dems are introducing a bill that would support those states around the issues of background checks etc…
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/02/08/1555511/how-house-democrats-plan-to-use-local-power-to-stop-gun-violence-and-how-to-do-it-better/
Universal Background Checks…
Upping the penalties for straw puchases
Registering and licensing all weapons/ammo
Being able to trace guns.
would go a long way to deter gun violence on our streets….
but what would also help…
Passing the American JOBS Act…to name one…
We know the answers to your questions cookemom…but do We The People have the will to see it thru..
Yes, it is the jobs and giving these kids a sense of purpose. Letting them know that if their friend was harmed, the police will find the person who did it and protect you and your other friends. That they don’t have to kill or be killed, because no one has their back. Oh the jobs? Kinda hard to land one of those if you can’t make it to or from school. If you do, then you still have to study and concentrate on learning in order to qualify for that job. Not the easiest thing to do.
You’re right though, there are answers and we do have to be willing to see them through. Thanks prettyfoot.
Yes it is never been easy to succeed against the odds…and in the African American community…education has always been a ladder out of poverty and despair…and there have been organizations from the Church to civic organizations to community political groups that have been instrumental in holding the village together…there has been a breakdown of these institutions in the African American community..couple this with the loss of public sector jobs….teachers…postal workers…and other city/state workers which played a key role in moving Blk folks into the ranks of the middle class…
You raise a lot of excellent points cookemom – and I’m of the same line of thought as you are with respect to the fact that we need to shine a spotlight on those communities and leaders that enable these toxic environments – and start asking them the HARD questions, instead of worrying about whether or not FLOTUS/PBO will be in attendance at a given funeral.
I understand VC’s point about FLOTUS being there on a more personal level – giving her support from one mother to another. However given her current stature, her attendance is less likely to be seen in this personal sort of way. There is an organization called “ProjectYouth” who were on Twitter blasting PBO because FLOTUS was going to be at the funeral and not him. They felt it was not sufficient and tried to make an issue out of it. I was happy to see that some of us on Twitter lambasted them for displaying such distasteful behavior – trying to make it more about PBO than the child who died, and the millions of children who died before her and who will lose their lives to future violence.
It was unbelievable that so many adults on a local call-in radio show here were of the same mind about PBO in attendance. I was pulling my hair out. If they took half of that energy and directed it to the community and city leaders, then no dignitary would need to show up at children funerals.
Indeed. Tells you just how much they really care about Hadiya and why she’s dead at 15.
‘Lo Hopefruit, Saturday greetings to you! 😀
I’m generally in line with the sentiments being expressed in this discussion and the only thing I’ll add here is to this: ‘given her current stature, her attendance is less likely to be seen in this personal sort of way.’ The fact that whomever may not see MO’s attendance in a personal sort of way is their problem, not hers. I don’t see why she shouldn’t attend if she personally felt the desire to, if she needed to empathize in this particular way. It’s her neighbourhood and though I don’t want to highlight this, she has a daughter almost the same age. I argue for her ‘right’ to attend given the mother thing. As you sometimes say – ‘Tell [whomever**] to shut up.’
** The loud-mouthed and opinionated and protocol know-it-alls (like the ProjectYouth twitter participants) always seem to think they should have the final say. Well….. thumbs down to them!
You should read this article from Think Progress. It seems like a good start for Chicago. Minneapolis cut down its gun violence by treating it as a public health problem. I’ve heard people say that the city needs more cops or even for DHS to step. I think its more than a law enforcement problem and what Minneapolis, once called Murderoplism, did sounds like something Chicago could tailor to their needs.
As for FLOTUS going to the funeral. I see your point but most of the reports I’ve seen have been about the teen that got shot. If she or no one from the White House had not gone, the useless media would have made it all about President Obama not supporting black people. You know how it goes. The Obamas can’t attend all these funerals but the girl was from Chicago AND was at the inauguration and media is going to make noise.
See link to the article.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/02/04/1536671/what-we-can-learn-from-minneapolis-progressive-approach-to-reducing-gun-violence/
I hear what you’re saying, and every concern and point of frustration you mentioned is entirely valid; but sometimes something is just as simple as it is: a woman who grew up in the south side of Chicago going to mourn with her neighbors over yet another untimely death of another neighborhood child. FLOTUS wasn’t even speaking at the event. Two weeks ago, FLOTUS was celebrating as this young girl danced in front of her at an historic moment. Now the young girl is dead. Not everything has to have a grander purpose. Sometimes it’s just simple. And seeing the inaction from Congress, and reluctance to do something real, the Obamas have to be just as frustrated as the rest of us. I can’t begrudge her going to give as much comfort as she could, to a community that is reeling from the consequences of guns out of control.
There’s live streaming of the funeral at CNN too:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
The impact of a presidency
Every now and then I feel like I get a bit of a glimpse into how people in the future will view the Presidency of Barack Obama. We tend to get caught up in the daily hysteria created by partisans and pundits that is likely to be mostly forgotten (ie, skeet truthers). And as the lunacy on the right intensifies, we can find ourselves chasing after every manner of outrage….
read more here:
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-impact-of-presidency.html?showComment=1360431753703#c2977190456990745714
Must read from Smartypants.
Indeed…
Fantastic piece. Thanks for linking to it.
yw..smilin
PF, the smartypants piece is great, but I think the biggest impact of the Obama presidency will be in the way people think and feel about themselves and their government. I’ve thought a lot about the president’s call to each of us to be citizens, not just passive observers in our democracy. It’s really been his theme from the very beginning of his career. When people look back on PBO’s presidency, they will pinpoint the time when people woke up from a long period of dormancy and decided to take charge of their own future. Young people, Latinos, African Americans, Asians, older people like myself, have been empowered in a way they would never have thought possible and never would have been called to do. I can’t remember any president in my lifetime who called on me to really take part in a presidency instead of just voting or contributing money. PBO has given us ownership in our democracy and that fundamental change in view is what will shape the USA in the years to come. In that sense alone, he is the most transformation president in generations.
The primary campaign to make Barack Obama the Democratic nominee for President, the two campaigns to elect him President, the fights to reform healthcare and Wall Street have taught us this: We are the change we’ve been waiting for and we are the media we’ve been waiting for.
We learned that millions of people can confront millions of dollars and win. We learned that pollsters and pundits shape narratives for their pay masters, not to inform we the people.
As long as we remember what actually happened during the transformational Obama era before they try to re-write history, then we the people can keep moving toward progress.
Another Bravo !!
Well said, FiredUpinCA! I especially liked this: “We are the change we’ve been waiting for and we are the media we’ve been waiting for.” This is why I am so proud of TOD twitter brigade! The work they are doing on twitter, calling out MSM, right wing and emoprog lies, and spreading the TRUTH about the president’s agenda and accomplishments, is evidence that “we are the media we’ve been waiting for.”
the true test of this evolution will be the next two elections. Let’s see if people chase the Republicans out of office after four years of solid obstruction and holding back progress for the country. Then, in 2016, it will be interesting to see whether people can still be hypnotized by the media to vote against their own interests, against an undeniable wall of evidence against all the current contenders (Bully Christie, Blind to his brother’s faults-Jeb Bush, Right of Pres Obama-Hillary, right wing political infant with dubious past-Rubio, bad for his LA communities-Jindal, backstabbing (&Romney-endorsing)-Huntsman, secret right wing Latina “Thatcher-like” weapon-Susana Martinez)… These people will all set President Obama’s progress backwards, if not erase that progress completely. And it will be interesting to see whether Americans really have woken up.
Bravo !!
C’mon. Hilary doesn’t belong there in your otherwise dead on list. She might be a little to the right of O, who’s more pragmatic than pure lefty anyway. With her we can win the top ticket and concentrate more on congressional elections. Winning is everything.
Yes i agree…
however my greatest concern is how to we keep the momentum going…
i watched MHP today and ari berman talked about the plan that the GOP/right had around the issue of regaining the WH…there were 3 parts…..the 2010 elections..in order to redistrict in their favor for the next 10 yrs….Voter ID laws….to keep a folks from voting…and finally gerrymandering the electoral college
as you see they had a long game…we on the other side ….what is our long game…..They have ALEC with their cookie cutter laws…stand your ground/voter id/anti abortion laws/right to work laws/attacks on collective bargaining/…i ask again…what is our long game….
Fortunately PBO has always had a long game…
I just saw FLOTUS and Valerie Jarrett. One thing about some funerals of African Americans, they have service, we call it “Home Going Service”. Hadiya Pendleton sounds like a special young lady.
cookemom, I can see your point, but I have no problem with FLOTUS being their, it brings attention to Hadiya’s death. It makes people discuss, and it shines spotlight to the senseless violence, and maybe just maybe it will make someone mad enough that if there is one person who know who the cowardly bastard is who shot this young lady, they will speak up. The neighborhood and the police department must work together.
I’m tired of excuses of how hard it is for young black boys in the hood, life has always been hard for black Americans, we have always struggle, but we didn’t run around killing each other like it was nothing. It seem we are our own worse enemy.
In listening to this funeral, I do not feel it is about FLOTUS. I feel it is about this wonderful young lady. In listening to the people speak you see that Hadiya Pendleton was a very special young lady.
“I’m tired of excuses of how hard it is for young black boys in the hood, life has always been hard for black Americans” Well then, that should clear it up. Life lesson black boys, ‘life will be hard for you’.
I think I probably need a break for a second.
I am not sounding mean to any young black boy, but life lesson to me is picking up a gun is not the answer for every problem you face.
For them it is kill or be killed. the police never catches anybody. When you have a gang culture that has everyone after everyone else, then somebody has to be caught and prosecuted. Until that happens it’s street justice that becomes the creed. by the way, they don’t take target practice and the bullets don’t care if you belong to a gang or not. It just travels along it’s projectory. Oh, don’t join a gang? Well, that may be one answer, but the young lady in the coffin today didn’t belong to a gang.
But what has changed is the breakdown of the community organizations and structures that played a role in helping to maintain the village..
prettyfoot58, you are right about the breakdown of the black community and family structures.
If it takes FLOTUS to be there to shine a light after over 500 deaths, over 150 of them children last year, and over 40 already so far this year, then she’d better just stay at her Hyde Park home. That’s a shame and a disgrace that all those kids who have died from this violence had no one to shine a spotlight on them. If these statistics aren’t enough to get people mad enough to do something, then even PBO himself coming to Chicago won’t help. Believe it or not, some people here were actually upset that FLOTUS came and not PBO himself. Tell me, if this child had not been at the inauguration, would anyone on this site even know about her? Guess what? Rahm would have known about her as he has all of the other ones. He was getting over his post-inaugural hangover from the gala party he hosted, when days later she was murdered.
Sorry, it took Sandy Hook to even bring attention to Chicago’s murders. Sorry it took an inauguration parade to focus on the violence. All lives are precious and all parents suffer from a lost of a child. I couldn’t even watch the Sandy Hook coverage, nor be on this blog during that time, because of the impact I felt. I can barely hear or read about this young lady without fury for her parents as well. I no longer read or watch local news because I can’t hear about another senseless murder. It’s gotten so that the newscasters are almost seeing who can get a microphone under a grieving parents nose the soonest. It’s like a death watch.
The Chicago administration owes these children a way out of this craziness. Rahm needs to realize that his name and prior position with PBO, is not enough to actually run something. He has not be nearly vocal enough, nor put a plan in place that I’m aware of. I don’t excuse the community in their complacency, but I can imagine the fear of doing the right thing, and not feeling you have the police or state’s attorney to back you up. There should be cops and social workers on every corner.
breath in, peace out cookemom.
I agree that FLOTUS’ presence may bring attention to Hadiya’s death and funeral, but I’m not so sure that it brings attention to the larger problem her death signifies.
I agree with all the points that cookemom raised about the communities/cities into which these children are raised to grovel in – these communities are FAILING these children with a big letter F. Where are the adults, the parents, aunts and uncles, teachers, social workers, mental health professionals, community activists, law enforcement, politicians?
Surely, we can send billions of $$ to Haiti after an earthquake – but cannot use resources to keep children in American safe, provide them and their families with educational and recreational outlets other than gangs and violence?
I don’t think that there should be two Republicans allowed to give the SOTU rebuttal. There is no such thing as a Tea Party. There are only two recognized governing parties in Congress, unless you’re a declared Independent. Are the networks giving Rand Paul coverage of his rebuttal? Why are they being legitimized by even letting us know he plans to give a rebuttal. They did this last year with that crazy lady from Minnesota. Why then, shouldn’t we hear from the Green party, the Socialist Party, the I Don’t Like Monday Party, with the same consideration?
I have not seen that any network is showing Rand Paul.
phew! It must just be cable shows doing the non-news coverage again. Why are they even telling us that he will give a rebuttal? Nice way to not cover it. So what they’ll do is show us the clips afterwards, just not live. Oh well….
The media will give any insignificant fool a platform as long as they are attacking PBO. They did the same with Michele Bachmann last year – she ended up being the subject of a SNL skit that weekend. Rand Paul might want to re-think this. PBO is never the one who ends up being the object of ridicule – even though that’s usually the motivation behind of all this.
Rand Paul has the potential to provide us with yet another hilarious night of mockery. What is it with teabutts? They all have that crazy, wild-eyed, raving maniacal look about them. Hence, Michelle Bachman, Jindal, etc
Every Republican “response” to POTUS’s SOTU so far has been a huge dud! Heard someone comment this week that Bobby Jindal has still not recovered from his abysmal performance, and who can name the other two Repubs who did the “response”??? It is an exercise in futility.
That’s so true carolyn. I can’t even recall the two people who gave rebuttals to PBO in 2010 or 2011…
That Bobby Jindal rebuttal was one of the funniest evenings that I ever had on the innertubz. The folks on the old OFA site were kinda live blogging with each other the whole time. We were ROTHFLOAO!!!! I crack up even now, when I think about the funny stuff that was said that nite. Lawd that was some great stuff!
Gawd, I remember that so well. He sounded like a very creepy version of Kenneth from 30 Rock.
I thought I would die laughing that nite. Folks at my house that night thought I was crazy cracking up at the computer. When I tried to tell them, I just got blank stares. I guess you had to be there.
I don’t think it will matter if Rubio’s speech if a POS. The MSM will treat it like it was The Gettysburg Address. They are already trying to set the table for him with that wacky poll they put on yesterday. As soon as the President’s speech is over, I’ll just turn off the TV, I’ve got no time for republican BS.
If Rubio’s rebuttal was anything like Jindhal’s it’ll be worth staying tuned for. Many have tried and all have failed to have a memorable rebuttal against PBO. It’s not up to the cable companies to tell us who to believe in. It’s up to us to spread the word. Remember it’s only we political junkies who even pay attention to this stuff. Most folks just go about their busy lives until it’s time to pay attention. That’s where we come in. We spread the word, not the tee and vee box.
I can tell you right now that Rubio is going to be a flop – no matter how much hype the MSM gives him. And the media’s opinion is irrelevant – most people have learnt to look at punditry these days with a side eye – particularly where politics is concerned. SNL is going to be watching Rubio’s speech and planning accordingly.
Like I said yesterday, Rubio is the media’s shiny new toy. I look forward to Rachel taking him down a notch. She is pretty good at that. She also has a beef with him for disputing something she said; he was lying about it.
I heard a pundit this morning ask whether Rubio’s address will overshadow the President on a day that he should own. It wasn’t a good start to the morning.
Actually, cookemom, I think it’s good to show a divided Republican Party. Rand Paul is described as a Republican when he shown at a hearing or on tv. Therefore, the dual rebuttals look like a party divided, which it is. I say, keep it up, R’s. People are slowly coming to the realization that you can’t keep it together as a party and that when it comes to policies all you offer is dumb and dumber.
Of course you are correct. I hadn’t paused long enough to consider the unintended consequences this could bring. yep, mighty good idea after all.
I totally agree with you on this, cookemom! If the tea party is a separate party – then why do the GOP have a majority in the House? And why don’t all recognized parties actually get five minutes to spew their rebuttal? It’s ridiculous the lengths that the media will go to in order to further the GOP messages.
Karl Rove wasn’t even the beginning of handing the inmates the reins of the asylum. Lee Atwater, Rove’s guru and Reagan’s confidant, took us through incendiary phrases like “welfare queen”, the Willy Horton ad, and more. Karl Rove is merely a continuation of the GOP’s southern strategy – a strategy of winning elections by appealing to the prejudices of old, southern, white men who are afraid of losing their country – mostly compositionally. But it was with Karl Rove that Republicans began to dream about a permanent federal majority, based on the same strategy of appealing to old, southern, Christian white men.
What a young lady Hadiya Pendleton was, I am sitting here crying as her friends speak.
Well, it’s good that Burns is confident, but I want to see some real action from him. Actually one term governors have happened before in PA–it’s just not traditional. On the other hand, there has never before been such an incompetent and intensely disliked person as Corbett. Along with the governor, we’ve got to get more Dems in the state senate and assembly. PA is falling apart and emergency action is desperately needed.
I’m with you 100%, jackiegrumbacher. He has got to go, along with his majority! This is ridiculous. I will be doing my utmost to get rid of all of them.
Have you heard that Allyson Schwartz maybe running for Gov of PA….what do you think about that…
So unbearably sad.
Bingo.
Bob, this is spot on. There should be NO private prisons…prisons like schools should not be designed for profit. The wife of one of our former governors, Frank Keating (R) is a big stockholder in the private prison system of Oklahoma. Therefore….guess where the money goes…..They do not have to abide by the same regulations as state run prisons, which are terrible enough, as we well know because of two acquaintances who are in for life. Our entire prison system needs to be opened up and shaken and changed. The connection between the NRA and private prisons is terribly frightening to think about.
Yes, Carolyn, ” The connection between the NRA and private prisons is terribly frightening to think about.”
And, it’s real:
The Big House That Wayne LaPierre Built
The NRA spent millions in the 1990s pushing the largest prison construction boom ever—and harsh sentencing to keep them full.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/wayne-lapierre-crime-strike-three-strikes
#FORWARD
Spot on. Think CCA and Geo…
Randi Rhodes has a whole section of great info related to this:
http://www.randirhodes.com/pages/homework.html?feed=364336&article=10774462
Private Prison Helps Conduct Drug Raids In Public Schools
Michigan Considering Drug Testing Students
Corrections Corporation Of America (CCA) Keeping Beds Full Of Students
Video Shows 15 Year Old Girl Phsycially Abused In Private Prison
CCA Offers To Buy State Prisons But Only If The State Promises To Keep Them 90% Full
ACLU Responds To CCA’s Offer On State Prisons
Mass Incarceration: A Bad Idea
Who Is Really In Prison In The U.S.?
The Caging Of America
Private Prisons Spend $45 Million On Lobbying, Rake In $5.1 Billion For Immigrant Detention Alone
Go to her link for more details.
Yep. And, good that Randi is tracking and providing details. Thanks, df!
you’re very welcome. Yes, she’s diligently tracking this, and has spoken about it often.
Bobfr, you are by far the most invaluable person on twitter when it comes to spreading the TRUTH!
Homicides in Chicago since the inauguration. It’s like those vitamins, one a day.
Name, age Date, time Block Community area Cause
Unknown, 29 2/8/13 6900 S. Morgan St. Gunshot
Sergio Mora, 19 2/7/13 2300 W. 50th Pl. Gunshot
Gage Park
Salvador Ponce, 31 2/3/13 4100 W. 30th St Gunshot
South Lawndale
Michelle Smith, 32 2/1/13 2400 S. Lake Shore Dr. Gunshot
Near South Side
Manuel Hernandez, 21 2/1/13 3900 N. Central Ave. Gunshot
Portage Park
Hadiya Pendleton, 15 1/29/13 4500 S. Oakenwald Gunshot
Kenwood Park property
Devin Common, 28 1/29/13 7500 S. Champlain Gunshot
Greater Grand Crossing
Gino Angotti, 20 1/29/13 10900 S. Mackinaw Ave. Gunshot
Norman Stokes, 38 1/26/13 7000 S. Carpenter St Gunshot
Englewood
Antonio Fenner, 16 1/26/13 4200 W. Congress Pkwy Gunshot
West Garfield Park
Dimitri Buford, 32 1/26/13 4200 W. Congress Pkwy Gunshot
West Garfield Park
Allen Smiley, 41 1/26/13 500 W. Pershing Rd. Gunshot
Bridgeport Parking Lot
Unknown, Unknown 1/26/13 500 W. Pershing Rd. Gunshot
Bridgeport Parking Lot
Ronnie Chambers, 33 1/26/13 1100 S. Mozart St. Gunshot
North Lawndale
Ronald Peters, 50 1/25/13 5800 S. Shields Ave Gunshot
Englewood Street
Elton Johnson, 35 1/23/13 1000 N. Avers Ave. Gunshot
Humboldt Park
Hadiya’s funeral got all the hrumpferied, most prestigious, uppermost, community and Chicago administration bodies out from the shadows today in all of their pomp, circumstance, and finery. Well there is that I guess.
Thank you, cookemon, for naming the names. It isn’t enough to say there are shootings every day. We have to “feel” that these are real people whose lives are now gone. If we had a Vietnam style memorial with the names of the gun dead listed and new ones added on every week, , it would be too big to fit in most city parks, but it would be vivid reminder that we’re talking about people, not statistics.
So true, Jackie.
I can envision, on the Mall in DC, a Gigantic, permanent ‘video wall’ (similar to the one you can see in this Corning video “A Day Made of Glass – the display in the park at about ~ 8:40 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-GXO_urMow) on which the ~1.4 Million names of Americans killed by guns – not in wars – since 1960 scroll continuously.
Yes We Can
And, pay for it with funds collected from the NRA as penalties for their defrauding the IRS pretending to be a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit when they are a highly profitable front for gun and ammo manufacturers and dealers.
Yes, I love this idea of a video wall. I wonder how much it would cost and what organization could sponsor it. It’s exactly what we need to remind people every day of the real cost in human lives from uncontrolled guns.
Given that among the names that would be scrolling are President John Kennedy, Attorney General Robert F Kennedy, Dr Martin Luther King Jr one could imagine a rather substantial amount of support from all kinds of folk. The surface technology is not at all that far from being available. Compiling all the names would take time, but once compiled it would not take a very large server to store and transmit the data for visualization on the surface. As noted above, collecting taxes from the NRA would be a most fitting way to pay for building, operating and servicing it.
THIS!!
Can you imagine if the #Teahadists & other Fox regulars actually grokked the message ….
Since there’s no room at the top between UT and Chips: Can Chelsea not keep a clean sheet to save its life?! Still, 4-1 against Wigan is more like it. And if Chelsea let Lampard leave, I shall be very cross. And Rafa? YOUR SUIT DOESN’T FIT!!
#Boehnerquester
#TrustBarack
Hello TODers. Hope all of you are having a good weekend and that all of you who are snowbound are staying warm and safe.
For all you teachers out there (and those who respect teachers for the job they do), here’s a link to what I consider to be a morale boosting poem: Taylor Mali’s “What Teachers Make.”
I always enjoy listening to this. Unfortunately, I’m not on You Tube or Twitter, but if anyone else enjoys it well enough to add the direct feed, please do so.
The text of that wonderful poem:) thanks, swbluega.
http://taylormali.com/poems-online/what-teachers-make/
And another:) http://taylormali.com/poems-online/the-the-impotence-of-proofreading/ Emailing these to all my coworkers:)
I just watched that one too. 😀
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonDPGwAyfQ
Thanks so much from those of us who can’t get the video, desertflower. That was beautiful.
Read all of them, Lynn…he’s really good:)
Desertflower and swbluega, (((((((((((((((((((((((((( Thank you so much)))))))))))))))))))))))) You are angels visiting us today. HZ
hi there, HZ:) He has a special way with words…just like you:) Hope all is well in your part of the world
Hi, my special angel. Love the poems. Would love to get some of the books. All is fine except my right hip is causing some pain, but I am still going to move on. No time to stop now. Rest and take cautions, but so many others are going through so much more. I feel so grateful to be able to move within my space, hopefully doing some good.
Take good care of yourself, my special angel. (((( Lots of love coming your way.))))HZ
Ok…now I’m reading ALL his work! Especially good:)
Totally like whatever, you know?
by Taylor Mali
In case you hadn’t noticed,
it has somehow become uncool
to sound like you know what you’re talking about?
Or believe strongly in what you’re saying?
Invisible question marks and parenthetical (you know?)’s
have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences?
Even when those sentences aren’t, like, questions? You know?
Declarative sentences—so-‐called
because they used to, like, DECLARE things to be true, okay,
as opposed to other things are, like, totally, you know, not—
have been infected by a totally hip
and tragically cool interrogative tone? You know?
Like, don’t think I’m uncool just because I’ve noticed this;
this is just like the word on the street, you know?
It’s like what I’ve heard?
I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions, okay?
I’m just inviting you to join me in my uncertainty?
What has happened to our conviction?
Where are the limbs out on which we once walked?
Have they been, like, chopped down
with the rest of the rain forest?
Or do we have, like, nothing to say?
Has society become so, like, totally . . .
I mean absolutely . . . You know?
That we’ve just gotten to the point where it’s just, like . . .
whatever!
And so actually our disarticulation . . . ness
is just a clever sort of . . . thing
to disguise the fact that we’ve become
the most aggressively inarticulate generation
to come along since . . .
you know, a long, long time ago!
I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,
I challenge you: To speak with conviction.
To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks
the determination with which you believe it.
Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,
it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.
You have to speak with it, too.
Once you start reading (or watching) one, you start looking for more. Even as a parent, I appreciate his message.
True!
poetry crack:)
Whoa, Jon Stewart tore into PBO over the drone thing. lol
Stewart ended up looking stupid and having to apologize the next day for running his mouth without all the facts. LOL.
Once the cat/lie is out of the bag, some lemmings just won’t take the correction as factual, no matter what evidence is presented. Jon Stewart needs to take his influence more seriously, and realize his words have impact.
I think he takes his influence quite seriously, actually. I believe he’s very conflicted when it comes to PBO, like so many “liberals” in the media.
I’m not so sure about that. He held a big rally right before an important election, and then failed to encourage people to vote (for any party). He often disrespects the President. He often spreads misinformation. I don’t even know if it’s simply conflict over President Obama, or whether he’s just irresponsible. Either way, I try not to watch him unless there’s something really remarkable to see – and every once in a while, there is something remarkable to see (which makes it even more frustrating). He’s like Tweety – you never know what mood he’s going to be in or whether he’s going to be launching into an irrational emoprog rant. Sometimes you wonder just what kind of world these people want to leave for their children.
Yes, I believe he does take his influence seriously – which is why he held this rally right before a midterm election in the first place. To show how “important” he was. And he is VERY conflicted about the President. So are Tweety, Ed and Rachel (among others).
I think I understand what you’re saying now. I agree.
Is the weather getting better in the Northeast?
Being a SoCal native, I’m fascinated by snow pics.
Posted this one on the previous thread:
But this one is even more dramatic (with a puppy as well):
Both pics were apparently taken in Connecticut.
Not to morbid, but Connecticut has had its share of tribulations over the past couple months, and so has Big Bear CA (last Sunday was ski tour bus crash that killed 7, now they’re under police siege because of the cop-killer manhunt).
My personal opinion is that Dorner has probably already blown his own brains out, or he will die of exposure in the mountains where he torched his truck. Seems unlikely at this point that police will find him (if he’s still alive) without a tip from the public.
I think you are right Arapaho415 or someone is helping him and he torched his truck in Big Bear and drove off somewhere with someone. I would think that the police would have found his body by now. I would not be surprised if he is laying low until the media finds another shiny object to focus on.
I know Trumbull:) OMG….that’s some SERIOUS snow! Think I better call my brother and make sure that he’s ok!
My entrance looked like that several years ago during major snow storm.
I remember a winter like this back in Edmonton, Alberta back in the 70’s. My dad had to shovel out a section at the top of the door like the one in the picture, and then climb out. Us kids had fun in the snow. It took the weather to get this bad before we got a snow day.
As I watched our First Lady stand next to Hadiya’s mother looking down at Hadiya’s body lying in that casket, I saw long loving arms around Hadiya’s mothe’rs shoulders that carried the love and compassion of another mother. One lady is the mother of the lovely and gifted Hadiya and the other lady is the mother of two lovely young ladies, and their mother is our First Lady.
As I saw Hadiya’s mother trying to cope with all that was happening in that moment; I also saw another mother who happens to be our First Lady; trying to console with every rub and stroke to Hadiya’s mother. That is what moved me about the First Lady being there;, and I watched the entire service. I am sure that after all of the layers are being pulled back by the media and whomever; many of us still saw a mother to mother standing together over that lovely young fifteen year old child’s body. That was powerful to me. As the great aunt of my young great nephew I still remember a similar scene of, my niece standing over her young son’s body where a dear friend from her high school days( who now is in the public eyes as a public servant in high places did the exact thing with my niece. To this day, my niece tells her story to help other parents get through similar issues(as a spokeswoman), that that moment standing there with that public servant was not the point of comfort for her, but that it was her high school friend who had the courage to forget that she was a high profile public servant, but also a Mother standing with another mother in a moment of deep sorrow.
I thought that the service was a lovely celebration to Hadiya. Her life, though she is gone physically, and her spirit was there speaking to the world through the songs, dances, and hugs to the mother that showed all of us what our’ spirits of goodness’ can do in the’ midst of darkness’ in our nation.
I saw the mayor walk in with his son; I saw Rev. Jesse Jackson, Valarie Jarret, Arne Duncuns, and other officials,\; but I saw Hadiya’s mother and our First Lady being not just a First Lady, but a mother. Since the so many loud voices in the nation clamored for POB’s attendance, instead the nation saw a mother with a mother. Look at the video , if you can, and watch it carefully.
POB will do what he can as president, but Congress and state leaders have to do what they can as well. We Are One. I will find no fault, for me personally( not anyone else) with our First Lady being there today; I only will be disappointed if we as a people will not continue to speak and do the right thing for our children. wherever they may reside, as bright, lovely, fun, full of life, precious, ambitious, and ready to be all that God created them to be.
If we have a light, then let us all bring that light together and shine them right on the darkness, and then we can see the future as one that will be brighter and more promising for our young people.HZ
“…..a mother with a mother.” That spoke to my heart. I did not watch, but felt it by reading what you wrote. Thank you.
So beautiful, HZ. And so real.
Beautiful, HZ.
Thanks HZ, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing your experience in viewing the services for Hadiya. I will forever treasure your beautiful words, which are filled with humanity and compassion. I did not pay attention to the controversy about the First Lady attending Hadiya’s funnel services, but I am glad that she was there sharing her prayers with, and consoling, Hadiya’s mother. At this difficult moment that’s is all any one, including the First lady who, as you sensitively pointed out, is a mother could do.
Saw your comment above about your entrance looking like those in Connecticut a few years back.
Here’s my last “snowfall” posting; but looking at the picture makes my back ache:
Oh. My. God.
I would have to pay someone to do that. No way.
Imagine having such amount of snow on the top of the Many roofs in these areas. I will be scared to be inside these homes. Yes the snow is fluffy, but at 30″ plus high, it must weigh like Fluffy Chris Christie.
Love the fluffy snow….but, but, but…..this is a tad too much.
On a very sad note, an 11 yrs old was in a car getting some warmth and was killed by Co2 poisoning.
It’s like the parting of the Red Sea.
For ladies only…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=yEH4Yum4nN4
That is fun to watch. Thanks.
That was brilliant! Some of those ladies were cycling a lot faster than the others… and many left that scene looking very wistful… Brilliant.
Glad you liked it. 🙂
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/02/09/rest-in-peace-hadiya-pendleton/
This too fun for words. I don’t know how to embed it here.
😯 I did it. Hmm, what do you know 🙂 Wow ❗