April 1, 2013 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today:
9:55: President Obama Speaks on the BRAIN Initiative
12:0: Open for Questions: Brain Initiative (WH live)
12:05: First Lady Michelle Obama Speaks at the “42” Film Workshop (WH live)
12:30: Jay Carney briefs the press
2:10: President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore
5:35: President Obama hosts cast and crew members of the movie ’42’, a biographical film about Jackie Robinson, for a screening at the White House
8:45: Vice President Biden Speaks at the 2013 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards
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NYT: President Obama on Tuesday will announce a broad new research initiative, starting with $100 million in 2014, to invent and refine new technologies to understand the human brain….
A senior administration scientist compared the new initiative to the Human Genome Project, in that it is directed at a problem that has seemed insoluble up to now: the recording and mapping of brain circuits in action in an effort to “show how millions of brain cells interact.”
More here
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Washington Post: Gun-control measures that seemed destined to become law after the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., are in jeopardy amid a fierce lobbying campaign by firearms advocates.
Despite months of negotiations, key senators have been unable to find a workable plan for near-universal background checks on gun purchases — an idea that polls show nine in 10 Americans support.
Another provision that garnered bipartisan support — making gun trafficking a federal crime — could be gutted if Republican lawmakers accept new language being circulated by the National Rifle Association.
More here
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Jonathan Capehart: Dana Milbank, like so many of my other fellow pundits, is placing blame on President Obama for the “congressional inertia” that has stymied advancement of proposals to stem gun violence. What more Obama could do than he’s already done is beyond me. One look at the House of Representatives and you know that anything he wants to do or is in favor of doing is dead on arrival over there.
…. Imagine how much could get done if Obama’s consistent calls for help from the American people on gun violence were backed up by a consistent flood of calls to congressional district and Capitol Hill offices. The president has done as much as he can possibly do. With the Senate set to consider anti-gun-violence bills next week, where’s his backup?
Full post here
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Greg Sargent: Every Senator who is refusing to support expanded background checks — Republican or Democrat — needs to be asked a simple question: Do you support the current background system, or do you see it as an infringement on the rights of the law-abiding?
Every one of them will answer with a Yes, because they are taking refuge behind the idea that the current law needs to be strengthened in various ways but not expanded. Once they are on record confirming they don’t view the current system as a threat to Constitutional rights, the arguments against expanding it dissolve into incoherence.
More here
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Steve Benen: There are 55 members of the Senate Democratic caucus …. 47 of them have now publicly declared their support for marriage equality. The latest is Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey.
….with each similar announcement, the pressure rises on the remaining eight Senate Democrats who have not yet endorsed marriage equality: Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Bill Nelson of Florida, Tom Carper of Delaware, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Joe Donnelly of Indiana.
More here
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Bloomberg: Chrysler Group LLC, joining U.S. automakers in fielding their most competitive cars in decades, said its March U.S. sales rose 5 percent as the Dodge Dart compact helped extend a streak of monthly gains.
Sales for Chrysler climbed to 171,606 cars and light trucks from 163,381 a year earlier …. The automaker set sales records with its Dodge Dart, Avenger, Challenger and Chrysler 200 cars as well as its Ram pickups.
Chrysler’s U.S. vehicle sales have increased 36 consecutive months, the longest stretch in the company’s records that date back to 1985…
More here
Marketwatch: …. Ford’s newest vehicles – Fusion and Escape – set all-time monthly sales records in March, driving Ford’s best U.S. sales results since May 2007.
“Customers are buying our all-new Fusion and Escape in record numbers, and we are working harder than ever to keep pace with demand for these fuel-efficient vehicles,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Full-size pickup demand continues gaining momentum, outperforming the industry for the third consecutive month.”
More here
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Charles Pierce: The Selling Of Rand Paul
The selling of Senator Aqua Buddha continues apace. Time now has joined the parade, explaining that junior is peddling a superior brand of more easily digestible horsepucky than his old man peddled, and that makes all the difference….
…. Seriously, the filibuster failed, and was “electrifying” only to those people who dropped a fan in the bathtub while listening to it….
There is no question that Aqua Buddha is a superior tap-dancer to his father, but ….. you nod along for five minutes and, at the 5:00:01 mark, you hear something that’s so nakedly opportunistic — Benghazi, BENGHAZI, BENGHAZI! — that you wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into Sunday dinner at the Romneys…..
Full post here
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Jonathan Chait: Will Obama’s Majority Survive?
Since November, the prospective death of the Republican coalition has hovered over American politics, and the autopsy has gained renewed attention in light of the debates over gay marriage and immigration, both of which split the GOP from rising chunks of the electorate. I’m an advocate of the theory, first put forward a decade ago by Ruy Teixeira and John Judis, that the electorate is forming a natural Democratic majority. The Republican Party appears to be caught in a double bind, in which the electorate is growingly progressively less white, and even younger white voters hold less conservative views than older ones. What’s more, evidence suggests that voters maintain the partisan allegiances they form at a young age. The picture looks grim for the GOP.
More here
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March 3, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
NYT: Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, is likely to be the next United States ambassador to Japan, according to people familiar with the appointment process.
The vetting of Ms. Kennedy by the White House is almost complete, and an appointment could be announced in the coming weeks, along with the names of several other choices for important diplomatic posts…
More here
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MoooOOOOoooorning!
The Obama Diary 
Good morning.
Good morning
Another busy newsy morning!
Morning Mariele, morning vetivera24!
Congrats Mariele on #1 🙂
Thank you.
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone! Happy Tuesday 🙂
MooooooOOOOOooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOoooooorning Hopefruit!
Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota just disgusts me, I voted for her- as a democrat before I moved from ND.. I’m so glad I left that state.
oh & good morning all 🙂 a happy tuesday TOD.
MooooOOOoooOOOOooooOOOoorning sherijr!
hello dear Chips, good to see you ~ the sun is shining 🙂
Good to hear sherijr, may it keep on shining on you!
aww Chips, thank you.. and may it continue to shine on YOU!
Good morning sherijr. I wish i could move. Try having Marco Rubio until 2016.
I’m sorry for you, I lived in Florida when Bush was gov… it was bad then too, but FL has really hit the skids with all the repubs running that state.
How much attention did the resigning of the Lt. Governor of Florida get in Florida. It hardly got any national attention. And her reason for resigning was what?
Excellent, thank you Hopefruit, added the news to the post.
I heard Dana Milbank place the blame on President Obama for not moving faster on getting something done with gun violence, and I ask myself just what the hell is this two bit pundit talking about. So it’s Obama’s fault because the Republicans are so in the hip pocket of the NRA and gun lobbyists. So it’s Obama fault that these Republicans are against anything Obama supports. And then you have your cowardly Democrats you have to deal with.This is just proof that folks like Dana Milbank should not be on tv giving advice as if they are experts, they aren’t. Sometimes they don’t have a clue as to what they are talking about and they need to shut the heck up. Or sometimes they just want to put forth a narrative which blame Obama for everything.
Dana Milbank is a graduate of Yale and was a member of the secret society, Skull and Bones, as were both Bushes and John Kerry. He is as much a member of the establishment and a follower of conventional wisdom as anyone in DC. He is also a smart ass.
Bill, I’d delete the “smart” in your last sentence. He’s an ass alright of a distinctly equine nature.
CBS Morning News spent at least five or more minutes talking about the President basketball shooting yesterday at the Easter Egg Roll. I didn’t see anything about the President comforting that little kid who was crying. Oh and I saw Star Jones on the Today show and what did I notice? Star had got herself a new hairdo, Star were wearing bangs. Don’t tell me that our FLOTUS isn’t a trend setter.
This really annoyed me, too, anniebella. Why is it never the fault of those in Congress who actually have no ethics or morality and would just as soon see children die as stand up to the NRA. The president and VP stood up and took all the risks here, escalating the violent threats against them and all the Republican and some Democratic members of Congress can do is suck their thumbs and stupidly repeat NRA talking points. Why isn’t Dana Milbank excoriating the NRA and the spineless members of Congress. I’m sick to the teeth of these idiot commentators who are just boils on the rear of our nation.
It never ceases to amaze me how rational and informed people, who are supposed to know all about the Constitution, buy into the myth of the magical powers of the Presidency .
In many ways, Congress is the more powerful branches of the three branches of the American government. But there is such a focus on the President in the american culture that even people who should know better are spouting nonsense and blaming the President for everything.
No wonder republicans adopt the obstructionist strategy. It works beautifully.
SOOOOO tired of this nonsense.
Not reading Milbank regularly, but something tells me that a few weeks ago, he was blaming President Obama for not “leading” on the sequester …
News, news, and more news. Thanks Chiparoo.
I’m excited about the white house’s BRAIN project. So glad it’s coming to fruition. Imagine the disorders, diseases, and other malfunctions that tragically afflict humans, we could now have a chance of understanding them better and hopefully finding cures. Science is so bloody amazing.
Me too:) Snarky comment below excluded.
Mooooooorning UT, I had horrific nightmares last night about United being knocked out of the Cup. Oh. Wait.
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…….Who’s the better team? Chelsea! Who’s the awesome team? Chelsea! Who’s the fantastic, taste like candy and chocolate, dripping with hot talented men team? Chelsea!
Who kicked Man United’s ass? C-H-E-L-S-E-A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Goooooooooooooooooooooooo BLUES! 😀
———> http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/tables
I don’t care. Chelsea kicked Man United out of the FA Cup; because of that, I will be grinning ALL week. Heck. ALLLLLLLLL…..month.
Serious time: Chips, that game had my heart pounding. I was popping M&M’s like they were E, I was moving around, I was rocking back and forth, I was clenching and unclenching my hands, I would switch off the game and turn it back off because I felt that if I didn’t I would somehow jinx the game. When the match was over, I found tears rolling down my face and all I heard was “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you” and it took me a while to realize the words were coming from my mouth.
I told myself, duuuuuuuuuude, you have got to calm down and back away but I genuinely love the game with all of my heart. I bleed BLUE. It’s a beautiful game to watch no matter the outcome and pretty darn fantastic. 😀
Huh, glad you enjoyed the game. As I told you yesterday, it made me cry too.
The moment that will live with me forever is when I leapt out of my chair to celebrate Hernandez’s goal …. only for Petr !!*&$%£ Cech to de-goal his header with that ridiculous save.
My biggest difficulty now is deciding who I want to lose the semi-final more, Chelsea or City.
I love football …. apart from on days like yesterday.
Con ….choke …. gratulations again.
Maybe they’ll discover why the Pub brain has yet to evolve.
Exactly my first thought when I saw the brain news: why is almost half of our population goofy and unable to perceive reality.
The big question, Cookemom, is why Republicans in Congress don’t have the brains God have a goose. Why were they shorted? A gaggle of geese would behave more responsibly in Congress and pass better legislation.
*Republicans in Congress don’t have the brains God gave a goose*
That about says it all, JackieG.
The only thing about that brain research is that in about 2 minutes we’re going to hear geniuses like Michele Bachmann calling it “mind control” or “brainwashing” experiments. I’m saying 2 minutes when I’ll bet that nonsense has already started.
Good Tuesday morning!! Thanks for all this morning goodness, Chips:) Slap my face, but the very first thing I thought of when I read that PBO was launching the brain initiative was ” What a no brainer! After seeing the clueness, braindead troops in Washington you have to deal with, I’D want to find out out how brains work, too!” WTH! Kidding aside (and I really DID think that) wonder how many people will deny the science because everyone knows…Americans don’t HAVE brains!
Busy day for me…busy week….let’s keep up the pressure on these NRA shills to do the right thing.
“….. the very first thing I thought of when I read that PBO was launching the brain initiative was ” What a no brainer!”
Unforgivable, Desertflower!!!! Morning!
Morning sweet;)
Oh no, Sarah Palin will be saying that President Obama is cooking up some plan to control people by claiming to study the brain.
I want to say I am just kidding but I know how these right wing haters are when it comes to this President.
In her case, she has nothing to worry about, you have to have a brain before it can be controlled.
My thoughts (from my brain) exactly on Sarah Heath Palin, ex-governor quitter person of Alaska!
I just got here, and posted the same thing above, only I thought Michele Bachmann would be the first one to say it.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/great-gun-gobbledygook-the-paradox-of-second-amendment-hardliners/274523/
Dominic Tierney Apr 1 2013, 2:57 PM ET
More
barrelsban.jpg
Matt Sullivan/Reuters
In the current debate over gun control, the pro-gun lobby has an ace card up its sleeve: We need weapons to prevent government tyranny, they say. These self-styled champions of liberty see guns as the ultimate insurance policy to protect the Constitution. The problem is that most of those making this argument also strongly support a massive U.S. military — exactly the behemoth we must be armed against. It’s the great gun gobbledygook.
I have already called my Congressman about infrastructure, immigration reform
And gun control.
But, Rep Young is a Conservative and they are given talking points by the leadership.
Whether it is a written Letter or stated to me over the phone, Its all the same Rhetoric.
Obama, Obama, Obama…
It doesn’t work calling your congressman, they don’t listen.
Jovie, It might not do any good, but I feel better letting them know exactly how I few.
That suppose to be “feel”.
And I plan to keep emailing, calling, and in some cases writing them. Because they need to hear from the people who they suppose to serve. You can bet they hear from the NRA.
Well howdy do to all youze O’s!!! What a great getting up day again on the corner of TOD and TOD!
Once again, spring has found a reason to delay its arrival in my neck of the woods. It’s probably for the better, cause I”m highly susceptible to spring fever. Once that happens, all bets are off on me getting anything accomplished until at least late September. I’m worse than a kid on the last day of school.
On a political note, I sure wish we could round up a Pub or two who would help with the gun control issue. I sure wish that Dems would be more like the Pubs in giving some members of their caucus cover on certain issues and allow them to remain silent at least until there’s something to vote on. I don’t care for blue dog Dems, but the reality is we need them. If we could have gotten a more liberal person in their spot, they wouldn’t be there.
Heidi from No. Dakota is a good example. They threw everything they had at her and she still eke’d out a win in one of the most conservative state in the country. Will she be a progressive Senator? NO, but we know that. Is her presence counted on the Dem side of the tally? YES! Does the tally make a difference? Only if you consider that the number is the difference between who has control of the Senate. If that matters, then shouldn’t we work to keep them in their seats, rather than doing all we can to make them declare themselves publicly, before we even know what will even make it to the floor for a vote? Shouldn’t we leave it to Reid and Durbin to whip the votes behind closed doors?
I know, I know, I’ve said all of this before……
{{{Cookemom}}} Good Morning! I haven’t said anything on this front to date, so today I’ll tell you that you make good arguments and you convinced me of this a good while back. Sometimes calm repetition with reasoned arguments make more headway than you realize. Sometimes when we are angry, we don’t see the long picture and may indeed act raslhly. Thank you for sharing your views and ‘having the courage of your conviction’.
Good grief:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/02/sequestration-effects_n_2996101.html?1364903667
Literally TONS AND TONS of sequester related layoffs and issues!!!!
I know, HP, but just look what they’ve done!
There is a list of 100 here….more to follow, I’m sure
My God, that is just shocking – the effect on people’s lives is devastating.
We’re just getting started! See how this works? Then Republicans can say, “See…I TOLD you govt. doesn’t work!” Treasonous traitors all.
+ 1,000,000,000
Amen sister.
That’s horrible. I’d almost rather they close, than to do a drawing. How do you explain to a child that they weren’t chosen? How is one set of parents made to jeopardize their jobs because of lack of childcare. Which kid gets the Head Start in life? Just close it all together. How sad.
Every member of Congress who voted for this pestilence of a Sequester should hang his/her head in shame over this. But they have no shame, no conscience, a not a dot of a feeling that they work for the American people. They may as well have corporate stamps on their foreheads.
This is what the Pubs have long wanted to do with social programs. They are not hanging their heads, they are high fiving this news. It won’t be until the sequester impacts their rich friends or their own families that they will take notice. Now, they’re able to do what they’ve always wanted without getting their hands dirty. They just blame it on the faceless sequester.
Just remember, while some kids will be impacted for their entire lives because they didn’t get into the Head Start program, the people in Congress are whining about losing the White House tours, and closing airports that typically serve CEOs with their private jets. They don’t see the people they’re supposed to serve.
’bout time they started talking about this mess!! THIS IS IMPORTANT!!
mornin’ TOD!
MoooooOOOOOoooOOOOOOoooOOOOOooooorning Isonprize, happy Tuesday!!!
Ford US March sales up 5.7% est. Up 4.4%.
Beat.
WTH! http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/04/nra_magazine_covers.php?ref=fpblg Inciting fear wherever they go…
Does the 100 million dollars have to go through Congress? If so, it’s highly unlikely that will pass.
Nothing meaningful will pass until we get these foolish T Baggers out of congress in 2014. That election, is the biggest election, way bigger than 2010.
I agree, and we’d better start lining up at the polling places now, before the Republicans close them like the Head Start programs! Next, we’ll be having a lottery to vote.
Can’t they find a way to get Christie out of the governorship? Why are the Dems in that state so behind that slob? Why is he rewarded for being brash, rude, right wing social nutjob and just plain ineffective? The jobless rate remains the same in his state now as it was the day he took office. Most all other states have seen some improvement. Where are the Dems who would let him slide, even with his horrible union record, and tax breaks to the fat cats there? Oh well, all politics are local and maybe having a storm named Sandy is all it took to make people there OK with him. I guess it doesn’t matter, he’ll be term limited out after this term. If he thinks he’ll have luck on a national level, he might as well try to run a 5K.
Remember how Dems went after the last Dem who wanted the Dem state house to work with him and they went out of their way to deny him? Well, that is the Dems. They will work with the opposite party unlike the opposite party working with them. It never fails. Then the media props Christie up and writes glowingly about him. Christie vetoed raising minimum wage, marriage equality, speed rail project, etc and those were not reported as harshly as they were, but as the fluffy having bold firm core and doing his job. That is what the problem is.
where’s his backup?
The eternal unanswered question since Jan 20, 2009.
Exactly.
Indeed!
Hello Sun Shine at the TOD Community Symposium Gathering;
Here’s a video for all Kitty Lovers here at TOD 😉
Too funny! That tail sure got a workout. You would think the poor kitty would be exhausted when it woke up!
😆
🙂
| LIVE | President Obama Speaks on the BRAIN Initiative:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live –
http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml –
http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=1
Thanks a milion JER, that wasn’t on the schedule when I posted it – you’re a star!
Also added to the schedule in the post:
12:05: First Lady Michelle Obama Speaks at the “42” Film Workshop
The Scientist-In-Chief! Initiative inspired by the Teabagger Brain?!
😆 I could be very unkind about the gap between Teabaggers’ ears where a brain should be, but I’ll be good JER.
Next up, White House is live streaming:
‘Open for Questions: Brain Initiative’ http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
PBO set to speak on brain initiative any minute
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
I have always loved Neil Diamond. After his support of this pres in 2012…..I love him more 😉
So on that note, those who are not Kitty Lovers, here’s Neil…..
James Taylor and Bruce Springteen are two who really supported POTUS and I grew to like their music.
Yes, yes, yes……Oh yes ❗
Yep! Love them!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
Good morning, TODers. Another very interesting day at the White House. Never a dull moment with our POTUS.
Whenever I see the father of one of the little boys who was massacred at Newtown, my heart just breaks. I worry that this country will let down all those who suffer from that horrific day and all the other days that have been filled with senseless violence. I know my Senators and rep are doing all they can but we need our voices to be heard. Please call today if you haven’t already. Thank you.
Great post, lovely as always Chips.
Thank you 🙂
Ah, thank you Nena – and a very happy Tuesday to ya!
Irony is the NRA announcing within the next hour, their plan for ensuring school safety, following on the heels of PBO’s announcement on brain study.
Delicious. I am hungry like the wolf now…….now that song is also in my HEAD ❗
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
😯
I think I’ll finally contact the cabinet member who heads the White House in Charge of Draperies Department. I fully expect either a different set of drapes or a different room/backdrop when PBO gives his speeches. The color of these drapes completely wipes him out and he disappears right into them. If it weren’t for the flag beside him, I’d just be hearing a sound coming from the Tee and Vee box.
I have to say I never notice the drapes. I could not describe them if there was a million dollar prize. President Obama always gets my undivided attention, dwarfs his surroundings.
I loved when he said if we already had answers to the mysteries of how the brain works it would make his life easier in Washington, that he would be able to prescribe something. What a wonderful thought—-if we could just give all the Repubs a pill.
Those drapes are butt ugly and I didn’t like them even when that shrub stood in front of them. Horrible color as a backdrop for anyone. Gold and yellow tones just don’t photograph well imo. Not to worry though, I manage to find PBO and sort him out from the drapes.
Or a Lobotomy… Tho many of seem as if they have already had one! 😆
Hello e1 – it was so nice to read Jonathan Capehart – who seems one of the few who knows the President has does everything and more for gun control. VP Biden was nominated to lead the debate – is he still doing this – haven’t heard from him – or congress – yet for the pundits – it is always the President.
He was thinking the same thing I was:) Hard to miss THAT comparison!
Sometimes…they get it right 🙂
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-rt-usa-arizonagaymarriagel2n0ch1tt-20130402,0,7112536,full.story
Arizona city poised to pass state’s first civil union ordinance
At noon, CNN livestream lists this event:
First lady’s ’42′ movie party
First lady Michelle Obama invites dozens of high school and college students from across the country for an event celebrating the upcoming Jackie Robinson biopic “42″.
🙂
Jay “Kent Carney’s 4-1-13 WH presser briefings;
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/82432-1
Michelle Obama’s bangs get messy: Touching moment Malia lovingly fixes her mother’s hair at Easter… http://bit.ly/Z5tU21 via @MailOnline
Ah, the sweetest photos Edwina – thank you!
Hey, I know Chip’s bait when I see it.
😆 You know me too well Edwina!!!
Thanks so much for posting Edwina. That was a very sweet story and great photos too!!
Melanie, the pictures of FLOTUS and Malia are indeed touching and sweet. It speaks volume of their Mother-daughter relationship, of the Obama family. Thank you Edwina for posting these pictures. I love them.
Updated the schedule in the post again, was missing some stuff.
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/04/02/1809171/delawares-only-congressman-endorses-marriage-equality/
Cute story….
Malia Obama and her mother shared a tender moment at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, as the 14-year-old smoothed out the first lady’s bangs for her when the wind blew her hair out of place.
The high school freshman was all smiles as she gently smoothed her mother’s hair for the cameras, then leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2302671/Michelle-Obamas-bangs-messy-Touching-moment-Malia-lovingly-fixes-mothers-hair-Easter-event.html
I love the pictures of Malia and her Mom.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/04/02/rnc_hires_juan_williams_son.html
The RNC has hired Raffi Williams, the 24 year old son of Fox News analyst Juan Williams, to sell “the GOP to youth outlets and the African American press as a Deputy Press Secretary,” BuzzFeed reports.
wingnutz welfare circuit. nice gig if you can loand one.
I listened to the President with tears streaming down my face. 24 years ago my brother had a couple of major seizures. They discovered he had an 3″ square AVM in his left parietal lobe, the largest they’d ever seen. He was in treatment for over a year at Stanford where they tried experimental procedures to isolate the AVM and then later gamma ray radiation in Berkeley. Although he has to take a lot of different medication, he’s been able to lead a normal life. However, two weeks ago he began to experience bad headaches and his doctor says that his trouble is back. They are still studying his brain to determine the next course of treatment and of course we are all worried sick. So when PBO talks about the importance of brain science and his commitment to research, I am moved beyond words. I must hold out hope that Congress will not politicize this. It means a lot to families everywhere.
Well wishes to your brother and your entire family. One would think that issues such as this one, would not have any political issue, other than to act as one to push initiatives like this one through to fruition.
Thank you, cookemom.
{{{{{meta&brother&family}}}}}
{{{{hugs and healing to Pamela}}}}
“So when PBO talks about the importance of brain science and his commitment to research, I am moved beyond words. I must hold out hope that Congress will not politicize this. It means a lot to families everywhere.”
Amen to that!!!!
Prayers for your brother and your family, meta. This research is important to all of us, I think of many friends who have coped with Alzheimers/dementia in their parents. They must wonder what is in store for them too. Your brother’s story makes the point in sharp relief.
Thank you very much, maryl1.
Sen Tom Harper comes out in a comment via FB, support of same sex marriage.
I think it was Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) leaving seven Senate Democrats in opposition.
You are correct, my bad. I was trying to use 3 of my 5 senses at the same time. In my case, that is rarely successful.
You are doing fine, I have trouble using one sense at a time.
Malia and Sasha reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? yesterday reminded me of my Head Start days—–my kids loved that book and song! We even performed it for our end of the year program for our parents, with props and solos and everything! It was So Cute! I’m sure this will now be y’alls fave music vid. 🙂
Very cute, dotster3. I have to admit I overdosed on this book when I taught K, but it really is a very nice book for young children.
GM, y’all… Checking in, and checking through…. Hugs all around… BBL.
Ben Carson will not be asked to participate in this research.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2013/04/02/google-and-white-christians-search-for-persecution/
This dad makes a great point. People are concerned about kids growing up in a home with two fathers or two mothers. What about kids growing up in hate-filled homes?
http://evolequals.com/2013/04/01/a-gay-dad-sounds-off-about-the-anti-gay-easter-dad/
indeed – which one of those kids is likely to grow up to be a menace to society, and a danger to other people’s freedom? Hate breeds more hate.
It breaks my heart to think of that boy yelling those awful things to please his dad.
Kevin Ware, the Louisville basketball player who broke his leg in two places, will be released from the hospital today. The school has agreed to pay his medical costs. Good for them and him. Many students on full athletic scholarships, are not so lucky. They are not guaranteed full medical coverage in case of injury, nor continuation of the scholarship should they be unable to perform due to the injury.
Most are not star athletes, nor have their injury televised on national TV. In those cases, the family picks up the medical tab. The student is on their own covering tuition, if the scholarship is pulled.
I am so glad Kevin Ware is doing okay. I wish him well. And it is good that the school is paying for his medical bills.
Yes, and it also speaks to why it is so important that Obamacare exists. At least, students can be covered under their parents insurance.
Kansas state senate ready to sign abortion or personhood bill that says life begins at conception. Yet, the abortion clinic where the doctor was killed 4 years ago in Witchita, is scheduled to reopen this week.
I saw a cartoon on the Orange site where an embryo speaks about being a girl, then realizing she won’t have any rights once she’s born.
Just wondering… If personhood begins at conception, what rights are conferred on the person? Does citizenship begin at conception? If so, in what country did citizenship take place? Oh no! Maybe on a trip to Kenya or Mexico?
Democratic Senator Touts Bill To Allow Patients Involuntarily Committed For Mental Illness To Purchase Guns
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) hinted on Tuesday that he would oppose a Democratic initiative to expand background checks to all gun purchases, but reiterated his support for an NRA-backed measure that would permit individuals deemed mentally ill or incompetent to purchase firearms more freely. Pryor is part of small group of Democrats in red states who have not endorsed universal background checks, even though the measure is supported by a majority of residents.
“You know, I’m a Second Amendment guy, everybody knows that. People in our state are very strong believers in the Second Amendment and the right to gun ownership,” Pryor told “The Alice Stewart Show,” which airs on KHTE 96.5 The Voice. The conservative Democrat then highlighted his co-sponsorship of an NRA concocted proposal that would reduce the number of records in the existing background check system by removing prohibitions against individuals who were involuntarily committed to mental institutions.
http://thinkprogress.org/
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anti-marriage equality and pro-gun nuts. ?
He should practice the age old adage, ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything’. If he’s going to be on the wrong side of the issue, at least shut up about it. We can just count him on our side of the tally for the numbers only, but he really needs to put a muzzle on it.
Okay, I have decided to work up another hash tag simply because I am tired of the RW doing the defininf of what being a liberal or progressive means. JFK once gave a long litany of what being a liberal means. My hope is to start another litany. The tweet below is number 1 of what I hope to be a lengthy series.
A father of a Sandy Hook victim comes out in favor of the NRA recommendation to have armed guards/teachers in schools.
In every 12, there is always an exception?
Yeah. The correct saying would be…….harsher.
26 families and then there is The ONE?
Adam Lanza had a mother who thought that by the results of the 2008 elections, she was certain that the world was coming close to the end. Is there any wonder that as the story has been reported, the son had twisted way of looking at abandonment……when she started dating and was contemplating of living, perhaps moving away to WA?
I blame Adam Lanza’s mother just as much as I blame Adam Lanza for the shooting..
Click to access SPRING-2013-LOUISIANA-VOTER-SURVEY-RELEASE-AND-ANALYSIS.pdf
For Cookemom, Japa21, and all other Illini:
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Since IL Senate approved and House looks likely to, he knows if he is adamently against same sex marriage he won’t win in 2016. At the same time, it will be interesting to see if he gets primaried from the Right.
This was easy for him. He’s in a blue state. Just the point that Cookemom and others have been making for weeks now. We spend all our time pounding away at Red State Dems while Blue State Repubs essentially get a free pass. Now folks from Illinois need to go after him on guns and immigration and don’t let up until you have his vote on these issues.
I just don’t know about you, Chips. Thought I had a wonderful night’s sleep and was ready for anything on a bright and sunny morning. But after seeing all this – including that magical President Obama’s Secret Garden photo (with the kids and parents in the reading audience), I’m overwhelmed!!!!! Love it. Thank you. (I’d tell ya to “take the rest of the day off,” but, no, sorry, no can do. This stuff’s too good for the soul.)
Just in, Mark Kirk, blue state Illinois Pub Senator comes out for gay marriage. I guess my calls and emails finally got to him. He’s just pandering, but I’ll take it. Still, he has to go…period.
Now 🙂 that is what I am talking about……those in IL……You did it. Thank you all 😉
We’ll take pandering if it gets us what we want and then like you said still vote his tail out !
Sweet 😆
VOTE His tail out… 😆
Iran, North Korea and Syria had sought to block the treaty governing a trade worth some $70bn (£46bn) annually.
The treaty aims to prevent abuses against civilians and keep weapons out of the hands of terrorists and gangs.
Russia, the world’s second-biggest major exporter, was among those states which abstained from the vote at the Assembly in New York.
The treaty prohibits states from exporting conventional weapons in violation of arms embargoes, or weapons that would be used for acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or terrorism.
It also requires states to prevent conventional weapons reaching the black market.
Before the vote, Australia’s ambassador to the UN, Peter Woolcott, had said the final draft of the treaty was a compromise text to bring together the broadest range of stakeholders.
Okay, all you twitterfolk, here is a call to action on gun safety regulation:
John Mellencamp Cougar sang : Ain’t Even Done with the Night.
Chips your addition with the Bang-In-Chief pictorial typifies that .
😎
Google faces European privacy probe
Six European data protection bodies are to launch coordinated investigations into Google’s privacy policy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22003551
Have always hated them for sneaky nosiness and data mining.
I caught the end of First Lady speaking and she always, I say always speaks to those kids like she mean every word she says. It comes from her heart that is how she speaks and I so admire her. And so glad she is our First Lady. Thank you President Obama. She look lovely as usual.
Morning everyone. New post is up: http://theobamadiary.com/2013/04/02/politics-and-the-big-tent/
for the life of me, i can’t understand how someone can read the constitution, and the 2nd amendment along with section 1, article 8 where they define militia and how it’s controlled by an elected government, and think the 2nd amendment means a bunch a beer-bellied guys who get winded running to the end of their driveways arming themselves to the teeth to fight against their elected government.
the entire constitution and the 2nd amendment in particular talks about stopping insurrection, not encouraging it as the n.r.a. and media have been pushing for decades. people are so confused around this issue. i don’t think there’s any constitutional basis for gun ownership for hunting even. it’s clearly talking about guns being for the militia and controlled by congress or state governments…nothing about random individuals for their own use. it’s fine for people to have some for hunting and protection i think, and laws can handle that, but it’s incorrect to say it’s a constitutional right to “bear arms” not in service of your government.
It’s willful ignorance.