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En route to Israel..
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Heading to meetings
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Arriving in Jordan
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Off to Saudi Arabia
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Arriving in Egypt
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Arriving at tomb of unknown soldier
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Meeting President Morsi
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SecDef Hagel visits an undisclosed location in SW Asia
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SecDef Chuck Hagel walks with U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Michael Corbiun
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Heading stateside
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Evening everyone, hope everyone has been doing well….My dad came home Saturday morning and is recovering well at home. I want to thank everyone for all their well wishes. Hope you have a wonderful week. LovelyPlains!
The Obama Diary 
Evening!!
Congrats DF.
Congrats df. How’s it goin?
Congrats on first DF
I really like Chuck Hagel!!
I do too. In fact, I am glad that Sec Hagel and Sec Kerry agreed to serve PBO
Well said. Sec. Hagel has been good too.
Wish that people that support PBO could follow your lead and just show more respect for these two, especially Sec. Kerry.
Forgot to add to the last thread, if anyone tweets (again, I don’t use Twitter), thanks to those sticking up for those two. The vile, vitriol that some (not all) “pragmatic” PBO supporters tweeted towards Sec. Kerry after the unfortunate media circus with Amb. Rice was discouraging and very sad. PBO and VP Biden would be (have been) appalled. This is also why I care for Randi Rhodes and the people that smeared our honorable SOS.
If anyone can give any other social media advice, it’s all good.
Will be going now. Thanks and peace.
correction: “why I don’t care”
Hagel is better than any Republican in the Senate or House. Of course those radical dingbats wouldn’t call Hagel a Republican.
What IS a “Republican” these days, anyway? Wingnuts…
My kinda guy!
😎 😎 LovelyPlains. Spellcheck “Israel” 😎 😎
He is keeping it real. 🙂
Good Evening TOD Family,
It’s been a busy weekend, but I have watched the WHCD several times. I have a question…Is Ed Henry the most boring man on the planet, or what? Thank the Lord for fast forwarding!
Yes, Ed Henry is the most boring man on the planet.
Hey blog tyrant.
This is the screen grab of the big ass icons here.
Oh, chill out dood. Here, have a gimlet. I’m on my third.
fini my 2009 bordeaux last nite. This is just the hangover talkin’.
You know, my doctor is insisting I curtail my drinking. I’m ignoring him (slightly). When I start having martini lunches—which I won’t, because I actually love my job—then I’ll start worrying.
Listen to your doctor, dood.
yeah yeah yeah
So, if I do a night owl music chat, thanks to Nena, it’ll be all Spandau Ballet. Blame her.
LL, you scheming on killing my thread already? Give a brother 12 hours…. You tyrants have gotten ruthless in my absence!
LOL! I probably won’t post it til tomorrow night.
OK…..I should have read more before posting. I am especially looking forward to your Night Owl MusicTOD Fest tonight. 😉
Hmm? But, but, but, LL I didn’t see a Spandau Ballet Night Owl Post. What happened? 😦
earlier today, someone posted the video of opening track to The Lion King – thanks.
But I must admit that I cannot watch it these days without recalling that a remix of it is the designated “Official President Obama Birth Video” – the short form as PBO said.
I laughed that the scene where the sign of cross is made on the newborn’s forehead and the scene where various animals bow in worship to the new born, where left in > I wondered how come the usual suspects did not point out the divine implication of the bowing to PBO
suspect that many here remember how PBO used the Lion King on the 2011 WHCD – the day he ordered Seal Team Six to take out OBL
Reply
That whole thing was awesome on that next day.
yah I was thinking about that Global – I was watching the 2011 speech and thinking how funny he was and all the time there was that going on with OBL and Seal Team 6. President Obama’s amazing.
um…. could we call him ‘ds hagel’ instead of ‘sod hagel’?
aloha tods!
Hey, Susanne! Glad to see you check-in; you were one of the MIA’s we were wondering about last week. Hope all is well with you and your’s.
sorry, i didn’t realize i’d become mia! i manage to stop by most days, but only to read the main posts. all’s well with me and mine; just hit a busy patch. i love that i can check in here on the odd moment feel like i’ve dropped in home for a quick hello. thanks for the greetings, alycee!
Ha – not to add on, but the actual acronym is “SECDEF” – Signed, anonymous 🙂
Damned straight, get a job! The ultra-Orthdox don’t even believe that Israel is legitimate, since the Messiah hasn’t appeared. And yet they leech off of it.
Lapid is an underrated political athlete…he held out just long enough to get his deputy an Education Cabinet post as well…Which is why they are forcing the teaching of evolution etc.. to Orthodox as well.
Good to see you back LP!
Hagel seems to have fit beautifully into his role of defense sect. I would love to have all those senators who voted against him be forced to watch the way he works so well with international leaders and how comfortable and successful he is in his job. He seems born to be Sect. of Defense and I’m thankful he made it despite the asses who tried to stop him.
I also heard the troops saying that they really trust him, because he’s been in their shoes. They feel like he’s got their back.
First Sec of Def who was enlisted Hell yea! There are more enlisted than officers but they make all the decisions. It’s about time all the officers and Joint Chiefs report to a previously enlisted Secretary.
At least people like Randi Rhodes didn’t try to say that he was somehow behind the attacks on Amb. Rice or the other lady (Flauntroy). :sarcasm:
Like the GOP with Hagel, she (and they) have eggs on their faces.
Best schadenfreude ever.
In fall 2011, author Ron Suskind’s book “Confidence Men” alleged that the Obama White House had been an inhospitable place for women. A female Politico staffer at the time had been assigned to look into the story, yet a strange thing happened when she started reporting. “I would ask about these allegations of sexism and they [sources] would respond with some variation of ‘When are you going to do that story—the story on sexism at Politico?’ And so I went to my editor and said we don’t have a lot of cover on this story and shouldn’t pursue it too hard.”
You are one of the few tweeters that stands up for Obama without taking swipes at others. Thanks for all your hard word and glad your back and continued good vibes to your dad. Signed, TOD freshman.
Posted at the end of the last thread.
OT: Dollar Tree Alert! Picked up several copies of David Plouffe’s The Audacity to Win at my local Dollar Tree; they also had a pretty good selection of fiction and juvenile fiction (grades 5 – 8).
When visiting anyone’s home, I love to peruse their bookshelves — discovering new authors/books or finding their taste is similar/dissimilar to mine. Still working on cataloging my library online, almost 3300 down, still about 4000 volumes to go. Feel free to take a look:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/firstladyofjazz
Alycee, I have about 3000 cookbooks, cooking mags that I’d like to catalog. I looked at your list..it’s great. The cost to join seems nominal. Do you recommend?
The $25 bucks for a lifetime membership was more than worth it to me!
Thanks.
Alycee, You have quite an impressive library! Like you, I love books — mainly history, politics/law, and literature books. Because books are expensive, especially the rare books, I dependent on Public Libraries for most of my readings. Consequently, my personal book collection (about 1/10 of yours) is puny compared to yours.
“I dependent on Public Libraries…” should read I am dependent on Public Libraries…
There wasn’t (unfortunately, still isn’t) a library in my small town so my family always gave me books as gifts; I also spent a good portion of my allowance on books. I have almost every book I’ve ever owned, unfortunately, I lost a lot of my childhood books when my basement flooded. Now, I buy mostly non-fiction; fiction I get from the county library system.
Alycee, you remind me of the great Black Abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. Like you, Douglass never parted with any of his books, especially his beloved “Columbian Orator,” which he used to train himself to become one of this country’s greatest orators. Sadly for me, I didn’t begin to value books until I went to college.
“I dependent on Public Libraries…” should read: I depend on Public Libraries….
Hot damn. It would take a week to go through your list. This old salt didn’t know there was that many outside of a library.
You changed your pic — nice! I’m the nerd that takes a book everywhere! Intermissions are reading breaks…
Yup! That’s the real yardarm. Since I no longer travel, books aren’t a priority. I do like Tom Clancy and love science fiction.
Hey, Yardarm, have you ever read any of Chester Hines books?
Can’t say as I have. Memory is not top drawer at this stage of my development. 😀
The reason I asked was because he was one of the few African American writers interested in writing science fiction.
To tell the truth, most of what I read would no longer be considered scifi.
My apologies, Yardarm for the misspelling! I meant Chester Himes not Hines. I remember reading that he was interested in science fiction, though his writings were primarily about the African American experience. I don’t know for sure if he ever published any science fiction pieces. I think he later wrote detective stories. Here are some of his popular novels I remember reading in the 60’s and 70’s: “Cotton Comes to Harlem”; “The Heat’s On”; “Come Back Charlestown Blue”; and “”If He Hollers Let Him Go.” If I am not mistaken, I think “The Heat is On” was a detective story. I have a copy of it somewhere in my badly disorganized library, but I haven’t read it for more than 30 years. I also vaguely remember that he published his autobiography in the 1970s, which I read.
“The Spook who sat by the Door”, “The Earth Abides”, and “Shibumi” are just a few plus Eldredge Cleaver, and James Baldwin……..Gotta go man. I’m toast. See ya on the flip.
WOW, Alycee, I am so impressed!!!! I love books, you have a beautiful collection. Happy reading.
how does this library catalogue work…are these books you have read or books you want to read..
Lovely Plains — LOVE your photo format!
How is your Dad? Hope he is home from the hospital and well on the road to recovery.
TY Alycee, just taking a break…dad came home Saturday.
LP, happy to hear your Dad`s resting at home.
glad to hear he’s home. Between the stress of your father’s illness and the demands of school, please take care of yourself!
LP, I hope you have lots of help taking care of your dad. Recovery time can be long and stressful. I so admire your strength and ability to do so many things at once.
LovelyPlains, so nice to see you back posting. I hope your Dad is feeling much better.
TY nath, yes he came home yesterday finally…visit will short lived, have 2 papers due this week. Will still pop in thought hopefully.
I am so glad to hear your Dad is home in familiar surroundings. I know this must be a stressful time for you and all the other bright students at TOD as it’s the end of the academic year. Good luck on your papers and any other exams.
On the last page I was recalling the excitement of the night PBO announced OBL was killed and of all days Chips was slumbering. Arapaho said she went back and read how funny we all were that night and wondered what happened to some of the folks who were present that night.
I may not comment as often but for me TOD is like the sitcom ‘Cheers’. 🙂
That was a night to remember – for sure!
Thanks bjw2. That’s the first time I’ve ever really understood the lyrics.
(Love the new avatar.) Me, too. Guess we didn’t have YouTube with lyrics when “Cheers” was popular! Like every other tourist in Boston at the time that show aired, I went to the “original” Cheers bar once. The outside was the spitting image of the outside of the bar on the teevee. The inside was like a deep dark cave with lots of small dining rooms, average food, and we had a long wait for service …
… oh, and, nobody knew my name.
Ha. During my travels, there was an airport bar(don’t remember which) that had a life like image of “Norm” sitting at the end of the bar. It was so life like that I damn near missed my flight. 🙂
Too funny. Bet you and ol’ “Norm” had a great conversation!
Did he know your name? 🙂
Naw!
Aww!
Seriously J. It was the weirdest damn thing. This thing was sitting at the bar “life sized’ with one hand on a beer and people would come in and sit down next to it and order a drink. It was scary.
(Curtailing laughter.) Don’t be scared, Y, we’re all here with ya now and “life-sized Norm” can’t hurt ya. And don’t worry – I feel your pain because I’m the kind of person who says hello to store mannequins. I must admit none of ’em ever had a beer in their hands, but, hey, they were scary, too.
Laugh if you want to but this thing was life size and it talked by delivering one-liners in Norms voice.
Sounds cool to me! Boston?
Don’t think so. My territory was the mid-West. I’m thinking MN or OH.
Well, guess it could have been anywhere, since Norm and the others were everybody’s favorite! Maybe faux Norm’s still sitting there … nah; guess not. 🙂
Best news of the past few days, LP, that your father is home and recovering, well.!!! Thank you for the thread, but, way more, thank you for that news.
#FORWARD Together
Much appreciated Bobfr…..your well wishes were always dually noted. Thanks again!
The wonderful kindness of everyday citizens…. ” I want to send you *love mail* in case you get any nasty letters. 19 yr. old….
A dog died, and the owner went to his pastor and said: Pastor, my dog is dead, could there be a service for the poor creature?
The pastor replied, “I’m afraid not. We cannot have a service for an animal in the church. But there is a new church down the road,
and there’s no telling what they believe. Maybe they’ll do something for the animal; You can go and find out”!
The man answered innocently, “I’ll go right away pastor … but do you think they will accept a donation of $100,000 as being enough in return for the burial service?”
The pastor exclaimed, “Ooh!… Why didn’t you tell me your dog was a christian?”.
🙂
(Hope I remember this right; joke a friend told me today.)
A priest, a minister, and a rabbi were discussing when life begins.
The priest said, “Well, no doubt about it. Life begins at conception. Case closed.”
The minister said, “Not so fast. I believe it’s when the life form becomes viable and is able to survive on its own. Now, there are nuances to this, and science may prove me wrong some day, but this is what I believe.”
The rabbi said, “My friends, I’ve lived a good long life, studied hard, paid attention, and I have learned from my many, many associations with others. You’re both wrong. Life begins when the oldest kid leaves home, and the dog dies.”
(Ba da bing!)
Hope ya enjoyed the last joke I’ll ever post! R.I.P. my joketellin’. Meant to say “youngest kid” = which is why I never post jokes.
Moving on. Nothing to see here. How ’bout that game?
Even though you told it wrong, I knew what you meant and LOL 😉
Good – as long as y’all are “translating” what I meant to say, I may post another one inthenexthundredyears. 🙂
Brilliant, Jacq! Please don’t retire your joke-telling. 🙂
Your dollar is in the mail, theo! 🙂
🙂
thanks for the coverage on Hagel LP – I’m glad to know that Sec. Hagel is getting around. After Repubs dragged their feet it’s cool to see him be able to do this job that he’s so obviously qualified for. Thanks for keeping us posted on your dad!
Full day. Dog tir-
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
(nite TOD)
Lovelyplains I haven’t been around much of late so missed the news about your dad. I’m glad to hear he’s home. I hope he continues on the road to recovery.
Love the focus on Hagel. He and Kerry were excellent choices. I believe they will serve this president and the country well. Also haven’t heard anyone call it an apology tour. Isn’t it amazing?
Co-sign. Hope more will continue to warm up to them and realize Obama chose them for a reason.
I quickly scanned through the last thread and this one and loved the comments/memories about the WHCD the night of the OBL raid. that was a rich 48 hrs to have that news coming on the heals of POTUS putting Trump in his place big time. As for the raid it will always be one of those ‘where were you when you heard the news?’ events people will be talking about for generations. Like when Kennedy or King were shot, but much, much happier.
I’ll never forget and we shouldn’t let ChipsChica forget she slept through it. hehehe
LL, Lakers lost again tonight
The Lakers just didn’t have it this year.
Thanks for this diary. too. Apologies for venting above. Take care and good night.
Syria challenges will continue to be central on the global scene.
Now reports are that Israel jets bombed a chemical weapon depot in Syria.
REPORT: The Israeli Air Force Flew Into Syria And Bombed A Chemical Weapons Plant
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/report-israeli-bombed-syrian-chemical-weapons-plant-2013-4#ixzz2RqjhjmvH
http://www.businessinsider.com/report-israeli-bombed-syrian-chemical-weapons-plant-2013-4
I hope Colbert Busch knows this, they shouldn’t vote for her just because she’s a Democrat and her brother happens to be funny, sometimes. I say the blah voters of South Carolina should hold her up to a light and take a good long look at her.
She better tone down the gratuitous criticism of President Obama if she wants to get the black vote.
Agree 100% LP
But Colbert Busch has flaunted her independence from a president unpopular in most of the district, assailing his budget plan for raising taxes, not cutting enough spending and meddling with Social Security. “Not only does President Obama’s plan fail to put our finances back in order, it would cut benefits for our seniors, which is wrong,” she said in a statement. Colbert Busch also declined to say whether she would have supported Obama’s economic stimulus plan in his first term. “She’s trying to be all things to all people,’’ said Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer.
She is gonna be worse than a blue dawg. If she makes it.
Frustrating… There is NO WAY to eliminate the deficit without hurting ordinary people and seniors if you don’t take more revenue. And she knows it.
She better find a backbone, otherwise she’ll be useless.
Moooooorning people! And welcome back LovelyPlains, THRILLED to hear your Dad is home, just the best news. And thank you SO much for last night’s post, loved the photos of Chuck Hagel.
Okay, just working on R&S, see ya in a bit.
Chips here are a bit of good economic news to add to the R & S (in case you don’t have it yet)! 🙂
Thank you Hopefruit!!! Mooooooorning!
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/04/29/1932951/how-austerity-is-literally-killing-people/
Austerity in the United States and Europe isn’t just placing an unnecessary drag on economic growth that has harmed the global economic recovery from the Great Recession. The rapid deficit reduction efforts are also making people less healthy, causing higher rates of suicide, depression, and infectious disease, according to research from Oxford University economist David Stuckler and Stanford University medical professor Sanjay Basu.
At the same time, austerity has come at the direct expense of economic growth that would actually improve lives. With unemployment persistently high (and borrowing costs low), the United States and its European counterparts should be focusing on investments that would help spur growth and restore their economies to full capacity. Europe is at least hinting that it will turn away from austerity. But in the United States, which initially pursued stimulus and growth, Congress remains focused on deficit reduction that isn’t just hurting growth but is harming peoples’ health too.
Rise and Shiiiiiiine!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/04/29/rise-and-shine-486/
TOTALLY not politics, but adorable and slightly tipsy, Diane Keaton on Ellen Degeneres. Must See Monday giggles:) “I enjoy the kissing of the men.”
Are we watching the right video? Not that I can’t watch PBO all the time. Jim Messina is genuine supporter of PBO! Yes, I’m up late, early riser! Good Morning Sunshine! 😎
Diane drinks out of the same type of wine glass I do! 😉