I always thought it more likely that Republicans would cooperate with President Obama, for the good of the country, than it would be for Manchester United and Chelsea supporters to work together.
I was wrong.
Drum roll please:
As of today, UTAustinLiberal – also known as @NerdyWonka – is a completely and totally official TOD ‘Administrator’.
What does that snazzy WordPress term mean?
Well, the main thing is that she can now access all the inner workings of the blog, so she can actually edit my posts and insert Chelsea photos and similarly horrible things. 😕
But, other than that, nothing changes hugely around here because UT was already contributing so much, it just means that Chelsea Girl is now, officially, the joint runner of our teeny little corner of cyberspace.
And that’s ridiculously fabulous.
Her taste in soccer/football might be shocking….
…. but she has brought sooooooo much to this place with her posts and highlighting of issues, like women’s rights in Texas and the benefits of ‘ObamaCare’, so it’s a very, very lovely honor to have her team up in this way.
It also means that if I, say, disappear after kidnapping Wayne Rooney to stop him from signing for Chelsea, UT will be here to keep things going while international law enforcement agencies track me down.
So, that’s good.
Meanwhile, we’ll always be thrilled and hugely grateful to have the other blog tyrants contribute here, and any other regulars who have something they’d like to say – this place is, and will always be, open to you all.
We partied over our 20 million hits only a little while ago, and we’re already up to 20,311,000 – and that’s largely down to the contributions of UT, LL, LP and Zizi, whose posts have attracted huge traffic.
Together, we’ve created a really lovely community, with so many smart and powerful voices, and I’m thrilled beyond description that UT has agreed to team up and run it all.
So, say hello to your new half of TOD, the legend that is: UT Austin Chelsea Nerdy Liberal Wonka Girl.
Wayne sends his best:
****
PS How lovely is this?
2 must-follows unite “@TheObamaDiary: Say Hello To The Shiny New Official Other Half of The Obama Diary: @NerdyWonka http://t.co/DarxJwUNkK”
— sfpelosi (@sfpelosi) July 22, 2013
The Obama Diary 
Forward!
😉
🙂
Yes We Can!! Move FORWARD!!! 🙂
Congrats Vitaminlover for #1 and to UT for her promotion, and to Chips for starting this amazing respite from the MSM as a place for real knowledge sharing and human warmth.
Thanks, Judith.
Congrats to you on being first, and to UT! GREAT idea Ms Chips!
🙂
What a lovely tribute to both of you and a added bonus for your followers. Brava!
Congratulations! May this union be happy forever. 🙂
Kat speaks for me, too! 🙂 (Hi, Kat!)
Kat speaks for me three 🙂
Hip Hip Hooray! 🙂 Nice job, UT….even though I have zero, zip, nada interest in soccer…er, “football”…I love the banter of family:)
And WTG UTAL, Chipsticks is right on the money making room on the dais for you and your amazing intellect… The future looks brighter for it! And yeah yeah to all that ManU ~ Chelsea stuff she mentions from time to time… Whatever that all means (likely the new royal babe will not be named Wayne, or Rooney, anyway, right??) 😆
Woooot! Huge milestones for UT today! Congratulations and Thank You for all your excellent contributions to our TOD Home.
Thank You Chips for nurturing such outstanding blog protégés like UT! The mark of a great leader is ability to share and pass on their legacy to outstanding partners. Well done all around!!
You put this beautifully, Dudette, and I totally second it. The mark of a great leader is to recognize talent and nurture it and that’s what’s been happening at TOD. Congratulations to UT!!!
Co-sign everything you said, Dudette! So delighted to see these beautiful –to be honest very awesome– souls join together in spite of their fierce football rivalries.
Bringing this over.
July 21, 2013 at 8:25 pm
WOW! Thanks hf.
***UPDATE on husband. S&R team got to him around 5:50. I am texting with him now. Said he is in a truck going to Greenville, ME and will CALL me from there. No idea how long that will be. He doesn’t seem to be real bad, but, of course will have to have x-rays, etc. He was able to walk 2-3 miles–with other hikers carrying his pack. That got them to a trailhead that was more accessible than where he fell. So many “trail angels” out there!!!!! Will update again when I know more.
Reply
Prayers for you and your hubby. ((((hugs also)))). Keep us informed.
Oh thank goodness!
Thanks for the update. Hoping good news will await you. Please keep us informed as everything progresses.
Keeping both of you in my thoughts, tnmtngirl
Thank you for letting us know!
I’ve read about the Maine/New Hampshire mountains and how quickly weather conditions can change to extremely treacherous in a matter of minutes.
So glad those “hiking angels” found him, glad he’s off the mountain.
You’ll be nervous until you know more, but it sounds like he’s doing OK, thankfully.
Thank you for the update…keep us posted!
Praying for you guys.
TN, so glad your husband got help and is getting medical attention. Please let us know how it goes.
tn, my prayers are with you and your family.
{{{{tn&hubby}}}}
tnmtngirl, Sorry to hear about your husband. You and your husband are in my prayers . I hope he has a speedy recovery.
Yikes! All’s well that ends well.
Congratulations UT.
Anyone heard from LL? Wonder if his wife made it home safe and sound….
most likely spending time together. He did celebrate a birthday while she was out of town so my sense is that he is “re-celebrating” his birthday.
Yes…you’re probably right!
That was an awesome tribute to UT, and thanks for sharing your space with her and the rest of the tyrants. I don’t know where I would go to feel welcome and enjoy the humor, the grasp of what is going on the US & world, and the entertainment of your form of football. Love you all. If you need another blog cat face, go check out Stonekettle Station today, He has a picture of ShopKat that is just hilarious. I asked him to forward it on to you on my FB page. But you have him marked on your site. Funny. ((((((hugs)))) to you both Chips & UT.
Chips…that is so generous of you. We love this blog (may not post much), but lurk EVERYDAY!
UT, you are awesome. There are so many issues that I read here, but not heard on the MSM.
LP, love your contributions, especially your highlights of the previous weeks.
LL, Your writing is F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S! What more can I say.
AMK… as usual, you bring the fun and humor here! Love it!!!
Zizi…Love your articles especially your latest on Trayvon.
I cannot express enough the job of coming here each day … reading all posted information, checking out the comments, laugh and watching/listening to night owl music.
Thank you all for this Haven!!!
///*joy (not job)!
OMG!!!!! I want that top picture; especially as it’s rumored that Mr. Rooney might soon be headed over to the Blues! Now I have to stop making fun of Manchester United and Rooney for the length of this post or something like that. Darn it! 😀
On a more serious note, thank you so much for the delightful and humorous welcome. No one does it quite like you Chiparoo. Thank you for the encouragement, thank you for all the help, thank you for the laughter and everything in between. I am deeply humbled and freaking excited to help you out in the running of TOD. I am beyond thrilled to help you continue the awesomeness that is TOD. You my friend, are one of a kind.
Thank you to the TOD family for the overwhelming positive reaction to my contributions on TOD. Your feedback has been deeply appreciated.
Once again, thank you Chips. 😀
As if I didn’t ♥ ya enough, Chelsea Girl – this place would have faded months ago, when I was running out of steam, only for ya. I am confident I speak for all TODers – LOVE YA! 🙂
Wow…….Great News.
A whole lot of Love at TOD, yeah.
Congratulations UT and Thank You Chips……the rest of the bt…..You all just Rock.
I humbly copy your sentiment Nena. Congrats UT totally awesome!!! Take care.
Dragging this over from the end of the previous thread…
IMPORTANT!
Direct link to the article:
Our Step-By-Step Guide to Understanding ALEC’s Influence on Your State Laws
http://www.propublica.org/article/our-step-by-step-guide-to-understanding-alecs-influence-on-your-state-laws
Pro-Publica’s Database of ALEC-related Contributions
http://projects.propublica.org/alec-contributions/
First, amk posts a pic earlier today of cats lying down with dogs, and now Manchester and Chelsea fans have united on this blog?!?! What a momentous (and frightening) occasion!
Congratulations, Chips, on finding someone to carry the load full time with you – along with the part-time blog tyrants. We are forever grateful for the load you carried on your own all these years to keep us sane, and the blog has only become more and more informative with the addition of your many helpers. UT is a fantastic addition to the “Administrator” title – so much talent. Thanks to all of you for this haven of [virtual and not-so-virtual] friendship and sanity. It is so very much appreciated. 🙂
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
WHEEEEEEEEE CONGRATS (pops champagne)
With UT as TOD administrator – all is well! Congrats UT & looking forward to more of your excellent posts, R & S round-ups, livetweets and everything else 🙂 🙂
WHEEEEEEE CONGRATS (pops champagne)
Prayers, and thoughts going out to tnmtngirl and hubby. ((((((( Healing hugs)))))))))HZ
Thanks, HZ……and everyone else!!!!
Glad your hubby is ok.
Congrats UT! Who knew……….cats & dogs……?
Congrats, UTA.
You’ve done a tremendous job while Chips has been wiping the cheesy puff dust off her screen! (LOL, joke!)
Your coverage of Wendy Davis’s tremendous filibuster action was relentless and continuous.
Hmmm. I wonder if both she and thee have a future in national politics???
That would be something (I hope so).
cavedindidntya? Knew ruiney is going blue, riiight?
Congrats ut. Well deserved honor. Now Go, Give her hell.
Hold it – that looks like a sheepish lamb gazing in to the eyes of David Moyes. So, I interpret that as meaning: “Please Gaffer, let me stay.”
😎
PBO has been amazingly consistent!
Yep very consistent. A rare phenomenon
DF, if you’re still here, maybe you can clarify this article:
Here’s a single page version of this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/22/us/arizona-republicans-are-at-odds-on-medicaid.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-thecaucus&_r=0&pagewanted=all
I hate to be so stupid, but I’m very confused when it comes to Medicaid expansion versus Obamacare expansion, e.g.,:
“Volunteers have eight more weeks to finish the job of collecting signatures to put the Medicaid expansion on the ballot, with the hope that voters will undo what Ms. Brewer fought so hard to get approved. That is happening despite the fact that voters agreed, in 1996 and in 2000, to extend Medicaid coverage to childless adults, one of the main beneficiaries of expansion.”
Medicaid expansion is part of Obamacare expansion. Unfortunately it is the component that Roberts Court struck out of the mandatory provisions of ACA law that his decision upheld. So it is up to the states to decide whether to allow that coverage to their citizens who qualify or not. And the government can’t penalize them as was originally written into the law.
What the Koch backed misanthropes are doing is to gather signatures from rabid rightwinger Arizonians to nullify Gov Brewer’s hard fought decision. The Kochsters are betting that Obama-hatred will fuel the drive to the polls by wingnuts to cut off their own noses just to spite the poor in Arizona.
These fucks are pure evil. Just pure evil!!!
All you need to know is that the AZ legislature is INFESTED with Teabaggers! I think there are only 9 Dems in the entire place….and Brewer went against them and said that she needed to do this for the people of AZ because it was the right thing to do…they were PISSED…because, well…we can’t do anything for the BENEFIT of AZ! She, of course, had the Dems go along with her…and whatever there is of a “common sense caucus” and left the baggers screaming in the corner by themselves.
BY the way…EVERY LAST ONE of the AZ Republicans in the legislature…has ALEC tatooed on their asses.
As well as on a few other body parts 🙂
A most amazing display of dumbfuckery ever assembled. Real nut cases.
Unbounded thanks to both of you.
And, Chips, You Created It & Nurtured It and many, many people have benefited. UT joining you at the helm is a testament to the value you have created.
Yes We Can
First time I’ve been on all day, and I come on to see that Chips finally came to her senses and decided to take on some more help. Brava, Chips! Congrats, UT! (Oh jesus, 3 more weeks until the Prem starts.)
Missus got in late last night. Her plane was supposed to land at 9.30; due to weather delays, she didn’t land until 10.20, and we got home around 11. Today we’ve done pretty much nothing except some laundry, groceries, and lazing about. I’m finishing up laundry now, and will start cooking some carne asada in a bit.
I know, I’ve been AWOL a bit. I’ve just been taking it easy when I get home, and I barely have time to post for the blog during the day. And now that I’ve hit four-four (shut up, UT), it’s time to get this novel a-borned and on the way to publishing. But I will try to up my writing quotient for here and TPV over the next few weeks.
Yay!!! the Missus is back, LL’s gimlet freedom will come under strict supervision. Ha! 😆
Good for you, bro
“Mr. Obama’s offensive will begin on Wednesday in Galesburg, Ill., with what his aides are saying will be a major address on economic policy at Knox College. Officials declined to provide details of the president’s message, but said he would set his terms for what they expect will be another bruising battle with a Republican-controlled House over the nation’s fiscal policies.
White House officials liken Wednesday’s speech to one he gave in 2011 in Osawatomie, Kan., where he articulated the theme of economic inequality in American society that became a leitmotif of his re-election campaign, and to one at Georgetown University soon after taking office in 2009, when he talked about how the American economy would recover from the Great Recession.”
Uh-oh..MSM panicked freakout with endless pundiotry, commentary and “analysis” in 3…2….1…
you just know they’re scrambling to hobble together their objections and arguments as to why he’s wrong. They’re probably pouring over those two speeches at this very moment. And how much you want to bet their objections will have nothing to do with what he actually says but on what they think he’ll say based on whatever bile limpballs spews on the airwaves tomorrow.
They are so predictable.
A few months ago, Eric Cantor was ready to bring his latest brainchild, the “Helping Sick Americans Now” bill, to the House floor. The move was pure Cantor—a smarmy, ultrapartisan ploy. The bill proposed to eliminate funds the Obama administration needs to set up and run the health-care exchanges that are the central mechanism in the health-care law, but then Cantor’s bill would use those funds to help a handful of sick people get health insurance. There was no chance this, or anything like it, would be signed into law, as Obama obviously would not agree to tear down a program to insure millions of Americans in return for insuring a tiny fraction of that number. It was a message vote whose purpose was “embarrassing Obamacare,” as one conservative activist gloated, by forcing Obama to deny immediate aide for the uninsured. As a soulless exercise in disingenuous spin, it was well conceived………It failed….
Congratsssssssss…..UT…well deserved!
OMG!!! I just woke up from nap and the world has changed on me. Sworn enemies Man U & Chelsea unite? OMG I guess with McCAin making sane noises, there’s hope yet that GOP wingnuts will kumbaya with Pres Obama?
Seriously, UT congratulations, you more than deserve Absolute Tyrannical powers over our lowly lives. We bow before thee. Our garments are unfit to wipe thy throne, Most High One. Cheers!!! 😆 😆 😆
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
Zizi – you truly have the skill of writing honed to perfection!!!
Thank you to everyone for the good wishes as I set bloggy sail with a Chelsea fan. She will, no doubt, follow her team’s lead and steer us towards the rocks occasionally, but fear not, I will help her sail us in the United direction of, well, you know, gold.
This is going to be one of the more lovely and lively combos, EVAH!!! 😀 😀 😀 😀
Bob, I think it’ll be fine ….. until the English football/soccer season starts. It’ll be pure ugly then. 😆
lol we thirst after the battle!
HA! Excuse you? I will have you know that Chelsea won two titles last season and another this past season. Manchester United won only one. Chelsea is smooth sailing all the way. Man U is hitting rocks what with the double whammy of David Moyes and Wayne Rooney.
All I hear from Manchester United’s quarter is “MAN OVERBOARD……MAN OVERBOARD!!!”
Hi everyone, about this post, disregard, UT and me have broken up.
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
ha, the quickest breakup in history. But I’m sure you’ll pull a Taylor & Burton and be back together before we know it.
“I’m sure you’ll pull a Taylor & Burton”
😆 We’ll use them as our role models, LunarSea!!
You know you created a monster, right? She even has your knack for picking the most freaking appropo lol pics from who knows where. LOL The Eggshell and The Badger – could be a made for tv movie real soon
My hypothesis has already been proven – in less than 7 minutes!!!!
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
#FORWARD – Much Fun – Together
Yep, an order of magnitude of decision making failure 🙂
To the female mind you’re not picking out what shoe we should wear. You’re helping us narrow down the prospects. We usually eliminate the ones you pick. 😆 men!
🙂
Congrats UT; and a heartfelt TY to Chips and all the mini-BT’s for all they do to inform, educate, and entertain us!
If Greenwald, Sirota, Hayes, Smiley, West or any emoprog tries to attack my President on Twitter, I’m tweeting a response with the Geraldo selfie attached.
😀 😀 😀
Is the Obama family getting ready to go on vacay?
Not yet. PBO is getting ready to give a major economic speech this coming Wednesday.
POTUS, FLOTUS, Malia, and Sasha will head to Martha Vineyard August 8th. August 4th is POTUS 52nd birthday. I wonder if FLOTUS have a party plan for him. I’ll keep checking the mail for my invitation if she does.
Thanks anniebella for the info! 🙂
You’re welcome.
I think they will be gone Aug. 8-18. But that is not fair. Unless I heard wrong, Congress will be on vacation the entire month of August.
Chips, you made a great choice, but I hope you aren’t making too many excursions into parts unknown–we need you. And UT, this is an honor richly deserved, but we’re all still counting on your to run for a MAJOR office someday. Not rushing you or anything…. Looks as if we’re all big winners from now on.
Wow what a great news to end this beautiful day with. Congrats to a well deserved promotion Ms UT!
And Chipperoo no words can possibly describe how grateful I am that you not only created this little slice of heaven for those of reasoned mind, but more so that you didn’t decide to close the doors after the last election. You had been doing a herculean job leading up to it and noone would have blamed you if you had. We may have camped out on your front lawn holding candlelight vigils complete with acoustic strumming, but we wouldn’t have blamed you! But you did a noble thing (a caring thing) by putting out the call and opening your site up to all the wonderful fledgling BTs, which allowed us all to keep our sanity. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t seem like much but it’s straight from the heart.
I took a break for a while to clear my heart and spirit and since I’ve been back I rarely post as I’m usually to far behind and struggling to catch up. But I do try to check in most days and I share the info and links with everyone who would listen. I love setting the old locals at the corner store straight on their ‘theories’. Nicely of course. But I am only able to do it because of the great info from everyone on this site. And if I needed a break, I can imagine how you must feel Chipperoo, in spite of your warm and welcoming spirit, not to mention your lethal sense of humor.
Soooo I’m extremely happy that you, Chipperoo, has found someone to share these chores with. And I’m particularly happy that it’s UT.
UT I share everyone’s sentiment that your tenacity, sharp focus and attention to what’s going on is absolutely a joy to behold. Keep it up. And thank you.
****terrorist fist bumps all around!****
********terrorist fist bumps all around****** Perfect, LS. Perfect. Huge congrats to both of you!
Just saw on FB that David Schuester is joining AJ as an anchor.
Sorry to hear about your hubby’s hiking adventure, but glad that he cared for so well by other hikers. Hikers are a special breed that way -always at the ready to help, especially in emergencies- and particularly on that trial. Stay strong!
s/b …glad that he WAS cared for…
aww this is very nice… Congratulations ut – well deserved for all that you do here. and Congrats to you Chips for your smart decisions 😉
Dear Mum and Dad
It has now been two months since I left for college. I have been remiss in writing this and I am very sorry for my thoughtlessness in not having written before. I will bring you up to date now, but before you read on, please sit down. YOU ARE NOT TO READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU ARE SITTING DOWN. OKAY!
Well then, I am getting along pretty well now. The skull fracture and the concussion I got when I jumped out of the window of my dormitory when it caught fire shortly after my arrival are pretty well healed now. I only get those sick headaches once a day.
Fortunately the fire in the dormitory and my jump were witnessed by an attendant at the gas station near the dorm, and he was the one who called the fire department and the ambulance. He also visited me at the hospital and since I had nowhere to live, because of the burned out dormitory, he was kind enough to invite me to share his apartment with him. It’s really a basement room, but it’s kind of cute. He is a very fine boy and we have fallen deeply in love and are planning to be married. We haven’t set the exact date yet, but it will be before my pregnancy begins to show.
Yes Mother and Dad, I am pregnant. I know how much you are looking forward to being grandparents and I know you will welcome the baby and give it the love, devotion and tender care you gave me when I was a child. The reason for the delay in our marriage is that my boyfriend has some minor infection which prevents us from passing our pre-marital blood tests and I carelessly caught it from him. This will soon clear up with the penicillin injections I am taking daily. I know you will welcome him into our family with open arms. He is kind and although not well educated, he is ambitious. Although he is of a different race and religion than ours, I know your oft expressed tolerance will not permit you to be bothered by the fact that his skin color is somewhat darker than ours. I am sure you will love him as I do. His family background is good too, for I am told that his father is an important gun-bearer in the village in Africa from which he came.
Now that I have brought you up to date, I want to tell you that there was no dormitory fire, I did not have a concussion or a skull fracture. I was not in the hospital, I am not pregnant, I am not engaged. I do not have syphilis and there is no man (of any color) in my life. However, I am getting a ‘D’ in History and an ‘F’ in Science and I wanted you to see those marks in the proper perspective.
Yours-
Your Loving Daughter
lol the D and F would have been worse in my household. Well except for the head injury part. Scholarships dry up if certain grades aren’t maintained. And you can bet my kids knew it. LOL
Showing once again that it’s all a matter of perspective.
WOW, congratulations UT!!!!! Chips I always knew you were one smart lady!!!!! In afew years when UT runs for President we will all be able to say we knew her when!
CONGRATS to UT, Chips and to all of us!! We are so incredibly lucky to have such a great community of brilliant people. Thank you!!
Congrats Ut!
No offense or anything, but um. I don’t know much about Chelsea and Man U, but I’ve seen pics of Wayne Rooney posted here in the constant soccer rivalry between UT and Chips, and I just wanted to inquire: wasn’t he going bald? Am I mistaken? Where did the magic hair come from? Wish I could zap my extra weight away like that.
/Ducks and runs for cover.
/ awaiting being banned for life.
He spent 50K on hair plugs. And posted pics of himself post surgery on his twitter account. I still have nightmares.
😆 Hahahaha. That’s funny. But hey, if you’ve got it, flaunt it! 😉
There really is nothing like grilled steak and roasted brussel sprouts. Just sayin’.
I am having grilled corn on the cob!!! I love it. We are so lucky, right!
I join with everyone in congratulating UT and wish you and Chipsticks a long partnership in sharing the leadership role of TOD. The two of you, along with LL, LP, AMK, and ZiZi bring so much information to us and also facilitate the sharing of knowledge and thoughts of those us who are a part of the TOD community. You are all very much appreciated.
New post!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/07/21/do-it-for-your-country-2/
In summation, Sunday, 21 July 2013 ….
…. RIP SCUM BAG.
#TrustBarack He Earns It Every Day
I have not been on in a while but had to come out to say first of all, a BIG THANK YOU to CHIPS for creating this space and giving us
more than we could ever ask for in up-to-date information and tons of laughter with your great and whacky sense of humor. Thank you
dear lady.
And to you UT…CONGRATULATIONS on this well deserved position. Your brilliance shines through in all your posts. You have a bright future
in whatever career path you choose.
Dearly Beloved We are gathered here at TOD to join the Most Excellent Esteemed Ones in BlogHarmony
CHIPS and UT have decided to share Matrimonial Bliss
BLISS experienced only at Manchester United and Chelsea Heaven
We of the congregation speak now in wholehearted approval of this tying of the knot
I now declare You Both
TOD Extraordinaire…RED and BLUE to the Wwoorrlldd!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are the best baby…..Blog Heaven Here We Come
Congrats to the both of You, Chips for not being afraid to share and UT for being willing to assist
Cheers …drinks all around ..its a party folks
I’ve been jumping from post to post and completely missed this announcement. Congratulations UT! This is wonderful. 🙂
Instead of a “Like” button we need a “Love” button. I just luv it here!
I’m so behind! Just saw this and WOOOOOT!
Thanks Chips for having a big heart. I come here all day and every day to get my NEWS.
UT is a great selection and a viable asset. You both have great intellect. Thanks for all that you do to keep our TOD family intact.