(1) President Obama and the First Lady wait on the North Portico for the arrival of President Xi and Madame Peng (Photo by Pete Souza)
(2) Pope Francis laughs with President Obama on his arrival at Andrews (Photo by Doug Mills)
(3) President Obama joins children during a cultural performance at Dillingham Middle School, Dillingham, Alaska (Photo by Doug Mills)
(4) Greeting a young girl at the Snow City Cafe, Anchorage, Alaska (Photo by Pete Souza)
(5) President Obama looks at a display outside the office of Amb. Samantha Power, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York. The display refers to a campaign launched by Amb. Power that raises awareness and highlights cases of twenty women political prisoners and other prisoners of concern from around the world, and calls for their release (Photo by Pete Souza)
(6) President Obama looks from his boat at Bear Glacer during his tour of Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska (Photo by Doug Mills)
(7) President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry talk with President Vladimir Putin of Russia after a bilateral meeting at the United Nations in New York (Photo by Pete Souza)
(8) President Obama kisses Wynetta Beamer, grandmother of SPC Heidi Sanders, directly behind the President, during a greet with wounded warriors and their families during their tour of the White House (Photo by Pete Souza)
(9) Bear and Barack
(10) President Obama meets 4-year-old Malik Hall during departure photos with Malik’s uncle, Maurice Owens, center, in the Oval Office (Photo by Pete Souza)
(11) Meeting a young resident at the N & N Market, Alaska (Photo by Pete Souza)
(12) President Obama greets Alya Dorelien Bitar, the one-year-old daughter of Maher Bitar, the outgoing National Security Council Director for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs, and his wife, Astrid Dorelien, during a family photo in the Oval Office (Photo by Pete Souza)
(13) Pope Francis meets Bo and Sunny (Photo by Pete Souza)
****
(September was so impossible to narrow down, you have 13 choices in your top 10 😕 )
****
The Obama Diary 
ahem.
Ladies and gentlemen: So as not to ruin the experience for other guests, please avoid coughing during the performance. Instead, please withdraw to the lobby. Thank you for your cooperation! 🙂
🙂 🙂
Duuuuuuuuuudette!!
Danny-ambling time, back in a bit.
Congrats, Dudette! The whole KC Honors show was wonderful!
All are wonderful, but this “1” was no contest — at least for me. 🙂
No wait… I wanna change mine. Maybe #10. 🙂
Me too with #6 a close second.
.. and 8 and 12! Arrgh! This is crazy hard! 🙂
AMENNNNNNNNNn
Of course, when discussing control of the Senate it is always important to remember that these days, having a majority means being able to name the Majority Leader and committee chairs. As long as the bar is set at a supermajority of 60 votes to actually pass legislation, the victory is limited. But right now, the odds of a limited victory in 2016 heavily favor the Democrats.
One of the vulerable senate seats if Toomey…there are two DEMS running for his seat….
This is impossible. And Helloooooo Chips, Nerdy and whoever else is hanging out here otday!
critters look like sheep due a shearing.
She leaves to walk Danny and gives us 13 CHOICES! What in the wide world! It was hard enough with 10!!!
She’s a cruel one, ain’t she? 🙂
Sometimes it sure seems that way:)
Since Dear Chips could not keep it 100 at 10 Photos, then our Voting ‘Rights’ 😉 should be more than Once 😉
Apple ‘to pay €318m’ to settle Italy tax fraud case.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35197547
Another favorite moment: Around 2:00 mark, everybody is really into Aretha’s performance. FLOTUS and POTUS are singing along “You make me..” and POTUS catches himself right before saying “feel like a natural woman!” Yes, I did burst out laughing! LOL! 😀 😀 😀
Dudette, thank you sooooo much for posting this. I’m sitting here at my desk listening to the Queen of Soul and watching in amazement at how “she makes me feel” each and every time she sings.
🙂
Eenie, meenie, miney, mo – mo – mo – mo – mo – mo – mo. Oh no, 10 could never be enough of a head spinner first thing in the morning!! Luckily have had my cup of green jasmine tea before opening the thread – so have not passed out in confusion and delight! Now, ❤ To the task at hand: voting!
It is ALWAYS about the Light: Am down to two, the ‘flip a coin’ stage (I never flip coins) here goes.
Bill Cosby has just been charged with sexual assault from a case in 2004 and he will be arraigned later today, WOW!
Oh lord that’s all that will be in the news for the next 2 weeks.
“Miranda Lambert hits the stage to belt out the song “Desperado” during the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors, which aired on Tuesday night (December 29).
The 32-year-old country singer performed a tribute to The Eagles, who were originally supposed to be honored this year, but chose to delay their honor as one of the members was sick.
Miranda was still asked to perform one of the band’s songs anyways and it was an amazing performance!”
Aww! Beautiful!
Instagram seems to be more famous than twitterland.
Genius!
Thanks meta for posting this
It’s not Carole King, but I love the playfulness in this one from James Taylor and Carly Simon:
70’s hotness! ❤
(Too bad he doesn’t look anything like this now – oops – did I say that?)
Not many people look the same way they did 40 yrs ago.
Tell me about it.
Still looking for video of James’ performance honoring Carole King.
In the meantime, this will do nicely! 🙂
World Economic Forum: Global Gender Gap 2015.
https://t.co/Z5Hs4Sv7gY
Powerful!
In_Deed, dear Dudette!!!
Thank you for all your delightful links and tweets.
Happy New Year 🙂
bb late this evening ….
Thanks Bob! You educate all of us everyday. I count you among the many teachers for whom am grateful.
Happy New Year!
I saved this, a while back, which I had picked up when Yo-Yo Ma was on one of the ancestry shows on the teevee. Thought I’d share, since it’s lovely. And don’t we all know men who “accumulated virtue and cultivated goodness.” ❤
“Our ancestor disdained the city with its noisy bustle and liked the solitude of the countryside. Living an upright life and without holding an official post, he accumulated virtue and cultivated goodness and, thus, he laid the foundations for the family for ten thousand generations to come, to pass on good fortune to the descendants; isn’t that what it is all about.”
— from a written description, in the genealogy, of Yo-Yo Ma’s 12th great grandfather, Ma Lin-Guan, born in China, 1435
Wow!
GM, TOD ohana
These photos show the depth, the width and the wide ranging nature of PBO’s character, life and administration. He did so much in that month and this is only a small representative of the public events and does not include the many behind-the-scenes things that he did. I loved everything about his Alaska trip, especially its overall purpose.. Photo 3 has been added to my large list of favorite photos of PBO with children. I loved how he joyfully joined the kids in the dance (and in some instances did it better than some of them). #6 is so special because of its sheer beauty, PBO’s palpable joy in being there, the importance of the visit to show starkly the effects of climate change, it is another first by a U S president, as well as the symbolism of our leader being at the helm literally and figuratively leading us and the world in a challenge that all of us face. I like #12 because it always makes me smile when I see it. Not only because the little girl is so beautiful and charming and she and PBO are simpatico, but because this entire photo represents who we are becoming, a multicultural society with diverse people and families in all levels of society. Everyone in the photo looks like people in my family (I have rocked a short natural hair style for 22 years and my family has many so-called inter-racial couples and families). After all of this explanation, I have decided to once again vote for the photo that represents another remarkable advancement under PBO (and for its sheer beauty), #6
Yes, absolutely! 🙂
Absolutely!
come on, bo. smile.
Bo’s like “Whatever, man. Let’s get this over with. I got squirrels to chase. “
Wow! Malia has grown so tall and she is even in flats!
THIS…WAS MY MOMENT! AND MY NEW CHURCH IS BREAKING BARRIERS…AMEN…BLENDEDCHURCH.COM INDIANAPOLIS
Good West Coast morning Chipsticks & TOD family.
This time I am wanting to pick more than one, decisions, decisions…
These honorees are chosen by whom? The WH? Or is there a secretary of culture something?
Dude, Google is your friend! 🙂
From Wikipedia:
“Honoree recommendations are accepted from the general public, and the Kennedy Center initiated a Special Honors Advisory Committee, which comprises two members of the Board of Trustees as well as past Honorees and distinguished artists. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees selects the Honoree recipients based on excellence in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television.”
Danke.
Wonderful news! Working out just as it should:)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/obamacare-wrapping-2015-high-note
Wooot! Got my card!
YAY! 🙂
Hello everyone
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.
Hope you all had a lovely Christmas with family and friends.
Been lurking for few years now, life got in the way.
Am Going to miss the Obamas next year. Am dreading it.
Best US president in my life time.
Welcome, holymoly:) Life has a way of doing that sometimes:)
Hi there Holymoly! Good to see ya! 🙂
Best.President.Ever!
Full video of the Kennedy Center Honors show
http://www.cbs.com/shows/kennedy_center_honors/video/
Here’s a photo gallery
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/watch-the-complete-star-studded-kennedy-center-honors-ceremony-video-377024
Well THIS explains a lot! 🙂
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/09/15/3701215/donald-trump-talks-funny-2/
If you are an elected politician…the very least you can do professionally – is to pass the petition challenge. That’s the least you can do. If you are too damn lazy to get enough signatures, your azz should be thrown off the ballot – looking at you, John Conyers.
……………………………..
December 29, 2015
Bobby Rush repels challenge to his nominating petitions
Comments Email Print
GREG HINZ ON POLITICS
Veteran Democratic Congressman Bobby Rush has survived a challenge to his nominating petitions and now is the favorite to win his 12th term in the U.S. House in the new year.
The other Democratic candidate in the race, Ald. Howard Brookins Jr., 21st, had loudly and legally protested that Rush’s petitions were filled with improper signatures and that the congressman lacked the number needed to get on the ballot. But the Illinois State Board of Elections disagreed and Brookins’ campaign today ran up the white flag.
“The campaign has concluded that it is in the voters’ best interest that the challenge against Congressman Rush be ended at this time,” Brookins said in a statement, suggesting that Rush still could have been knocked off if further legal sparring had continued. “After years of not showing up for this community Congressman Bobby Rush couldn’t marshal the community to help him get on the ballot without the fortune of a technicality.”
Rush’s spokesman was not available for comment. But you can bet the Brookins forces would have continued the legal fight had they been reasonably sure of victory.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20151229/BLOGS02/151229890/bobby-rush-repels-challenge-to-his-nominating-petitions
Every last one of these people needs to lose their jobs. Immediately.
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/foia-request-shows-govt-lied-about-lead-water-knowingly-poisoning-countless
Flint, MI — After filing a FOIA request, a Virginia Tech professor recently discovered Michigan state officials knew the city of Flint’s water supply was giving children lead poisoning while falsely assuring residents that the water was safe. Although the government had been aware of the increased levels of lead poisoning since July, they continued to lie to the public until a Flint pediatrician published a study in September that found lead exposure in children had doubled citywide and nearly tripled in high-risk areas.
Rachel has been covering this in great detail.
Not just lose their jobs; somebody needs to go to jail.
I will eventually see this movie
…………..
Bennet Omalu, doctor who raised alarm bells about NFL head injuries, on racism in U.S. science
Bennet Omalu, the brilliant and somewhat quirky forensic pathologist who is credited with bringing the issue of head injuries in pro football players into the public spotlight, blames racism for efforts by the National Football League and fellow doctors to discredit him.
In a wide-ranging interview, the Nigerian-born Omalu addressed the criticism of his scientific contributions that preceded Friday’s release of the Columbia Pictures movie “Concussion.” Though other researchers have recognized Omalu’s work as essential to directing attention to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in athletes, some have claimed that he did not actually discover the disorder or name it as he has said.
“An African American called me to say that effort is pretty much code,” Omalu said. “Like calling me the ‘N’ word.”
He believes the controversy regarding the naming of the disease is a matter of semantics that has been used to hurt his reputation. While the characteristics of CTE were mentioned in medical literature years prior to his discovery, he said no one had named it as a disorder until he discovered it in the brains of deceased football players. The degenerative condition is caused by repetitive hits to the head and is seen over time through changes in mood and behavior and deterioration in cognition.
Omalu, who now is chief medical examiner of San Joaquin County, Calif., said he endured similar attacks during the many years he spent fighting to be heard while NFL officials denied any issue existed. He received emails with racist undertones. “It was ugly and un-American,” he said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/12/29/bennet-omalu-doctor-who-raised-alarm-bells-about-nfl-head-injuries-on-racism-in-u-s-science/
Welcome to America Dr. Omalu, you are in good company with many AA’s including PBO.
So true jojo
Morning GGail 🙂
Gooooood morning jojo 🙂
We saw “Concussion” yesterday and highly recommend it. Bennet Omalu is a hero of the first order.
Reminder!!
Cool! Thanks!
I HOPE TO SEE THIS BUT I DON’T KNOW…I’VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A HELL OF ALOT OF PAIN THIS MONTH…PRAYING FOR RELIEF…IT’S ALMOST TOO MUCH….I LOVE MY ENERGIZER PRESIDENT AND SO HAPPY WHEN HE SMILES…BBL…TRYING TO PACK SOME THINGS TODAY…GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
Take care of yourself, Sue!
Sending you a healing prayer Sue. Please take care. {{{hugs}}}
Hoping your pain is soon eased, Sue.
September….Picture number 1
6 and 10 second and third
Two new Gun Laws go into effect here in California beginning on Friday, January 1, 2016. Thank you Gov. Brown!
Pellet, BB and Airsoft Guns (Senate Bill 199)
Those guns will not be allowed to be displayed in public unless they are pink, red or other bright colors so they are not mistaken for the real thing.
Advocates said it would help law enforcement avoid tragic mistakes like the 2013 case in which a Santa Rosa boy was killed by Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies who mistook his toy gun for a real weapon.
Just think – if Ohio had this law and Tamir’s BB gun was a different color…
And this…
Gun Violence Restraining Orders (Assembly Bill 1014)
It will allow family members who believe a loved one is a danger to himself/herself or others to seek a “temporary gun violence restraining order.” The legislation will give police the authority to seize that person’s legally owned weapons for 21 days without his or her prior knowledge.
The law was enacted in response to the 2014 Isla Vista mass shootings that left six people dead and 14 others wounded. Before the rampage, gunman Elliot Rodger’s parents raised concerns about their son’s mental health. Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies said that despite the parents’ warnings, they had no legal authority to search Rodger’s apartment.
Saw this on the news last night between the KCH and Colbert. This is what can be accomplished with a Dem trifecta government. Loving Gov Brown and our Legislators these days.
So true MSoph. And these bills were introduced back in September of 2014.
For our LL
Love it!
bb late this evening …. wishing all of you a Happy New Year’s Eve Eve 🙂
Great tweets Bob. Thanks for having the courage to write them ❤
I hope our Twitter Warriors – especially those at TOD, including Lurkers – send these tweets around America often
Thank you so much, Nena!
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful 2016!!!
Cheers!
Subject: When God Sends You Help . Don’t Ask
> Questions
>
>
> She
> hurried to the pharmacy to get medication. Got back to her car and
> found that she had locked her
> keys inside.
> The woman found
> an old rusty coat hanger left on the ground.
> She looked at it and
> said, “I don’t know how to use
> this.” She bowed her head and asked
> God to send her some HELP.
>
> Within 5 minutes
> a beat-up old motorcycle pulled up, driven by a bearded man who was
> wearing an old biker skull rag. He got off of his cycle and asked if
> he could help.
> She said: “Yes, my
> daughter is sick. I’ve locked my keys in my car. I must get home.
> Please,
> can you use this hanger to unlock my car?”
> He said,
> “Sure.” He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car
> was
> open. She hugged the
> man and through tears said, “Thank You, God, for sending me such a
> very nice man.”
>
> The
> man heard her little prayer and replied, “Lady, I am NOT a nice man.
> I just got out of
> prison yesterday; I was in prison for car theft.”
> The woman hugged
> the man again, sobbing, “Oh, thank you, God!
> You even sent me a
> Professional!”
>
> Is
> GOD great or what!?!
Ha. I’ll take that one. YES, God is great!
Chuckle, chuckle 🙂
Just have to share this before getting back to work …..
“Puzzled, the Al Teibawis nodded politely. And so it went, cordially, but formally.
Then one of Ms. Power’s two children, Declan Power Sunstein, 6, cantered into the living room, clad in basketball shorts that reached his knees and unlaced sneakers. He carried a miniature soccer ball, its status as a favorite revealed by scuff marks.
Edging past the plates of hors d’oeuvres on the coffee table, he handed the ball to Mohamed Al Teibawi, 11.
“It’s a gift,” Declan said. Mohamed beamed.
Then Rìan Power Sunstein, 3, climbed into her mother’s lap and pointed to Rama, also, 3, sitting next to an older sister, Abeer, 12. “I want to play with her,” Rìan announced.
By dinner’s end, Rama and Rìan were pushing doll strollers through the dining room, while Mohamed and Declan play-wrestled in a bedroom. Over a meal of pizza, chicken parmigiana and spaghetti, broccoli and salad, Mr. Sunstein welcomed them and mentioned that the immigration papers of his great-great-Lithuanian ancestors were hung in another room. “We’re a nation of immigrants,” Mr. Sunstein said.”
What it’s all about!!
#Hope4ALL
Bob, if you are ever in SoCal looking for a place to eat dinner, check out Niroj, a Kurdish restaurant in Agoura. GGail recommended it and my friend and I had dinner there recently. It was fabulous! The owner has family fighting in the war and lost a family member to it not long ago. They are having a special New Year’s Eve dinner and show; I’ll try to post it here later today.
Awesome MSoph, I hope you are able to post it 🙂
Thank you so much MadameSoph!! I will certainly try to visit Niroj the next time I’m in SoCal!
Happy New Years!!
Beautiful! Warms my heart:) Thanks, Bobfr:)
How sweet is that!!!
And the children shall lead the way
❤
Good morning TODville. After last nights emotional high, I opened up TOD and go thru all the emotions again. It is was/is so beautiful. Then open up the new post with the pictures we have to choose from, how do we choose? Each one is so historic. I love our President.
MSNBC hosts and pundits laugh at Donald Trump and his dumb-ass remarks. Nothing to laugh about, folks. Ugh.
Chat away
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/12/30/majestic-2/
Gotta go do errands, but just want to comment on two things:
First, choosing a September photo was beyond difficult! way too many amazing choices! I was torn between #s 1,9,10 and 13, but I ended up choosing 9 because it represents not only PBO’s tireless work to raise awareness and combat Climate Change, but also his wllingness and ability to do whatever it takes to reach the people with his message.
I also just have to note that my own tears were flowing last night when Aretha Franklin sang “Natural Woman” and brought PBO to tears. Love her, love Carol King and love this once-in-a-lifetime President.
Good Southwest Morning Everyone!
Ok, how the heck are we supposed to choose one of these wonderful photos to vote for? Sigh…
I’m feeling better today. Thanks again for all the healing thoughts and prayers. Did testing yesterday and everything came out well…doesn’t appear to be heart related. More tests to come this week.
What an uplifting Kennedy Center Honors! Seeing Rita Moreno in West Side Story was the catalyst for me taking up dance and then years later I heard her yelling “Hey You Guys!!!” at least 3 times a day as my daughter was an Electric Company fanatic. Hubby says that after he saw West Side Story, he wanted a purple shirt like “Bernardo.”
I remember Seiji Ozawa’s wonderful tenure with the San Francisco Symphony, always so dynamic. (Did you see his wife wiping away tears during Blessed Assurance?)
Question: Was it for the Kennedy Center Honors that Queen Aretha stepped in for Pavarotti and his signature song “Dorma?” (And she killed it!)
That was The Grammys. I watched that live on TV. Her performance was sublime!
Excellent post, Chips. Another Hard selection to make. Thank you.