(1) President Obama leads mourners in singing “Amazing Grace” as he delivers a eulogy in honor of the Reverend Clementa Pinckney during funeral services in Charleston, South Carolina (Photo by Brian Snyder/Reuters)
(2) Pete Souza: “While visiting the Whitney Museum in New York City, the President hugged his daughter Malia as they looked at the art work.”
(3) Pete Souza: “The President and his national security staff are all smiles shortly after being notified of the nuclear agreement with Iran.”
(4) Pete Souza: “’Show us the Jeremy dance,’ the President said to departing Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard, during a farewell ceremony for Jeremy in the State Dining Room of the White House.”
(5) Pete Souza: “The President carries the twin boys of Katie Beirne Fallon, Director of Legislative Affairs, into the Oval Office just a few months after they were born.”
(6) Pete Souza: “The President greets the cast and crew of ‘Hamilton’ after seeing the play with his daughters at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.”
(7) Pete Souza: “Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus applaud the Vice President after the President acknowledged their partnership during a meeting and reception in the State Dining Room.”
(8) President Obama listens to inmates during their discussion at the El Reno Federal Penitentiary in Oklahoma (Photo by Pete Souza)
(9) Pete Souza: “The culmination of years of talks resulted in this handshake between the President and Cuban President Raúl Castro during the Summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama.”
(10) President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama join hands with Rep. John Lewis as they lead the walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches, in Selma, Ala. Malia and Sasha Obama join hands with their grandmother, Marian Robinson (Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
****
****
There ends the list of contenders for pic of the year (click here to see them all) – a gazillion thanks to VC for all the help!
I’ll post your monthly choices after tomorrow’s Early Bird Chat, and then you’ll have until 8.0 EST to make the HUUUUUUGE decision!
The Obama Diary 
No mas
Word!
Once again, ladies & gents, I’m on top of the Leader Board 😀
Well done! 🙂
Have you voted for 12 yet?
12 minus 11 = 1
How do you like me Now?!!! 😀 😀 😀
Ooooooh, you and your mathy head!1!1!
Inorite? 😀
I don’t know, I don’t do math 😦
Slow down Dorothy, we don’t want to go down this rabbit hole today
isn’t that Alice??
⭐ Rolling out of 2015 in fine form, GGail!! ⭐
I hadn’t seen #6 before. Nice!
I have gotta get to NYC to see that show!
Me too Dudette. I would really like for it to come to Los Angeles
I got tickets for the September 28th show for myself, my husband and my daughter. I can’t wait. My daughter’s obsessed with the show.
Lucky you sjterrid – enjoy!
Thanks. My daughter was so happy I ordered the tickets, that she said we didn’t have to get her a Christmas Present.
Congratulations to GGail! Loving all the photos, bar none!
Thanks Judith &n happy new year to you and yours 🙂
If I were to be allowed to leave work, I would be doing other things and not have all of this time on my hands. I’m here, but I REFUSE to do any work! (she says with attitude)
Power to the people GGail! You gotta take a stand sometimes! 🙂
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!
🙂
Wow! I don’t even golf and I wanna go there.
They’re calling for your reservations Dudette…
Hawaii Prince Golf Club designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay offers 27 dramatic holes, the only golf course of its kind in Hawaii. Three interchangeable nines create a variety of playing conditions for all skill levels. Situated on Oahu’s sunny Ewa Plain, the golf course boasts 270 acres of sheer beauty and offers stunning views of the rain-carved Waianae Mountains. Long verdant fairways are lined with numerous white sand bunkers and 10 strategically placed lakes.
OH PLEASE..PERFECT FOR A HIDEAWAY…………………THERE WOULD BE NO TIME FOR GOLF!
I would spend all of my time walking thru the white sand, then wading in the 10 strategically placed lakes
I’m fine with waiting until next December so I can join the Obamas. 🙂
OH MY GOODNESS…HOW COULD THEY EVEN TOUCH THAT PLACE WITH A GOLFBALL…PARADISE INDEED!
I hate golf, but I could learn to like it if I could go there. It is beautiful.
Thank you for this, Dudette. This is me, after an SSA determination was reached in October, dating my disability back to the day of my accident/injury on 19 March 2013. Hasn’t it been a long, long time?? Luckily, just before that event, Hopefruit kindly bestowed my title upon me, and without that, I may not have been as mighty powering through this time of endurance. ❤ I will explore the site more deeply in the new year, as I hope to find greater insight into how I can continue to climb out of the 'rabbit' hole I fell into almost 3 years ago! (had to add that word rabbit, GGail, sure does fit!)
Dudette, that is an absolutely amazing photo–a work of art!
Indeed it is!
YES! DId I post this link earlier, very important as tonight is the only night we can see it, depending on where you are and if you have a telescope or binoculars. (which I don’t, so I’ll have to be content with feeling the energy in my nervous system!) http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/comet-catalina-1.3375283
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Good one!
Since someone who’s name starts with “G” brought it up. 🙂
Okay, okay, you got me 😀 😀
I DO BELIEVE IDRIS IS A NAUGHTY MATT CANDIDATE!….YOWZA!
You too Sue???? 😯
IDRIS IS …DELICIOUS!
Magically Delicious! [sigh!]
David’s kinda yummy too!
THIS LINE ENDS WITH ‘THE ACTORS WERE ON QUEEN ELIZABETH’………………..REALLY?
I THINK I’LL STICK WITH THE YOSEMITE VALLEY MOUNTAINS!..LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
Sue! You do need a Naughty Mat today. LOL!!!!!
LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL…TIS’ NEW YEARS EVE…I NEED A CHANGE OF SCENERY…………..:)
So while I was sleeping you posted a trazillion photo competitions Ms Chips – unfair retaliation for a minor call to order in regard to furst posting
Your GOTV needs time zone adjustment.
{{{{{ 99ts }}}}} Yes, but as you are already in 2016, better go for it!! Happy New Year to you and Mr99ts, with love and blessing that your new home becomes more and more a good fit for you both! ❤
Happy New Year to you MP – I do hope that you are contented in your new home – I find contentment is long lasting – the highs and lows of other issues sometimes are difficult to cope with. Blessings
http://mashable.com/2015/12/31/new-years-honours-2016/#RppnfkztaSqQ
Other honorees include Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter fans will remember her as Dolores Umbridge) and…
“Also receiving a knighthood was Dr. Michael Jacobs, who led the team successfully treating British Ebola victims. He said it “truly was a team effort and I can’t praise too highly my exceptional, dedicated and skilful colleagues at the Royal Free.” He was among four people receiving honours in the campaign against Ebola.”
Look at this group of people playing Charades! Soooo cool! 😎
One of the comments…
“when you visit we must play Heads Up (did you peep that Oprah and Gayle were participants😂)”
I did! 🙂
We played Heads Up at our Christmas Dinner last week. We had a blast with that app.
Haven’t seen Mad Max, but I totally vouch for the other 3.
BBL…MAYBE…SOMEBODY HAS TO MAKE DINNER…ZIP THE LID OFF THE ALPO…SMOTHER IN KETCHUP………….AWESOME…INSTANT MEATLOAF!…ADIOS!
See ya later!
YAY!!!! I’m escaping
See ya’ll on the flip side. Gotta go get my fixings for NY Day dinner
Thank you Chips and VC for all your work putting the pictures of the year together. These pics tell a wonderful story each year.
Getting ready to quietly bring 2016 in tonight with family.
New Year’s Eve menu:
Sirloin Steak
Garlic Shrimp
Garlic Potatoes w/Chives
Black Eye Peas w/Rice
Collard Greens
and the ring in the New Year
Apple Cider Mimosas
OMG, that menu. Donna? If I hire a private jet will you let me in when I knock on the door?
You won’t even have to knock. I’ll leave the door open for ya!!
😆 I’m on my way!!!!
/hopeful voice/ And for me too?
YUM!!! What a mouth-watering menu 🙂 I’m bombing a ride on Chip’s private jet!
GA/GE TODville.
Logging in this afternoon, I see that Chips’ has offered a flurry of impossible choices for “photo of the year” just since this morning.
Think I’ve missed all voting since January because the decision was too hard — but Wildcard 2 may be the most difficult to choose.
Each one is magnificent.
P.S. DonnaDem. What a lucky family you have; my mouth is watering over your menu — the aroma is probably enticing your neighbors to find an excuse to drop by this evening. Yum.
Happy New Year, TODville.
Hey, Phillie, look out your windows now!
LOL! I didn’t realize Philly was on a different time zone… 🙂 🙂 🙂
Jokes aside, these fireworks are stunning!
Yes, @jimmacmillan is an excellent photographer (formerly with AP, won Pulitzer Prize for some of his Iraq War photos and his photos of the aftermath of Sept. 11 still accompany national news articles on that subject).
Saw on his timeline that today is his 6th wedding anniversary, so congrats to him!
Happy (early) New Year’s Eve! We made it!
Haters love to criticized and complain about the President and his family vacation to Hawaii. All I say to them, if you didn’t complain when G.W. went on his thousand of vacations, shut the hell up now. Happy Holidays to you haters.
guys and gals, I think we do not have 30 years. This article makes me gasp: http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/12/iceland-storm-melt-north-pole-climate-change/422166/
Happy New Year, MP.
From yesterday:
On the plus side, rain is forecast in SoCal next week. You might have heard of the SolimarBeach fire in Ventura County last weekend — heard the fire battalion chief say that only ONE-TENTH of an inch of rain has fallen in that location (just north of Ventura), so yeah, we’re desperate for rain (which has bypassed CA central coast this year).
from the essay…
The extent to which you see things as seriously as Coates is probably directly proportional to the degree to which you have been victimized by one of the various ways that corruption has been manifested in different parts of the country. But it seems clear to me that many of the institutions of our criminal justice system are responding to the concerns in much the same way that the Catholic Church tried to deny and cover up the incidents of sexual abuse among priests. We can’t afford that kind of crisis of confidence in this system.
I look forward to hearing what this might be…
Wishing the best of all things to the TOD family
You all have given me so much.
Once upon a time BWD was posting at DK.
Pie fights erupted over her fab pics and DK lost
Then there was this fab site without trash or trolls.
Lets keep what Lady Chips created and bring it into the future.
I’m selfish enough to want President Obama on the Supreme Court
But I think we would all be better served if President O became
SecGen of the UN.
jmpo
Actually…
I want the President to return to organinzing….
we will have a need for him
The UN Sec Gen can’t be from a member of the Permanent 5
I often wondered about why none of them ever got the role – thanks LL – a fact I should have known – but didn’t.
But no problem – PBO is from Kenya 🙂 🙂 Definitely eligible
touche’.
Rebounding on the birthers
Happy New Year amk – must surely be into 2016 in your part of the world
happy commie aussie (what? going for the rhyme) new year. May mr99ts may continue to hog the remote.
Heading out for belated birthday lunch – Mr 99 bringing the cheque book (real aussie spelling)
have a blast. make him weep as he signs da
checkcheque.LL’s NYE celebrations are starting early….it’s now ~ 4:10 PM in CA 🙂 🙂 🙂
BUT! I’m watching BBC2. So, it’s NYE in the UK
Hahahaha…..sure LL.. 🙂
And it’s NY Day in Australia – somewhere in the world it is time for a G&T
Manhattans!
G&Ts – the preferred drink in some parts of the globe
Happy New Year LL
In case I haven’t posted, LL’s NYE menu:
Tri tip, roasted Santa Maria style.
Mashed potatoes
Carrots, boiled then sauteed briefly in soy sauce, honey, EVOO from Tunisia, and garlic.
No black eye peas for good luck and no greens to signify money in the new year?? What’s up with that? 😆
http://americanfood.about.com/od/resourcesadditionalinfo/a/New-Years-Day-Tradition-Black-Eyed-Peas.htm
On New Year’s Day, you’ll find people throughout the South eating black-eyed peas and greens. Many former Southerners have spread this tradition to other parts of the country. If this tradition is new to you, you probably have lots of questions – how did the tradition start? What do the foods symbolize? How do I cook them? Here are some answers to get you started.
Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s has been considered good luck for at least 1,500 years.
According to a portion of the Talmud written around 500 A.D., it was Jewish custom at the time to eat black-eyed peas in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It’s possible that the tradition arrived in America with Sephardic Jews, who first arrived in Georgia in the 1730s. Common folklore tells that the tradition spread after the Civil War.
I’m Cuban. We have grapes.
Poor Danny.
This look says “Just wait till you fall asleep…”
Poor Danny?? Poor me! He doesn’t know how lucky he is to hear me sing!1!1!
Don’t call me when you wake and find yourself outside on the back porch
I may need go to the back porch soon, I’ve just eaten 74,000 pistachio nut thingies 😷
I admit they can be addictive, but 74,000? I am so glad that you live waaaaay on the other side of the world 😯
We had DELISH broiled salmon prepared by daughter. Roasted asparagus, also prepared by her. Mashed potatoes, Costco, but delicious.
HAPPY, HAPPY AND RICHLY BLESSED AND JOYOUS NEW YEAR TO ALL THE TOD FAMILY!!! 😍🎉🎊🎈💝🔮🎉🎊😍
Is 2017 here yet?
Is it even 2015 in India yet?
no, we skip odd years.
Happy 2016 amk 🙂
Thank you gg. Wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2016.
And you & yours the same wish
Ooooh, a POTUS sighting – thanks JER
I’M BOOZED AND I DON’T CARE WHO KNOWS IT! (Because I shan’t be driving.)
I’m getting excited and looking forward to the Rose Parade in the morning. I had errands to do when I got off work, so as I was travelling thru Pasadena, I saw people lining the parade route at 3pm this afternoon and the old model T cars were working their way to – somewhere in the direction of the Rose Bowl 🙂
murka’s best lookers were made in 50’s and 60’s. now all we get everywhere are effing boxes on wheels.
I still get excited. You should come over and see them up close amk, these are beautiful too
Wwe do get the rallies of these beauts in chennai every year. If I am in chennai, I make it a point to see them. Love those curves and oomph.
That’s a sad shame
Okay, there’s a runaway winner of the last photo bunch, so I’ll post all the monthly winners in a minute – partly because I can’t think of anything else to post 😕
hint, hint, nudgem nudeg. hny.
Vote!
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/12/31/photo-of-the-year/
LIVE NOW: New York New Year’s Eve – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml