20 Completely Random Perfect Pics: President Obama in Israel/West Bank

President Obama views the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Just beautiful

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President Obama and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pose for a photo with Palestinian children during a welcoming ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah

Okay, photos with Palestinian kids will get me every time

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President Obama at a cultural event with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad at the Al Bireh Youth Center in Ramallah

Golden smiles x 2

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President Obama is welcomed by Palestinian girls during his visit to Al Bera Youth Center in Ramallah

No pic from the trip will top this

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President Obama introduces Secretary of State John Kerry to Israeli President Peres

And Barack was the keynote speaker at the 2004 convention …. life’s just wacky

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President Obama signs a guest book at the residence of Israeli President Peres in Jerusalem

Can never resist a ‘signing’ pic

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President Obama and President Peres at Ben Gurion airport

I think they like each other

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President Obama and President Peres listen to 13-year old Daniel Pruzansky sing

Sweet

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“So, how did your campaigning for Romney go?”

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Keep Chattin’

@samir: “Best. Typo. Ever.”

‘our best energy president in decades’

Michael Webber (Chron.com): As Republican presidential candidates like Gov. Rick Perry tout their energy plans, they would do well to study our best energy president in decades: President Obama.

Advocates for the U.S. energy industry routinely say they wish President Obama would pursue pro-growth energy policies. Well, he has been, and not just for the likes of fallen green giants like Solyndra. Under Obama, the traditional U.S. energy sector is flourishing. The domestic energy sector is experiencing its largest growth since the halcyon days of the 1950s and 1960s. As importantly, we’re growing in the right directions.

For the first time in decades, we are seeing sustained increases in U.S. oil production and decreases in oil consumption, which means imports are dropping.

U.S. domestic oil production is up an incredible 14 percent since Obama took office. A few years ago we imported nearly two-thirds of our petroleum products. Today we import less than half. The reduction in imports means tens of billions of dollars now stay in our own economy.

But it’s not just oil: dry natural gas production is up 16 percent, natural gas liquids are up 26 percent, solar generation is up 14 percent and wind generation is up 59 percent. Even production of coal – supposedly the main target of Obama’s policies – is flat over that same time period. There are even headlines blaring that U.S. refining capacity is at the highest point in decades, exceeding levels achieved under recent Republican administrations. All of this growth produces royalties and taxes to address our budget challenges.

….. In light of all the bad news about partisan debt fights, maybe we can all celebrate the good news that U.S. energy policy – against all odds – is finally reaping significant rewards for all of us. Our Energy President deserves a fair share of the credit.

Full article here

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More at politicususa

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More at The American Prospect

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‘our best days lie ahead’

BBC: The billionaire investor, Warren Buffett, has urged Americans to ignore “prophets of doom”, and believe that the country’s “best days lie ahead”.

In an upbeat annual letter to the shareholders of his investment firm, Mr Buffett said he was itching to make more large acquisitions. The 26-page missive is seen as an authoritative guide to the state of the world’s biggest economy.

He is one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential investors – as such, his opinion is closely followed.

Despite the American economy struggling to emerge from the recession following the financial crisis, Mr Buffett believes the time is now right to make some major investments. In his annual letter to his Berkshire Hathaway investors, he said his trigger finger was now itchy to invest in new projects, using some of the fund’s 38bn dollars in cash reserves. The news that Mr Buffett is seeking substantial new opportunities will be welcomed by many global investors.