President Obama hugs Army Sgt. Stephanie Van Ausdall after she had trouble leading the Pledge of Allegiance following a naturalization ceremony for active duty service members and civilians, July 4
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Poignant reaction from 1 of the naturalization candidates greeting Pres Obama prior to being sworn in as Amer citizen pic.twitter.com/LSI2LdkAdH
Now, sir, I had to bite my tongue, as I nearly said what lovely coral skies we saw at sunrise! Out of deference and respect for our One and Only You-Know-Who! ;)
“The Bush economic catastrophe continued to pummel the stock market as well as the greater economy for an extended period of time after its choreographers had left office.
To that end, it may be better to compare Thursday’s highs to the recession’s lows. All indexes closed at their recessionary bottom on March 9, 2025 (DOW at 6507, NASDAQ at 1269 and S&P at 676). Since then, the DOW has nearly tripled its value, as has the S&P 500. The NASDAQ has gone up more than 3.5 fold.
While there was passing mention of the DOW crossing the psychologically important 17,000 mark in the media, the coverage of its perspective and how it was made possible remained largely muted in the wasteland of TV/Cable news. But some print columnists are seeing a strong trend: Market Watch’s Paul Farrell predicts that The Great Obama Bull Market, as he calls it, is poised to last into the 2016 elections, or a total of over seven years, twice as long as the average bull market.
It’s just incredible when people like this creature make statements like that, as if a nation’s ‘original’ people don’t count because they’re somehow subhuman. Jesus. I really get now why 99ts sounds so down so often about this creep.
I am not Australian Aboriginal, but I find this stupid mindset offensive. Australian’s will soon be seeing the back of him, he has failed, is failing, and will fail as he tries to press on. Eff him.
Forty-six Indian nurses initially stranded at a hospital in Tikrit and later moved to Mosul have been freed by the fighters of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The nurses have been moved to Erbil from where they’ll be flown into Kerala on a special aircraft arranged by the Indian government.
Part of the successful strategy that I’m sure U.S. Congress couldn’t have managed >>
“They never once let out the details of the negotiations; all they said was that the nurses were safe. There were no irresponsible statements, and once the negotiations went through, they were ready to bring the nurse back. B B Tyagi, India’s ambassador in Iraq, is a man of great repute. He has the right contacts and skills to oversee such an operation. He shared information with the government, and the government never allowed any sort of frenzy,” he says.
Sahay adds that this should be a learning curve for the diaspora outside.”
On the other hand, I remember my dear Dad would press his right foot to the floor at times, looking somewhat peaked. And him a WWII Navy vet.. Hmm. I recognized the body language later when my daughter was learning to drive! Perhaps PBO could be spared the stress, as he does have a bit on his plate these days! Boner is no match for a teenager learning to drive!
I also notice that a group of the ‘in-kids’ is on hand kibitzing in the village, and no one called me. Hmmmm. Disheartening when you realize where you are in the picture. Hmmmm.
Not me! I’ve read his jokes! /shudder/ Have *you* forgotten that time in our mutual past when he used to make it a point to serve them up daily? It was like he had a stash for EACH DAY!
Darn, I’m too soft-hearted. :grin::grin: I know I should not have shared any secrets for fear they would be used against me! /moaning - When will I learn to follow my better judgement?/
Well, I suppose that if I were President Obama and my daughter was turning 16 today, I’d be a bit torn in not being able to help her to learn to drive. But, ‘pity’ is not how I’d describe my reaction. More like a sense of regret that such a fine person, who has done so much for so many, is constricted by the constant awareness that quite a few folk would do harm to him and his family if they had the opportunity.
Police in Brazil say they have identified a Fifa official alleged to have been involved in the illegal sale of World Cup tickets.
Earlier this week, police said they had arrested 11 people and broken up an international gang.
The suspected touts are accused of illegally reselling tickets, including some originally allocated to players.
Police say the gang earned as much as $90m (£52m) per tournament and could have operated at four World Cups.
As part of the investigation, police said they had identified the first name of the alleged Fifa official from telephone calls.
Fabio Barucke, the investigator in charge of the case, said the official had clearance to Fifa offices, stadiums and other administrative areas where he would have access to match tickets.
“Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council report: July 4
RNBO_map_04_07-2
2025/07/04 • Daily Updates
CONSOLIDATED NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE COUNCIL (RNBO) NEWS & ANALYSIS CENTER
at 12:00 July 4, 2025
In compliance with a decree of the President of Ukraine to renew the active phase of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), the personnel and units of the ATO forces began to actively disarm and destroy terrorist group in the operational zone. Ukraine’s Armed Forces engaged in heavy air and artillery bombardment on strongholds, checkpoints, arms caches and clusters of terrorists, National Security Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy reported today at the 12:00 briefing.
The activity levels of militant bands have noticeably declined. The terrorists have suffered serious losses of life, now in the hundreds. In the last week, some terrorist equipment was also destroyed: 1 tank, 1 Zenit launcher, 5 armored KAMAZes with personnel. One KAMAZ was carrying weapons and ammo for militants was captured by the armed forces.
Since the start of the ATO in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast, 17 population centers have been liberated and the Government of Ukraine now controls 23 counties out of 36. In Donetsk Oblast, more than two thirds are in government hands: 13 out of 18, while in Luhansk, more than half are: 10 out of 18. Where the government has recovered control, local governments, police and community services have resumed their work.
During the last week since the ATO was resumed, 4 more settlements were liberated from the terrorists: Zakotne, Raihorodok, Reznikovka, and Raioleksandrivka.”
^5 <3
Bob! #Pink
:)
;)
See what you’ve done with all this ‘pink,’ dear Chips. I post one ;) and WP replicates it to two!!!!
Well done, sir Bobfr! Brilliant day in old Seattle! ;)
It’s a lovely, CORAL, day in Seattle, isn’t it, MP!! :D :D :D
Now, sir, I had to bite my tongue, as I nearly said what lovely coral skies we saw at sunrise! Out of deference and respect for our One and Only You-Know-Who! ;)
Good for you, MP!!! It was a stunning sun rise, for sure!!
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY MR.BOBFR!
CONGRATS ON WINNING THE GOLD-YOU’RE #1!!!
Wishing you and your family a very WONDERFUL DAY of celebration/relaxation, and JOYFUL holiday weekend-ENJOY IT ALL!!!
Thank you, Cindy, and wishing the same for you and your loved ones!!
furst.
Loving President Obama more than ever, and the Obama Diary, too! Happy Fourth to all! Xo
TOD loves ya back Eric, have a wonderful day!
Well, you just made my day. Thanks for everything you do, Chipsticks!!
many empty seats in the stadium.
lime green shoes? really guys?
aaand fedex wins in straight sets. watch out, joker.
“The Bush economic catastrophe continued to pummel the stock market as well as the greater economy for an extended period of time after its choreographers had left office.
To that end, it may be better to compare Thursday’s highs to the recession’s lows. All indexes closed at their recessionary bottom on March 9, 2025 (DOW at 6507, NASDAQ at 1269 and S&P at 676). Since then, the DOW has nearly tripled its value, as has the S&P 500. The NASDAQ has gone up more than 3.5 fold.
While there was passing mention of the DOW crossing the psychologically important 17,000 mark in the media, the coverage of its perspective and how it was made possible remained largely muted in the wasteland of TV/Cable news. But some print columnists are seeing a strong trend: Market Watch’s Paul Farrell predicts that The Great Obama Bull Market, as he calls it, is poised to last into the 2016 elections, or a total of over seven years, twice as long as the average bull market.
The markets aren’t the only bullish place.”
More at the link in Spandan’s tweet.
Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been criticised for saying that Australia was “unsettled” before the British arrived.
He said on Thursday night that Australia owes its existence to the British, as it was previously “unsettled or scarcely settled”.
He was answering a question on foreign investment at a Melbourne conference.
An indigenous leader said the comments were offensive and his chief indigenous adviser called them “silly”.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28156729
aussie dumbya.
“aussie dumbya” Yep!!
What an utter dick. Poor 99ts is probably on her fifth bottle of brandy.
tequila would be more apt. poor soul.
Concur on the “utter dick.” It’s always so telling when some try to disparage the true founders of a nation just because their skin isn’t lily white.
He and Australia would be nowhere without the aborigines.
It’s just incredible when people like this creature make statements like that, as if a nation’s ‘original’ people don’t count because they’re somehow subhuman. Jesus. I really get now why 99ts sounds so down so often about this creep.
CC - I just emailed you a great pic from Australia.com, wishing us a Happy 4th! Thought you might like to post it..
I am not Australian Aboriginal, but I find this stupid mindset offensive. Australian’s will soon be seeing the back of him, he has failed, is failing, and will fail as he tries to press on. Eff him.
How India got the nurses back from Iraq.
Forty-six Indian nurses initially stranded at a hospital in Tikrit and later moved to Mosul have been freed by the fighters of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The nurses have been moved to Erbil from where they’ll be flown into Kerala on a special aircraft arranged by the Indian government.
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/iraq-isis-how-india-got-the-nurses-back-from-iraq/20140704.htm
Grateful that they will soon be home!
yup. first major fp victory for our new rw govt. kudos to them.
Kudos, well deserved!!!
Part of the successful strategy that I’m sure U.S. Congress couldn’t have managed >>
“They never once let out the details of the negotiations; all they said was that the nurses were safe. There were no irresponsible statements, and once the negotiations went through, they were ready to bring the nurse back. B B Tyagi, India’s ambassador in Iraq, is a man of great repute. He has the right contacts and skills to oversee such an operation. He shared information with the government, and the government never allowed any sort of frenzy,” he says.
Sahay adds that this should be a learning curve for the diaspora outside.”
Excellent news.
While I understand it, I’m so sorry POTUS won’t be able to teach Malia to drive.
I know what you mean annie. One
of my fondest memory is of my father teaching me to drive.
Not mine. Some things were not meant to be kept in the family.
I know, what fun they would have together!
On the other hand, I remember my dear Dad would press his right foot to the floor at times, looking somewhat peaked. And him a WWII Navy vet.. Hmm. I recognized the body language later when my daughter was learning to drive! Perhaps PBO could be spared the stress, as he does have a bit on his plate these days! Boner is no match for a teenager learning to drive!
Well he will be able to teach Sasha to drive.
germans deserve to win today.
That’s my feeling too amk
/waving discretely/ I C U. Bfr!
I also notice that a group of the ‘in-kids’ is on hand kibitzing in the village, and no one called me. Hmmmm. Disheartening when you realize where you are in the picture. Hmmmm.
Hey vc! waving back :-)
Hel-lo, Gx2!
You sound full of life and laughter, almost liberated, this long weekend - Happy Independence Day!
Yes, liberated is a good term for me today!
How r u?
As fine as fivepence, TY!
Waving, non-discretely, to the ‘quiet one’!!!! Happy 4th, VC!!!
A very, very Happy Independence Day to you and Mrs. Bobfr!
question to toddys. who is the dood to be most to be pitied today?
right answer gets amk trademark joke.
Rusty?
Rmoney?
Dumbya?
nope, nope, nope.
Do I get the joke just for playing? :-)
nope. (you’d be glad, trust me).
/bewildered/ Why would you enter a ‘competition’ to win one of ….. jokes? And a trademark one too? smh
You know you’re just egg.ing.him.on, VC :D :D
Not me! I’ve read his jokes! /shudder/ Have *you* forgotten that time in our mutual past when he used to make it a point to serve them up daily? It was like he had a stash for EACH DAY!
How could I forget!!!
Egg. sack. lee! /shudder/
you really miss those days, admit it.
:roll:
you don’t know whatcher missing. That’s all I can say.
I know, and I’d just as soon continue to miss it, thank you very much!
Darn, I’m too soft-hearted. :grin: :grin: I know I should not have shared any secrets for fear they would be used against me! /moaning - When will I learn to follow my better judgement?/
Color me giddy today vc
LOL
Giddy’s okay I guess, but please don’t be too encouraging (to u-kno-who, especially when he’s in ‘joke’ mode)!
just wait till tomorrow when unohoo gets plastered.
IF you are referring to the Great Diva of Blogdom, Empress of TODsylvania, our Founder, Curator, Head Rabble Rouser…..she doesn’t drink.
say gunnite vc.
Wait a minute, *I* am not going anywhere right now. ;) ;)
Crispy Cream
sorry bob.
hint: it’s got to do with someone special today.
Well, I suppose that if I were President Obama and my daughter was turning 16 today, I’d be a bit torn in not being able to help her to learn to drive. But, ‘pity’ is not how I’d describe my reaction. More like a sense of regret that such a fine person, who has done so much for so many, is constricted by the constant awareness that quite a few folk would do harm to him and his family if they had the opportunity.
close, but still a miss.
If she has one, Malia’s boy friend :)
Ding, ding, ding. Cigar for the man. :D
:D
Don’t smoke, but appreciate the gesture :)
FTW!!
Would it be Craig Robinson since he is supposed to teach her to drive?
This.
Yes, and I know he is sad to have to miss these moments too Bob
HAHAHAHAAAA! Good one, amk!
unlucky benzema.
germans, it is.
Yep.
GOooAaaLL!
lol.
Happy 4th of July, TOD.
Happy 16th birthday to Malia.
Now, to go back and read the R & S thread.
Police in Brazil say they have identified a Fifa official alleged to have been involved in the illegal sale of World Cup tickets.
Earlier this week, police said they had arrested 11 people and broken up an international gang.
The suspected touts are accused of illegally reselling tickets, including some originally allocated to players.
Police say the gang earned as much as $90m (£52m) per tournament and could have operated at four World Cups.
As part of the investigation, police said they had identified the first name of the alleged Fifa official from telephone calls.
Fabio Barucke, the investigator in charge of the case, said the official had clearance to Fifa offices, stadiums and other administrative areas where he would have access to match tickets.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-28157860
ah, sepp’s world. corruption niravana.
*yawn* Happy 4th everyone.
The Queen concert was AWESOME. And they played this, so I was more than happy.
:-). There can be only ONE! :-)
“Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council report: July 4
RNBO_map_04_07-2
2025/07/04 • Daily Updates
CONSOLIDATED NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE COUNCIL (RNBO) NEWS & ANALYSIS CENTER
at 12:00 July 4, 2025
In compliance with a decree of the President of Ukraine to renew the active phase of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), the personnel and units of the ATO forces began to actively disarm and destroy terrorist group in the operational zone. Ukraine’s Armed Forces engaged in heavy air and artillery bombardment on strongholds, checkpoints, arms caches and clusters of terrorists, National Security Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy reported today at the 12:00 briefing.
The activity levels of militant bands have noticeably declined. The terrorists have suffered serious losses of life, now in the hundreds. In the last week, some terrorist equipment was also destroyed: 1 tank, 1 Zenit launcher, 5 armored KAMAZes with personnel. One KAMAZ was carrying weapons and ammo for militants was captured by the armed forces.
Since the start of the ATO in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast, 17 population centers have been liberated and the Government of Ukraine now controls 23 counties out of 36. In Donetsk Oblast, more than two thirds are in government hands: 13 out of 18, while in Luhansk, more than half are: 10 out of 18. Where the government has recovered control, local governments, police and community services have resumed their work.
During the last week since the ATO was resumed, 4 more settlements were liberated from the terrorists: Zakotne, Raihorodok, Reznikovka, and Raioleksandrivka.”
More at the link in the tweet.
joke as promised (I always keep my word).
Did you hear that the Post Office just recalled their latest Stamps?
They had pictures of lawyers on them and people couldn’t figure out which side to spit on.
gunnite folks. (colombians better win while I snore)
:D :D
Rest well, amk!!
Hahaha good one amk!
g’nite
:-) Nite Mister!!
:-)
Fabulous!
This man is truly an idiot.
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/07/04/happy-birthday-america-and-thank-you-president-obama/