5:0 EST: The First Family Attends the National Christmas Tree Lighting
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Thanks Chips.
You’re most welcome, COS!
hello
Thanks Chips, this is greatly needed today
Congrats COS on First :-)
Hi there Betsy :-) I hope your husband has recovered from yesterday’s events.
O good, maybe the O-young ladies will be there (I really missed them at the xmas tree arrival)!
Hey TOD hope everyone is well :D
My most recent letter to President Obama …. if he’s going to use an EO mechanism then what I’m proposing would have way more impact that background checks ever will given that my proposal puts folk with billions to lose (gun/ammo manufacturers) in the equation and puts folk (insurance industry) who’d like to make a few more billion than they already do on the President’s side of the table ….
Unfortunately, it’s likely that PBO and VP Biden (sent him a copy & asked for his help) will never see it …. but, I’ll keep trying … back to work and probably won’t be able to visit again today so take care everyone ….
The more I’m learning about the couple, the more I believe that the female was the leader of this plot
From Fiancé Visa to Green Card
Mr. Farook, who is an American citizen, and Ms. Malik traveled to the United States together in July 2014, David Bowdich of the F.B.I. in Los Angeles said at a news conference.
He said Ms. Malik had been traveling with a Pakistani passport and a K-1 visa, a special visa for fiancés that allows people to come to the country to marry an American citizen. A couple has to marry within 90 days; after that the K-1 visa expires.
Mr. Farook applied for a permanent resident green card for Ms. Malik on Sept. 30, 2014, within the legal 90-day limit, a federal official said. She was granted a conditional green card in July 2015.
As a routine matter, to obtain the green card the couple had to prove that their marriage was legitimate, and Ms. Malik had to provide her fingerprints and pass criminal and national security background checks using F.B.I. and Department of Homeland Security databases.
In the shootout with the suspects, gunfire came first from the female suspect, who was sitting in back of the car.
I got the same suspicion, and yesterday, I commented here more about the female;
story didn’t add up unless you considered that the male (who was looking for a spouse online), was singled out by someone who considered him vulnerable and easy to manipulate at the opportune time - a set up through love;
maybe I have read and watched too many spy novels and movies !
by the way, I know about this visa process
The program has started.
I remember the time that Train performed, good times with the Obama family /sigh
Help me out here, because I know as much about guns as I do nuclear physics - I thought you couldn’t buy assault rifles anymore (since the 1990s?), unless you have a special license and even then the wait is 10ish years. At least I thought I read that. Or am I confusing assault rifles with assault something else?
I have no clue what an assault rifle looks like but…”A federal law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that the guns were bought at Annie’s Get Your Gun, a firearms retailer in nearby Corona that advertises itself as a “family-friendly gun store.”
A woman reached by phone who identified herself as Anne, the store owner, denied that the weapons involved in the shooting were sold at her store.
“That’s not true,” she said, before hanging up.”
A “family-friendly gun store” …….. good God.
Inorite?
LOL…that’s almost like saying “A family-friendly porn store.”
There was a federal assault weapons ban, passed by a Dem Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. There was a ten year sunset clause in it and Bush and a Repub Congress of 2004 let the ban expire. The ban was officially called the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act
Mass shootings were down while it was in effect:
Ah, thanks a million Madame Soph, I though the ban still existed - unbelievable that it was allowed expire. Who needs a weapon like that?
I remember when Congress let it expire and the arguments back and forth. It was at the height of the Bush/Cheney madness (2004).
Help me again Madame Soph, as someone just said on Twitter, I thought you couldn’t buy these weapons in California?
Uzi’s, AK-47s, AR-15s, Bushmaster semi-automatic rifles – all are banned by California’s Assault Weapons Control Act. Yet thousands of the guns legally remain in the state.
Anyone who registered an assault weapon with the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Firearms before Jan. 23, 2001, effectively was grandfathered in. All told, that’s 145,253 guns that would be illegal if purchased today.
Owners of these grandfathered guns need to keep a signed letter from the state proving they are the legal owner. They aren’t allowed to sell it or give it away; it’s a felony to transfer ownership of a registered assault weapon.
https://www.revealnews.org/article/despite-ban-thousands-of-assault-weapons-remain-legal-in-california/
Damn it, even in states with sensible-ish guns laws, there’s still a way to maintain the madness. Screwed up.
The whole article is an eye-opener about how the loop-holes and splitting of hairs can allow these dangerous weapons to be kept and purchased.
Disgusting.
Hi Chips, had to do some Google research for this, as I am not a gun owner and have no desire to be a gun owner, so I am not super up on the current gun laws here (although I did go to a shooting range once with an ex-boyfriend and it was kind of fun to fire one at a target).
There was a ban on assault weapons passed in 1989. That seems to have gone away at some point. Then our Dem congress here passed one in 2013. However, the conditions and specifics and loopholes are so confusing, especially to one like me who’s not a gun person.
Found this article explaining how the guns in the San Bernadino massacre were purchased legally:
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/2d9cc32b99304a46b9ea57f50ef9c70c/US-California-Shootings-Weapons
From the article:
“The two rifles were not specifically listed among the models outlawed under California’s famously tough gun laws, and as long as each included a minor design change affecting how bullets are loaded into the weapon they would have been legal.
California limited access to high-powered, military-style rifles in 1989 and lawmakers passed further restrictions in 2000, when they banned specific types of AR-15 and AK-47 style rifles. Included in the ban were rifles that can use detachable ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and have other characteristics. Ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 bullets are also outlawed.
But rifles that aren’t specifically listed in the ban are considered legal, as long as a tool is required to release the ammunition magazine. The change is intended to effectively limit the number of rounds the gun can fire because it presumably takes extra time to reload.
California’s law prompted the gun industry to start marketing military-style rifles with so-called bullet buttons, a sort of sleeve that blocks quick access to the release button. Users can use the tip of a spare bullet or a tool to release the gun’s magazine, although a small magnet can be attached to the button so that users can quickly press it using just their finger.
The executive director of the Violence Policy Center in Washington, Josh Sugarmann, said the gun industry was “cynically exploiting an inadvertent limitation” of California’s assault weapons ban.”
A brilliant link Madame Soph, thank you.
“The two rifles were not specifically listed among the models outlawed under California’s famously tough gun laws, and as long as each included a minor design change affecting how bullets are loaded into the weapon they would have been legal.”
Good gawd almighty, a minor design change and you get passed the ban. I just can’t.
Loopholes
Inorite? That’s why we need to address gun violence on multiple levels. Owner’s requirements at least as basic as those required to drive/own a car, etc. Any one law might not prevent all of these shootings, and all of them combined wouldn’t either. But these sort of regulations would reduce casualties and, possibly, as incidents decrease, discourage copycats.
Speaking of regulations, doesn’t the 2nd amendment refer to a “well-regulated militia” not an unregulated militia or a poorly regulated militia!?
It is my understanding the ban on assault weapons expired and Congress refused to re-authorize it.
Is the Christmas tree lighting on any TV network?
In Philly it will air Thursday, Dec 17th @ 9:00PM on PBS-WHYY, Channel 12…
Beautiful tree!
It’s cold out there, but it’s not raining or snowing
Did Crosby, Stills & Nash not have a chance to practice before tonight? They sound HORRIBLE!!!!
GGail, it’s Christmas, be nice.
And they’re old Annieb, but those are not excuses for off key, no harmony, bad singing :D
They weren’t that good. :)
:-)
:lol:
I’m a little behind the program. When I first heard them announce that Crosby, Stills & Nash were coming on, I thought, great I love them. Then I saw your comment. You are right! They do sound horrible!
Thank you sjterrid :-)
Oh yikes, they’re all out of tune :???:
See? It’s not just my ears, they should have been placed last on the show, not first!
They should have been placed on the bus home!
True Dat Chips! ^5
Chips, replied to your Q about the Assault Weapons Ban up thread. Thanks for this nice Xmas tree lighting one. I’ll watch it after I clean my house (which I am still obviously procrastinating :-) )
Oh look, Smelly Melly can sing
You are NOT in the Christmas spirit! :lol:
Whaaaat? That was a compliment - wasn’t it?
This!!!
There’s FLOTUS
O.k., now I REALLY have to go do my chores…
Before I leave, in keeping with the loveliness of the Christmas Tree Lighting with our First Family, here is some cuteness/warm your heart goodness:
That kitten looks like my Sassy!
I agree with everyone, Crosby, Stills and Nash sounded awful, I have several of there old albums. Oh well we all do get old.
Yes, Crosby, Stills and Nash sounded HORRIBLE!!!!!!! Not giving them a break for their age either. That was embarrassing.
Thank you Tnmtngirl - that’s what I said too!
I do like the graphics that the National Parks are running to encourage people to visit the parks.
They’re great sjterrid, don’t remember seeing them in previous years??
There’s our President! YAY!
Oh, tears here. How special and touching. I had read that Betty was going to be there. I thought she was going to light the tree, but introducing the President was much better.
Oh Nooooooo Crosby, Stills & Nash. Thank God for President Obama - he can keep a party going :D :D :D
GO BACK TO WORK!1!1!1! :lol:
<3
Thank you Chips for allowing me to “play” while at work :-)
GGail :)
We did get the chance to see our POTUS and First Family sing. Even Grandma Robinson.
Gosh, love our First Family.
{{{{{annieb}}}}} :-)
Wow Betty the Park Ranger ~ what a National Treasure she is. Oh, and I love my President and First Family :)
For those who missed the Christmas tree lighting, it was well worth watching (no doubt Chips or NW will post you tube later today).
The 94-year-old park ranger who introduced PBO said her great-great-grandmother was born into slavery.
The (Korean-American?) string ensemble was amazing — mostly 9-year-olds, youngest was 5, the oldest 11.
Forgot to mention that Graham Nash got a kiss on the cheek from PBO (swoon).
Agree that CSN’s performance was embarrassing, but in the spirit of Christmas, at least they showed up.
arapaho, they could have lip-synced :-)
Ha!!
They must’ve had more than a few drinks before attending the event. HAHAHA! :) :) Gotta relax those nerves when playing in front of the President….
PBO having fun!
Damn! I’m gonna miss this man as our President
POTUS with his fresh hair cut was ready to PARTY!
:-) Thanks JER! Needed that after all the gun law loophole talk up thread!
Finally did the dishes… Yay! BBL after I sweep and vacuum … :-)
That’s exactly how I would be looking at her if I had the chance to meet FLOTUS :-)
:-) I think anyone would be terrified to appear with Miss Piggy, you just don’t know what she’s going to say (!) - but FLOTUS was a hoot with her!!
Miss Piggy…….Hay Kermit, who misses you?
Who’s missing you?
Somehow I missed seeing this on TOD
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3343275/Snow-people-snowflakes-star-White-House-holiday-decor.html
GA GGail.
GORGEOUS photos.
Glad to see I’m not the only TODvillager who checks out Obama family photos at @MailOnline.
I ignore their jabs and haven’t viewed comments there in years.
Hey arapaho, yes, I go there for the pictures :-)
I thought I would die of embarrassment for Still & Nash & Crosy. Theycouldn’t even single Jingle Bells at the end either. But those little kids were awesome. I thought the First Lady on Scandal had a great voice
Hi Everyone. Got back from Texas last night and just trying to get caught up. Glad to hear all of you Californians are sage from what happened in San Bernardino.
Have anyone seen the chocolate gingerbread White House? I’m sure the right wing haters loves it, the Obamas have finally painted the White House black. Ha! Ha! Ha!
In honor of the Black House:
Don’t forget to watch “The Wiz!!!”
GE TOD.
Thanks Chips for the Xmas event.
Yesterday, this guy’s picture was all over the Social Media as the San Bernardino Shooter, Syed Farook. It turns out, it was his brother, A Navy Vet; Syed Faheel Farook.
I have yet to hear this part of the story from CNN, MSNBC or any other News Outlet Nationally.
JER, thank you, this is for the next time right wing haters who claim they are christians try to tell us that this President doesn’t know the meaning of Christmas.
New post
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/12/03/the-national-christmas-tree-lighting/