Obama laughs too much: quick get Rahm to pass that pissy look down.

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I watched President Obama on 60 Minutes last night and thought it went okay.
He seems to understand the issues and is willing to talk to the press and public about what’s going on.
This is something we haven’t seen in a president in a very long time.
And after eight years of a president that couldn’t seem to answer a question without confusing whatever it was he was trying to say (and sometimes we never quite knew what he was going for) it’s nice to have a president that can complete a thought without a teleprompter.

However when I got up all I heard about was how Obama laughed too much, it’s inappropriate, he’s not serious enough, and spending too much time talking to the public.
It seems absolutely impossible to please anyone these days.

There are so many things going on in the world and all that you could find were various clips of Obama laughing that were showing up everywhere all day and into the night. Discouraging.
I guess he needs to practice looking serious and pissy in the mirror more. Surely Rahm could help with that.




Far more interesting is the underwater volcano near Tonga in the Pacific. Amazing photos.



Also now Alaska’s Mount Redoubt, 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, erupted.
I bet Bobby Jindal wishes he hadn’t criticized money going towards volcano monitoring in his republican rebuttal speech now.

Some of AIG’s folk gave their bonus money back, but not all of them.

Bernie Madoff’s accountant David Friehling was charged with securities fraud… now how about that bookkeeping wife of his?

My thought of the day: Perhaps Dick Cheney would shut up and stop fear-mongering to deliberately undermine the President of the USA if he was being prosecuted on the criminal charges warranted for torture as he should be under our laws. Why after the Clinton debacle do we turn our eyes from true crimes?

On the lighter side: two marriages:
Bruce Willis (54) married a thirty-two year old model what a surprise… Hmm.
The interesting one is David Letterman. He finally married his long term mate Regina Lasko. They began dating in 1986 and have a five year old son.
Congrats and good luck!
And speaking of marriage: Politico reported that Senator Chuck Schumer of NY has changed his mind on same sex marriage. This might mark a broader change in thought towards equality and human rights. We shall see.

G’night,

Laura

Bobby Jindal and Kenneth the Page...

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This is hysterical, it's from Jimmy Fallon the replacement for Conan O'Brien's late night show.
I don't watch 30 Rock but I got a real kick out of it anyway!!!
There are definite similarities in the speech patterns of Jindal with Kenneth the Page surely.
But maybe Bobby should be imitating Kenneth he's a more kindly and lively sort.




If you've had children in grade school you know about Flat Stanley.
Kids send him off to distant friends or relatives to be sent on eventually making it's way back to the original child with tales of his travel. Today I saw a story about one such Stanley that made his way to Paris and eventually NYC and was in one man's briefcase that he carried off the plane that Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger so skillfully landed flight 1549 on the Hudson River safely.
What a terrific tale for that child to be able to tell classmates.
Rock on Flat Stanley!!!


G'night,

Laura
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Bobby Jindal was speaking for...? Himself more than giving the republican rebuttal.

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Guys and Gals that are thinking of running for the presidency in 2012 and we all know who you are (though I'm sure there will be more as we go) please stop campaigning. We're sooo tired of your campaigning. 2012 is too far away for us to have to listen to you jockeying for media attention constantly, incessantly. Stop talking all the time. Please. Just stop.

Having had some time to think about it now, I appreciated the tone of Obama's speech last night.
He really seemed to try to explain how the stimulus would be implemented and what it was trying to do.
I thought it was a good speech, making strong points. I might not agree with everything but it's taking us forward.
The republicans seem to think that government should stay out of this. Ouch. Who else is going to help everyone? The wealthy CEO's out of the goodness of their hearts?

Now I have no idea how the republicans pick what rep will be the rebuttal speaker to represent them after the president's address, but it should have been someone other than Bobby Jindal. I understand that it's the "other side's" time and that they don't agree on many points but seriously is there any doubt that Bobby sees himself as presidential candidate in 2012. What the hell did we need those personal stories from him? This wasn't supposed to be Bobby's time to make his own case for HIS political future, it was to give the rebuttal to what Obama said in his speech. To make good alternative points, to make sense which he really didn't.

In contrast:
Obama seemed presidential, straightforward, informative and serious. He was lively, thoughtful and made very clear some of the things he is trying to accomplish and how. Other than certain folk like Limbaugh we want Obama to succeed and appreciate being treated as adults once again. Not the secretive, furtive, closed door politics we've gotten used to.

Jindal did not seem all that ready for the large public stage. He stares at the camera without looking around or hardly blinking and seems oddly uncomfortable for someone that believes in what he's saying. Grandstanding plain and simple at the wrong time and place I'd say. I've noticed in all the videos I've seen of Jindal recently he has two modes: he either talks fast and furious or slow like he's explaining something to a child. Tonight seemed to be in the condescending parental tone. Ugh. A little too patronizing for me.

Jindal: "We also need to address the crisis in health care. Republicans believe in a simple principle: No American should have to worry about losing their health coverage - period. We stand for universal access to affordable health care coverage. We oppose universal government-run health care. Health care decisions should be made by doctors and patients - not by government bureaucrats. We believe Americans can do anything - and if we put aside partisan politics and work together, we can make our system of private medicine affordable and accessible for every one of our citizens."

Um, what exactly is "universal access" to "affordable health care" like what? Not one single concept was offered that made sense. The only health care decisions being made by doctor's and patients are ones that are specifically "allowed" by your plan, which just so you know Bobby: care get's approved or turned down by the plan NOW. Not to mention that people without insurance, or a job, get turned away or receive lesser care in emergencies. Yay. If the republicans want people to turn to them they better come up with realistic alternative plans that can be explained as to why they are better.

American's need their government now more than ever.
Extreme unregulated capitalism has not been working.

Still not happy with politicians but at least this group is trying to help the middle class (or what's left of it.)
G'night,

Laura
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Are you sick of the 2012 potential candidates strutting around yet? I am...

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Well we're hearing a lot from certain republicans now. All jockying for a possible 2012 presidential race.
For instance Senator Eric Cantor (Va) who has his political "problems." Anti union videos with lovely language... wife an official in a bank that got stimulus money... but hey they're better than democrats right?

Or Bobby Jindal from Louisiana who we are seeing way too much of as of late. Everyone's "testing the 2012 waters" apparently. Jindal wants to turn down money from the stimulus. I wonder how his state constituents feel about that. They got a bit of a raw deal from the republicans (Bush) after Katrina. How much of it is principle and how much is grandstanding for name recognition? Let's not forget Sarah Palin either.

Meet The Press this past weekend had both Charlie Crist (Fla) and Bobby Jindal on (separately) talking about the stimulus.
I find it hard to listen to Mr. Jindal because he starts out slower and works into warp speed talking.
Slow down, cut back on coffee or what ever it is that makes you talk faster as you go. Doesn't sound as thoughtful as it would if you slowed down a bit. Were you nervous or mostly annoyed? I'm not sure but I saw you a few times today on tv and you talked almost as fast there too. Has an interesting set to his face when he thinks he's being pushed and answers with about as little accuracy as most politicians.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican Gov. of CA) is getting a lot of harsh criticism from his own party because he wants to work with Obama and wants to do what's best for his state as governer. He is behind the stimulus package. Which is nice since I'm pretty sure that at least he isn't making a run for the 2012 republican presidential candidacy.

Now the three republicans that voted for the stimulus package in senate are now referred to as "so-called republicans" I guess there's no getting along if you don't tow the party line anywhere these days... to hell with those constituents!

This is going to be a very odd 4 years. We have the economy to worry about (including the global economy).
We have recession/depression and job losses to worry about.
And throughout it all, we'll have to listen the whole next four years to back and forth political bullshit nonsense.
Not even based in facts half the time.
Say something enough times over and over repetitively with finger pointing indignation and it's magically true???
These people couldn't come up with bipartisanship if it was ordered by God.

Still talking about those "glorious" Reagan years (demagoguery) and glorifying them: trickle down didn't work, the only stuff that trickled down was what wasn't taken by the top. I think we can clearly see that now yes?
"Just say 'no'" Nancy's answer to the drug problem isn't an answer to the republican party for fixing our country either.
You have to deal with people not just the outcomes.

Unfettered, unrestricted extreme capitalism doesn't work for anyone especially the working classes that struggle to make a living. Our representatives for the most part don't always do what is best for us or the country, they do what's best for them (and often their pals).

Madoff shouldn't have happened: think about it. Really think about it. And then think some more...
Eight years and nothing.

The truth about our political and financial systems is becoming more and more apparent every day.
Starting to wonder about our food supply? I am.
But then what does the FDA have for inspectors now anyway, like three?

Amazing.

G'night,

Laura
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