Saturday, April 4, 2009

Weekly Address: "The only way forward is through shared and persistent efforts to combat fear and want wherever they exist"



In this week’s address, filmed aboard Air Force One between vital diplomatic engagements abroad, the President discusses the breadth and depth of the global challenges we face. Recapping his trip, though, it is clear just how much opportunity lies in reshaping America’s relationships around the world. On everything from turning our economy around -- which shed hundreds of thousands more jobs last month -- to ending the threat of nuclear arms, "The only way forward is through shared and persistent efforts to combat fear and want wherever they exist..."

As is well-known, President Obama presented Queen Elizabeth with an iPod when they met last week. What inquiring minds want to know is, did he populate it with selections from his personal play list? From what I've read, she should be so lucky...

Up next, Jeffrey Lebowski...


There are fourteen -- that's right,  fourteen -- festivals in the New Orleans area this weekend, including the Old Algiers River Fest and the Lousiana Oyster Jubilee in the French Quarter. Is this a great town or what?...


Hey, these people shouldn't have lived near a beaver dam. It's all their own fault:
A breached dam built by a family of beavers sent a 10-foot cascade of water, trees and debris crashing through a little beachfront community here Friday morning.

Eight homes in Clinton were hit, one left tilting after tons of water pushed it from its foundation.

Up the hill, the rushing water left a crater 60 feet wide and 40 feet deep where a blocked culvert caused the road to give way.

8 comments:

Foxessa said...

According to the Brit papers, the Queen requested an iPod, thus she received one. The Queen's iPod was filled with video clips and photos of her visits to the U.S. and meetings with former presidents as well as social meetings with various people over the decades. Additionally it contained a variety of show tunes, particularly Gilbert and Sullivan who are a great favorite of the Queen and Prince Phillip.

While courting, in order to keep their relationship's developments private, when in company they used to signal each other by humming a particular G&S song. This is why then, the Obamas also gave the Queen and Prince Phillip together a rare copy of a lavishly printed first edition G&S songbook.

The Queen so liked the First Lady and felt so comfortable with the Obamas that the palace issued this information to the Brit papers as a press release, to counter the whinings in certain quarters about the gifts, also about the First Lady having touched the Queen. The palace wished to make it clear that the touch was welcome and in no way violated protocol.

Love, C.

Foxessa said...

By the way, that nugget info re New Orleans? It's not entirely reliable.

For instance -- a YAT is not just any native New Orleanian, but one who grew up in the Irish Channel (and, to a lesser degree, Central City). Mac Rabinac is a YAT. It includes a specific dialect of New Orleans, among other things, which closely resembles that dialect of Brooklyn that so many who don't live here still seem to think is the way New Yorkers speak. As soon as you think about it it's pretty clear why these dialects are so close.

So if you call somebody who grew up in Bywater a YAT, you've committed a social blunder indeed.

Foxessa said...

Or -- was it a Richard Rogers songbook? Now I'm seeing that story.

It's hard to track the facts down, which makes it all the easier for the rightwingnutz to make their hay. Gadsm they hate Obama. I thought they hated Clinton, but that hatred is nothing compared to the outright expressions of hatred -- even calling for him to be taken out -- of Obama.

Love, c.

Foxessa said...

Evidently though, the Queen already had an iPod, which she loves.

Story in the London Times, back from February, here.

Love, C.

K. said...

With Obama, the wingnuts have the additional incentive of race, plus he beat them like a drum. The difference this time is that conservatism and the Republican are both discredited. Their nonsense amount to primal scream therapy. Sitting in an empty room and incoherently screaming loud enough for well-adjusted members of the body politic to hear won't exactly broaden your appeal.

K. said...

Maybe a Rodgers and Hart songbook, as Rodgers was a composer and not a lyricist. I'm thinking that G & S are more likely. Let's hope that Barack threw a little Stevie Wonder in, too!

Speaking of G & S, Topsy Turvy -- which purports to be the story behind The Mikado is one of the better backstage movies out there.

Roy said...

Wow! Who'd have thought a beaver dam would hold that much water? You guys must have some mighty busy beavers up there in the great Northwest!

Foxessa said...

Topsy Turvey is a marvelous little movie.

Now I'm seeing the R&H Songbook everywhere. Maybe the reporter initially didn't get it right. There's also a list of the songs included on the iPod. No Ludikris anywhere.

There's a video on the London Times of the Queen and the First Lady. It was the Queen who reached out first. Awesome. As is the First Lady's wardrobe choices.

Nor can I believe I've paid so much attention to this non-economic issues around the G-20 - European trip of the president and First Lady!

Love, C.