FameCrawler : USA

Dear Obama: Success Is An Inside Job

HerBadMother — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:25:00 GMT

On the day of his inauguration as 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama received this message: love your wife, play with your daughters, BE HAPPY. Oh, and don't buy too many cars.

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. Not to mention your brave and precious grandmother.* And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: it is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is only what so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, but this is because it is not clear to them yet that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

That's from Alice Walker. She's awesome. We should all take her words to heart, because everything she says is within the reach of all of us.

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Obamaland - The Happiest Place on Earth?

Whit Honea — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:02:00 GMT

Perhaps you heard that the United States of America has a new president. It's a thing we do.

The concerts, balls, speeches and parades are over- well, maybe not the speeches, and today President Obama starts putting his money where his mouth is. Or our money, as the case may be.

There has been much written on the Obama family over the past few days and it might be a bit overwhelming. Here, for you convenience, is an easy to navigate collection of posts, photos and videos:

Obama Girls Watch Their Dad Become The Next President Of The United States

Obama's Inauguration Speech and Oath - Text and Video

Michelle Obama Was Resplendent in Gold

Kids' Inaugural: Michelle Obama & Jonas Brothers Rock It (Video)!

Michelle Obama- Remembers Her Roots

Praise Song for Obama

Sasha Gives Barack Obama a 'Thumbs Up'

The First Family Becomes The First Family

Obama's Open Letter To Daughters Malia & Sasha

Barack Obama and His First Five Minutes as President

ObamaRama: The Musical!

Sing This To Your Kids Tonight Instead Of A Lullaby: Will.i.am's America's Song (Free Download!)

Video: Obamas' Inaugural Ball First Dance & Michelle Wears Jason Wu

Inaugural Ball Photos: President Obama,First Lady Michelle & The Stars

President Obama: Washington's Never Had A Bigger Rock Star

Photo created at Obamiconme

The First Family Becomes The First Family

HerBadMother — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:23:00 GMT

And in so doing, makes history.

(So awesome that his wife and daughters stood with him. SO AWESOME, all of it.)

(See the video of the oath-taking HERE.)

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Obama's Inauguration Speech and Oath - Text and Video

Whit Honea — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:10:00 GMT

The United States has a new president today. President Barack Obama was sworn in just an hour ago. The following is video from the ceremony and the text from President Obama's speech.

"My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Good luck, Mr. President. Now go get that puppy.

Living Presidents Chill in the Oval Office

Whit Honea — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:56:00 GMT

No matter your take on politics I think you've got to appreciate something like this. The ghosts of presidents past, present and future got together for some photo ops at the White House.

Spying on the Neighbors: 11-10-08

Whit Honea — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:39:00 GMT

We need a bigger TV.

Pandas and twins (Gossip Girls)

Nice hair, Colin (Jezebel)

Is Honor a pilgrim? (Celebrity Baby Scoop)

Heidi and Seal, still in America (Knocked Up Celebs)

Beckham boys at the game (Beckham Groupie)

Happy B-day, Ruby (Celebrity Baby Blog)

Spying on the Neighbors: 8-24-08

Whit Honea — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:10:00 GMT

Olympics, we miss you already.

Redeem team redeems (Perez Hilton)

Xtina in Dubai (Just Jared)

Becks training Cruise (fametastic)

The Brother Spears (Gossip Girls)

Ray Winstone and daughter (Celebrity Baby Blog)

Cute kid talking about Christian Bale (TMZ)

Spying on the Neighbors: 8-23-08

Whit Honea — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:48:00 GMT

Go, Redeem Team!

Ashlee Simpson can't believe it! (Gossip Girls)

Lohan Vs. Federline (dlisted)

JoBama is ready! (Jezebel)

Tori Spelling and baby (Knocked Up Celebs)

Natasha Kaplinky being pregnant (Celebrity Baby Blog)

Starter Wife Cast Starts Family

trix — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:27:00 GMT

There really is something in the water and I'm only drinking diet Coke.

Another celeb couple is announced that they are expecting.

David Alan Basche and Alysia Reiner announced that they are expecting their first child in the winter. David stars on the Brooke Shields show, "Lipstick Jungle" and Alysia is on "The Starter Wife" currently. The two will be working together soon as David is set to join the cast of "The Starter Wife" on USA.

I swear almost everyone in showbiz is pregnant right now, it's crazy.

Source

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Olympic Parenting: Robyn and Jordan Ah Mow-Santos

Whit Honea — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:29:00 GMT

United States volleyball player Robyn Mokihana Ah Mow-Santos spent a moment with her son Jordan Nohili Ah Mow-Santos after beating the China team at the Beijing Olympics.

Go, U.S.A.!

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Spying on the Neighbors: 8-14-08

Whit Honea — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:03:00 GMT

Isn't it sad how our Thursday revolves arond "Burn Notice?"

Are you a Miley or a Demi? (Perez Hilton)

The boys of Tropic Thunder (Jezebel)

Kate Beckinsale and family (Celebrity Baby Scoop)

Pamela Anderson has a new beau (Expo Say)

Sunday on the set (Gossip Girls)

Britney is hard at it (Snarky Gossip)

Cheetah Girls: Cristian de la Fuente

Whit Honea — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:24:00 GMT

Cristian de la Fuente, currently of USA's hit show "In Plain Sight" and his daughter Laura took in the premiere of Disney Channel's new movie The Cheetah Girls: One World.

That's a devoted dad. I don't think I could sit through 2 minutes of The Cheetah Girls, no matter how many worlds they had.

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Spying on the Neighbors: 7-26-08

Whit Honea — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:08:00 GMT

Saturday in the park. We should do that.

Jenny Frost is hot (Babyrazzi)

Reese Witherspoon licks a lolli (Perez Hilton)

Fan video of Angelina Jolie (PittWatch)

It's Monk (Celebrity Baby Scoop)

Madonna looking rough (Gabby Babble)

Matthew McConaughey and family (Gossip Girls)

Lance Armstrong in politics? (Hot Momma Gossip)

Daniel Craig is a tiny Bond (fametastic)

Mary McCormack Mommy Marshall

trix — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:33:00 GMT

Mary McCormack is all about tough love at home and on the screen.

Mary admitted that while "it's tricky with the second" and it is also "different" than with the first. She says, "With the first I could have done anything out of her diaper bag, open heart surgery, anything. At the drop of a hat I could have done anything. Second -- no diaper bag, sometimes no diaper." She described the diffences between the first and the second, Rose had a penny in her mouth and Mary knew it was going to be swallowed and she was across the room and I was like, 'A penny's gonna go down.' I'll gun it for a quarter but a penny's going to go down."

Mary McCormack is on a hit TV show, In Plain Sight, and is a mother to two little girls Rose and Margaret who are both under the age of 4.

I really like In Plain Sight, Mary is great but so is her co-star Fred Weller.

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Sugar Ray Leonard Washed Ashore in a Sleepy Lagoon

Whit Honea — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:35:00 GMT

This is how Sugar Ray Leonard ~~rolls~~ rows.

Please note that I used not one, but two (2) Platters songs in the title of this post. Sugar Ray is married to Bernadette Robi, the daughter of Paul Robi- an original Platter.

You see, that's how I row.

Source

Courteney Cox Getting Baby Help from Friend

Whit Honea — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:32:00 GMT

David Arquette and Courteney Cox are finally ready to add a marshmallow to their Coco. I don't know what that means, but the point is that the celebrity couple have stated that they will once again seek the assistance of IVF to help them become pregnant. That's the friend I was talking about. More of an acquaintance, really, but I didn't want you thinking Lisa Kudrow was involved, although I'm sure David would be all for it.

Calls to Coco were not returned (or made).

Courtney Cox Protects Daughter Coco From The Paps

Source

Photo: Celebutopia

Jenny Finch Has an Ace on her Sleeve

Whit Honea — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:04:00 GMT

Super hottie, Jennie Finch, she of the USA Softball team, poses here with her son Ace Daigle (dad is Casey Daigle of the Arizona Diamondbacks). She and the team are preparing to defend their title at the World Cup of Softball this week in Oklahoma City. Good luck, ladies.

Jennie and I went to the same university (Bear Down, girl, go 'head, Bear Down), which makes us pretty close. Actually, I'm more like a distant, fairly creepy uncle that isn't invited to family gatherings. It's just as well. I kick ass at softball and Jennie don't want none of that, you know what I'm sayin'?

FameCrawler : USA

Dear Obama: Success Is An Inside Job

Obamaland - The Happiest Place on Earth?

The First Family Becomes The First Family

Obama's Inauguration Speech and Oath - Text and Video

Living Presidents Chill in the Oval Office

Spying on the Neighbors: 11-10-08

Spying on the Neighbors: 8-24-08

Spying on the Neighbors: 8-23-08

Starter Wife Cast Starts Family

Olympic Parenting: Robyn and Jordan Ah Mow-Santos

Spying on the Neighbors: 8-14-08

Cheetah Girls: Cristian de la Fuente

Spying on the Neighbors: 7-26-08

Mary McCormack Mommy Marshall

Sugar Ray Leonard Washed Ashore in a Sleepy Lagoon

Courteney Cox Getting Baby Help from Friend

Courteney Cox and Coco

Courtney Cox Protects Daughter Coco From The Paps

Jenny Finch Has an Ace on her Sleeve