Strollerderby : malia obama

Is it a Lucky Boy Who Dates Obama's Daughter?

JeanneSager — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:24:00 GMT

The president is nervous.

Not about the economy (well, probably) or swine flu (OK, maybe that too).

But President Barack Obama is a dad after all, and he can't help but think about what will happen when daughters Sasha and Malia start dating.

Can you blame him? I wrote a piece a few months ago about Jamie Foxx stressing about his daughter dating and earned a ration of comments about my need to buy into patriarchical nonsense. But come on, folks, dads worry about their daughters. Heck, I worry about my daughter!

So why is it so inappropriate for dads to stress about the day their daughter brings a boy home?

The president told a reporter recently, "dating I think will be an issue because I have men with guns surrounding them at all times, which I'm perfectly happy with, but they may feel differently about it."

He was laughing when we said it, and minus the guns, I can her it coming out of the mouth of almost any dad I know. Those poor, poor prospective suitors.

Dating is a fun time for kids, but with hormones high on both sides, it's wrought with challenges. Broken hearts. Nights spent crying in bed because he didn't call when he said he would (and it doesn't make it much better that he simply forgot because that's what teenagers DO!). It isn't just a "Ohmigod, sex," thought that runs through a parents' mind when they think about their kids dating. We don't want them to get hurt.

And yeah, there's the sex thing too. None of us want to be grandparents tomorrow. And we remember what it's like to be in lust, right? We can't tell our kids WHEN to have sex, how or where. But we can worry about protecting their hearts and their bodies.

And let's face it, dads with daughters have an especial worry chiefly because they know what HE is thinking (or at least have an inkling of it). When my husband gets a look on his face about our daughter's little boyfriends, I don't worry that he's spending too much time thinking up ways to exert his patriarchical thumb over her femininity. He's just a dad who doesn't want his daughter to get hurt.

He may not be surrounded by guys with guns and access to his FBI file, but let me put it this way - the boy who messes with our daughter is no luckier than the boy who has to come face to face with the leader of the free world on prom night.

Image: DenverPost

Sidwell Parents Say Obamas are Cheapskates

JeanneSager — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:02:00 GMT

First it was the British press all abub about Michelle Obama's gifts to the prime minister's children. Now fellow parents are claiming the president and first lady cheaped out on the gifts they donated for the auction at the school daughters Sasha and Malia attend.

Really? This is what we're worried about in light of the disastrous global economy, a swine flu pandemic that's taking lives and should I even point upward to that ever-widening hole in the ozone layer?

The Obamas reportedly donated a Rolling Stone with a picture of President Barack Obama on the cover, autographed by the president. They also gave a copy of Vogue Magazine with the first lady on the cover, autographed by Michelle Obama. Have you priced a presidential autograph lately? An Obama-signed baseball recently went for $1,500, but hold on to it and who knows - a recent estimate put his signature on a picture at about $6,000. Anything signed by JFK is estimated to bring at least $2,500 at auction. These were hardly dollar store trinkets.

But according to MSNBC, the parents were hoping for something more personal - then President Bill Clinton gave a golf outing with himself while Chelsea Clinton once offered up her own baby-sitting services. Cool experiences? Most definitely, although I will say an Obama autograph can be sold down the line - you can't make any money back on having someone babysit your kids.

And while I understand Sidwell Friends is an exclusive school, as I understand it the cachet of having a president's child attend is a big draw for the school in and of itself. So the Obamas send their kids there AND pay money to send their kids there, and they have to give their own time too? You know, the time OTHER than that used for running a country at war with a crumbling economy?

School auctions are not big in my very rural area, so I'm not familiar with protocol. Do parents really feel that everyone has to give something of equal value? Isn't the point of paying tuition to a school sort of enough anyway?

Image:

Ty Tries Again. Makes Bo -The First Dog Doll

SunnyChanel — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:30:00 GMT

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This is the mantra that toymaker Ty must be repeating Ad nauseam in their attempt to cash in on the Obama families fame. Ty, the company that brought the world the Beanie Baby, recently released their Bo – The First Dog doll. They had recently tried to market a “Marvelous Malia” and “Sweet Sasha” Beanie Baby dolls inspired by the Obama girls, but the company ceased production after the First Lady complained.The Malia and Sasha dolls that did manage to make it out into the world are a very hot commodity on eBay.

Bo - The First Dog doll is based on the Portuguese Water Dog recently acquired by the Obamas. This plush representation of Bo hit the market on April 16th and sold out within hours. But in a move made to perhaps not incur the wrath of the white house, Ty are donating a portion of the proceeds of the sales of the dolls to be given to animal shelters. You can check out the REAL Bo in action here.

Do you think that it makes it okay to cash in on the Obamas since they are giving somehting back?

Kid to Malia Obama: Save my Dad

JeanneSager — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:27:00 GMT

His letters to her father weren't working, so a Brooklyn fifth grader set his sights on President Barack Obama's daughter, ten-year-old Malia.

Tween to tween, child to child, Chigozie Okorie asked President Obama's eldest daughter to help keep his father from being deported to Nigeria.

The letter, handwritten by the fifth grader, begs Malia to bend her father's ear on behalf of Okorie's dad, a Nigerian immigrant who spent eighteen months in prison twenty years ago on drug charges (he was the driver for a heroin ring in 1989). Chibueze Okorie, now forty-seven and a respected member of his Brooklyn community, where he is a minister who works with prisoners to help them re-enter society at the end of their sentences.

A federal law passed in 1996 targets all immigrants who have commited crimes for deportation - no matter the severity of the crime, no matter their current status. Okorie's name came up during the crackdown on illegal immigrants under President George W. Bush. His request for a pardon made big news last year when a pardon lawyer wrote to then-President Bush "This might sound racist, but [the applicant] is about as honest as you could expect for a Nigerian. Unfortunately, that's not very honest." The lawyer, Roger Adams, was canned for his racist remarks, but Bush took his advice - he denied Okorie's request for clemency.

Now Okorie is facing imminent deportation - and separation from his ten-year-old son, a United States citizen, after more than two decades of living in here and becoming a productive member of society. His son's letter congratulates Malia Obama on her father's election as president and notes that he's happy she and her sister have found a new school. He hopes their mom will have time to help them with their homework like his father does with him.

The senor Okorie is hoping that the appeal of a child to a father will help his cause. "A good father will understand the need of his child," he told the NY Daily News. "It is the need of my son to see me get the pardon so that I can be free to continue to take care of him."

I admit a bias here - my biggest gripe with the plight of illegal immigrants is the word "illegal." Regardless of what kind of life you are escaping, if you came here illegally, you still have that abuse of the law to contend with - and face. If they came here legally, however, I don't see why the government can't work with them - especially when there are children involved. And Chigozie Okorie did come here legally. He's hit his stumbling blocks, but he's more than made up for his mistakes. Is there any legally born American who can say they've never made a mistake? Is there any legally born American who can say they would take being separated from their child lying down?

I don't know that it's up to Malia Obama to speak to her dad about this; I'd hope for the children's sake that the Obamas keep their girls separate from these kinds of letters - if only because they're so young and explaining all of these issues is so complex. But I'd hope the president himself gets hold of this letter and takes a look at all the issues, and thinks not just as president but as a parent.

Image: NY Daily News

Do We Need to Know How Many Calories Malia and Sasha Consume in a Day?

Madeline Holler — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:01:00 GMT

Michelle Obama doesn't mind being the spokesperson for nutritious, delicious, locally grown food. A New York Times story earlier this week talks about how she has become the willing champion of a better diet for Americans.

Lots of famous food people have praised the First Lady's efforts and her insistence that the White House chef cook fresh, unprocessed foods -- preferrably grown in the region.

Gourmet magazine's editor, Ruth Reichl, thinks Michelle should go even further than just serving organic, eco-conscious meals. Her suggestion makes me cringe. (As does something that the First Dad said in a People magazine interview back in November (how'd I miss that?) about his daughter Malia's weight ... more on that in a sec.)

Reichl wants the White House to release the first family's eating diaries so that American children will be inspired to eat what Sasha and Malia eat.

From the Times:

Then parents across the country could tell their children, “You know, Malia and Sasha were eating salad yesterday. ...”

Um, ick. These girls are going to be in their gawky stages by the end of Dad's first term. And if he's re-elected? Malia will be deep in her teens. I don't have to go too far out on a limb to assume that no girl wants the world to know that she had creamed spinach without the cream last night, or that she enthusiastically snacked on endive in a bagna cauda dip. How long will it take before someone starts blogging about Malia's daily caloric intake? I think we as a nation have nothing to gain -- but the First Girls have their privacy to lose -- if we are allowed to study the details of the Obama family meals.

Generalities, Michelle, just give it to us in generalities.

Which brings us to muzzling dad when it comes to the girls' weight and anything else remotely private. Why, why, in a People magazine interview did he say this about his eldest:

“A couple of years ago — you’d never know it by looking at her now — Malia was getting a little chubby,” ....

Just tell us to cut out juice boxes, Mr. President, and we'll be good. We're good. It's all good. Leave the chubby talk out of it.

Or am I wrong? Do Sasha and Malia owe the nation's kids more?

Photo: kmelanie.blogspot.com

Brits Say Michelle Obama Cheaped Out on Gifts

JeanneSager — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:57:00 GMT

Somebody please remind the British press that the world's economy is in the dumps.

Their latest gripe about America? Michelle Obama didn't give "nice enough" gifts to the British prime ministers children. Or, to be precise, the first lady's gifts to Gordon Brown's boys were not as nice as the outfits bestowed on Sasha and Malia Obama by the prime minister's wife.

During her meeting with Sarah Brown, Mrs. Obama apparently handed over two toy models of Marine One, the Presidential helicopter, for the Brown boys, Fraser and John. Yes, toy helicopters for little boys. How dare she? (It should be noted that the Brown children are not the ones acting like prats here.)

Sarah Brown, by the way, went all out with dresses from Top Shop accompanied by matching necklaces and a series of children's books by British authors. Perfectly nice gifts, of course. But does that make them any better than some toy helicopters for little boys? My daughter would LOVE a toy helicopter.

The exact charge from the London Times was that Michelle Obama was "solipsistic" because the models of Marine One rubbed in the Browns' faces that her husband is president of the United States. Er, OK. But he is. And last time I checked, that's WHY Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Obama were exchanging pleasantries. If we're really going to put that spin on it, couldn't it be argued that a selection of British literature is a slam on the American lit the girls are used to? (Not that I'd agree, just playing devil's advocate here). Or perhaps I'm rubbing it in my southern in-laws faces that their son married a Yankee when I bring them jugs of fresh maple syrup from New York to Virginia?

Perhaps the British press could find something better to focus on than the toys given to two little British children by the first lady of the United States. Like, maybe, what their father was in town to discuss?

Image: London Times

What a Typical Family Will Get From the Stimulus Package

Photo - Obama Shocked by Schoolkids

Are Chores Important? The Obamas Say Yes.

A Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi Preschool - Which Would You Pick?

VIDEO-Obama Bet Daughter She Will Freak When She Meets Nick Jonas

Photo - Obama Shocked by Schoolkids

Brett Singer — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:11:00 GMT

What is the President doing in this photo? Listening to Sasha and Malia's ideas for dog names? Hearing Republican ideas for his stimulus package? Hearing Sasha and Malia's ideas for the stimulus package? Nope. Read on.

The President was surprised by a question from a student during a recent school visit. (Call "shock and awwww.") I imagine that he's just playing around with the kids. At least I hope so. If not, can you imagine what the question would have been?

I know this is unfair, but our current President looks less goofy when he's playing around then George W. Bush did (and does). Then again, he also appears to be less goofy than Dubya. So there's that.

Maybe they should just have Dubya do all the school visits from now on, and let President Obama just, like, work. Bush seems to enjoy it, and he's got time now.

Source

Fun Stuff To Do When The Kids Get Older

RENT Too Risqué For Some Schools

Kid Forced To Stand In Public Square For Bad Grades

Will the Stimulus Package Help Your Family?

Latest Action Figure Brings Together Imagination, Ponzi Schemes

Playdate: Anti-Racist Parent Offers Philosophical Commraderie and Practical Advice

Obamas Pick a Breed and a Homecoming for First Dog

JeanneSager — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:58:00 GMT

The president may jokingly refer to himself as a mutt, but it will be a purebred bounding into the White House on four paws come April.

Michelle Obama has let word get out that the family is looking for a Portuguese water dog - preferrably a rescue (a request the First Family has made several times over) - one of the few hypo-allergenic breeds of dogs that will be acceptable in light of ten-year-old Malia's allergies.

When's it coming home?

April Fool's Day, according to Sasha. Sometime in April, says the First Lady. The family still has to find that dog, and they're still working out names. Apparently "Frank" and "Moose" have both been bandied about.

All of our family pets pre-date my daughter, so she didn't get to help with the naming process, but I know in most families the names are a communal decision.

Did you pick before your pet came home, or did you wait to see what he or she looked like so you could gauge the name to the looks or personality? Were your kids involved in the naming process?

Image: Getty, via Daily News

Are Chores Important? The Obamas Say Yes.

Raising Kids in the White House: Routine You Can Believe In

Sasha and Malia See Hogwarts with Harry

FOURTH Printing For Obama/Spider-man Comic Book

Brett Singer — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:30:00 GMT

UPDATE 4: Yes, Virginia, Marvel did a fourth printing of Amazing Spider-Man #583. Amazing, really. To paraphrase Mary Jane Watson (no longer Parker, now that they retconned away her marriage to Peter), "Tiger, Marvel just hit the jackpot." The latest printing is now available in comic shops. (Tip: don't overpay for this thing on eBay; 4th printings are rarely, if ever, worth anything. Neither are second or thirds, frankly.)

Another thought on my kid and this comic -- he definitely wanted it, and he doesn't read the regular Spidey series. (Despite the fact that they dumbed it down when they rebooted the book, Amazing Spider-Man is still not for kids; he reads the Marvel Adventures version, however.) I think he was just curious to have it because it had Obama on the cover, and had Obama in an actual story. I would say that this proves that even kids are fascinated by our new prez, but up until now that wasn't the case for my son. While I think part of his interest of course stems from the fact that the President is in a Spider-Man comic book, I'm wondering if part of it is simply the fact that a real person showed up in the pages of a comic book. I doubt another famous person would generate the same level of excitement that Barack did but maybe Marvel should try this with other people. It's not unprecedented -- Superman fought Muhammad Ali, for example. That was REALLY gimmicky but so was the Obama/Spidey meeting.

So: Rush Limbaugh working with J. Jonah Jameson to expose Spiderman as a dirty rotten liberal? Captain Chesley of US Airways Flight 1549 fame (the one that he landed in the water) shows superheroes a thing or two about being a hero without powers? I've read worse comics, believe me. Anyone with other ideas, let us know in the comments.

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UPDATE 3: Demand for even the second printing of Amazing Spider-Man #583 was so high that Marvel is going back to press for a THIRD PRINTING of the comic book. For those of you who don't know much about comic book collecting, the third printing is rarely worth much money in the long run. (Neither is the second printing, actually.) In this case, people seem to just want this book. Because it has Obama on the cover. And inside, actually.

If anyone is curious, the 8-page story is mildly amusing and fine for kids to read. (Yes, I bought it. I even bought a second printing to give to my son. The first printing I'm saving. Yes. I'm nerdy. WhatEVER.) The main part of the book, which is part of this revamped, rebooted "Brand New Day" Spider-Man storyline, is really dumb and should not be read by anyone. Is it kid-friendly? Not really. There's nothing all that inappropriate, but it's all about Betty Brant and whether or not she really likes Peter Parker as more than a friend, and whether she sold out her principles by working at the new Daily Bugle, which is now called the DB! (yes, with the exclamation point)... I'm getting sleepy just typing this, it's so dull. So get the book for the kids if they want it, and tell them to skip to the back where the Obama story is. Trust me. That's the best part.

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UPDATE 2: This comic is sold out at MidtownComics.com, although there's a chance you can still get one if you go to the store. I already reserved my copy, so nyah-nyah. There will be a reprint. You're shocked, I know.

Original posts are below.

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UPDATE: here's a new image from the Spider-Man story that will feature an appearance by Barack Obama.

Via Marvel.com, which features an interview with Spider-Man editor Steve Wacker.

Original post, with an update about what my son said about this comic, follows below:

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Marvel Comics will release a special story featuring President-elect Barack Obama and everyone's favorite arachnid-powered superhero. (That's Spider-Man, in case you didn't know.)

According to Huffington Post, "The comic starts with Spider-Man's alter-ego Peter Parker taking photographs at the inauguration, before spotting two identical Obamas. Parker decides 'the future president's gonna need Spider-Man,' and springs into action, using basketball to determine the real Obama and punching out the impostor. Obama thanks him with a fist-bump." Wow. Daring.

Earlier this year, both Obama and John McCain were the subject of biographies in comic book form (reviewed by yours truly right here). And Harry S. Truman published a propaganda-style graphical rendition of his life back in 1948. Neither of those funny books featured anyone with super-powers, however.

Barack Obama's enjoyment of comics has been mentioned before. In the announcement, Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada referred to the incoming President as the "nerd in chief", and said that the story was Marvel's way of giving him a "shout-out back". With all due respect to Joe, I don't think Mr. Obama was offering up a "shout-out" when it was revealed that he used to collect comic books and that Spider-Man was his favorite character, but who knows.

In further proof of his potential nerdiness, Obama joked at the Al Smith dinner that was actually sent here from the planet Krypton by his father Jor-El to "save the planet Earth."

(Jor-El is Superman's father, and Krypton is the planet that he came from. I'm not going to bother with a link, since if you needed me to explain that to you, you don't really want to know. That's OK, by the way. Just saying.)

I think it's fine that the incoming President is going to appear in a comic book, even if comics aren't as important to kids as they used to be. Kids are still into superheroes, but there is much more competition for their time then there was when I was young(er).

While this comic could be pitched as a way to get kids interested in current events, it's really a collectible that will be snatched up by adults, who will place it in a mylar bag with an acid-free backing board and hope that it goes up in value someday. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose. I'll be buying a copy just to put it in a bag, since "Spider-Man" is unreadable after they wiped out 20 years of continuity via a ridiculous bit of retconning where Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane no longer existed and he never revealed his secret identity. (Again, if you don't already know what I'm talking about, you probably don't want to.) But it would be cooler if there were a kid-friendly book that featured the President-elect. Maybe something that actually discussed how government worked. "Mr. Spidey Goes To Washington." They could even do both. Since I buy comics for my son every week (and yes, for myself as well; you got a problem with that?), I wouldn't mind a book that addressed what was going on in the world – in a fun way – sneaking into the weekly stack.

HuffPo says, "The Obama story is a bonus in Marvel Comic's Amazing Spider-Man #583, available in comic book shops nationwide on Jan. 14 for $3.99." It'll sell out, since kooks like me will buy it even if they don't want to read it. But if you get to your local comic shop early enough, you can probably snag a copy.

UPDATE: So my son comes home and tells me that he heard there was going to be a comic book with Barack Obama and Spider-Man. Could I please get it for him? What I said about kids not caring so much about comics, particularly this one, was clearly incorrect. I think this time that's a good thing.

Source: HuffPo

The Obama Kids First Day Of School

They Say – Raise Kids Who Care

Working Parents Smackdown Part 2 – Dads With Jobs vs Moms With Jobs

Doing Homework On Lincoln's Desk

Brett Singer — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:00:00 GMT

There are many important questions our new President must face. But one of them is not in dispute – which First Daughter will get Lincoln's desk.

That would be Malia, who cheekily called dibs on the 16th President's writing surface back in November (after her dad won, of course). She told Poppa Obama that she wanted to sit there when she had a paper to write for school, "because I'm thinking that will inspire big thoughts."

Lest you think this plan was forgotten in the Inaugural hoopla, the New York Times confirmed it in a front-page article on January 20th:

Where in the White House is Malia likely to gather her thoughts when she has a tough school assignment? (At Lincoln’s desk where he penned the Gettysburg Address.)

No word on where Sasha will sit and gather her thoughts. Me, I did it at the kitchen table. Come to think of it, I still do sometimes.

Source: NY Times, ABC

Image Source

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Third Printing For Obama/Spider-man Comic Book

The Obama Kids First Day Of School

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

VIDEO-Obama Kids Say DC Schools Are Wimpy

Parents Ripped Off On Inauguration Trip?

VIDEO-Obama Bet Daughter She Will Freak When She Meets Nick Jonas

Brett Singer — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

I'm going to say it again. Are you ready? Are you sitting down? I hope so. Here we go:

President Obama seems like a good dad.

I know. Earth-shaking stuff, that. I'm not sure why I'm so fascinated by our new President's fatherly behavior, but I am. One reason is that there seem to be many examples of said behavior available for public consumption.

Here's the latest one: Malia said that she would be calm and collected when meeting her crush, Nick Jonas. So Dad bet his daughter five dollars that she would not, in fact, be so calm and cool. Talking about the girls meeting their fave music act, the Prez says:

"That's big! Don't tell them at all. Particularly because I've got a bet with Malia because she's been talking about when she sees her Jonas Brother favorite ... what's his name? Nick ... when she sees Nick, she's going to be all sophisticated. And I said, 'Malia, I will bet you $5 that you will stammer and not have anything to say when you see Nick.' So she's all, 'No, no, I'm sure I'll say I'm a really big fan...' you know Malia, acting all sophisticated... 'and I really enjoy his music'. I said, you won't say that!...So we've got a $5 bet…I won't really take her money."

Here's video of the President telling someone this story:

So what's the big deal? First, it seems like he has a nice relationship with his daughters. A little friendly teasing goes a long way. Second, he knows who the Jonas Brothers are, but he doesn't know too much about them. Not knowing which one she has a crush on is a good thing in my opinion. So he's involved enough in his daughter's interests, but not TOO involved. Third, he's comfortable saying that he made a "bet" with her without worrying that someone will think he's promoting gambling. To me, that speak to a certain confidence that some politicians lack. Granted, this video was released well after the election was won but I imagine that there are a lot of pols who would never allow something this candid to be aired.

So much for that normal life thing, though. Most girls don't get to meet their rock star crushes in person.

No word on whether he knows the difference between Gryffindor and Slytherin. If not, I'm sure Sasha and Malia will clue him in.

Source: HuffPo

Read more:

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Sasha and Malia Beanie Baby Dolls

Video and Pics: Lego Inauguration

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Obama Wants Kids To Have a Normal Life – Good Luck With That

Third Printing For Obama/Spider-man Comic Book

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

The Obama Kids First Day Of School

VIDEO-Obama Kids Say DC Schools Are Wimpy

Malia & Sasha Obama Sporting Some Recessionista Style

VIDEO-Obama Kids Say DC Schools Are Wimpy

Brett Singer — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:30:00 GMT

That's not exactly what they said… well, actually it kind of is. And as a New York parent (formerly a New York kid) I think I even agree. (In a joking way, of course. More on that later.)

The President, during a light-hearted moment at a meeting with business leaders the other day (this was before he spoke out against Wall Street bonuses; I doubt the mood would have been so cordial if it was after that), made a comment about Sasha and Malia's school being closed:

"As my children pointed out, in Chicago school is never canceled. In fact my seven-year-old pointed out that you'd go outside for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors. So, it's--I don't know, we're going to have to try to apply some flinty Chicago toughness."

In one of my first posts for Babble almost a year ago, I wondered if my children would ever have a snow day. The answer, sadly (sad for them, good for me), is that they may never experience the joy of "NO SCHOOL TODAY!" But while part of the reason could be global warming related, some of it is just that New York schools rarely close for weather.

Note: obviously, I don't really think that DC schools are wimpy, and I don't think the President does either. The President's comments were not warmly received by many in the DC area, but I really think he was making a joke. (Kind of like me saying "warmly" received. Get it? G'night, ladies and germs.) And of course it snows a lot more in other parts of New York State.

Also: I hate to keep repeating myself, but I'm still impressed at how at ease Obama seems to be, and how much like a "regular dad" he is. Granted, if his kids have to stay home from school, he's not the one who has to hang out and play board games with them. But he's not exactly removed from the situation either. He appears to be a parent who is involved with his kids. I like that.

Aside: what's the over-under on how many comments are left before someone posts something about Obama's birth certificate? One? Two?

Source: Politico

Paging NY State Education: It Snows There

Babble Podcast for January 26, 2009 (now with a working player)

VIDEO: O'Reilly Upset About Two Year Old Bashing Bush

Morning News - Obama, Limbaugh, Cheese

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Obama Wants Kids To Have a Normal Life – Good Luck With That

Sasha and Malia Beanie Baby Dolls

Sasha and Malia See Hogwarts with Harry

JeanneSager — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:34:00 GMT

Money can't buy happiness, but your dad getting to be president?

Oh, come on, don't tell me that the scrutiny of every American matters much to Sasha and Malia this week. They just got an offer to tour Hogwarts with Harry Potter himself.

Apparently Brit Daniel Radcliffe is as taken with the first kids as those of us on this side of the pond.

It helps that he's a fan of their dad. Radcliffe told the Daily Beast, the new president represents "everything the rest of the world liked about America and now likes again.”

"What you love about England is all the old buildings and such. The traditions. I love that, too. But this is what we want from you," he said, before issuing his formal invitation to Sasha and Malia to act as their personal tourguide on a walk-through of Hogwarts.

As the school for witchcraft and wizardry doesn't exist (at least not as far as we Muggles know), the girls will be treated to a tour of the set of the newest movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which begins filming in a few weeks.

Once they get over the thrill of meeting Harry, sitting down with Radcliffe could be good for the girls. He too became famous at a young age - almost overnight. And unlike their most recent visitors - the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus - Radcliffe has weathered the storm to become an equally famous adult. Christened the world's most famous boy wizard at thirteen, Radcliffe has developed both his acting chops and his public face; even weathered the "controversy" of stripping down for Equus.

Pointing to the almost reclusive life of Amy Carter today and the cruel jokes made at Chelsea Clinton's expense, some have warned the Obama girls are in for a tough road ahead. With their shining personalities (and as far as we can tell two parents with good heads on their shoulders), I think they can weather the storm. But the advantages they have - the meetings with some of the stars that shine in their still young eyes - might just be what's best for them right now. Who better to let them know how to handle the life changes of the next four years than the kinds of kids who have been there, done that?

By the way - check out the interview with Daniel for a peek at the next installment in the Harry Potter series, due in June!

Image: People

Parents Ripped Off On Inauguration Trip?

Brett Singer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

It wasn't all fun and games (and hope – let's not forget hope) at the Inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20, 2009.

Congressional Youth Leadership Council organized trips to our nation's capitol for 15,000 students at a rate of $2500 for five-days. 1,000 of those students were from New Jersey, and some of their parents are mighty peeved that their young'uns didn't get a good view of all the Obama-mania.

According to New Jersey's Daily Record, parents are claiming that the students missed out on "many of the historic events," including the swearing-in ceremony. That was kind of a big one. I mean, if you had miss something, that wouldn't be my choice.

The company says that most of the attendees had "a positive experience." Whenever I hear that line, I always have to wonder if that means they just didn't complain.

For now, this all falls under the category of "allegedly." New Jersey's Consumer Affairs Division is investigating.

If the kids did miss the ceremony, it might not have been the company's fault. The New York Times reports that a lot of ticket holders were " abandoned by event organizers as they stood crowded, frustrated and cold in what some referred to as the Purple Tunnel of Doom," thus missing the chance to see Chief Justice Roberts show that he has difficulty reading. (Kidding. Sort of.) The name "Purple Tunnel of Doom" is a bit dramatic (ya think?) but I'd be annoyed too if I came to D.C. to see history being made and ended up standing in a tunnel. (I don't think I'd start a Facebook group, though.)

Maybe four years from now they'll just hit the Lego Inauguration. Cheaper, and probably smaller crowds.

Source: Daily Record

Image: foreignpolicy.com

Linda Ellerbee Says Kids Should Skip School To Watch Inauguration

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

Third Printing For Obama/Spider-man Comic Book

Crafty: President Obama, Cube Style

Morning News - Obama, Limbaugh, Cheese

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Bronx Students Question Obama Through Poetry

Brett Singer — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:16:00 GMT

It's one thing when Rush Limbaugh attacks the idea that Obama is going to bring "change" to our country. Of course Limbaugh doesn't want change – as far as he's concerned, everything is fine. But it's a little different when high school students from the Bronx wonder whether or not our new President is really going to be all that different from those who held the office before he did.

These kids are a little bit older than those we usually talk about on Babble, but this video kept my attention from beginning to end. The poetry the students recite is pretty raw; to put it mildly, this isn't exactly Robert Frost territory:

Calling Mr. Obama, Calling Mr. Obama
Please Mr. President
Come In
…
Do you understand where I'm coming from Mr. President?

When one student says this in an interview:

"Just because your skin is dark doesn't mean your morality, your ethics are different from any other person."

That got to me. It's not cynicism, it's reality. When life isn't good, and everyone is talking about "change" this and "change" that, it's not unreasonable to wonder whether or not the problems in your life are going to get some of that "change." Combine that feeling with the general angst of being a teenager, and you get some pretty strong words.

The video isn't embeddable, so click here to watch it. If nothing else, it's certainly a different perspective on Obama's election.

Obama/Spider-man Comic Book Sold Out, Reprint Planned

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

The Obama Kids First Day Of School

Kids to Obama: Read Books, Eat More Ice Cream

It's Official: White House To House First Grandmother

Michelle Obama Objects to Sasha and Malia Dolls

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:30:00 GMT

If you were one of the many skeptics who aren’t buying the Ty company's claims that their recently released dolls--Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia--have nothing to do with President Obama’s daughters, you’re in good company.

Michelle Obama has objected to the Ty company’s thinly veiled exploitation of her daughters. According to a spokesperson for the first lady, Michelle believes "it is inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes.” Bravo!

Michelle didn’t add (nor did she need to) that she’d hardly be flattered to have her daughters represented in the TyGirlz line, which includes Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Paris Hilton.

Photo: UPI

Sasha and Malia Beanie Baby Dolls

Ty Company Discontinues Sasha and Malia Dolls

Caylee Anthony Doll, the Worst Toy Idea Ever

Morning News – Drunken Jokers With Bionic Limbs And Flying Cars

Brett Singer — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Happy Friday, everyone!

Comments on yesterday's Morning News got pretty heated. I considered doing nothing but stories about puppies, rainbows and sunshine today, but decided that was no fun. And as it turns out, the "Crossfire"-esque commenting has morphed into an interesting back and forth between persons of differing political persuasions. Thank you to everyone from both sides of the aisle who weighed in; check out the debate here.

Diane Sawyer appeared to be drunk during the Inauguration coverage on ABC. Was she celebrating Obama's victory? Is she a McCain voter trying to forget? No one knows. While it's not completely certain that she was nipping at the sauce, this video makes a darn good case for it.

Caroline Kennedy (Schlossberg) did indeed bail on her quest to be a Senator without the hassle of actually winning an election. The New York Times is reporting that "Problems involving taxes and a household employee" were uncovered during the vetting process, so she bowed out. Whenever information like this is "suddenly" discovered, I always wonder how it is that nobody knew about it until it was too late. As in, Ms. Kennedy (Schlossberg) must have known that she had a tax issue, right? Also, it's still unclear if New York Governor David Paterson would have picked Kennedy (Schlossberg) or not. Um, it kind of doesn't matter anymore, folks. Let it go. Paterson will reportedly announce his choice today; convention wisdom says Andrew "HUD? What's a HUD?" Cuomo will get Hillary Clinton's old seat. (Hillary is now officially Secretary of State, by the way – she started work yesterday.) UPDATE: I was wrong, wrong, wrong -- the Times is reporting that Governor Paterson has selected Kirsten Gillibrand as Hillary Clinton's replacement in the Senate. Ms. Gillibrand is a congresswoman from upstate NY who is mother to two young children and has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, according to the Times. I'm mentioning the mom thing because this is a parenting web site, and the NRA endorsement because that makes her a potentially controversial choice, since most Democrats aren't big NRA folks. (Gillibrand's official bio page is getting jammed with web traffic, but here's Google's cached version.)

Interesting tidbit about the Roberts Oath Flub (Flubgate, anyone?) – a certain Senator Barack Obama voted against the Chief Justice's confirmation in 2005.

In business news, the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the "conflicting reports" regarding Steve Jobs health. First he said he wasn't that sick, then he said he was leaving for six months, blah blah blah. Personally, I thought "hormone imbalance" sounded pretty serious when it was first announced. If only the SEC had been equally diligent about Bernie Madoff, poor Kevin Bacon wouldn't be reading the script for "Footloose 2". (I'm only joking about "Footloose 2." I hope. Kevin is looking for work though, so if you hear of anything, give him a ring.)

A very cool medical story from England: 19-year-old British college student Evan Reynolds now has a bionic hand. Reynolds lost his appendage three years ago, and can operate his new prosthetic limb by thought. ''It's so sensitive I can grip a bottle of water or a paper cup without crushing it and even swing a racket," he says. ''All I have to do is imagine picking something up or gripping it and the fingers and thumb move automatically." Like I said: very cool.

Oh, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 81st Academy Awards. Some were surprised that Heath Ledger got a Best Supporting Actor nod for his performance as The Joker in "The Dark Knight", but the real surprise to me was Robert Downey Jr.'s nomination for "Tropic Thunder." Not only is it a comedy, it was also a controversial one as I recall (that whole "retard" thing). Personally, I think Ledger will win. If he does, it won't be undeserved -- he gave an incredible performance. Brad Brevet says that Kate Winslet's nomination for "The Reader" is "fishy"; I admit that I couldn't read the full post, which actually quotes Academy voting rules. I was surprised that Clint Eastwood didn't get some love for "Gran Torino," but hey, you can't win 'em all.

The mother who named one of her children Adolf Hitler wants her kids back. "The parents insist they're not racists and want only to honor the heritage of the Third Reich," says the Daily News. What can one say to that?

Finally, someone has actually made a flying car! Terrafugia, the company that makes the vehicle (called the "Transition") calls it a "roadable aircraft," which doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. It goes 500 miles on a full tank of regular unleaded gasoline, and features folding wings. Bottom line: IT IS A CAR THAT FLIES. It also costs $194,000 and probably requires a good-sized garage with access to a ready supply of fuel. So it's not exactly ready for mass consumption. However, IT IS A CAR THAT FLIES. Did I mention that?

Have a great weekend!

Image: Times Online

(Late) Morning News: Finally!

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Live Inaugural Tweets From A Working Mom, And Video

A Prom? At the White House? Awesome!

Video and Pics: Lego Inauguration

Malia & Sasha Obama Sporting Some Recessionista Style

Obama/Spider-man Comic Book Sold Out, Reprint Planned

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Obama Wants Kids To Have a Normal Life – Good Luck With That

Sasha and Malia Beanie Baby Dolls

Brett Singer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Here's a good one. Ty Inc., maker of the once-insanely popular Beanie Babies, has introduced two new Beanies – Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia.

The good part? The company claims it's just a coincidence. Company spokeswoman Tania Lundeen says the names were chosen because they are "beautiful," according to US Weekly.

Do you buy it? I don't. A commenter on USWeekly.com points out that the dolls don't look much like the First Daughters. But no one ever mistook a Beanie Penguin for a real-life fish-eating bird that can't fly.

The dolls were released this month to retailers; I'm sure the timing was also just a coincidence. Supplies are limited, so if you see 'em, BUY BUY BUY. They could be worth more than the Obama/Spider-man comic book.

UPDATE: Mama Obama is none too happy about the dolls.

Source: US Weekly

Video and Pics: Lego Inauguration

Malia & Sasha Obama Sporting Some Recessionista Style

Obama/Spider-man Comic Book Sold Out, Reprint Planned

Michelle Obama Objects to Sasha and Malia Dolls

Obama Wants Kids To Have a Normal Life – Good Luck With That

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Babies Understand Presidential Material

A Prom? At the White House? Awesome!

Jen Chaney — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:28:00 GMT

As our new President, Barack Obama certainly has some challenging tasks ahead. Then again, so do his daughters. Sasha and Malia have to tread the tricky waters of adolescence with the whole world watching. Remember when you were 13 and had a pimple and wanted to burrow underneath your pastel pink comforter until it went away? Well, imagine seeing that zit on CNN. Or, worse yet, YouTube.

So far, the Obama girls seem to be handling all the attention with great grace. But odds are that at some point over the next four years -- or eight, if Obama serves a second term -- they will do something that turns the media spotlight directly on them. We know this from White House offspring history, a few moments of which are highlighted in this Listicles rundown of Awesome First Kid Moments.

It's an amusing look at mostly harmless incidents involving the children of Presidents past. Well, except for maybe Alice Roosevelt. (Making voodoo dolls and convincing members of Congress to jump off of cruise ships? That's some borderline brat-tastic behavior.)

My two favorites involve Susan Ford, daughter of Gerald, who was 17 when her father began serving as Commander in Chief following Richard Nixon's resignation. One awesome thing she did? Trying to ditch the Secret Service for a few precious hours, a plan that was thwarted when she realized she had tickets to a Hall & Oates concert, tickets that happened to be in the possession of ... the Secret Service. (So what Hall & Oates say is true. It really is a bitch, girl.)

On the even more awesome side, Susan -- who attended Holton Arms, a private school not far from my home in Bethesda -- got to throw her senior prom at the White House. How freakin' sweet would that be? I'm guessing at least 80 times cooler than any of the proms depicted on "Beverly Hills, 90210." Speaking of TV, Susan Ford also did something else that I find impressive, in a '70s kind of way. She dated Anson Williams. Yup -- Potsie, Potsie, Potsie.

So clearly being a presidential kid has its positives as well as its pitfalls. Here's hoping that Sasha and Malia Obama find that life falls more on the former side than the latter.

Image: Listicles

Related Posts:

Sasha & Malia Had Their Own Ball on Inauguration Night

Barack Obama’s Letter to Sasha and Malia

Morning News - Obama, Limbaugh, Cheese

Brett Singer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Hello and welcome to Morning News! I'll be your Morning Newsperson for today, and possibly for tomorrow as well. Madeline will return after that.

I don't know if you heard anything about it, but we had one of those peaceful transfers of power on Tuesday. We do it every four years whether we want to or not. This time around there was a tad more pomp and circumstance, with 10 Inaugural Balls. I only saw the Neighborhood Ball, where Jay-Z had the most powerful performance of the night; Sting also sang well but looked like he slept in an alley. Note to Gordon Sumner: if you are performing at a public event of this magnitude, at least TRIM the beard, 'k?

Adorable first daughters Sasha and Malia spent the big night watching "High School Musical 3" and getting a scavenger hunt-tour of the White House; the final clue led them to the real-life Jonas Brothers, who were hiding in a closet. So much for that normal childhood thing. Today it's back to school for both; they were allowed to sleep in on Wednesday.

President Obama did not take the day of and got right to work on Wednesday, signing executive orders to close Guantánamo Bay "within a year", and also putting a freeze on salaries for many White House aides. Smart move -- in this economy, he's not likely to lose anyone to the private sector.

Speaking of the economy, the financial markets ended the day up slightly after a big drop on Inauguration Day. Some say this is because "the market" doesn't like our new President, others blame "macro forces", and use big scary finance words that I don't fully understand. Bottom line: the economy still sucks, and it's going to take time for it to recover.

Folks who thought Sarah Palin would shrink from view after the election were wrong, wrong, wrong. The AP has an article about how the Alaska Governor would like some privacy for her children and the L.A. Times reports on a new energy plan she is proposing in the Alaska State legislature. Bonus: if you read the comments you will see that Palin still has plenty of supporters out there. Palin 2012, anyone?

In other political news, Caroline Kennedy may or may not have withdrawn from the race to replace Hillary Clinton as the junior Senator from New York. (Is it a race if its just one guy deciding who wins?) The New York Post (an ultra-conservative tabloid owned Rupert "Fox News" Murdoch) is reporting that Kennedy (what happened to "Kennedy Schlossberg?") pulled herself out of the running because she heard that New York Governor David "SNL Hasn't Been Funny Since John Belushi Left" Paterson was going to pick someone else. BUT the New York Daily News (a less conservative tabloid owned by Mort "I Gave My Money to Bernie Madoff and All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt" Zuckerman) is reporting that sources close to Caroline whose last names are also Kennedy say that she hasn't dropped out at all. UPDATE: NY1 is reporting that it is indeed official -- Caroline Kennedy will not take Hillary Clinton's place in the Senate. Whether or not she will start using the last name "Schlossberg" again has not been determined. In the words of the great Kent Brockman, only time will tell.

Glenn Harlan Reynolds writes in the Wall Street Journal that he appreciates the "tone" our newly minted President has displayed; Reynolds says that by "reaching out to conservative columnists, and by going out of his way to say that he thinks George W. Bush is 'a good man,' Mr. Obama has made some efforts to transcend the nastiness that has emanated from much of the Democratic Party over the past eight years." Hey, if Obama can be gracious about Chief Justice Roberts messing up the Oath of Office, I think he can be kind to just about anyone. (The President re-took the Oath, by the way. Can't be too careful these days.)

Speaking of nastiness, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh isn't hopping on the Peace Train. He says that he has four words to describe how he feels about the leader of the free world: "I hope he fails." No really, that's what he said. Listen in:

And just to get away from politics and all things Inaugural, we leave you with this: French officials are investigating a possible scam by a woman in Paris who was selling "magic cheese" that she claimed could be used as cosmetics. Those French. Always good for a laugh.

Read more:

(Late) Morning News: Finally!

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Live Inaugural Tweets From A Working Mom, And Video

A Prom? At the White House? Awesome!

Video and Pics: Lego Inauguration

Malia & Sasha Obama Sporting Some Recessionista Style

Obama/Spider-man Comic Book Sold Out, Reprint Planned

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Obama Wants Kids To Have a Normal Life – Good Luck With That

Sasha and Malia Get Bored

Brett Singer — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

One of the things I've grown to like about the Obamas is that I find them relatable as a family. Barack and Michelle take the kids to school in the morning. They appear to be involved in their daughter's lives in a positive way. The girls give their dad a hard time. It's very sweet.

Adding to their overall normalness, Sasha and Malia got bored at the HBO Concert on Sunday. From NYMag.com:

"…while our president-elect, seated stage right, showed steely resolve by nodding and singing along through even the most terrible performances, heroes Sasha and Malia Obama bravely broadcast their non-enjoyment by looking completely bored (Malia) or falling asleep on their mom's lap (Sasha)."

New York Magazine even calls the First Daughters "America’s Adorable New Statler and Waldorf." Cute.

In other Sasha and Malia at the HBO Concert news:

- Sasha was seen "squirming and then having a chat with Michelle before they both disappeared for the duration of John Mellencamp’s 'Ain’t That America.' We’re guessing potty break." (It also doesn't appear to be a song that she cares too much about, although both are reportedly "big fans of Beyoncé, Usher, and Kal Penn.")
- Denzel Washington waved to the girls after his speech.
- "Michelle tried unsuccessfully to get Malia and Sasha to sing along" to Garth Brooks’s censored rendition of "American Pie" ("good ol' boys SINGING whiskey and rye"? I don't think so.) NYMag says, "Think it’s a little before their time?" Maybe, but my 3 year old knows that tune.

Anyway, for the moment, I can't get enough of these two kids. It'll fade but let's enjoy it for now.

Source: NYMag (1, 2)

Inauguration Coverage Information

Linda Ellerbee Says Kids Should Skip School To Watch Inauguration

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Obama/Spider-man Comic Book Sold Out, Reprint Planned

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

The Obama Kids First Day Of School

Sasha & Malia Had Their Own Ball on Inauguration Night

Kid to Obamas: Take My Puppy

JeanneSager — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:15:00 GMT

Now that the Obamas have narrowed their dog search to two breeds, there's a fourth grader in Pennsylvania who's crossing his fingers that he's got the answer to all their four-legged questions.

Zack Shiley's dogs produced a litter born on November 26, but only one survived. That's the puppy - a labradoodle - that Shiley wants President Barack Obama to bring home to the White House for daughters Sasha and Malia.

The fourth grader at the Wharton Elementary School in Farmington, Pa., sent word to D.C. this week via his County Commissioners, Vincent Vicites and Vincent Zapotsky. The Vincents attended the inauguration without the six-week-old Vegas, the love pup of eleven-year-old Hillary, a chocolate Labrador and her much younger stud (sire?) one-year-old Bullet, a black labradoodle.

Instead they took with them a letter directly to Malia - who Shiley figures has the final say on the matter (she's the member of the Obama family with an allergy - prompting consideration of a labradoodle).

"We want her to have a good home, and what could be better than the White House... A dream come true," Shiley wrote. "I almost forgot, the puppy is free."

According to his hometown newspaper, The Herald Standard, everyone admits it's a long shot, but Shiley's mom put her stamp of approval on her son's letter and offer to the new president. Considering the pup earned the name Vegas because Mom was on a trip to Las Vegas when the family dogs mated, perhaps there's a little more than selflessness at work there? Don't worry Ms. Shiley - we get you! Whatever your motivation (getting the puppy out of the house so you can go back to two dogs instead of three!), you raised a son with a big heart - and one adorable ball of fur for a friend.

Image: The Herald Standard

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

Mystery Solved: Dog Swallowed Fifteen Pacifiers

Malia & Sasha Obama Sporting Some Recessionista Style

SunnyChanel — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:30:00 GMT

Malia and Sasha Obama aren’t just budding fashionistas, they’re pulling their very own ‘recessionista’ style. Watching the pageantry, pomp and circumstance of their dad being promoted to the most powerful job in the land, Malia and Sasha were bundled up in bold blue and pink wool coats. To accent their outfits, the girls both wore regular old $1.25 a yard satin ribbon around their waists, giving their simple coats a touch of low-cost fancy.

It’s charming and refreshing to see girls from such a privileged, powerful and high profile place making a fashion statement with something so accessible to all. Pert near all the fashion magazines in the land have recently had cover features about how to spice up your wardrobe for less using accessories, layering and other combos to make staple pieces seem different and new. Are Malia and Sasha taking a cue from these DIY tips? Perhaps, but they probably just wanted to make their own mark with their individual styles. And their styles will become increasingly watched and undoubtedly be influential on girls today and tomorrow. The peace sign heart tee Malia recently wore and the Ugly Doll that Sasha hung from her backpack are selling out left and right. Does this mean that they’ll be a run on satin ribbon?

Update: The girls wore J. Crew's kids line Crew Cuts. Although I like to think they added the ribbons themselves, it may have actually been the work of the J.Crew people. From Newsday:

"All the clothes were from crewcuts, the children's division of J.Crew and (how lucky are they?) were specially designed for the girls. According to the company, Michelle and the girls had an opportunity to choose what they liked. "We wanted to offer a collectionthat would let their own personalities show through," said Jenna Lyons, creative director of J.Crew."

Pieces of what they wore today will be available in Crew Cuts Fall 2009 collection. Regardless, ribbon is cheap. Until then, just tie some on!

Photo: Via Jezebel

Live Inaugural Tweets From A Working Mom, And Video

Brett Singer — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:22:00 GMT

I wrote about this already but I'm following the stream now while I watch the coverage on television so I thought I'd point it out again.

JuJu Chang from ABC News is posting tweets (is it "tweeting"? If you know, tell me. I feel old.) live from the Capitol. It's fun to get a perspective from someone on the ground. For example:

people r standing on newspapers or cardboard to keep their feet warm in the crowd

It gives a personal touch, adding a nice element to the proceedings. Plus you can check out the tweets periodically, or just watch the TV coverage and then catch up when its all over. You can also read blog posts from JuJu Chang at ABC.com.

I'm tweeting (man, does that need a new term - can I say "twittering"?) while I watch, but I'm just in my living room, which is inherently less interesting.

UPDATE: here's a video report from the Mall:

If anyone wants to share their feelings about this while they watch, please do. We'd love to hear from you.

Linda Ellerbee Says Kids Should Skip School To Watch Inauguration

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Obama/Spider-man Comic Book Sold Out, Reprint Planned

Obama Says His Kids Are Cooler Than He Is

The Obama Kids First Day Of School

Kids to Obama: Read Books, Eat More Ice Cream

Morning News: Bush Says "We had fun!"

It's Official: White House To House First Grandmother

Video and Pics: Lego Inauguration

Brett Singer — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT

This is cute.

Legoland California (the Lego theme park) has created a full Lego version of the Inauguration Ceremonies, complete with Lego versions of various folks, including outgoing President George W. Bush and his wife Laura, the Cheneys, and of course, Barack and Michelle Obama.

Here's a video featuring spectator reactions and a British reporter using the word "loo":

And SFWeekly.com has a nice slideshow of images, including this one, which depicts the swearing-in ceremony:

And the lines for "The dreaded inauguration Porta Potties." (All Porta Potties fall into the "dreaded" category as far as I'm concerned.)

One more: Lego Aretha Franklin, who appears to have a large, um, Lego chest:

As the blog Feministe puts it -- "All hail the Lego-in-Chief!"

You can get information about the real-life Inauguration here.

Source: LA Times, Feministe, SFWeekly