This is how your news actually gets to you...with bells on!

Lots of the news is digitized, which is really nice because of the instant knowledge that you get. But if you're a reporter (and by that, I mean a real one (intern power!), not one who gets wardrobe and sits on their butt to read off a prompter) you still have to have your running shoes on. No, I mean, literally. You need to wear running shoes.

These pictures are great--they show reporters running to get extra news/info to their stations after the Supreme Court ruled on "ObamaCare".

NPR has a great summary of who "won" and who "lost". As in, whose reporter can run the fastest with the correct news (sorry CNN and FOX and congratulations Bloomberg, who won the News Olympics with 24 seconds over the Associated Press).

At least two of the runners were ID'ed as interns from CBS evening news and ABS news.

Links and Pictures Credit: 

• NPR, Supreme Court Health Care Ruling Prompts Foot Race in Press Corps
• BuzzFead, Reporters Rush to Deliver the ObamaCare Ruling
• 22Words, Journalists literally racing to report yesterday's ruling by the Supreme Court

Presidential Portraits

via the National Hurricane Center (NOLA.com)

It's a bit rainy today (see the image above? That's the rain map from today!). Enough water that I wore rain boots (I normally can't even be bothered). Pure laziness of finding where I put them...not because I have an aversion to them.

Since it's one of those super nasty days, it's going to movie and book night in front of fire...even those it's the middle of summer. With ice cream. It made sense in my head.

Cool news of the day? Presidential Portraits. Former president, George W. Bush's portrait has been revealed and Time.com has a slide show of some of the other portraits. I think some presidential portraits are more well known than others, and some I'm fairly sure I've never seen. It's a pretty cool go through.

Apparently it takes a bit to get the portrait done, who knew? I mean...it (as in GW Bush) was done in 2012 if I'm reading that right...

George Washington

Thomas Jefferson

Abraham Lincoln

Dwight D. Eisenhower

John F. Kennedy

Jimmy Carter

Bill Clinton

George W. Bush

Fun fact...my family has been in America for a freaking loooong time. And we're related to a couple of presidents, and off the top of my head, two of the guys above are in some way cousins for sure, and there's some possible connection to two more above. Pretty cool huh? Or...I've got some well-marrying relatives, hmm. 

All images are from Time.com, Presidents in Profile: 20 Portraits from the White House Archives. 

The President sings again!

Ok, he didn't sing THIS time (he has before). It's a mash up of his speeches and it's set to that "Call Me Maybe" song that's been unleashed onto the radios. You know...the one they play on an infinite loop to drive me completely insane? That one.



You're welcome...I think.

Obama isn't the first world leader to break into tune...the Russian bad-ass himself (Putin) sang Blueberry Hill...he's a scary dude right?

Links:
Original Video of President Obama "singing" Call Me Maybe
CNN article of the mash-up (Baracksdubs)
President Obama singing Al Green from CNN

Happy Memorial Day!

It's memorial day in America, and a regular Monday for everyone else I guess. It's also pouring rain where I live so staying home and doing nothing seems like the way to go.

For some reason, I felt really silly after reading this one article (7 things you didn't know about Memorial Day) because I didn't realize it started after the Civil War. For some reason I equated it with World War I or II and my grandpas. Go figure!

President Obama and Major General Linnington at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

an honor guard at Wrightstown N.J.

Honor Guards line up at Arlington

Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.

U.S. Military Color Guard at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

Memorial Day in 1920

Memorial Day parade in 1900

Memorial Day Parade in NYC in 1922, Grand Army of the Republic (veterans)

Boston

Images From:

1-2 are from Memorial Day 2012 via the Huffington Post
3-5 are from MSNBC's Photoblog Memorial Day observed around the U.S.
6 is from Memorial Day from Wikipedia (image originally from the Library of Congress)
7 is from How Memorial Day begun via Flagsbay.com
8 is from A Brief History of Memorial Day from Time.com
9 is from Memorial Day Tributes Around the World from Time.com

Did you ever wonder...what world leaders do on their break time?

It's not that soccer/football/fut-ball/etc. isn't popular in the USA. I have guy friends who are devoted lovers (mostly of German football).

Hopefully the pic doesn't offend. But it does make me giggle.

The first time I ever experienced football (soccer) like the rest of the world was when i was in England. I was in high school, and our high school trip was to Europe. So we were walking down some road near Trafalgar Square in London, everything was quiet and peaceful and quite pretty. Then BAM--doors open, people are screaming. Complete chaos.

Now, growing up in America I assumed that something disastrous had happened and every (semi-drunk) British man had been called to arms. Like, the queen (bless her) had died. The country had run out of fish and chips, France had invaded or...someone dumped tea into the harbor (again). I wasn't sure...but obviously it was bad right?

So, while still horrified, my friends and I stopped in the sidewalk because this hoard of British men were coming near us. Our teachers and school supervisors were a bit panicked because there were 40+ students and this melee was coming our way. Our Italian bodyguard/tour guide just shrugged.

A couple of us got picked up and carried to the actual square and all I remember is being put on a fountain/lion/thingy, while a once civilized country went to pot.

Original map from CNET.com

Eventually, our Italian guide saunters up, grinning and points to us and says to the British guys around us. "Eh...Americans".

The Brits all nodded and helped us down and waved us on back to our hotel. Which is where we learned that England had won a game in the world cup.

This was the trip where I learned that there was a world cup. And that soccer men take their shirts off (not as much anymore). And that the rest of the world is way into soccer. Waaaaay into it.

Which leads me to this pic...some world leaders watched a game between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. I know Bayern Munich is in Germany because I know enough German people who love this team. And google said Chelsea is English. And that's all I give a pootey-toot about.

David Cameron, Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Jose Manuel Barroso watch at Camp David

Eh...Americans...

Images:
Demotivational Posters.com
Cnet.com
MSNBC PhotoBlog's article "Leaders take time out from G8 to watch shootout in Champions League Final"

Birthday!

I totally had a nail success last night. Go me!

That's kinda a crappy picture, but for the love of me...I cannot find my camera cord. So I totally cheated and used my webcam (no flash) and lightened it in PicMonkey. Which is my new found love until I figure out the Photoshop program I stole from my dad's computer.

It's the gradient/dip-dye/ombre stain nail technique I mentioned yesterday. I totally used old nail polish (from like...middle school) that I probably should  have thrown out and two contrasting colors (pink and dark blue).

up close

I was so proud of myself I thought I'd share!

AND I finished paying my application fees (no thanks to farmville...which I'm feeling unnecessary annoyance at).

Today is also my birthday, so I've been cooking dinner because my family is coming over tonight for a family dinner. So I'll just leave with some pretty pictures (and protest pictures, that's all over the news here. Occupy and Bin-Laden/Seal Team 6).

Thailand

London

The Situation Room pic...

Links/Image Sources:

Occupy Protesters rally in London and New York on May Day
Bin Laden take-down picture
May Day Celebrations in Thailand

Lyudmila Putin makes the news!

It's only Tuesday and my week has already been too much. I had the worst sinus headache of my life...I didn't even get out of bed (other than to make it to the medicine cabinet). So, I got nothing done.

I also had to get blood drawn for my yearly doctor's appointment and I hate needles. Really, really, really hate needles.

While in the waiting room, the news was blaring (really loud...way too loud for 7 AM-everything is too loud for 7 AM) and that's the only reason I heard the name "Putin". Obviously, since he's fascinating (and scary) for me, I actually woke up from my mini snooze session. They were talking about Mrs. Putin-she made the news! It's weirdly exciting since I just discovered her existence this year.

From the Huffington Post article

I searched the web and found an article that I'm going to link to via the Huffington Post. Because it says that  Putin has a private submarine. Seriously. A private submarine. Whaaaat? I mean sure, President Obama has Air Force One, and the Beast, and Marine One (all of which I know because of NCIS), but I feel like our President needs a submarine too. Why not?

It's also really interesting to me how the position of First Lady of the USA isn't the same as Russia. Politicians love to trot out the family when it's time to run for office or to get some support. And as much as I think the first lady's job is important, it's kinda nice that Russia doesn't do that. If that makes sense-it's probably nicer to not be in the limelight if your dad or mom is in politics.

Granted the article talks about love children, affairs, Mrs. P being shut in a monastery (no!) or pregnant. So who knows.


Articles:
Huffington Post's article, Lyudmila Putina, Vladimir Putin's Wife, Missing From the Public Eye
The Moscow Post...which states she's pregnant (in Russian)


P.S. I LOVE this dress! It's going on my wish list.

It's Tahari (by Arthur s. Levine)-Stripe Cap Sleeve Dress, and it's at Nordstrom.

Obama, Bieber and the Beach

Last year, my friends and I went to the beach. When we pulled up to the hotel we were shocked because there were an enormous number of tween girls. We booked our girls getaway weekend the same time as Justin Bieber (or one of those tween band things). Lucky us.

Yes...we totally hung a disco ball in our hotel room. It was fabulous!

When whoever the tween heart throb was left the arena, the girls went insane. You could hear them screaming from across the street. I don't know if you can see it from below...but that was the line of girls HOURS after the concert waiting for the tour bus to leave. That was the screaming you could hear from across the street, over the sound of the ocean, from the tenth floor (inside) the hotel. Crazy times.
 

So when I saw the title of this, I assumed it was the same. "Bieber or Obama? Schoolgirls go crazy". OBVIOUSLY it would be Bieber right?

Bieber fever right? 

Goodness. Was I wrong! President Obama. 

President Obama was going on a trip to Vermont and Maine. And visitors to the White House were waving  to him as he boarded Marine One.


Images (other than mine) are from MSNBC PhotoBlog's article entitled "Bieber or Obama? Schoolgirls go Crazy"

White House Easter Egg Roll

The fun thing about the government being on Facebook (there is a fun thing about the government) is that they publish photos.

In time for Easter, the White House's Facebook page has pictures of the White House Easter Egg Roll (Historically). Plus a few facts--- For instance, President Rutherford B. Hayes started the Easter Egg Roll in 1878

Easter Egg Roll of 1898. Check out that hat!

Easter Egg Roll of 1903.

The Easter Egg Roll was canceled from 1917-1920 (another fact on the White House Facebook page) because World War I was going on. It was also canceled during 1943-45 because of World War II (and all the rationing).

Easter Egg Roll in the 1920s

Easter Egg Roll of 1939. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is on the right

Easter Egg Roll of 1956. 

Easter Egg Roll of 2012. How cute are these kids!

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter, start of Passover, or weekend in general. 

Photos are from the White House (Photo) Page on Facebook. If you do follow the link, try and ignore some of the more ridiculous comments. Apparently anyone can get access to FB now- oh well.

The Queen crashes a wedding

Ok, she didn't really crash the wedding, she was invited. A couple discovered that their wedding was in the same location as an event that Queen Elizabeth II was attending..so being thoughtful people, they invited her. And being pretty awesome, she showed up.

The Queen and John and Frances Canning