Happy Birthday First Daughter Malia Obama



Tom Cruise may be remembered for his Viet Nam era movie Born on the Fourth of July, but as the nation celebrates Independence Day, the Obama are celebrating Malia's fourteenth birthday. Yes, there's a teenager in the White House and while the President deals with critical international and domestic issues, he and First Lady Michele are raising their two daughters in the fish bowl at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D. C. Happy Birthday Malia!

First Lady Shines on More Magazine Cover

First Lady Michelle Obama is radiant on the February 2012 cover of More magazine in a headshot that captures her in a relaxed lean, with a bright smile and wearing a bold red cardigan (paired with a floral skirt that was cropped out of the cover image).

Mrs. O has an affinity for wearing vivid colors and she’s been on a roll this month with choosing flattering hues. On January 14 she graced the stage at the BET Honors 2012 in a radiant red gown from designer J. Mendel’s 2012 Resort collection, and on Monday (January 24) she waved from the crowd at the State of the Union Address in a sapphire dress from Barbara Tfank’s 2012 Resort collection.

Minorities Targeted in Beverage Campaign

A new study conducted by Yale University suggests that soft drink and other sugary beverage manufacturers target their marketing campaigns to Latino and African-American children and teenagers.

A report released today from Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity said that children and teens were exposed to double the amount of television ads for full-calorie and sugary beverages from 2008 to 2010. The study also reported that black children and teens saw 80- to 90 percent more ads compared with whites, including more than twice as many ads for Sprite, Mountain Dew, 5-hour Energy, and Vitamin Water. Hispanic children saw 49 percent more ads for sugary drinks and energy drinks, with Hispanic preschoolers seeing more ads for Coca-Cola Classic, Kool-Aid, 7 Up and Sunny Delight than their older counterparts.

First Lady Stuns At State Dinner

At a state dinner for South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his wife Kim Yoon-ok at the North Portico of the White House on October 13th, first lady Michelle Obama showed off one of her signature looks: wearing an asymmetrical gown by Korean-American designer Doo-Ri Chung.

Though the White House state dinner honoring President of South Korea Lee Myung-bak had a lack of Hollywood power, there were a few fashionistas in the mix. Here is a look at some of the most memorable ensembles, via the White House pool report.

FLOTUS Moves Country Toward Healthy Eats

First Lady Michelle Obama speaks during a Let’s Move! event in a Darden’s restaurant in Hyattsville, Md., Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011

Calorie by calorie, first lady Michelle Obama is chipping away at big portions and unhealthy food in an effort to help America slim down.
In the year and a half since she announced her campaign to curb childhood obesity, Mrs. Obama has stood alongside Wal-Mart, Olive Garden and many other food companies as they have announced improvements to their recipes -- fewer calories, less sodium, better children's menus.

World's Most Powerful Women-2010

Forbes released its latest list of the world's 100 most powerful women.  The list was interesting and full of surprises. They are heads of state and first ladies, bankers and cultural icons, CEOs and entrepreneurial athletes. Let's take a look at the top ten, a fresh look at power and creative influence:

(Rank, Name, Age, Country, Category and Title)

1	Michelle Obama First Lady	47	United States	Politics
2	Irene Rosenfeld Chief Executive, Kraft Foods

Happy Birthday Malia

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Malia Obama, the eldest of President Barack Obama's two daughters, turned 13 on the Fourth of July. But as usual, she'll have to share her parents with hundreds of others on her special day.
Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have invited hundreds of troops and their families from across the country to attend a special barbecue and USO concert on the South Lawn. They'll also have one of the best views of the annual fireworks show on the National Mall.

Dougie Rapper Killed in Drive-by

M-Bone of the rap group Cali Swag District, which scored a hit last year with the song "Teach Me How to Dougie," was killed in a weekend drive-by shooting as he sat in a car outside a liquor store, police said Monday. The motive for Sunday night's shooting was under investigation, Lt. James Madia said.

The 22-year-old Inglewood man, whose real name is Mante Ray Talbert, was sitting alone in his car shortly after 10:30 p.m. "Another car pulled alongside, gunshots were fired, and the victim was struck twice in the head," Madia said.

Talbert died at a hospital. Talbert was "the victim of a random act of violence," said a statement from Cali Swag District's publicist, Greg Miller.

Cali Swag District's hit "Teach Me How to Dougie" is based on the Dougie dance, which first appeared in Texas and is noted for its leaning stances and shoulder and arm movements.

The dance was performed not only in dance clubs and the streets, but by celebrities as well, from Wolf Blitzer to Washington Wizards star John Wall. Even first lady Michelle Obama recently performed the dance as part of her Let's Move initiative.

"He was a hardworking, passionate artist and dancer that will be deeply missed," Miller said.

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WH Poetry Night Draws Right Wing Criticism

President Barack Obama spoke about the importance of poetry and the arts at an event hosted by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. The whole event — part of Michelle Obama’s White House Music Series — was a PG-rated PSA for poetry and arts education, but the media conjured a controversy before it even happened.

The Washington Post Lifestyle reports this week, Common was deemed a “vile,” “cop killer rapper” in headlines on Fox Nation, a Web site run by Fox News. Criticism sprang from other conservative fountainheads, including former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (who tweeted her disapproval), the Daily Caller (which excerpted lyrics through which Common bemoaned police conduct and President George W. Bush’s initiation of the war in Iraq) and Fox News anchor Sean Hannity (who Tuesday devoted 10 minutes of his show to what the network branded “The Invitation”).

The media tug of war ensued despite Common’s reputation as a morally engaged lyricist who condemns violence and has written children’s books and started a foundation to promote leadership among urban youths.

As the president put it during his opening remarks: “A great poem is one that resonates with us, that challenges us, and that teaches us something about ourselves and the world that we live in.”

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Essence Celebrates Black Women

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"Tall ones, short ones, black ones, brown ones...I like the girls"  Remember that song?  Well what about this one..."she's a bad mamma jamma".  Songs like these remind us that women come in all shapes, sizes and hues, but all of them are beautiful.

Essence Magazine did a tribute to thirty Black Women in a recent issue.  When I first became aware of the tribute, I couldn't wait to see who would be featured. Would you believe it if I told you I looked for my name and photo as soon as I found the material?  Okay, stop laughing!

Reviewing the photos, I took a trip down memory lane.  I went from Pam Grier to Dorothy Dandridge, from Jayne Kennedy to Lauryn Hill, and from Josephine Baker to Eryka Badu. Photos of the First Lady, Michelle Obama mixed with Susan Taylor, Lena Horne, Whitney Houston, and Beyonce. Florence Griffith Joyner, Sade, Iman, Leslie Uggams and Phylicia Rashad...the names and faces spanned the years.  Each was unique and beautiful in her own way. It was a great way to spend sometime in reflection during Black History Month.

Forbes LIst: World's Most Powerful Women

Forbes Magazine has released their picks for 2010's Most Powerful Women in the World -- and the First Lady is at the head of the class.  Michelle Obama was ranked as the world's No. 1 most powerful woman, while the queen of daytime, Oprah Winfrey, snagged the No.3 spot.

Women in entertainment scored big this year, with pop superstar Lady Gaga taking the seventh spot and music mogul/designer Beyonce ranking ninth. Comedian and talkshow host Ellen DeGeneres rounded out the list at No. 10.

The U.S. was the list's clear winner -- eight of the10 coveted spots were filled by American women, while Chicagoans dominated the mighty top three. In addition to Windy City natives Obama and Oprah, Irene Rosenfeld, CEO of Kraft Foods and another Chicago resident, was ranked No. 2. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (originally hailing from the Chicago suburb, Park Ridge) rang in at No. 5.

2010 Forbes Most Powerful Women In The World top 10:


1. Michelle Obama, US First Lady
2. Irene Rosenfeld, chief executive Kraft Foods
3. Oprah Winfrey, media mogul
4. Angela Merkel, German Chancellor
5. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State
6. Indra Nooyi, chief executive, Pepsi
7. Lady Gaga, singer
8. Gail Kelly, chief executive, Westpac
9. Beyonce Knowles, singer and fashion designer
10. Ellen DeGeneres, talk show host




Source: Forbes; OMG.Yahoo.com

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First Lady's Stunning Attire

Check out our First Lady's stunning attire at the White House State Dinner welcoming Mexican President Felipe Calderone and his wife Margarita Zavala. I could not be more proud of her. Some haters said her "arms were fat" (ha ha ha) and some said "her chest was swishing out". Of course everything the Obama's do is a subject for criticism. Michelle Obama has the right idea...hold your head up high and do your thing. Love her to death!


First Lady Michelle Obama continued her movie star glam style streak at the annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards dinner, stunning in a red gown. See the related articles for additional photos of her unique fashion statements.


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First Lady Critized for Vacation in Spain

Andrea Tantaros has penned a scorching editorial for the New York Daily News deeming First Lady Michelle Obama a "modern-day Marie Antoinette" for her vacation in Spain with her daughter.

"The First Lady is spending the next few days in a five-star hotel on the chic Costa del Sol in southern Spain with 40 of her 'closest friends,'" Tantaros writes, pointing to a CNN report that Michelle Obama and her group are expected to occupy 60 to 70 rooms. "Not exactly what one would call cutting back in troubled times."

The Chicago Sun Times reports the following:

Mrs. Obama’s U.S. Air Force jet landed at Malaga on Wednesday; she skipped celebrating her husband’s 49th birthday with him. (Daughter Malia, 12, is at overnight camp.) Mrs. Obama pays for personal expenses — as do her friends who arrived on their own — but that only covers a small part of the expense. Taxpayers pick up the tab for staff and security at the exclusive hotel and most of the expenses for the plane.

First ladies often go on vacations, with and without the president. An issue for Mrs. Obama may be how many: New York in March; Chicago, over Memorial Day; Los Angeles in June; Camp David — sort of an extension of the White House — in July; Maine in July, to highlight Acadia National Park, and now Spain. Mrs. Obama is glamorizing Spain’s coastal resorts before her Aug. 14 first family weekend visit to Florida’s Gulf Coast, to encourage tourists scared away by the oil spill. Starting Aug. 19, the Obamas will spend 10 days in Martha’s Vineyard.

Personal expenses are being paid by the Obamas and by friends traveling with them, but there are always related taxpayer-paid costs when a First Family travels. Of course with the Obamas, everything is worse, because of the glare of attention they generate from all who despise them.

If the First Lady stayed a Holiday Inn in Bayonne, would that be okay? I doubt it.
The White House also disputes Tantaros's claims about M. Obama's Spanish jaunt. Katherine Skiba of the LA Times Top of the Ticket blog writes,

 A White House official said Obama had a "small" group of friends and "minimal" staff on the trip, and said personal expenses, such as hotel rooms and meals, were being paid for by the Obamas."

Any additional footprint, including rooms needed for security support and transportation, falls under the same rules as have applied to any previous first family travel," the official said. That is, private expenses are paid for privately and government expenses are picked up by Uncle Sam.

All this may not sway Tantaros much, however, as it's clear who she wants the Obamas to emulate:

For a couple that has sharply criticized former President George W. Bush so widely, they could stand to follow his example for once and select a more low-key locale, as Bush regularly did in his Texas vacations.

"Regularly" is right — in 2008, Bush set a record for most vacation days taken during a Presidential term. On July 17, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Obama had taken 65 days off — Bush, by the same point in his term, had taken 120. And Obama didn't go with Michelle and Sasha to Spain — because he's working

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