I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

alexandria58

I didn't catch Obama's last look as he left the platform the first time around, but i saw it on rebroadcast later.  I thought it deeply touching.

bluedahlia

pupmom

Wow, totally gorgeous!

1Athena1

I was touched too. I have so much emotion for our president and what he stands for that it is hard to express. All my life I had been waiting to live under a great leader and finaqlly it has happened. Lucky me - lucky us.

Pity the media is small and simple. The NYT, thinking it's being oh-so broadminded and fair called the inauguration speech "liberal." Oh, what sop-histicates!! (sarcasm oozing). NPR had to go to the extreme of the extreme in their quest for false equivalency and profile Texas republican citizens reacting. The media lives off of trumpeting exxtremes. How about interviewing people who are apolitical or foreigners. The extremes don't elect leaders.

bluedahlia

pupmom

Athena, I so agree. I actually feel secure about my country again. Of course I mostly did during Obama's first term, but my anxiety during the election about the Neanderthals taking over again  was very stressful.

Blue, I think it depends! 

gardengumby

Hello ladies - as you can see, I don't spend much time on my computer over weekends...

Mary - I thought I'd die laughing when I read what your husband said in church.  What a quick wit!!

We spent much of yesterday watching the inauguration ceremonies.  My husband was so angry when the President and First lady got out of their vehicle and walked during the parade (twice, no less).  He (and I) were fearful that he would be shot.  There is just so much strange hatred out there around him. 

I can understand someone not liking his policies, as some of them I'm not all that fond of myself, but that said, why would anyone first believe that he isn't Christian and second hate him for their invalid assumption that he is not (or that he is muslim, which is part of the first...).  He's gone to Christian churches for years and years and years.  The second thing that people "hate" him for is because he's "so far left".  What I haven't like about him is that he's not NEARLY left enough!!!   He is such a complete moderate that I get very confused when I hear people say that he's extreme.  I don't understand what they are looking at - and because I have a history of questioning myself, then I wonder what they are seeing that I am not....

There were some comments earlier about Hillary.  She was my choice for POTUS in 2008 (when it came down to her and Barack), even though I was extremely furious with her voting in favor of attacking Iraq.  I don't know if she's going to run in 2016, but I really like Biden.  If he runs again, he would be my first choice.  He was my first choice in 2008, but he was also one of the first dropouts.

About GWB - I thought he was a REALLY lousy President.  I do, however, think that he'd be someone who would be good to his friends, and it is (IMO) doubtful that he is as stupid as he appeared.  He did, however, pick (or had picked for him) some truly rotten advisors.  I don't think he was happy as President.  I think the job was too much for him, and that he would far prefer doing what he is doing now - hanging out at his ranch.  I saw him one time when he was in Seattle when he was campaigning in 2000.  I was the only person on the street as his limo was driving by, and it was just happenstance that I was there.  I felt sorry for him, as he seemed SO anxious to be noticed and was looking out the window and waving - at no one, really.  Most Presidents, I think are somewhat at loose ends and truly miss being the most powerful man in the world (GW did, Clinton surely does, and I believe Obama will).  I don't think he (GWB) misses it at all.  I think he's relieved it's over, and that because any further "job" would be a step down, he now doesn't need to do anything other than hang out and be a "good ol' boy".

crazy4carrots

I love this one:

gardengumby

Blue - I've heard that line so many times, but as Yorkie said, it surely depends.  I have many more regrets over things I have done which hurt people I love than I have over anything I haven't done.

pupmom

GG, I'm with you about Obama being too moderate! I have never understood the claim that he is a socialist or even communist. 

My feeings about GWB were so extremely negative I could not see or hear him without becoming practically hysterical with rage. It stemmed from his theft of the election and got worse with his illegal invasion of Iraq. I'm starting to feel my blood boil again just thinking about him. That kind of anger is not healthy, so I'm glad he is laying low.

alexandria58

I'm with you Yorkie and Garden on finding Obama to be a moderate and puzzling over the descriptions of him as a socialist.  My problem with health care is that he did not go for the single payer, he did not do the type of structural revamping that might have significantly lowered costs over time.  Still, i guess he did what he could.

On despising Bush?  With me, it started with the election, which frankly, he stole with the help of SCOTUS, and continued with tax breaks geared to the rich and a made-up reason to invade Iraq (both of which are the basis of our current deficit problem).  I found a tee shirt in my drawer that I made up for the 2000 inauguration, that read, "Re-elect Gore in '04."  The saddest thing to me now is that  the current crop of Republicans would find him too moderate, too willing to work with the other side.

1Athena1

I look with suspicion on comments by people who say it is regretful if you haven't "tried it all." Here is my ultra-conservative side: it's the druggie culture's first line of defense. Maybe if they had some real insight they would realize that thousands of peasants, politicians, policemen and reporters have died so that they could get high. Truly, truly regretful.

The liberal part of me says of that comment: How first world. Probably a bored suburbanite looking for mundane thrills.

The cynic in me says: "you must have a cushy life." Because most of us wanted to or tried to do things and couldn't make them happen - it isn't that we made a choice to do or not do.

I think that poster is probably really aimed at saying that women should experiment sexually, though - it's a bit of a dated concept. Women don't really ponder those things anymore. They either act or they don't.

But I do think a related "maxim" is sweet - also very dated, but by the incomparable Mae West: "Good Girls go to Heaven. Bad Girls Go Everywhere."

bluedahlia

LOL Athena!

I'm ROFLMAO reading this site.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/bushisms/2000/03/the_complete_bushisms.html

My side hurts!  hahahahhahaha!

bluedahlia

OMG I'm peeing myself!  Did he really say those things?

1Athena1

Off to a meeting....just wanted to say - I didn't like the Jason Wu dress much (not a fan of Wu's). I think it looked like a curtain on her and the waist was unflatteringly high. However, bravo to Thom Browne for a great day garment. Excellent choice by Michelle herself there. The fabric and the cut suited her to a T.

pupmom

The only good thing about Jr.'s years in the WH are his bushisms. LMAO through my rage. I think he is relatively stupid, for a president, but he's got street smarts. Actually, he probably has an undiagnosed learning disability and undoubtedly is ADHD.

SO GLAD HE IS GONE!!

YramAL

I LOVED Michelle's red ball gown, and I really liked her hair flipped out on the ends like that. I'm not too sure about the bangs and the turned under hair. 

Mary

pip57

Blue, geat link.  I have to bookmark it to read it all later.

1Athena1

Beyonce apparently had to lip sync - I wonder if the air was too dry.... This is not unheard of during inaugurations, BTW. They always pre-record just in case:

Marine Band Confirms Beyoncé Inauguration Performance Was Pre-Recorded

By JAMES C. MCKINLEY JR.

 

Beyoncé’s performance of the national anthem at the President Obama’s second inauguration on Monday was everything it should be: soaring, moving, symbolic and musically superlative. It also wasn’t live.

The R&B diva only pretended to sing, lip-synching the words to a backing track. What the listeners heard was a version she had recorded at a Marine Corps studio in Washington on Sunday night, a spokeswoman for the Marine Band said.

The spokeswoman, Master Sergeant Kristin duBois, said the weather was good and the Marine Band had no trouble with intonation during most of the prelude and ceremony, nearly two and half hours of music. Still, at the last minute, she said, Beyoncé and the band received orders to use a recorded version of the national anthem.

“We don’t know why,” Sergeant duBois said. “But that is what we were instructed to do so that is what we did. It’s not because Beyoncé can’t sing. We all know Beyoncé can sing. We all know the Marine Band can play.”

A publicist for Beyoncé did not immediately return telephone calls and email messages.

Sergeant duBois said it is standard operating procedure to record the music for the inauguration in advance, in case the weather is bad and it becomes impossible for musicians to keep their instruments in tune. Four years ago, for instance, Yo-Yo Ma and three other string players used backing tracks during their performance at President Obama’s first inauguration because of bitter cold.

It was not immediately clear who made the decision to ask Beyoncé to lip-synch the anthem on Monday, Sergeant duBois said. The band’s director, Col. Michael J. Colburn, received orders from the event’s organizers to switch to a backing track just before Beyoncé went on. “The entire performance was live except for the national anthem,” Sergeant duBois said.

Beyoncé recorded the song in a studio at the Marine Barracks Annex on Sunday night, using tracks already laid down by the Marine Band, Sergeant duBois said.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/marine-band-confirms-beyonce-inauguration-performance-was-pre-recorded/?hp

Wabbit

Missed watching the inauguration because of errands.  Checked out pictures and some videos though.  I too loved the red gown.  Michelle rocks bold colors and I like the way she uses necklines (on this gown and the last one) to spice up a look without going all frou frou or frumpy either one.  The day outfit was a little bland I thought but not bad and totally appropriate for the occasion.  Those girls have sure grown up!

Lots of good pictures of a happy, loving couple.  Too bad Boehner and his wife were right behind them in a lot of them making their best sourpuss faces.  What a contrast!

I always saw GWB as a case of arrested development.  Classic teenage boy behavior way too often.  The insulting nicknames and snide laughs ... the preening.  Many of the people behind him calling the shots were evil but I don't think he is.  Just not curious about much past the end of his own nose and casually uncaring.  Which can create evil ... intended or not.

Momine

Oh, now I am bummed out.

1Athena1

I think Michelle's only faux pas as a dresser have been at night. I know many disagree. I just think someone with her large frame needs to be a minimalist, and she dresses as though she were attending a small-town prom sometimes. She chooses dresses that are too young girly and not stylish and I have seen that on several occasions. She needs to edit herself more and take advantage of her glamour, as she does by day.

Anyway, more on fashion.....and some of the 2013/2014 couture collections are out, anyone care to take a peanut gallery look at them?

Here is Dior's Spring/Summer 2013/2014 Houte Couture show - couture is something only a few houses do - not in the US, I don't think. Dior has a new creative director, Raf Simons, who is an extraordinary talent. He is a minimalist, unlike his genious but very troubled predecessor John Galliano, who was fired for making pro-Hitler rants on at least two occasions at bars in Paris. He is an alcoholic and claimed he did not remember what he said. He also got into legal trouble, as hate speech is against the law in France.

A part of me thought the show was a bit boring overall, but you can't argue with the exquisite tailoring - pictures don't do it justice. Dior has always been about flowers, and Raf Simons is said to have returned to his childhood village to study nature. He uses yellows and pinks very much as they are found in nature.

When you are seeing this, remember that couture dresses are handmade and can cost about $60,000 each. Out of my range, but, more importantly, it means these are not casual wear clothes. They are generally evening wear or formal day wear simply because of the price range and the clientele most likely to be interested. Couture is what you wear when you want to be formal and conservative, even if you have a very adventurous sense of style:

Thios look, below, walks just beautifully. Simons is a tailor's tailor, if you will. All the old guard of master crafstpeople at Dior are thrilled to have him:

Yellow is not my personal favorite, but notice how of nature his colors are.

He was definitely inspired by Audrey Hepburn. Dior made its fame for the 50s wide skirts, the sixties pencil skirts and the dinner jackets. The task for creative directors who take over after the death or retirement of a founder is to continue the major tenets of the style but with their own twist. The really top creative directors may take the house in a new direction. The critics are loving Raf Simons. He is very back to basics IMHO, but with a modern twist that is refreshing. Just not sure if after a while I will want to see more. Galliano always put on extravagant shows, so he is a hard adrenaline act to follow. The look below - I didn't know what to think, but I liked much of it:

For your own viewing and opining - would love to see others' favorites: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/S2013CTR-CDIOR

Wabbit

I am obviously not a fashionista (not even sure I spelled it right?).  The first one is not too bad.  The yellow and black just look silly to me and the last one is eye catching but I wouldn't really want even if it was on the clearance rack at Walmart.  Which is all fine ... because I don't have the $$$ and would never spend that much on clothes if I did.  Different strokes for different folks makes the world interesting

1Athena1

To really get a sense of how exquisitely Raf Simons knows how to shape a woman's body, I believe a look at the 2012 Spring/Summer Ready to Wear collection really tells the story. (Ready-to-wear = not handmade but "mass" produced - for Dior, ranges from the hundreds to a few tousands in price). This is his 2012 look at the famous Dior Dinner jacket:

Here is an example of his exquisite cuts and his love of nature colors:

To view the slides - http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/S2013RTW-CDIOR

crazy4carrots

Interesting.  The yellow one would be splendid if only the net insert were NOT there!    Wasn't Givenchy Audrey Hepburn's favoured designer?

1Athena1

WR - I don't think I would wear the last one either - I don't really like the mouse grey over the colors. I don't think I would wear any of the couture pictures I posted - but I would wear the ready-to-wear ones.

ETA: I almost always prefer the ready-to-wear collections to the couture ones in most designers.

1Athena1

I don't know, Lindasa. Hepburn herself is probably everyone's favorite inspiration, though.

Ok, remember Galliano....Dior had really had it with him over the pro-Hitler comments. Apart from how awful those were, they had had a long, long run of him on more ways than one. Here is his couture - none of the garments wearable, but Galliano always loved a spectacle:

Designers say that fashion is an art, and that it deserves to be apprised as such:

Momine

I would wear that suit.

1Athena1

Fall/Winter 2002:

These, below, are from Galliano's SS 2003 couture Dior show - why people stopped taking fashion seriously for a long time, IMO. The British still do thisd - it annoys me no end:

Wabbit

Some of them hate women is all I can figure.  What's with the models?  Cold, hard and very unfeminine looking ... sticks with no hair, big ears, cold eyes and frowns.  Is that the latest thing for high fashion models?