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<p>HONOLULU (AP) - On these sun-bathed shores, Barack Obama was born and spent his formative years, soaking in an island sensibility that his wife and friends say is indispensable to understanding who he is as president. Yet in the search for a home for his future presidential library, Hawaii has become the underdog, stuck in Chicago's perpetual shadow.</p>

Yes, the Republican National Committee WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus and RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day released the following statement commemorating Kwanzaa: “I want to extend my best wishes to all who are celebrating Kwanzaa,” said Chairman Priebus. “For families coming together to mark the occasion, I hope it is a joyous time of celebration with loved ones–and a time of meaningful reflection ahead of the New Year.” “From December 26 through January 1, many families will take time to celebrate African culture and history. Kwanzaa is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to honor the...

HONOLULU — He won’t use it, and he didn’t actually sign up for it himself, but President Barack Obama has enrolled for health coverage through the new insurance exchanges. Announcing his enrollment Monday, the White House called it a symbolic show of Obama’s support for the fledgling exchanges where millions of Americans must buy insurance or face a penalty. Ironically, it also served as a reminder of just how complex and sometimes daunting the process can be. Obama, like so many other Americans, couldn’t use the website. “The complicated nature of the president’s case required an in-person sign-up,” the White...

Watch the epic, century-spanning saga of Alex Haley’s family with Roots, Roots: The Gift and Alex Haley's Queen this holiday on BET. Roots tells the story of the journey of Alex Haley’s family from Africa to America, from slavery to freedom. An incredible cast, which includes Cicely Tyson, John Amos, Maya Angelou and LeVar Burton, helps make Roots a must-see event for any generation.

Obama's identity could not be verified in government database when they tried to sign him up for Obamacare. Via TIME: . . . The aide added that Obama only signed himself up, and not the rest of the First Family. Obama also did not enroll through the troubled Healthcare.gov or the D.C. exchange’s website. Aides signed him up in person over the weekend, due to the “complicated nature of the President’s case,” the White House aide said. Some of Obama’s personal information is not readily accessible on the government databases used by the website for identity verification.  Obama's personal info is...

The obligatory follow-up to Ed’s post earlier. When they said O was planning to enroll today, I thought they meant he’d take a break from the links for half an hour to punch in his info on the D.C. exchange website. Upon reflection, though, that was silly. Of course the president’s not going to entrust his vital info to one of these tinpot online exchanges. He knows better than anyone how vulnerable they are; the one he built himself was so grotesquely flawed, his own security team wouldn’t sign off on it. Special procedures would be needed. I think it’s...

President Barack Obama symbolically enrolled in a new health insurance exchange created by the Affordable Care Act over the weekend, a White House aide said Monday. [Snip] But Obama’s move is only symbolic, because as president he receives coverage from military physicians of the White House Medical Unit. [Snip] The President selected a bronze plan.” The aide added that Obama only signed himself up, and not the rest of the First Family. Obama also did not enroll through the troubled Healthcare.gov or the D.C. exchange’s website. Aides signed him up in person over the weekend, due to the “complicated nature...

From 60 Minutes last night: Susan Rice: Lesley, it’s been worth what we’ve done to protect the United States. And the fact that we have not had a successful attack on our homeland since 9/11 should not be diminished. But that does not mean that everything we’re doing as of the present ought to be done the same way in the future.

ou can't make things like this up, but this unnamed man apparently did. From AP via My Way News (12/11/2013): Mandela ceremony interpreter called a 'fake' JOHANNESBURG (AP) - A man who provided sign language interpretation on stage for Nelson Mandela's memorial service, attended by scores of heads of state, was a "fake," the national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa said on Tuesday. Asked about the claim by The Associated Press, South Africa's government said it was preparing a statement. Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages....

I'm sure Christiane Amanpour thought these words during the CNN broadcast of Mandela's memorial were about as brilliant as they come.It says this is a moment of re reconciliation for Mandela. And President Obama is doing the diplomatic thing. He's not just going to walk by and ignore these people who are there....This is a man (Mandela), it is so true, who brought people together in life and he continues to bring people together today. He continues to bring people together in death. Really though, one has to wonder which...man...is bringing all these leftist/communist kindred spirits together...

Former CBS Evening News Anchor Dan Rather, despite being fired as a result of the bogus story, continues to maintain that he got it right in September 2004 when he aired forged documents concerning George W. Bush’s record with the Air National Guard. On CNN’s Piers Morgan Live Monday, Rather said, “No question the story was true” (video follows with transcript and commentary): [video] PIERS MORGAN, HOST: Let's turn quickly to what’s been going on at CBS, your old network. Your former colleague, Lara Logan, on leave of absence over this report from Benghazi. Many people believe there’s a slight...

A New Jersey waitress who raked in thousands in donations after claiming a couple didn’t tip her because she’s gay was fired from her job on Saturday. Dayna Morales, 22, was finally canned from Gallop Asian Bistro in Bridgewater—nearly a month after she made national headlines over what’s likely a hoax. … Acquaintances say Morales—who was dishonorably discharged from the military—has a history of fibbing and at one point pretended she had terminal cancer. …

The New Jersey waitress whose story was questioned after she claimed she received an anti-gay note instead of a tip is now out of a job. The Gallop Asian Bistro said Saturday that Dayna Morales will no longer be working there. On its Facebook page, the restaurant said it was a "joint decision" with Morales that she move on. "This has been an unfortunate incident for Gallop Asian Bistro, our employees, and our customers," the post said.

Trust: We know ObamaCare was sold on a lie, but what about the Obama presidency itself? Rumors that Obama's violent leftist pal Bill Ayers ghostwrote the memoir that launched his political career may actually be true. Obama has always claimed authorship of his bestselling "Dreams From My Father." But Ayers is telling a different story. In promoting his new book, "Public Enemy," Ayers' publisher, Beacon Press, has written a blurb on Amazon.com that says Ayers "finally 'confesses' that he did write 'Dreams From My Father.'"

True story. A couple of years back, I was walking home at night on North Capitol Street here in Washington, D.C., when two dudes randomly assaulted me before running away without stealing anything. At the time, I didn't think it was all that strange—I've lived in urban areas all my life, and plenty of people I know have been victims of anonymous street crime.

When I saw the story the other day about the lesbian waitress who was stiffed for a tip by a couple of customers who disapproved of her homosexuality, I thought it was awful, but I held off on commenting because something didn’t seem quite right about it. Good thing that I did, because it was almost certainly a despicable hoax: [see link]

Annie Dookhan, who was a state chemist for Massachusetts, pleaded guilty Friday and will serve three to five years in prison. As many as 350 people have already been released from jail as a result of her wrongdoing. The Boston Globe suggested that a humble background left Dookhan with a big need to prove herself. "A petite 4 feet 11 inches and a native of Trinidad, Dookhan appeared determined even as a young immigrant girl to outrun expectations and the perceived anonymity of her circumstances," the Globe wrote in February. "Notably intelligent, 'Little Annie' Dookhan was going to make sure...

This is one of the best videos of Historical Photos.

Explore the world’s new coastlines if sea level rises 216 feet.The maps here show the world as it is now, with only one difference: All the ice on land has melted and drained into the sea, raising it 216 feet and creating new shorelines for our continents and inland seas. There are more than five million cubic miles of ice on Earth, and some scientists say it would take more than 5,000 years to melt it all. If we continue adding carbon to the atmosphere, we’ll very likely create an ice-free planet, with an average temperature of perhaps 80 degrees...

Dan Rather excluded from CBS' anniversary coverage of Kennedy assassination Published: November 5, 2013 1:57 PM By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The 50th-anniversary coverage of the Kennedy assassination on CBS News won't include the recollections of its longtime anchor Dan Rather, further proof of the lingering bitterness following Rather's messy exit and subsequent lawsuit against the network. Rather helped organize CBS' plans for President John F. Kennedy's visit to Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and as a young reporter was a key component of assassination coverage. Now 82, with his own show on AXS-TV, he's one of the few reporters on...