Yup, they have no relation AT ALL to sasha and malia obama

Why would you think that? Ty Inc., creator of the Beanie Babies, just happened to pick those names, since they are "beautiful." Here, let the flack sort this out for you:"There's nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls," Lundeen said. "It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls. They are not."

Dan Akroyd's Irwin Mainway couldn't have said it any better himself. We're certain Ty Inc. will patiently deny that these "TyGirlz Collection" dolls are at all related to the Obama family as many times as it takes, in front of as many reporters and cameras as necessary, possibly thousands upon thousands of times. For the sake of accuracy, of course, so that no one gets the impression these are OBAMA FAMILY DOLLS, despite the remarkable similarity. Since that's not what these are. Not SASHA AND MALIA OBAMA in doll form. Nope.

Photograher says Mugabe's wife punched him

HONG KONG – A British photographer said Sunday that the wife ofZimbabwean President Robert Mugabe punched him repeatedly in the face after he tried to take pictures of her near a luxury hotel in Hong Kong.

Richard Jones told The Associated Press that Grace Mugabe, 43, ordered a bodyguard to hold him down and then attacked him herself on Thursday near the Shangri-La hotel on Hong Kong's Kowloon peninsula.

"She directed several punches into my face," Jones said. "She was wearing diamond-encrusted rings, which caused a lot of lacerations."

Jones, 42, from Machen in South Wales, was on a freelance assignment for London's The Sunday Times.

He said he suffered at least 10 cuts to his face but did not require hospitalization.

"She was screaming, completely crazy," The Sunday Times quoted a witness, Austrian tourist Werner Zapletal, as saying in a report Sunday.

Police spokeswoman Odelia Tam said police are investigating the alleged attack but have not made any arrests. She said she did not know the identity of the alleged attacker.

Calls seeking comment Sunday from the Zimbabwean embassy in Beijing went unanswered.

The Sunday Times condemned the attack.

"We take very seriously the freedom of journalists to operate abiding by the law in Hong Kong and we look to the Hong Kong authorities to uphold those rights at all times," said Michael Sheridan, the paper's Far East correspondent.

Zimbabwe's first lady was vacationing in Hong Kong and visiting her daughter Bona, who is studying in the Chinese-ruled former British colony, The Sunday Times said.

Grace Mugabe has left Hong Kong since the alleged attack, the report said.

Sheridan said he and Jones had been staking out the Shangri-La on Thursday, where Mugabe was believed to be staying.

Sheridan told the AP he approached Mugabe in the lobby of the Shangri-La shortly before the alleged attack, but a female companion denied her identity.

About 10 minutes later, he found Jones nearby "with his face streaming blood."

Sheridan said The Sunday Times wanted to "draw a contrast between her lifestyle and the plight of the people in Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe is suffering from a cholera crisis that has killed 2,200 people and an economic meltdown that has seen inflation officially put at 231 million percent.

Despite the country's political and economic difficulties, Grace Mugabe went ahead with a vacation in Asia, spending time in the Malaysian island resort Langkawi and Singapore before arriving in Hong Kong, The Sunday Times said. Robert Mugabe joined his wife in Singapore for a few days, the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, the country's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, returned home Saturday for talks Monday with Robert Mugabe about a power-sharing agreement that was reached in September but never implemented.

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classy. now compare her to michelle obama.

our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,

gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

- Marianne Williams, a return to love

adam and eve is all in your head.

or not.

who knows how man came about? science or religion?

i prefer science

but i won't change the minds of people who believe in religion.

we believe in what we believe in.

The best friggin job in the world

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pooland golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.

"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."

Lucas said the campaign was part of a drive to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.

"Traditional tourism advertising just doesn't cut it sometimes and we are thinking outside the box by launching this campaign."

Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.

"I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won't want to go home at the end of the six months," she said.

"This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone."

Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.

Job-seekers can apply on islandreefjob.com.

well, that´s true

i think i have found my quote

one step at a time

sometimes i wish that fate and destiny were real. so that everything i do will lead up to where i'm supposed to be. and i won't have to work so damn hard for it.

the winning streak

it's 2009

and people say you should start out with resolutions.

i never really keep em.

but i've had a great year in 2008.

just living life.

so i might as well keep the winning streak.

things were good. not all good. but pretty damn good.

i graduated. whoop-de-doo.

fell madly, deeply, head over heels in love. with edward cullen. just kidding. baptiste, of course.

i backpacked and saw the world. (or just asia. but still. it was more fun than i could have imagined)

turned 21. legal age. i can legally marry without my parents' consent, as the Family Code says. hardiharhar.

i had epiphanies and wake-up calls.

got into law school. (although that might be more bad than good. jury's still out)

joined the ateneo human rights center.

passed my first semester of law school.

it had its downsides.

lost karl to dengue (my immersion kid) and lola jenny. r.i.p.

and other personal stuff.

but no regrets.

i'll keep my resolutions simple.

1. be zen.

law school has the nasty habit of stressing me out, putting me on edge, teaching me arrogance. 

i don't want to be a lawyer to push people down just to claw my way to the top.

i'd like a life that's calm, that helps, that has dignity and integrity.

Woman: But where does your money come from? Who gives it to you?

Little girl: The world.

--34th St Subway Station

2. enjoy the little things in life.

i like getting excited over fast food, cute kids, a good book, great conversation, that one particular song, a cool website, friends, laughter, a soft bed, me time. you know, the little things people overlook.

the unsung heroes of life.

they win over flash every time.

College girl: When we get back to the dorm, let's eat a bunch of stupid snacks.

College guy: Yeah, not smart snacks like Nurti-Grain bars, but stupid snacks like Pop-Tarts and Easy Mac.

College girl: Sooo stupid.

--110th & Lexington

3. stay in love.

not just with baptiste. with people. with family. with friends. with life.

no holds barred, crazy person, defend to the death kinda love.

it's the sedate people who have no fun.

Guy on cell: I love you...(defensively) Yes I do!

--Columbus Circle

4. cherish my friends and be nice to people in general.

there are friends i will keep for life that i've had for a while, some i've had for only a few years, others i've only just met. there are friends i'm waiting to meet.

but all have that feeling that you've known them forever.

they get you and your weird sense of humor. 

that's how special they are.

so you keep em forever.

Bus driver: Good morning passengers! You may have heard recently that bus drivers have been put on a diet to make them nicer and more helpful. Now this doctor has told me, "No more bacon and eggs, but a nice bowl of oatmeal. Oh, and lots of water, fruit. And instead of stopping for some pork fried rice in the afternoon, with chicken wings, a nice piece of flounder, maybe with some butter and herbs." Now it's been 15 days, and I am so much more polite to passengers, saying "Good morning. How do you do?" I'm even nicer to mama when she gets home. Helpin' her with her carriage and bags; lowering the bus for people at the curb. So I just want to thank you and let you know to bear with me for another 15 days. Thank you and have a nice day.

--B61 Bus

5. me-time.

not enough to keep me sane.

more this year.

a sigh isn't just a sigh. 

we inhale the world and breathe out meaning.

while we can.

-salman rushdie

happy new years, everyone.