Shallow Nation

President-Elect Barack Obama Speech Video, Photos 1-8-09 Economy

Shallow Nation — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:37:45 +0000

President-elect Barack Obama delivered a major speech on the U.S. economy and his economic recovery plan on January 8, 2009. See the video and photos of the speech and video of an interview Obama gave to John Harwood of CNBC on January 7, 2008.

In what is considered unusually high-profile action from a President-elect, Obama spoke at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, noting that “We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime, a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks,” as he outlined the troubling statistics of job losses and unemployment which may possibly get worse. “The unemployment rate could reach double digits. Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four.”

He urged Congress to act quickly to pass his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plans which provides for an extensive economic stimulus, as extensive as it is costly (with estimates running as high as $1.3 trillion). The alternative, he stated is the likelihood that “this recession could linger for years.”

He said he aimed to double the production of alternative energy within three years, a seemingly ambitious target; computerize all medical records in the country within five years, a move he said could save lives, money and jobs; modernize 75 percent of federal buildings and improve energy efficiency in 2 million homes; upgrade classrooms, libraries and laboratories in thousands of schools, and expand broadband access to rural areas .

Mr. Obama blamed the current economic morass — in particularly stark terms — on “an era of profound irresponsibility that stretched from corporate boardrooms to the halls of power in Washington.”

While Mr. Obama did not question the American capacity to recover or its potential for “future greatness,” he cautioned that “it will take time, perhaps many years.”

Source: Obama Presses for Action on the Economy

See also: Obama speech transcript January 8, 2009.

Speech video

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Barack Obama George W. Bush Former Presidents Luncheon Video, Photos 1-7-09

Shallow Nation — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:57:25 +0000

President George W. Bush hosted a luncheon at the White House uniting President-elect Barack Obama and all of the former living U.S. Presidents on January 7, 2009. See photos and video of the historic gathering of former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton which took place at Obama’s request.

It was the first such meeting of former Presidents since October 8, 1981 when Ronald Reagan was in the White House and summoned former Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford before they they all attended the funeral of assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

“We want you to succeed,” Bush told Obama as the group gathered for pictures in the Oval Office. “We care deeply about this country. And to the extent we can, we look forward to sharing our experiences with you.”

Obama thanked the president for playing host and the former presidents for sharing their knowledge.

“All the gentlemen here understand the pressures and possibilities of this office,” Obama said. “For me to have the opportunity to get the advice, good counsel and fellowship of these individuals is extraordinary and I’m very grateful.”

Source: Bush, Obama Gather With Former Presidents for Lunch

Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University in Houston, said the lunch was a “smart move” by Obama as he faces a devastated global economy, skyrocketing federal deficits and ongoing military conflicts overseas. The meeting also underscores the difference between the younger African American president-elect and his four white predecessors, he noted.

“Barack Obama can see that each of these presidents has a constituency of his own, and as he’s trying to unite the country, it serves him well to be seen with them and meet with them,” Brinkley said. “But it’s also a chance for him to look fresh and new.”

Source: Bush Hosts Once and Future Presidents at the White House

Photo credit: Getty Images North America

After the photo op in the Oval Office, Obama, Bush and the former Presidents met for a private 90 minute luncheon and conversation.

Here is video of the photo op.

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via NY Times The Caucus Blog: Presidents Past, Present and Future

Barack Obama George W. Bush Former Presidents Luncheon Video, Photos 1-7-09 pics pictures

Madonna Louis Vuitton Steven Meisel Photos Spring Summer 2009

Shallow Nation — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:02:06 +0000

Madonna appears in a provocative photo shoot by famed photographer Steven Meisel for Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2009 collection. See all six of the photos and video here. As is often the case with the Queen of Pop, the edgy, seductive photographs–whose setting appears to be a smoky French bistro, although they were shot in a Los Angeles restaurant–have drawn much attention and some criticism.

Madonna and Steven Meisel have a longtime collaboration which began with the photos he shoot for her infamous 1992 book Sex. So we should not be at all surprised that the superstar whose career has spanned decades continues to raise eyebrows with photos like these.

Antoine Arnault, Louis Vuitton’s communications director, said: “Madonna is glamorous. She has a global image. She’s the ultimate performer and businesswoman, and not someone who is just a famous singer. She has travelled. She has tried to change things.”

Marc Jacobs, creative director of the famed design house, discussed in an interview how the photo shoot came about. He saw the singer perform in concert in Paris and was impressed.

”I just blurted out, ‘I think we should do Madonna,’” he said. “I was totally just blown away by it, and moved by her performance, by what she had to say, and her energy.”

He sent her a text asking if she would be interested and the singer replied minutes later, saying: “I’d love to.” Jacobs described the campaign as “beautiful, gorgeous Madonna”.

Newly-divorced Madonna was reportedly paid $10 million for one day’s work but Arnault has denied the figure, saying the real fee was “very far away from that”

Source: Telegraph: Madonna in new Louis Vuitton advertising campaign Photo source: ohnotheydidn’t and Towleroad

Here is a video report of the photo shoot

Watch on YouTube.

Steven Meisel shot all of the photos in the historic, groundbreaking July 2008 Vogue Italia Black Models issue. You can see some of the photos here:

Madonna Louis Vuitton Steven Meisel Photos Spring Summer 2009 pics pictures

Beyonce L’Oreal Ad Glamour Magazine February 2009

Shallow Nation — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:55:24 +0000

Here is a new Beyonce L’Oreal print ad which will appear in Glamour Magazine, February 2009. See the ad along with recent video of the music superstar who has long been associated with the L’Oreal brand.

In contrast to the controversial print ad which appeared in Elle Magazine September 2008, Beyonce appears more naturalistic. The music superstar has had a longstanding contract with the cosmetics company dating back to 2001, as seen in this montage of images. For several more of these ads see Bossip: Beyonce 09 L’oreal Ad: Lighter???

Here is a recent 2008 Feria Hair Color Commercial by L’Oreal which features Beyonce and her sister Solange.

Beyonce’s recently released third studio album I Am…Sasha Fierce is now in stores and world tour kicks off in April.

Beyonce L’Oreal Ad Glamour February 2009 pics pictures

Brad Pitt W Magazine February 2009 Cover, Photos by Chuck Close

Shallow Nation — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:21:05 +0000

Brad Pitt is on the cover of W Magazine February 2009 A-List issue. He requested that legendary photographer Chuck Close shoot the cover photo and feature article photos. See the photos, recent video and article excerpts here.

“You can’t be the fair-haired young boy forever,” says Close, known for his superdetailed portraits that reveal every skin flaw. “Maybe a photograph of him with his crow’s-feet and furrowed brow is good for him.” (W Magazine: A-List: Brad Pitt)

Brad Pitt discussed a range of topics (even responding to remarks from Jenifer Anniston) in the feature article and interview by Kevin West. He talked about his challenging role as the title character in the Oscar buzzed, critically acclaimed movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, directed by David Fincher and based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald story of the same title. Cate Blanchett stars as his lifelong soulmate in the unusual story which chronicles the life of a man who is born elderly and ages backwards and begins in 1918 and ends in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina.

He recalls worrying that the central love story between his character and Blanchett’s might become “the ballad of codependency,” a tortured romance that he didn’t care to step into. In the end, however, after hashing out the project with Fincher and screenwriter Eric Roth, he viewed it as a more adult romance, in which both parties accept the consequences of their decisions.

“It’s not a classic love story in the sense of ‘And they live happily ever after,’” Pitt explains. “It’s two individuals who want to be with the other one instead of needing the other one to complete them. It was very important to us that each one was responsible for their choices.”

Brad Pitt who famously shot the W Magazine November 2008 Angelina Jolie breastfeeding photos and cover photo also spoke about his family life and the Jennifer-Brad-Angelina triangle which has been a persistent media topic.

In November Jennifer Aniston told a journalist that an earlier comment from Jolie—that she and Pitt fell in love on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and so the film “might mean something more than we’d earlier allowed ourselves to believe”—was “uncool,” because Aniston and Pitt were still married during filming. “Listen, man, Jen is a sweetheart,” Pitt says, as if to settle this thing once and for all. “I think she got dragged into that one, and then there’s a second round to all of that Angie versus Jen. It’s so created.” Of his current relationship with Aniston, he says, “We still check in with each other. She was a big part of my life, and me hers. I don’t see how there cannot be [that]. That’s life, man. That’s life.” […]

“What people don’t understand is that we filmed [Mr. & Mrs. Smith] for a year,” he explains. “We were still filming after Jen and I split up. Even then it doesn’t mean that there was some kind of dastardly affair. There wasn’t. I’m very proud of the way that it was handled. It was respectful. [The film] will mean something to our kids. It will, that’s all.”

Regarding witnessing President-elect Barack Obama’s historic election night victory speech in Grant Park, Chicago.

“It was just total jubilation,” recalls Pitt, animated by the memory. “It was the best rock concert that I’ve ever been to. Really. I could just feel it in the air. All the boulevards were closed afterward, and so we walked a half hour to the hotel. Everyone was just on a high.” Asked how he was able to walk undisturbed through the crowded streets (accompanied by Benjamin Button director David Fincher, one of the film’s makeup artists and Pitt’s assistant), the actor replies in an aw-shucks manner that evokes his small-town Missouri upbringing, “Man, nobody cared about us at that moment.”

Source: W Magazine: Brad Pitt Celebrities

Photo credit: Chuck Close/W Magazine Cover image source: Mark Pasetsky’s CoverAwards

Here is the Brad Pitt Today Show interview December 2, 2008 in which he discussed his Make It Right Foundation which helps families affected by Hurricane Katrina, his family, and the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

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Clint Eastwood ‘Gran Torino’ Music Video

Shallow Nation — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:02:42 +0000

Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood’s latest movie Gran Torino, has an official music video for its song of the same title, which was written and performed by British pop and jazz singer-musician Jamie Cullum. See the music video and photos from the movie here.

Cullum has received a Golden Globe award nomination for best song. The music video intersperses scenes from the movie with scenes of the singer performing the song.

Clint Eastwood produced, directed and stars in the critically acclaimed movie which was written by Nick Schenk (I Shot Myself) from a story by Dave Johannson. The Oscar buzzed movie marks the first onscreen appearance of the five-time Academy Award winning Hollywood icon who received an Oscar nomination for his performance in Million Dollar Baby, which he also directed and produced.

In Gran Torino Eastwood portrays Walt Kowalski, a widowed Korean War veteran who has longstanding prejudice against Asians. His prize possession is a 1972 Ford Gran Torino which local gang members in his Detroit neighborhood attempt to steal. In spite of his prejudice, he befriends the son of his Hmong immigrant neighbors and tries to keep him from joining the gang.

Here is the Jamie Cullum ‘Gran Torino’ music video.

Poster image source: FirstShowing.net Photo source: Gran Torino Trailer

Clint Eastwood ‘Gran Torino’ Music Video pics pictures

Littlebig Michael Jackson Video (Mashup)

Shallow Nation — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:41:41 +0000

Harold Vancol’s ‘Littlebig Michael Jackson’ is a clever mashup of two of the King of Pop’s classic music videos, “Beat It” and “Thriller” with MediaMolecule’s LittleBigPlanet video game. Sackboy makes for an entertaining, moonwalking Jackson.

To see the original music videos, visit the Official Michael Jackson YouTube channel.

Littlebig Michael Jackson YouTube Link

Video via DigitalSomething: Sackboys Can Moonwalk. Little Big Planet Meets Michael Jackson.

Littlebig Michael Jackson Video (Mashup)