Shallow Nation

Barack Obama, January 4, 2009 boards a millitary plane in route to his move to Hay Adams Hotel

President-elect Barack Obama delivered his weekly address via radio and YouTube on January 3, 2009. See the video and photos of Obama embarking upon his move to Washington DC.

In his address, Obama outlined his proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to create jobs in short-term and spur economic growth and competitiveness in the long-term. He warned against falling “into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem” and stressed that investments must be strategic investments that will benefit the economy in the future.

Barack Obama, January 4, 2009 boards a millitary plane in route to his move to Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC

President-elect Barack Obama with airport workers at Chicago Midway Airport, January 4, 2009

Obama acknowledged that the country faces serious economic challenges in the New Year as he noted that nearly two million people in the U.S. lost jobs in 2008 and millions more work harder in lesser paying jobs with fewer benefits out of necessity. He said,”For too many families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty as bills pile up, debts continue to mount and parents worry that their children won’t have the same opportunities they had.”

Reiterating his commitment to bipartisan solutions to economic problems he went on to say, ” the problems we face today are not Democratic problems or Republican problems. The dreams of putting a child through college, or staying in your home, or retiring with dignity and security know no boundaries of party or ideology.”

Barack Obama, January 4, 2009 boards a millitary plane in route to his move to Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC

Obama boards a military plane at Chicago Midway Airport January 4, 2009

He identified the problems as “American’s problems” and Americans must come together to solve them. He noted that Economists from across the political spectrum are in agreement that action must be swift and bold, otherwise, he said, [W]e could see a much deeper economic downturn that could lead to double digit unemployment and the American Dream slipping further and further out of reach.”

Barack Obama, January 4, 2009 boards a millitary plane in route to his move to Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC
Obama shakes hands with Air Force Colonel Scott Turner, his future pilot of Air Force One

Obama gave few details of the plan, which has yet to be released by his transition team but has been estimated to cost between $675 billion to $775 billion. He said its No. 1 priority was to create 3 million jobs — more than 80 percent of them in the private sector. […]

Barack Obama, January 4, 2009 on board a millitary plane in route to his move to Hay Adams Hotel

Obama speaks with reporters on board the military plane en route to Washington, DC

Democrats, who have a majority in Congress, want the economic stimulus to include tax relief for the middle class and spending on schools, roads and other infrastructure. States, which increasingly are having difficulties paying health-care costs for the poor, also would get federal money.

But Republicans on Capitol Hill have been warning that the economic recovery package should not spend too much on government-funded projects and should not be rushed through Congress without adequate review.

Republicans have said they would not rubber-stamp a huge spending plan.

Source: Obama urges parties to work together on economy

Photo credit: Getty Images North America, Reuters See more photos on Obama-Biden Flickr

Hay-Adams Hotel, Washington, DC

Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, DC

The President-elect and his family moved to Washington, DC on January 4, 2008 take up temporary residence at the historic Hay-Adams Hotel which is within view of the White House. As part of the Presidential transition, Obama has numerous meetings scheduled in the upcoming week including a meeting with President Bush and all living former presidents and a meeting with congressional leaders.

YouTube Link

See also: Weekly Address Transcript 1-3-09 via Change.gov

Related posts:

President-Elect Barack Obama Weekly Address Video, Photos 1-3-09

Johnny Depp Entertainment Weekly cover January 9, 2009

Johnny Depp is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, January 9, 2009 issue. See the cover and the first photos interview excerpts and video of the actor who portrays John Dillinger, the larger than life Great Depression Era bank robber, in the movie Public Enemies set for release July 1, 2009.

The movie is directed by Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider) and costars Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) as the federal agent Melvin Purvis who pursued Dillinger. It is based on the book Enemies by Bryan Burrough, which chronicles the early beginnings of the FBI and agent Melvin Purvis’ unrelenting pursuit of Dillinger which culminated in Dillinger’s death in a shootout in 1934 in front of the Biograph Theater in Chicago.

Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009)

Depp revealed that his grandfather ran moonshine in Kentucky during Prohibition and this helped him identify with Dillinger in a humane, admiring way.

”Dillinger was one of those guys, like Charlie Chaplin and Evel Knievel, that I was fascinated with at a young age,” says Depp. ”And because of my grandfather, the character was pretty easy for me to connect to. In a way, this movie was a salute to him.” […]

[T]he film’s themes couldn’t be more timely: Dillinger was sticking up banks at a time when people weren’t exactly rooting for the banks. As a result, he became something larger than life—a rock star with a tommy gun. ”Some people might disagree, but I think he was a real-life Robin Hood,” says Depp, who just finished playing the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, due 2010. ”I mean, the guy wasn’t completely altruistic, but he went out of his way not to kill anybody. He definitely gave a lot of that money away. I love the guy.”

Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009)

Director Michael Mann shares Depp’s fascination with Dillinger’s mystique.

Mann shot on the actual locations where Dillinger and Purvis made headlines, because, he says, ”when your hand touches the same doorknob Dillinger’s did, it starts to talk to you.” The director even managed to get his hands on a still-preserved suitcase left behind by Dillinger after one of his narrow getaways. ”All of the dress shirts were still folded perfectly,” says Depp. ”It was a real insight into the guy. Because everything was ready to go at a moment’s notice. It was just economical and beautiful.”

Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009)

Depp even got to wear the pair of pants that Dillinger had on when he was finally caught and riddled with bullets. ”It was amazing,” he says. ”And—get this—we’re the same size!”

Source: Entertainment Weekly Cover image source: Mark Pasetsky’s CoverAwards

The online EW.com magazine also has photos from 11 other forthcoming 2009 movies including Terminator Salvation.

Here is video of an interview with Johnny Depp from August 2008 when he performed live with his band The Kids at of the Sheila Witkin Memorial Reunion Concert at Club Cinema on August 29, 2008 in Pompano Beach, Florida.

YouTube Links:

Star Trek 2009 First Photos, Entertainment Weekly Cover October 24, 2008

Johnny Depp ‘Public Enemies’ Entertainment Weekly Cover, Photos January 9, 2009

Sean Diddy Combs stars in “Ciroc Home Movie” a three minute mini-movie for his Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka “Art of Celebration” ad campaign which pays homage to Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. It is an extended version of Diddy’s original Ciroc Rat Pack commercial which launched the campaign in October 2008, which used Sinatra’s classic “Come Fly with Me” as background music and was shot on location at one of Sinatra’s former California homes. Sinatra, along with Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop were members of the original Rat Pack.

Regarding the campaign, Diddy said.

“Frank Sinatra is one of my heroes. It was truly an honor to have had the opportunity to use Sinatra’s work and home for this campaign. He defined sophisticated celebration as a lifestyle a generation ago. I couldn’t imagine a spirit more appropriate for such occasions today than CIROC, a brand that has become synonymous with celebration.”

Source: Diddy and CIROC Vodka Pay Homage to Sinatra in New Ad Campaign

Partnering with Ciroc and the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, Diddy offered free taxi rides on New Year’s Eve in New York City, with a street team distributing $15 debit cards good for cab fares to partygoers on Manhattan streets between 11pm and 3am. “New York is the most iconic New Year’s Eve city. Let’s show everyone a holiday celebration doesn’t end on the stroke of midnight, but when everyone gets home safely,” he said.

YouTube Link

Via WoooHa.com: Video: Diddy’s Ciroc Vodka mini-movie