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Monday, June 20, 2011
A year ago on Unclutterer
2010 Once again, write in books that aren’t yoursAvery now makes clear sticky notes. Let there be dancing in the streets! You are not your stuffI was recently captivated by the article “The mess he made: A life-long slob decides it’s time to get organized” by Michael Rosenwald in the June 7 issue of The [...]
Sunday, June 19, 2011
FACT SHEET: 21st-Century Communications for our First Responders
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
Click HERE to read the full reportannounced today by Vice President Biden on how The President’s Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative can facilitate the transition to a next generation, interoperable system.
The limitations of current public safety communications systems became tragically apparent on 9/11 and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. [1] In those critical moments, law enforcement, firefighters, and other public safety officers could not talk to each other, putting the lives and mission of our first responders at risk. Almost ten years after 9/11, our system of public safety communications remains outdated, both from a performance and cost-effectiveness standpoint. Traditional public safety devices and networks trail well behind those provided by modern commercial cellular operators. Consequently, public safety is unable to take advantage of the sorts of innovative applications that many teenagers now take for granted.
With the ongoing rollout of the latest line of commercial wireless standards, there is anopportunity to develop and deploy a nationwide and interoperable wireless broadband network for our first responders. With such a network in place, public safety will be able to welcome commercial developers of smartphones, tablets, and apps to connect to and compete within a unified public safety market. And once developed appropriately, first responders will both be able to benefit from advanced wireless broadband technologies and, eventually, replace their high-cost, legacy communications infrastructure and devices.
To facilitate the development and deployment of a nationwide high speed wireless network for public safety, the President’s Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative will enable public safety agencies to transition away from the traditional, fragmented world of public safety communications to a next generation system. This initiative will provide first responders with a network that offers far greater levels of interoperability and effectiveness than they possess today, ultimately saving billions of dollars by enabling public safety to benefit from the competition and innovation that major commercial enterprises already enjoy.
Benefits of a Nationwide Wireless Network For Public Safety Communications
- A fully interoperable nationwide network:The nationwide network for public safety would provide interoperability for all first responders, preventing tragic failures of communication and coordination, reducing risks for first responders and the public.
- Saving resources through a coordinated system for public safety communications: Today’s communication systems are not only outdated compared with more modern networks and devices, but they are split across thousands of Federal, State, and local jurisdictions that each pay maintenance and upkeep. The Department of Homeland Security alone spends around $1 billion on public safety communications and interoperability. A nationwide network will align today’s fragmented system, saving money while bringing capabilities into the 21st Century.
- Unlocking the potential of commercial devices and infrastructure for public safety :Traditional public safety systems cost up to 10 times more than the same commercial device. A nationwide network will allow commercial developers of smartphones, tablets, and mobile networks and apps to connect a broad, unified market for public safety communications. According to the Congressional Research Service, participation by commercial carriers could drive down the cost of public safety radios from $4,000-$6,000 per unit, the price today, to $500 (or the cost of a smart phone). A 2010 FCC analysis found that leveraging available commercial systems could save considerably on capital expenditures compared with the existing, fragmented public safety communications infrastructure.
- Providing better performance and cost effectiveness through innovation: Participation in a broader market, based on open standards, will also allow public safety to pick and choose the best technology from many more competing firms. This will spur competition and innovation to produce applications that improve safety and situational awareness, identification, and emergency health care.
- Enhancing the public safety mission: Developing and deploying a hardened, reliable public safety broadband network will put new and important tools in the hands of first responders. For example, first responders could use smartphones or other mobile devices to capture license plate information, quickly verify fingerprints and identity, link to multiple existing databases instantly, or transmit video and data from the scenes of accidents or emergencies.
Background On The President’s Wireless Initiative
The President’s Wireless Initiative pays for itself and would reduce the deficit by enabling more efficient use of wireless spectrum and freeing up spectrum for auction to the highest bidder. In total, this effort would drive investment and innovation and generate $28 billion in auction revenue. After using some of the proceeds from spectrum auctions to reduce the deficit, the Initiative proposes four areas of investment to spur innovation in next generation wireless technologies for public safety:
- An investment in a nationwide wireless network for public safety communications based on 4G technology.
- Rollout of 4G services to at least 98% of the population.
- Reallocate the D Block – a key band of spectrum in the 700 megahertz range – to public safety.
- Creation of a Wireless Innovation Fund that, among other things, would support $500 million in research to meet the communications requirements of public safety.
[1] The 9-11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (July 22, 2004), available at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/Index.html; “The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned” (Feb. 2006), available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned.pdf.
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A year ago on Unclutterer
2010 ‘Self-control is an exhaustible resource’Psychologists have discovered that self-control is an exhaustible resource. The art of being stillPerformance artist Marina Abramovi? recently completed a two-and-a-half month exhibition named ?The Artist is Present? at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Uncluttering the most troubled area of your home or officeFor most people, the [...]
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A family of 3 in 320 square feet
Small living comes with many benefits, and Debra, Gary and their son explain how it works for them in this video of their 320 square foot home.
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Seinfeld's 'God-awful' game show finally arrives in Britain
It crashed and burned in the US but surely Geri Halliwell and co can work their magic on The Marriage Ref here
What do you think when you cast your eye over Britain's television schedules? Silly question. You think: "There's a terrible lack of satirical panel shows involving a mixture of comedians and celebrities. For how much longer will the doughty British public be forced to endure this scarcely bearable satirical panel show drought?" Wonder no more, for ITV has commissioned a British version of The Marriage Ref, a US satirical panel show involving a mixture of comedians and celebrities that furthermore contains a hint of the reality show: I know, I know, thank God some brave soul among the serried ranks of television executives has seen sense and spoken out to rectify the agonising paucity of reality shows on our screens. The comedians and celebrities deliver relationship advice to a warring real-life couple, before a referee decides which partner is right.
In the US, the show is executive produced by Jerry Seinfeld. "Because he's so famous and respected," explained one gossip magazine, "Seinfeld managed to get an amazing bunch of A-listers to be on the show, including Madonna, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Larry David." It wasn't enough to stop the show being described as "painfully bad" and "God-awful" and losing 10 million viewers over the course of its first season. But, ever the patriot, Lost in Showbiz is confident that nothing along those lines will come to pass here, not least because it has learned that the stellar list of American names dims considerably when set against the British remake. "Among the guests lined up for the ITV1 versions," offers the gossip mag, "are Geri Halliwell, James Corden and Jimmy Carr." With a strangled cry of "THEY'VE GOT HALLIWELL?", Lost In Showbiz raises a toast to its inevitable success, frowns at anyone silently mouthing the word "bathos" and whispers of a dream so fanciful it dare not speak it aloud: fingers crossed they've got Keith Lemon on board as well!
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My Financial Roadmap and Making Course Corrections
This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and raising children at Childwild.com. One of the hazards of blogging is that you can’t always be right. When you’re wrong, you get to be wrong in front of a lot of people. Which can be embarrassing — but also a [...]
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Glastonbury's radical roots will return, says Michael Eavis
Founder laments high ticket prices and loss of soul, but activism is back on the bill ? and there's a protest against U2
Beyonc� might be headlining, but Glastonbury is set to become a "sounding board of political discontent" this week, according to the founder of the Somerset festival, who believes public anger against the government spending cuts is reviving a sense of the event's political roots.
Michael Eavis, who launched the first Glastonbury festival 41 years ago and recently lamented the appearance of the Wombles in this year's line-up, said that in future years ? once the effects of the cuts are fully felt ? increased public anger could reverse what he sees as a disappointing trend of apathy:
"I think it [the festival] could well become more political. We've always been a sounding board for lots of unrest? If people are really faced with dire circumstances, that will get them angry and motivated, and that's the way we're heading at the moment.
"It [politics] gives Glastonbury soul and gives it back its purpose. As a Methodist, I place these values very highly, and recently I've been lamenting a bit of a decline. Tickets are good value, but not everyone can afford them. I hate to admit it, but the political platform has been reducing. The overriding reason people come now is to have a good time."
Art Uncut, a branch of the anti-tax avoidance campaign UK Uncut, says it intends to target Bono, lead singer of U2, who are the festival's Friday night headliners. The protesters will highlight the band's 2006 decision to move their tax affairs from their native Ireland to the Netherlands. Art Uncut plans a series of actions at Glastonbury, although it says it will stop short of disrupting the set.
Meanwhile, other new-wave campaigning groups ? including Climate Camp, 38 Degrees and False Economy ? are also expected to attend the festival. Political comedian Mark Thomas will be headlining on the cabaret stage and a "free university" will be set up in a green space to discuss books and political writing.
"Politics isn't annexed out in one corner; it's right there on the main stage, in your face," says Geoff Martin, head of the radical Left Field section of the festival that organises political events. "Since the bankers' crisis, the festival has become more political? teachers, social workers and health professionals are a big chunk of the Glastonbury audience who come here. That's why a lot of work we're doing is tailored to the cuts."
Relatively new campaigning groups such as UK Uncut will be joining traditional political attendees at the festival, including trade unions, as well as anti-nuclear, green and grassroots groups. Seminars in the Left Field will be addressing the impact of the cuts on the vulnerable, and how new campaigning groups are using social media. In a symbol of the festival's political resurgence, the event's old 18th century-style political newspaper, the Glastonbury Firelighter, will be resurrected after having died out in the more hedonistic 1990s.
Glastonbury has always been political with a small "p", and continues its tradition of no corporate sponsorship. Water Aid, Oxfam and Greenpeace are still the only banners you can see broadcast from the main Pyramid stage.
Green politics has always featured particularly strongly at the festival, which is held at Worthy Farm. Tony Benn, Caroline Lucas, War on Want, anti-nuclear and grassroots groups will all be out in force this year in the festival's "Green Field". Liz Elliott, long-standing co-ordinator of green events, said: "I was disappointed by the apathy of the 1990s, but there is certainly a huge turning back. People are more prepared to stand up and state their case. A generation of children has been educated about climate change and the state of the world so they've got the facts. Glastonbury is becoming more political as the world becomes more political."
Mark Thomas disagrees. Although he is set to deliver his two-hour show on the Israel-Palestine conflict on the mainstream cabaret stage ? rather than in the more niche Left Field ? he thinks Glastonbury is not so much becoming more political, as more elitist: "How can you say Glastonbury is getting more political when you've got U2 as one of your main headline acts? How can that be political? I don't see the frontiers of the revolution being pushed forward with that kind of line-up."
Although Thomas acknowledges that upcoming comedians are becoming increasingly political ? celebrating the likes of Josie Long, Chris Coltrane and Tiernan Douieb ? he thinks the festival has lost some of its sparkle in the 20 years he's been attending.
"Glastonbury has gone from being a weird, obscure little haunt for oddballs to a major credit card-holding event. Middle class twentysomethings from south London are bringing their collapsible chairs. The fact is I'm doing a show about a wall around the West Bank in a festival with a massive fence around it? it's very expensive."
But one young political activist involved in UK Uncut, who didn't want to be named or give any further details of the planned direct action against Bono, said Glastonbury was the perfect place to practise the new forms of activism: "The banking crisis saw a huge transfer of wealth upwards and now we're seeing the delayed popular response to that. As the government starts cutting, you're seeing the politicisation of a generation of young people ? that's being reflected in music festivals."
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Notice from the President on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Belarus
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
NOTICE
- - - - - - - - - -
CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE ACTIONS AND POLICIES OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS AND OTHER PERSONS TO UNDERMINE BELARUS DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES OR INSTITUTIONS
On June 16, 2006, by Executive Order 13405, the President declared a national emergency and ordered related measures blocking the property of certain persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Belarus, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706). The President took this action to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus and other persons to undermine Belarus democratic processes or institutions; to commit human rights abuses related to political repression, including detentions and disappearances; and to engage in public corruption, including by diverting or misusing Belarusian public assets or by misusing public authority.
The flawed December 2010 Presidential election in Belarus and its aftermath -- the harsh violence against peaceful demonstrators; the continuing detention, prosecution, and imprisonment of opposition Presidential candidates and others; and the continuing repression of independent media and civil society activists -- all show that the Government of Belarus has taken steps backward in the development of democratic governance and respect for human rights.
The actions and policies of the Government of Belarus and other persons continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. Accordingly, the national emergency declared on June 16, 2006, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 16, 2011. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13405.
This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 14, 2011.
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Risks That Can Derail Your Retirement
This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool?s Rule Your Retirement service. He also has a blog, Twittering thing. Robert contributes one new article to Get Rich Slowly every two weeks. We financial planners and financial writers love [...]
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FACT SHEET: 21st-Century Communications for our First Responders
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
Click HERE to read the full reportannounced today by Vice President Biden on how The President’s Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative can facilitate the transition to a next generation, interoperable system.
The limitations of current public safety communications systems became tragically apparent on 9/11 and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. [1] In those critical moments, law enforcement, firefighters, and other public safety officers could not talk to each other, putting the lives and mission of our first responders at risk. Almost ten years after 9/11, our system of public safety communications remains outdated, both from a performance and cost-effectiveness standpoint. Traditional public safety devices and networks trail well behind those provided by modern commercial cellular operators. Consequently, public safety is unable to take advantage of the sorts of innovative applications that many teenagers now take for granted.
With the ongoing rollout of the latest line of commercial wireless standards, there is anopportunity to develop and deploy a nationwide and interoperable wireless broadband network for our first responders. With such a network in place, public safety will be able to welcome commercial developers of smartphones, tablets, and apps to connect to and compete within a unified public safety market. And once developed appropriately, first responders will both be able to benefit from advanced wireless broadband technologies and, eventually, replace their high-cost, legacy communications infrastructure and devices.
To facilitate the development and deployment of a nationwide high speed wireless network for public safety, the President’s Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative will enable public safety agencies to transition away from the traditional, fragmented world of public safety communications to a next generation system. This initiative will provide first responders with a network that offers far greater levels of interoperability and effectiveness than they possess today, ultimately saving billions of dollars by enabling public safety to benefit from the competition and innovation that major commercial enterprises already enjoy.
Benefits of a Nationwide Wireless Network For Public Safety Communications
- A fully interoperable nationwide network:The nationwide network for public safety would provide interoperability for all first responders, preventing tragic failures of communication and coordination, reducing risks for first responders and the public.
- Saving resources through a coordinated system for public safety communications: Today’s communication systems are not only outdated compared with more modern networks and devices, but they are split across thousands of Federal, State, and local jurisdictions that each pay maintenance and upkeep. The Department of Homeland Security alone spends around $1 billion on public safety communications and interoperability. A nationwide network will align today’s fragmented system, saving money while bringing capabilities into the 21st Century.
- Unlocking the potential of commercial devices and infrastructure for public safety :Traditional public safety systems cost up to 10 times more than the same commercial device. A nationwide network will allow commercial developers of smartphones, tablets, and mobile networks and apps to connect a broad, unified market for public safety communications. According to the Congressional Research Service, participation by commercial carriers could drive down the cost of public safety radios from $4,000-$6,000 per unit, the price today, to $500 (or the cost of a smart phone). A 2010 FCC analysis found that leveraging available commercial systems could save considerably on capital expenditures compared with the existing, fragmented public safety communications infrastructure.
- Providing better performance and cost effectiveness through innovation: Participation in a broader market, based on open standards, will also allow public safety to pick and choose the best technology from many more competing firms. This will spur competition and innovation to produce applications that improve safety and situational awareness, identification, and emergency health care.
- Enhancing the public safety mission: Developing and deploying a hardened, reliable public safety broadband network will put new and important tools in the hands of first responders. For example, first responders could use smartphones or other mobile devices to capture license plate information, quickly verify fingerprints and identity, link to multiple existing databases instantly, or transmit video and data from the scenes of accidents or emergencies.
Background On The President’s Wireless Initiative
The President’s Wireless Initiative pays for itself and would reduce the deficit by enabling more efficient use of wireless spectrum and freeing up spectrum for auction to the highest bidder. In total, this effort would drive investment and innovation and generate $28 billion in auction revenue. After using some of the proceeds from spectrum auctions to reduce the deficit, the Initiative proposes four areas of investment to spur innovation in next generation wireless technologies for public safety:
- An investment in a nationwide wireless network for public safety communications based on 4G technology.
- Rollout of 4G services to at least 98% of the population.
- Reallocate the D Block – a key band of spectrum in the 700 megahertz range – to public safety.
- Creation of a Wireless Innovation Fund that, among other things, would support $500 million in research to meet the communications requirements of public safety.
[1] The 9-11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (July 22, 2004), available at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/Index.html; “The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned” (Feb. 2006), available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned.pdf.
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Saturday, June 18, 2011
The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Camping Edition
One activity my family does quite a lot during the summer is go camping. We’ll head to a state or national park, pitch a tent for a few days, spend all day outdoors roaming around in the woods or swimming in lakes, then eat a meal prepared over a camp fire and crash in a [...]
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Why I Hate ?New, Unique? Money Tips
Today I’m going to rant. I get a lot of requests from reporters who want quotes for their stories about personal finance. That’s fine. I’m happy to help when possible. What bugs me, though, is that nearly every single reporter pitches her story with the same caveat: “I need tips about saving, but I don’t [...]
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Reader Story (and Question): Financial Health vs. Mental Health?
This guest post from “NotPollyanna” is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some reader stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — or failure. These stories feature folks from all levels of financial maturity and with all sorts of incomes. This week’s submission [...]
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The Infernal Comedy - review
Barbican, London
Written for John Malkovich, two sopranos, a baroque orchestra, and its conductor, Michael Sturminger's The Infernal Comedy is a disquieting music theatre piece about Jack Unterweger, an Austrian serial killer and writer, who committed suicide in 1994 on the day he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the second time.
Sentenced to life for strangling a prostitute in 1974, he turned to writing in prison - so successfully that the Austrian intelligentsia campaigned for his release after serving a minimum 15-year term, to which the authorities agreed, believing him rehabilitated.
Subsequently he killed at least another nine women, both in Europe and the US - all thewhile reporting as a journalist on his own crimes - before his final arrest in Florida.
Malkovich and writer-director Sturminger bring him back to life in order to expose his guile to our prurience. His ostensible purpose is to sell us a book, written beyond the grave, which he claims is a factual account of his life and crimes. In reality, what he has come to do is peddle deceit. "I've never been able to tell the truth," he tells us at the outset. By the end, we have been confronted with both the lethal charm with which he attracted women, and the unspeakable acts he inflicted upon his victims. But the truth about his motivation eludes us as it eludes him.
It's a tour de force for Malkovich in many ways. We gradually become aware that the sudden Teutonic thickening of his sing-song Austro-American accent prefaces a hideous spillage of past trauma into present violence. He saunters among the audience trading sexual indiscretions before announcing to us that "some women just want to fuck a murderer". The humour he displays at the start has become nauseating by the close.
Interwoven into his monologue, and shared between sopranos Marie Arnet and Bernarda Bobro, are a sequence of concert arias by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Weber ? music which, though composed by men, depicts both female vulnerability and extremes of desire, rage, and despair.
It is here, however, that the problems start. The musical performances are variable to begin with: Bobro is a finer singer than Arnet; there's some insightful conducting from Martin Haselb�ck, though the orchestra, the Wiener Akademie, is good but not great.
More detrimental perhaps is the symbolic weight with which Sturminger saddles both music and singers. On one level they stand for the "genuine art" which Unterweger acknowledges as exposing his own literary fraudulence. The sopranos, however, gradually become confusedly identified with the women in his life ? the mother who abandoned him, the girlfriends who refused to believe in his guilt, and the prostitutes who became his victims. The resulting sense of overload weakens the tension and focus of what is otherwise an often disturbing and compelling evening.
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Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise: Miami Beach Babes!
Spending the weekend in the sunshine state, Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise spent the day at the beach in Miami, FL on Saturday (June 18).
The "Mad Money" mommy showed off her toned figure in a bikini top with pink short-shorts as she splashed about the Atlantic waters with her adorable tot.
Katie and Suri made the trip to Florida from Los Angeles to join up with family patriarch Tom Cruise - who's busy filming "Rock of Ages" in the southeastern locale.
As for the Cruise clan's Father's Day plans, Holmes recently said that Suri has quite the stockade of gifts ready for her famous papa, as she told press, "I think there?s so much: clothes, books, drawings."
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Starting the Journey Right
Me, at approximately age two, in the kitchen of the house I grew up in This past weekend, I was cleaning out a drawer in my office when I came across a stack of photos from my early childhood. My parents, my brothers, and my cousins were constants in these pictures, all looking stunningly young, [...]
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Town Halls This Week: Fargo, Grand Forks, Sioux Falls, Omaha
In our ongoing quest to meet up with listeners across the country we're headed to North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, for visits that we had set up once before and had to reschedule at the last minute... I've been waiting for this for a long time. We'll host Town Halls (see below) - very informal gatherings where I'll share some Pandora history, some background on the Music Genome Project and talk about what's ahead for Pandora. I also want to hear what's on your mind - questions, complaints, ideas...everything is fair game. Direct listener feedback is one of the things that keeps us jazzed at Pandora. It should be a fun time, complete with free Pandora t-shirts!
We're stopping in Fargo, Grand Forks, Sioux Falls and Omaha. With some hefty drives in between (any recommendations you have about cool places to stop and stretch legs or get a cup of coffee or a great meal between Grand Forks and Sioux Falls or Sioux Falls and Omaha, please let us know at tour@pandora.com). The response from the local audience has been wonderful, although no one has yet offered to make sure there's no snow...
So if you have friends you think might want to drop in, point them to the info below and ask them to email us at tour@pandora.com to RSVP. Not everyone on Pandora opts in to get emails so we always miss people that we wish we could reach.
We'll be putting up pictures and videos daily from the road. Stay tuned and stay in touch, and if you're nearby, please email us and let us know you'd like to join, we'd love to have you!
Tim (Founder)
Town Hall Details:
Tuesday, November 9th
Fargo & Grand Forks
Fargo:
11.30 a.m.
Babb's Coffee House (604 Main Ave.)
Grand Forks:
7.00 p.m.
The Coffee Company (2100 South Columbia Rd, #107)
Wednesday, November 10th
Sioux Falls
7.00 p.m.
Museum of Visual Materials (500 N. Main Ave.)
Thursday, November 11th
Omaha
7.00 p.m.
The Durham Museum* (801 South 10th Street)
*Town Hall will be held in The Stanley and Dorothy Truhlsen Lecture Hall
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Readout of the President's Call With Mavericks Coach Rick Carlisle
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
Earlier today, President Obama called Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, to congratulate him and his team on winning the NBA Finals. The President told Coach Carlisle that he is really proud of the way the team played and congratulated him on the job he did coaching the team. The President highlighted the performances of several players including Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and JJ Barea. The President said he looked forward to congratulating the team in person at the White House.
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The Best of Get Rich Slowly: May 2011
For years, readers have complained that there are too many stories at GRS. “There’s no need to post more than once a day,” my wife tells me, echoing the feedback I receive from folks like you. So, I’ve gradually been reducing the number of posts at the site: I published 62 articles in January 2008, [...]
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The Basic Allowance for Housing: Helping Military Members Afford a Home
Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a federal holiday to commemorate U.S. soldiers who died while in military service. This is a guest post from Chris Birk, a recovering journalist and the director of content and communications for Veterans United Home Loans, the nation?s leading dedicated VA-approved lender. Birk writes about mortgages and [...]
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Putting First Things First
The morning is my time. Five days a week, I’m up at 5:30. I come downstairs, sip a diet soda or a cup of tea (lapsang souchong), and spend a few minutes checking e-mail and approving comments. By 5:45, I’m in my gym clothes and out the door. I walk through the quiet streets of [...]
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President Obama Signs Massachusetts Disaster Declaration
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
The President today declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ordered Federal aid to supplement Commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and tornadoes on June 1, 2011.
The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Hampden and Worcester Counties.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and tornadoes in Hampden County.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the entire Commonwealth.
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named James N. Russo as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-3272.
hilary duff and mike comrie chelsea clinton and marc mezvinsky carrie underwood and mike fisher katy perry and russell brand alicia keys and swizz beatz
Workspace of the Week: Kitty approved
This week?s Workspace of the Week is DelightfullyHostile's anything-but-hostile home office.
Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.
Unexpected celebrity encounters captured on film
Photo blog Awesome People Hanging Out Together records those moments when stars collide ? Woody Allen chilling out with Michael Jackson, Nancy Reagan sitting on Mr T's knee ...
? See more pictures from the blog here
New York, 1975, and some of the greatest stars in pop history stand side by side: Roberta Flack, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, David Bowie, Art Garfunkel and, surprisingly, their accountant . . . oh wait, that's Paul Simon. The appeal of the best pictures and videos posted on a celebrity-struck website called Awesome People Hanging Out Together lies in wondering how these people met, what they said to one another, and if the apparently casual meeting implies a deeper connection. Did Bowie dig Simon & Garfunkel? And did Woody Allen find that he had a lot in common with a young Michael Jackson?
The pictures on the blog range from the ridiculous ? Nancy Reagan sitting on Mr T's knee ? to the sublime, when genuinely awesome people exchange tantalising words we cannot hear. This is the case in a double portrait of Andy Warhol and Alfred Hitchcock by Jill Krementz. The great director of Psycho and Vertigo, seated like a resting sumo wrestler in a little armchair, seems amused by whatever Warhol, kneeling before him in casual reverence, is saying. This is a fascinating moment because you seem to see a meeting of minds: Warhol paying homage to a master and Hitchcock bestowing approval on the younger pop genius.
In fact, the entire concept of Awesome People Hanging Out Together is like one of Warhol's celebrity art projects of the 1980s such as his magazine, Interview, or his appearance in the television series The Love Boat. The surreal meeting of Reagan with Mr T, whom she invited to a White House Christmas Party in 1983 so long as he came as Santa Claus, could be right out of Warhol's diaries, or indeed his dream life. Yet like Warhol himself, the website fascinates because just when you think it is totally banal (huh, Stephen Fry stood next to Lady Gaga once? Who knew?) it surprises you with true mystique. Sylvester Stallone expresses a sense of what fame is in a double portrait with Pel�: all right, it may just be his default super-serious expression, but it does look as if the star of Rocky feels real awe at standing next to a living legend. When these moments of recognition strike, this gallery of encounters becomes much more than a bizarre distraction.
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How Bad Are Credit Default Swaps?
Why is the European Central Bank dead set against even a "voluntary" restructuring of Greek debt that would force private investors to take a bit of a haircut on their holdings of Greek bonds? Matt Steinglass thinks their motivations are pretty much what they say they are:
The ECB doesn't believe it's possible to make private holders of Greek debt "share the pain" without precipitating a Greek default. They think if you pressure banks to roll over Greek debt, that debt will become untradeable, which is the same as "worthless"; the ratings agencies will deem the failure to pay at maturity to be a technical default, which may trigger credit default swaps; the Greek banking system will become insolvent, meaning nobody in Greece will have any money anymore; recapitalising those Greek banks will have to be done by governments that actually have money, ie the northern European ones; and ultimately the costs will all fall on the northern European taxpayer anyway. Meanwhile northern Europe's pension funds will be hit by the credit panic, which again will hurt the average citizen. The ECB folks sincerely think there's no way around having taxpayers pick up the bill for saving Greece and the euro.
I would really like to see a more detailed explanation of this. The basic idea here is that credit default swaps are (duh) triggered by a default: when you buy CDS on, say, a Greek bond, you're paying for protection against default. If the issuer of the bond defaults, then you're made whole by whoever you bought the CDS insurance from.
So far, so simple. It's often a little unclear exactly what triggers payment of a CDS, but it's perfectly plausible that even a modest restructuring, whether voluntary or not, would count as an "event" that would trigger lots of CDS contracts. But then what? What are the figures here? Just how much CDS is there on Greek debt? How much would be triggered by default? Who are the main sellers of CDS on Greek bonds? How big would the effect be if they had to pay off bondholders?
I'm curious about this for two reasons. First, I want to know if the ECB really has a good case. Would Greek default trigger a massive wave of renewed insolvency all over Europe as CDS sellers are forced to pay off on their insurance? Second, I want to know if this is yet another reason we should be wary of CDS. One of the big knocks against CDS has been that although it's theoretically a perfectly fine idea, in practice it can act as a huge multiplier, turning a bad default that hurts thousands of people into a catastrophic, systemic payout that hurts millions. In this case, it would turn tens of billions of dollars of Greek default (bad) into hundreds of billions of dollars of rolling CDS payouts (really, really bad).
But is this really the case? If this is what the ECB thinks, I'd like to see the detailed research to back it up. And if they're right, I think it's one more nail in the coffin of credit default swaps in general. If they really do magnify risk this way, it's time to do away with them. If you buy Greek bonds — or anyone else's bonds — maybe it's time to start doing due diligence again instead of just buying CDS and calling it a day.
UPDATE: Felix Salmon has a few numbers here that suggest CDS exposure is fairly small. However, his numbers also suggest that direct exposure to Greek default is fairly small, and in any case, not a problem for the banking industry. So this is still a bit of a mystery.
willie nelson rihanna willow smith dorothy hamill hayden panettiere
Clubs picks of the week
Cutloose, Manchester
You may not have heard of Sadar Bahar, the guest DJ at tonight's Cutloose. Few words seem to get written about those, like Bahar, who DJ but don't produce their own music, save for the predictable biog detailing their first cool record bought aged five, and just how tough it was growing up in a chimney in Detroit. Yet Bahar's been active since the 1980s and has thrilled thousands of dancers in his native Chicago with his unique selections of soul, funk, house and disco. His reputation has spread via word of mouth alone, accelerated of late by the internet, and so the magic he creates on the decks will now at last be heard in the UK. Few attendees tonight will forget this DJ's name.
Roadhouse, Newton St, Sat
Marc Rowlands
Hot Buttered Soul, Bristol
Investigating that intriguing era between the decline of disco and the house explosion, Hot Buttered Soul has been cruising the cooler end of boogie, soul, funk and rare groove for the last couple of years. Jovial headspinner Mike Shawe likes to surprise with a mix of rarities and classics but never loses track of his key priority to keep the dancefloor happy and constantly moving. Tonight the soulmeister is joined by Andres, Pato and Christophe from Feel The Real Sound System, whose party-rocking tuneage is enlivening a plethora of festivals this year. Also worth a gander is Soulvation's DJ Rudy, who has spent the last 25 years amassing a deadly arsenal of black gold to unleash tonight. Previous Hot Buttered Soul sessions down at the Bank Of Stokes Croft have got pretty, erm, caramelised, so early entry is particularly recommended.
Bank Of Stokes Croft, Sat
John Mitchell
Club Antichrist, London
Even if rubbered-up fetish fun isn't your cup of tea, you can't deny that its fans know how to put on a rollicking party. Club Antichrist celebrates its seventh year of all things downright deviant and gloriously goth this Friday, with a birthday party in the land of nightclubs you probably wouldn't take your grandmother to: Vauxhall. One for the latex lovers in your life, this anniversary alternative event is circus-themed, but remember to peel off your strongman's handlebar 'tache if you want to tuck into the birthday cake in the chillout room. Cake nibbling is as tame as Club Antichrist gets, with the rest of the evening dedicated to rather more extreme pastimes. Wunderkammer's wince-inducing freakshow and Marnie Scarlet's sploshing performance will prepare the crowd for live synth sounds from Mechanical Cabaret. Then, when the acts are over, the Hellfire Room will sizzle to post-punk, alternative and industrial beats.
Club Colosseum, SW8, Fri
Leonie Cooper
Body & Soul Festival, Clonmellon, Co Westmeath
Time was, spending a weekend at a music festival could easily be compared to holidaying in a French trench during a particularly harrowing episode of the first world war, with a to-do list including acquiring extreme food poisoning and several STDs, having all your possessions nicked by the guy who sold you the wrap of rat poison and getting your head kicked in to the sound of Jethro Tull. For better or for worse, "boutique" is now the buzz word, although annual feelgood festival Body & Soul prefers "unique", with attractions including sparkling conversations in the hot tub, marshmallows on a bonfire, violins in the rose garden and four-poster picnics. On the music front, there's not much for Tull fans, but multi-genre performers including Lee Scratch Perry, Lamb, Joris Voorn and Holy Fuck will be soundtracking sideshows including holistic healing sessions, Thai yoga massage and a drum workshop for kids.
Ballinlough Castle, Sat & Sun
Patric Baird
Sunday West, London
Starting life in Portobello Road's Cafe Ravenous, Sunday West has been doing its best to nab back some hectic house and tasty techno treats from the hungry clutches of the East ever since it began. Winding things up when most people are winding down for the week, the party starts at 2pm, when the doors to Egg's garden and terrace will be flung open to summer sun-seeking daytime ravers. A free barbecue should provide sustenance as MC Chalkie White hosts an afternoon and evening of DJs, with Dave Jarvis, Terry Farley, Dominic Spreadlove and the Sunday West residents telling it to the terrace while Frankie Frost aka Jumpin Jack Frost plays hip-hop to the garden. Some might find it a tad strange that a night which so proudly proclaims its west London heritage in its name is putting on its second birthday bash in a decidedly north-central location. We certainly do ?
Egg, York Way, N7, Sun
LC
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jd salinger l\'il wayne emma watson janet jackson willie nelson
Statement by the President on the UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
Today, for the first time in history, the United Nations adopted a resolution dedicated to advancing the basic human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons. This marks a significant milestone in the long struggle for equality, and the beginning of a universal recognition that LGBT persons are endowed with the same inalienable rights -- and entitled to the same protections -- as all human beings. The United States stands proudly with those nations that are standing up to intolerance, discrimination, and homophobia. Advancing equality for LGBT persons should be the work of all peoples and all nations. LGBT persons are entitled to equal treatment, equal protection, and the dignity that comes with being full members of our diverse societies. As the United Nations begins to codify and enshrine the promise of equality for LGBT persons, the world becomes a safer, more respectful, and more humane place for all people.
North Carolina GOP Overrides Veto, Axes Planned Parenthood Funding
From Huffington Post:
Republican state representatives in North Carolina voted to override Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue's veto of the state budget Wednesday morning, ensuring that a provision to strip all federal and state money from Planned Parenthood will take effect on July 1. North Carolina is now the third state, after Indiana and Kansas, to defund the family planning provider because it also provides abortions. Planned Parenthood of North Carolina (PPNC), which has nine clinics across the state, provides affordable birth control, preventative health care and family planning services to over 25,000 men and women. Without the $434,000 a year it usually receives in state and federal funds, Planned Parenthood says it will now have to axe its teen pregnancy prevention and adolescent parenting programs and force its low-income patients to pay out of pocket.
Read more here.
Remarks by the First Lady at a DNC event
Release Time:
For Immediate Release
Location:
Private Residence, Los Angeles, California
7:36 P.M. PDT
MRS. OBAMA: Well, that was so nice! Sheesh. (Applause.) Thank you so much. It is a real pleasure to be here with all of you tonight in this beautiful setting at the home of two of my favorite people in the whole wide world. And when you’re my age, you don't often run into new people that you just sort of click with. But Michael and James have been just a true blessing to our family. I mean, imagine moving to this new house -- it’s a little more than a house -- not knowing where stuff goes, how it works, and Michael just -- he has the right temperament, because believe it or not, the President has opinions about his drapes. (Laughter.) And Michael is very patient with him in a very humorous way. It’s a very good balance. It’s very interesting to watch.
But I want to thank them for generously hosting us at this beautiful home in this beautiful setting. Thank you guys. You are amazing. Well done. (Applause.)
I also want to recognize all of the National Finance Committee members here. Yay, you all. (Applause.) Firing it up. You made this event such a tremendous success, and we couldn’t do this without you. We are truly, truly grateful and proud because all of you are good, solid people, as well. So thank you.
And finally I want to thank all of you for being here tonight. I’m thrilled to see so many new faces. That is always good. And I’m thrilled to see so many folks who have been with us right from the beginning; folks who have been through all of the ups and the downs and the nail-biting moments along the way, because there have been many.
And tonight, as we look ahead to the next part of this amazing journey, I can’t help but think back to how it all began.
And I have to be honest and tell you that when Barack first started talking about running for President, I was not exactly enthusiastic about the idea. (Laughter.) I mean, don't get me wrong, I was proud of what my husband was doing in the Senate; he was a phenomenal U.S. senator. And I knew that he would make a phenomenal President. That was never a doubt in my mind.
But like a lot of people, I still had some cynicism about politics. And I was worried about the toll that a presidential campaign would take on my family. At the time, we had two young daughters. They are growing. Malia is here. And yes we are having conversations about shorts and heels and all that stuff. I don't know what to do. But she’s growing up. But at that time they were still young. And the last thing that I wanted to do was disrupt their lives and turn their routines upside down. The last thing that I wanted in the world was to spend time apart from my girls.
So it took some convincing on Barack’s part, and by “some,” I mean a lot. (Laughter.) No, really. And even as I hit the campaign trail, I was still a little uneasy about this whole “President thing.” That's what Malia used to call it -- “Is Dad doing that President thing?” (Laughter.)
But something happened to me during those first few months on the campaign trail that changed me, because for me campaigning in places like Iowa and New Hampshire, South Carolina, it wasn’t just about handshakes and stump speeches. For me it was really about the conversations that we were able to have with people on front porches and in folks’ living rooms, people who didn’t know a thing about us. Barack Obama who? You just let Barack Obama walk into your house and sit at your kitchen table -- it takes some courage -- into their homes, into their lives.
And I remember one of my first events in Iowa was a gathering in a backyard. It was a beautiful day. Never been there before. Didn’t know the family. Tons of people out, just curious to see who I was. And within minutes, I was so comfortable that I remember kicking my shoes off -- I had high heels on, as usual -- and I was standing barefoot in the grass, just talking to folks.
And that’s what campaigning was about for me. It was about meeting people one-on-one and hearing what was going on in their lives. And I learned a lot about folks. I learned about the businesses that they were trying to keep afloat -- the home that they loved, but could no longer afford, the spouse who came back from war, and still needed a lot of help, the child who was so smart, like so many of our children, who could be anything she could imagine if only her parents could find the way to pay tuition.
And these stories moved me. That's it. These stories were familiar to me. That was the thing.
Because in the parents working that extra shift, or taking that extra job, I saw Barack’s mother, a young single mom struggling to support Barack and his sister.
I saw my father, who dragged himself to work at the city water plant every morning, because even as his Multiple Sclerosis got worse and he got weaker and weaker, my father was always determined to be our family’s provider.
And in the grandparents coming out of retirement to pitch in and help make ends meet, I saw my own mother -- oh, thank God for Grandma -- who has helped raise our girls since the day they were born. We couldn’t do this without Grandma.
I saw Barack’s grandmother who caught a bus to work before dawn every day to help provide for their family. She was the primary breadwinner.
In the children I met who were worried about a mom who’s lost her job, or a father deployed from home for months on end, kids so full of promise and dreams, of course I saw my own daughters, who are the center of my world.
And the thing is, is that these folks weren’t asking for much. They were looking for basic things –- things like being able to see a doctor when you’re sick. Things like having a decent public school to send your kids to, and a chance for them to go to college even if you’re not rich. Things like making a decent wage, having a secure retirement, leaving something better for your kids.
And while we may have grown up in different places and seemed different in so many ways, their stories were my family’s stories. They were Barack’s family’s stories. Their values were the ones we learned all over this country -- basic things -- you treat people how you want to be treated, you put your family first always, you do what you say you’re going to do every time, you don't make false promises. These were our family’s values.
And then suddenly, as I traveled around and saw the sameness, everything Barack had been saying about how we’re all interconnected, about how we’re not red states and blue states, those weren’t just lines from a speech. It was what I was seeing with my own eyes, something that I wish every American could experience, because that changed me.
And you know what else changed me during those months on the campaign trail? All of you did, truly, this cynic, because when I got tired, I would think of all the folks out there making calls and knocking on doors day after day, folks who would never imagine themselves as part of the political process, and many of you were doing that, knocking on strange people’s doors, getting them to vote for Barack Obama. And that would energize me.
And when I got discouraged, I would think of the folks opening their wallets even when they didn’t have much to give, because a lot of people were giving a dollar, $25, their last dollar.
I would think of the folks who had the courage to let themselves believe again and hope again, because there are many people my grandparents’ age who never believed this could happen. And it wasn’t because they didn’t believe in Barack. They didn’t believe we could do this, that this country could do it. They had to let go and let themselves believe, forget everything they had learned, everything they experienced, and think about what was possible. And they would give me hope.
And the simple truth is that today, four years later, we are here because of all of you. And I’m not just talking about winning that election. I’m talking about what we’ve been doing every day in the White House since that time to keep fighting for the folks we met and the values we share. I’m talking about what Barack has been doing to help us all win the future.
And at a time when we still have so many challenges and so much work to do, it is so easy to forget about what we’ve been able to accomplish along the way.
But I want to just take a step back for a moment and think about these past couple of years, because it’s only been two years, right?
And in two years, we have gone from an economy that was on the brink of collapse to an economy that is growing again. We’re helping middle class families by cutting taxes, and working to stop credit card companies from taking advantage of regular folks. We’re going to give working moms and dads a childcare tax credit because we know that those little costs add up. And we’re helping women get equal pay for equal work with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay act. That was the first bill that my husband signed into law, the very first thing he did as President of the United States. (Applause.)
And because of health reform, millions of Americans will finally be able to afford a doctor. Their insurance companies won’t be able to drop their coverage when they get sick, or charge them through the roof because their child has a pre-existing condition. (Applause.) No more. And now we have things covered like preventative care –- prenatal care, mammograms, ooh, just going crazy -- (laughter) -- things that save money but more importantly things that save lives.
Because we don’t want to leave a mountain of debt for our kids, we’re reducing our deficit and doing what families across this country are already doing. We’re cutting back so that we can start living within our means.
But that still means we need to invest in the things that really matter -- things like clean energy, so that we can really bring down gas prices, things like scientific research, including stem cell research. Those are the investments that this President is making. (Applause.) We’re also investing in community colleges, which are a gateway to opportunity for so many people, Pell Grants, which help so many young people afford their tuition. And then through a competition called Race to the Top, we’ve got 40 states now working to raise standards and reform their schools.
We’re working to live up to our founding values of freedom and equality. And today, because we ended Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, our troops will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love. (Applause.) No more.
And you might also recall that my husband appointed two brilliant Supreme Court Justices -- (applause) -- and for the first time in history, our daughters –- and our sons –- watched three women take their seats on our nation’s highest court. (Applause.)
And we are also working to keep our country safe and restore our standing in the world. We’re responsibly ending the war in Iraq and we’ve already brought home 100,000 men and women in uniform who have served this country so bravely.
And today, thanks to the tireless work of our intelligence and counter-terrorism communities and the heroic efforts of our troops, the man behind 9/11 and so many other horrific attacks has finally been brought to justice. Yes, that did happen. (Applause.)
And finally, we’re tackling two issues near and dear to my heart, both as First Lady and as a mom.
The first is childhood obesity. I mean, this issue doesn’t just affect our kids’ health and how they feel. This issue affects how they feel about themselves and whether they will have the energy and the stamina to succeed in school and in life.
Are we good there? Do we need -- because we have agents. They have stuff. They come equipped with things. All right.
So we are working through this initiative to get better food into our schools and communities and to help parents make better decisions for their kids.
The second issue that Michael mentioned is one that I came to on the campaign trail, meeting so many extraordinary military families. These folks are raising their kids and running their households all alone while their spouses are on deployment after deployment, and they do it with tremendous courage and strength and pride. That’s why Jill Biden and I launched a nationwide campaign to rally this entire country to serve those families and those men and women as well as they serve us. (Applause.)
So these are just some of the things that have been accomplished in two years. I could go on but I don't want to make you stand in your heels. It gets difficult. (Laughter.) I know.
So I think it’s fair to say that we have seen some significant change these last couple of years. And we should be proud of what we’ve accomplished. But we should never be satisfied, because we know that we still have a lot of work to do. We know that too many of our kids still don’t have what they need to succeed. We know that too many folks are still struggling to pay the bills today.
The truth is, is that all those folks we campaigned for, and won for, and that we’ve been fighting for, for these past two years, those folks still need our help. We are not done.
And that, more than anything else, is what drives my husband as President of the United States. That’s what I see when he returns home after a long day traveling around the country, and he tells me about the people that he’s met. And I see in those quiet moments late at night, after the girls have gone to bed, when he’s reading the letters people have sent him -- the letter from the woman dying of cancer whose health insurance wouldn’t cover her care. The letter from the young person with so much promise, but so few opportunities.
And trust me, I see the sadness and the worry creasing his face. You want to know where the gray hairs come from? I hear the passion and determination in his voice. Says, “You won’t believe what these folks are going through.” Says, “Michelle, this isn’t right. And we still have to fix this. We have to do more.”
So the one thing I want to share with you about my husband is that when it comes to the people he meets, Barack has a memory like a steel trap. I mean, he might not remember your name, but he will remember, if he’s had a few minutes and a decent conversation with you, he will never forget your story. It becomes imprinted on his heart. And that is what he carries with him every day –- that collection of hopes, and dreams, and struggles.
And that’s where Barack gets his passion. That is why he works so hard every day, and I have never seen anyone work this hard. Every day. Every day. Most days there isn’t an issue that faces this world that he is not expected to fix.
Starting the first thing in the morning and going late into the night, this is a man who is hunched over briefing books. He reads every single word. He is gifted. He is able to retain, make notes, ask questions. He knows more than the people briefing him. This man is special because all those wins and losses, they’re not wins and losses for him. They’re wins and losses for the folks whose stories he carries with him, the folks he worries about and prays about before he goes to bed at night.
And in the end, for Barack, and for me, and for so many of you, that is what politics is about. It’s what it should be about. It’s about how we work together, even when it’s hard, to make real changes that make a real difference in people’s lives. That young person attending college today because she can finally afford it. That is happening. The mom or dad who can take of their child today find a doctor because of health care reform. That is happening. The folks who are working on the line today at places like GM, bringing home a good paycheck for their families. That change matters.
And now, more than ever before, we need your help to finish what we’ve started. We need all of you to be with us for that next phase of our journey. And I’m not going to kid you, because I didn’t kid you when we first started, I never said this was going to be easy. And no one can quote me on that.
It’s going to be long. It is going to be hard. I joke, did you ever think Barack Obama was going to be easy? Was there ever anybody here who just thought he’d just trounce in and fix everything, Barack Obama?
But here’s the thing about my husband –- and this is something that I’d appreciate even if he didn’t have the good sense to marry me. (Laughter and applause.) Even in the toughest moments, when it seems like all is lost, Barack Obama never loses sight of the end goal. He never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise. It’s amazing. He just keeps moving forward.
And in those moments when we’re all sweating it, and all of you have been sweating it at some point, because I know I have -- will the bill get passed, will the negotiations fall through, what will he do, why isn’t he doing this, he should do more of that -- I do it to him, too -- (laughter) -- Barack always reminds me that we’re playing a long game here. He reminds me that change is slow. Nothing worth having happens in an instant, something we tell our children so that they actually invest. You don't get success overnight.
But he tells me that if we keep showing up, as we tell our children, if we keep fighting the good fight, and doing what we know is right, then eventually we will get there, because we always have. As bleak as things may be, we always wind up in the right place.
And that’s what he needs from you. He needs you to be in this with him for the long haul. He needs you to hold fast to our vision and our values and our dreams for our kids and for our country. He needs you to work like you’ve never worked before.
And let me tell you, that is what I plan to do. And I won’t be doing it as a wife or as a First Lady. I’m going to be doing it as a mother, who wants to leave a legacy for my girls. And more than that, I’m going to be doing it as a citizen who knows what we can do together to change this country for the better, because the truth is, is that no matter what happens, my girls are going to be okay. I’m going to see to that. My girls will have plenty of advantages and opportunities in their lives. And that’s probably true for many of the kids here, many of your kids.
But I think the last four years have shown us the truth of what Barack has always said: That if any child in this country is left behind, then that matters to all of us, even if it is not our daughter or our son. (Applause.) We cannot just look inward. If any family in this country struggles, then we cannot be fully content with our own family’s good fortune, because that is not what we do in this country. It’s not who we are.
In the end, we cannot separate our own story from the broader American story. Like it or not, we’re all in this together. And that's how it should be. That's a good thing. And I know that if we put our hearts and souls into this, as we’ve done before, if we do what we need to do during these next couple of years, then we can continue to make that change that we believe in. I know that we can build that country that our kids deserve.
So I have one last question. Are you in? (Applause.) I mean, come on. Are you in this? Are you ready for this? (Applause.) Because I certainly am. And I hope that all of you are fired up, ready to go, because I really look forward to this. This is going to be good working with all of you in the months and years ahead.
Thank you. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for taking a risk. You haven’t made a mistake. We’re making things happen.
Thank you all so much. (Applause.)
END
8:01 P.M. PDT
justin bieber kesha wiz khalifa nicki minaj christina hendricks
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