THE WHITE HOUSE -- Videos and Messages / Veterans Day and other things.

Posted: 8 Nov 14

Editorial note:  This facsimile was transmitted via subscribed email.  The nature of this blogging platform does not permit cosmetic tampering -- to try to ease reading -- in this case.  But, the messages are still clear, relevant, and worth re-disseminating. -- DN

​​
On Sat, Nov 8, 2014 at 9:24 AM, White House Snapshot <info@mail.whitehouse.gov> wrote:

Here's what's going on at the White House today. DAILY SNAPSHOT Saturday, November 08, 2014 Featured Weekly Address: This Veterans' Day, Let's Honor Our Veterans In this week’s address, in advance of Veterans' Day, the President paid tribute to the men and women in uniform who have given so much in service of America. Veterans have risked their lives to protect our freedom, and we need to be there for them when they return from duty by ensuring they get the care they need and the opportunities they deserve. The President asked every American to thank and welcome home the veterans in their lives who, like all who fight for our country, are heroes worthy of our constant gratitude and support. Click here to watch this week's Weekly Address. Top Stories How Americans Are Fighting Ebola on the Front Lines Doctors. Engineers. Scientists. Members of our military. Americans from across the country are taking the fight against Ebola to its source in West Africa in order to save lives. These Americans are heroes -- and the people in West Africa need people like them to help ensure we bring an end to this devastating outbreak at its source. READ MORE "It's Time for Us to Take Care of Business" On Wednesday afternoon, President Obama spoke to the White House press corps to discuss the midterm elections and his next steps forward. "What stands out to me," he said, "is that the American people sent a message, one that they’ve sent for several elections now. They expect the people they elect to work as hard as they do. They expect us to focus on their ambitions and not ours. They want us to get the job done." The President made clear that "it's time for us to take care of business," and that there are things we have to do that can't wait another two or four years. President Barack Obama responds to a question during a press conference in the East Room of the White House, Nov. 5, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) READ MORE Meet the Gettysburg Veteran That Received the Medal of Honor This Week: On Thursday afternoon, President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for his heroic acts of bravery while serving as an artillery commander during the Civil War. Typically, the Medal of Honor is awarded within a few years of the action, but as the President noted, "sometimes even the most extraordinary stories can get lost in the passage of time." "For this American family, this story isn’t some piece of obscure history -- it is an integral part of who they are," he said. "Our whole nation shares their pride, and celebrates what this story says about who we are." READ MORE President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor for Civil War Union Army First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing to Cushing's cousin, Helen Ensign in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Nov. 6, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)  Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved. BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along -- and are urged to do so -- as long as it's all done free of charge, unchanged, you include this statement, AND you inform me as to how it is being used -- at YOUR convenience but, hopefully soonest.

21st-century POLICIES for 21st-century FAMILIES

Posted:  20 Jun 14
​

A NEAT IDEA FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

Please note:  

The White House message invites us to: 

1. Share how your family would benefit from 21st-century workplace policies and 
2. Join them today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern for a virtual question-and-answer session devoted to working families' issues. (That event is over, but the full session will be posted on WhiteHouse.gov and Storify.com/whitehouse)

On Thu, Jun 19, 2014 at 11:22 AM, Valerie Jarrett, The White House <info@mail.whitehouse.gov> wrote:

Hi, everyone -- I still remember the moment the value of a flexible work environment became crystal-clear for me. I was working for Mayor Richard Daley in Chicago, and sitting in a particularly long cabinet meeting along with the Mayor's corporation counsel, Susan Sher. Susan and I were both single moms, and dear friends -- and frankly, we both had somewhere else to be. As the meeting stretched on, and the two of us kept looking at our watches (and each other), the Mayor interrupted and asked where we needed to be that was more important. Not quite sure what would happen, I blurted out the truth: "Susan and I both have second graders, and their Halloween Parade starts in 20 minutes -- and it's 25 minutes away." Without a second's hesitation, the Mayor replied, "Well, then what are you doing here? You better get moving." We were fortunate that day to have an understanding boss willing to give us the flexibility we needed as parents -- but in 2014, most working Americans still don't have that. It's time for our workplace policies to match the realities of our families. That's why, on June 23, we're joining together with employers, business leaders, workers, academics, labor leaders, elected officials, and a diverse group of stakeholders and advocates to explore ways to take to scale the best practices designed to build 21st-century workplaces that meet the needs of 21st-century workers. We're calling it the White House Summit on Working Families, and you can add your voice to the conversation right now in two ways: Share how your family would benefit from 21st-century workplace policies. Join me today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern for a virtual question-and-answer session devoted to working families' issues. Tweet your questions and stories at @VJ44 using #FamiliesSucceed. Our families and our workforce have undergone fundamental transformations over the past several decades. In 63 percent of families with children, all parents work. Thirty-two percent of families with children are single-parent households. And yet, employers report just 11 percent of workers have access to paid family leave that includes time off for caregiving. It's time our workplaces did something about that, and it's going to take all of us to make it happen. So, if you can relate at all to the story I described above -- the need to choose between the very real responsibilities of being a worker and a parent -- then working families' issues are your issues. If you're a young woman wondering if you're earning the same as your male counterpart, this is your battle, too. If you're a single, working dad struggling to balance the responsibilities of raising a family with the demands of a job, you're in this fight. It's time for 21st-century workplaces that allow every American family to succeed -- both at home, and at work. Each story shared will expand this national conversation, and bring these issues to the forefront. Add your voice -- and pass it on. Thank you, Valerie Valerie Jarrett Senior Advisor The White House Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Closing the Pay Gap: It Starts with a Conversation

(Please click here, too)

All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement. When you can, I'd be grateful to learn how you might have found this to be useful.

HOW TO GET A U.S. FLAG THAT HAS FLOWN OVER THE CAPITOL

Posted:  17 May 12
Reposted:  4 Jun 14

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM CONGRESSMAN MILLER'S WEBSITE

Constituents of the Seventh District of California can request to fly an American flag over the Capitol Building. 

Typically, flags are dedicated to a person, organization or event of your choice and can be flown on a specific date, including weekends and holidays.

Each flag is individually boxed and includes its own certificate (the specific language is at the discretion of the requestor).

Please note there is a nominal fee for the flag. We do not profit from the flag purchase - the cost covers the price of the flag, the flying and shipping fees.

************

More information about ordering flags at this link

************

A FANTASTIC GIFT IDEA OR MOST WORTHY COMMEMORATION!
Also, note that the prices, both for flags overflown or not (your choice), are incredible bargains.  Compare for yourselves.  A great way to keep even the flags you fly, always looking clean and bright -- exactly the way these treasured objects deserve.

David Nelson

P.S.
Our neighbor, Ina, posted a very helpful comment.  I'm reproducing it here, so you won't miss it -- thank you, Ina!!!

"This is a wonderful gift for anyone to receive especially on hallmark birthdays or events. I've ordered a few through a different congressman, when I lived in a different area, and the recipients were blown away every time! Definitely recommend to order early in advance (at least 2 months)."



All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.

The White House -- 5/27 SCIENCE FAIR (Update: 5/28/14)

Posted:  27 May 14
Updated:  28 May 14 (Presidential video added)

​​POTUS, Robots, and More:

Note:  We, in the west, will probably miss the televised Science fair.  But, if there is a video released, I'll try to post a link here.  If I get it, I will add the word "Updated" to this bulletin -- or publish a separate one.   DN

5/28/14 -- Here is the video:  "President Obama Tours the 2013 White House Science Fair"

On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 5:53 AM, The White House <info@mail.whitehouse.gov> wrote:

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

POTUS, Robots, and More: The fourth-ever White House Science Fair is today. And you're going to want to tune in. Starting at 10:00 a.m. ET, you can watch all the festivities at WH.gov/Science-Fair -- from interviews with student innovators, to project demonstrations, to the President's remarks and walkthrough. Take our word for it -- you really don’t want to miss this one. Make sure you're watching starting at 10 a.m. ET -- and if you've got a hankering for science in the meantime, take a look at some footage from past Science Fairs (read: robots, the President, and kids). Stay Connected Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Google+ T Sign Up for Updates from the White House    Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.

CIVIC MENTOR / The White House / SCIENCE and more

Posted:  19 May 14

On Mon, May 19, 2014 at 12:09 PM, The White House <info@mail.whitehouse.gov> wrote:

Here's what's going on at the White House today. DAILY SNAPSHOT Monday, May 19, 2014 Featured Science! Next week, the White House will be filled with robots, science projects, and more. Students from around the country are headed to the 2014 White House Science Fair hosted by President Obama, and we couldn't be more excited. With students from a broad range of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions, this year's Fair will include a specific focus on girls and women who are excelling in STEM and inspiring the next generation with their work. We're just a week away from the 2014 White House science fair -- learn more. President Barack Obama gets down on his hands and knees as he looks at the inner workings of a robot that plays soccer, built by a team from Blue Bell, Pa., as he tours science projects on display in the State Dining Room of the White House. President Obama hosted the White House Science Fair for winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions. October 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Top Stories Making Full Use of America's Talent For all of the progress women have made in the 20th century -- gaining the right to vote, becoming nearly half of the workforce, and increasing their education -- there is still work to be done to remove barriers that limit us from making full use of our nation's talent in the future. READ MORE In Case You Missed It: The President and Vice President Stop By a Shake Shack Last Friday, President Obama and Vice President Biden stopped by a local Shake Shack for burgers, and spoke briefly about the need for Congress to pass transportation funding. READ MORE Weekly Address: Working When Congress Won't Act In this week's address, the President discussed actions to expand opportunity for more Americans, with or without the help of Republicans in Congress, including his Administration's efforts to cut red tape for major transportation infrastructure projects. READ MORE Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 12:30 PM: The President and the Vice President meet for lunch with Combatant Commanders 1:00 PM: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney 7:30 PM: The President delivers remarks and answers questions at a DCCC event  Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Did Someone Forward This to You? Sign Up for Email Updates  Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

All Original Content © 2014 , The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.

CIVIC MENTOR / National / WhiteHouse.Gov

Posted:  29 Apr 

Purpose

To permanently accumulate useful, interesting web-links delivered daily by email subscription, from Whitehouse.gov's Daily Snapshot.  Links listed in reverse date-order.

White House Facebook Link
White House on Twitter Link
White House Wikipedia Link

D. Nelson

4/29/14 -- SEXUAL ASSAULT

"You Are Not Alone. We Have Your Back."

One in five women is sexually assaulted while in college, most often, in her freshman or sophomore year. Most times, it’s by someone she knows -- and also most often, she does not report what happened. And though fewer, men, too, are victimized.

We're committed to putting an end to this violence. That’s why today, we're launchingNotAlone.gov, a website that makes resources on sexual assault prevention accessible to students and schools.

Learn more about how to prevent and respond to sexual assault on our college campuses and in our schools.

Helping Ready-to-Work Americans Get Back in the Game Yesterday, the Department of Labor announced that it's providing up to $150 million for states, through a new Job Driven National Emergency Grants program, to invest in programs that help dislocated workers, who’ve lost a job through no fault of their own, get back in the game. READ MORE Heartbleed: Understanding When We Disclose Cyber Vulnerabilities This administration takes seriously its commitment to an open and interoperable, secure and reliable Internet, and in the majority of cases, responsibly disclosing a newly discovered vulnerability is clearly in the national interest. READ MORE Creating Workplaces that Work for Families It's time for America's workplaces to adapt to our changing workforce -- which is why the White House Council on Women and Girls, the Department of Labor, and the Center for American Progress are hosting the White House Summit on Working Families this June. READ MORE

All Original Content © 2014 , The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.

The White House -- Daily Snapshot -- 9/16/13/MON

Posted:  16 Sep 13

On Mon, Sep 16, 2013 at 4:17 PM, The White House <info@messages.whitehouse.gov> wrote:

Here's What's Happening Here at the White House DAILY SNAPSHOT Monday, September 16, 2013 Today's Statement President Obama Speaks on the Shooting at the Washington, DC Navy Yard  Today, before delivering remarks on the economy, President Obama gave a brief statement about the tragic events at the Washington Navy Yard: I’ve been briefed by my team on the situation.  We still don’t know all the facts, but we do know that several people have been shot, and some have been killed.  So we are confronting yet another mass shooting -- and today, it happened on a military installation in our nation’s capital. It’s a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel.  These are men and women who were going to work, doing their job, protecting all of us. They’re patriots, and they know the dangers of serving abroad -- but today, they faced unimaginable violence that they wouldn't have expected here at home. So we offer our gratitude to the Navy and local law enforcement, federal authorities, and the doctors who’ve responded with skill and bravery.  I’ve made it clear to my team that I want the investigation to be seamless, so that federal and local authorities are working together.  And as this investigation moves forward, we will do everything in our power to make sure whoever carried out this cowardly act is held responsible. In the meantime, we send our thoughts and prayers to all at the Navy Yard who’ve been touched by this tragedy.  We thank them for their service.  We stand with the families of those who’ve been harmed.  They’re going to need our love and support.  And as we learn more about the courageous Americans who died today -- their lives, their families, their patriotism -- we will honor their service to the nation they helped to make great.  And obviously, we're going to be investigating thoroughly what happened, as we do so many of these shootings, sadly, that have happened, and do everything that we can to try to prevent them. Featured The Five-Year Anniversary of the Financial Crisis: A Look Back at the Progress We’ve Made Five years ago this week, a financial crisis unlike any in generations rocked Wall Street -- turning a recession that was already hammering Main Street into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Upon taking office, the President acted with unprecedented speed to respond to the crisis and its impact on American families -- taking actions to stabilize the financial system, rescue the auto industry, and boost the economy by providing tax relief to working families and keeping teachers and first responders on the job. On the five-year anniversary of the crisis, the Administration has prepared a report that describes 15 key elements of the response to the financial crisis and where we find ourselves today. Read the full report here. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the five-year anniversary of the financial crisis, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, Sept. 16, 2013. Joining the President on-stage and in the audience are small business owners, construction workers, homeowners, consumers, and tax cut recipients. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Top Stories Weekly Address: Pursuing a Diplomatic Solution in Syria President Obama follows up on his speech to the nation on Tuesday and describes the possibility for a diplomatic solution in Syria, partially because of the credible threat of U.S. military force. READ MORE Tribute to Those Lost on September 11th Last week, the President represented the US at the G20 in St. Petersburg, addressed the nation on the ongoing crisis in Syria, and honored the 12th anniversary of September 11th at the Pentagon and with a service project, while the Vice President highlighted infrastructure improvements and the First Lady traveled to Watertown, WI to ask Americans to drink more water. READ MORE Ending Violence Against Women: 19 Years of Progress Friday marked the 19th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As the original author and champion of VAWA, Vice President Biden brought national attention to what had too-long been a hidden problem. READ MORE Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 10:00 AM: The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing 10:45 PM: The President meets with senior advisors 11:30 PM: The Vice President delivers remarks on importance of infrastructure investment to exports, economic competitiveness, and job creation in Charleston, SC 11:40 PM: The President delivers remarks to mark the five-year anniversary of the financial crisis 12:30 PM: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney 2:45 PM: The Vice President delivers remarks on the importance of infrastructure investment to exports, economic competitiveness, and job creation in Savannah, GA  Facebook    Twitter   |   More Ways to Engage Did Someone Forward This to You? Sign Up for Email Updates The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

FROM THE PRESIDENT -- TO US -- ON SYRIA

Posted:  11 Sep 13

Note:  Bold, highlighting, numbering, and coloring are mine.  The form and structure of this important message, as delivered by email, didn't render properly for ease of reading, when transferred to this blog. Paragraph spacing, among other things, was lost -- and attempts to re-introduce the spacing produced astounding and disappointing results -- Editor

On Tue, Sep 10, 2013 at 9:48 PM, President Barack Obama <president@messages.whitehouse.gov> wrote:

​​ Good evening -- 1.  I just addressed the nation about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. 2.  Over the past two years, what began as a series of peaceful protests against the repressive regime of Bashar al-Assad has turned into a brutal civil war in Syria. Over 100,000 people have been killed. In that time, we have worked with friends and allies to provide humanitarian support for the Syrian people, to help the moderate opposition within Syria, and to shape a political settlement. But we have resisted calls for military action because we cannot resolve someone else's civil war through force. 3.  The situation profoundly changed in the early hours of August 21, when more than 1,000 Syrians -- including hundreds of children -- were killed by chemical weapons launched by the Assad government. What happened to those people -- to those children -- is not only a violation of international law -- it's also a danger to our security. Here's why: 4.  If we fail to act, the Assad regime will see no reason to stop using chemical weapons. As the ban against these deadly weapons erodes, other tyrants and authoritarian regimes will have no reason to think twice about acquiring poison gases and using them. Over time, our troops could face the prospect of chemical warfare on the battlefield. It could be easier for terrorist organizations to obtain these weapons and use them to attack civilians. If fighting spills beyond Syria's borders, these weapons could threaten our allies in the region. 5.  So after careful deliberation, I determined that it is in the national security interests of the United States to respond to the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons through a targeted military strike. The purpose of this strike would be to deter Assad from using chemical weapons, to degrade his regime's ability to use them, and make clear to the world that we will not tolerate their use. 6.  Though I possess the authority to order these strikes, in the absence of a direct threat to our security I believe that Congress should consider my decision to act. Our democracy is stronger when the President acts with the support of Congress -- and when Americans stand together as one people. 7.  Over the last few days, as this debate unfolds, we've already begun to see signs that the credible threat of U.S. military action may produce a diplomatic breakthrough. The Russian government has indicated a willingness to join with the international community in pushing Assad to give up his chemical weapons and the Assad regime has now admitted that it has these weapons, and even said they'd join the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits their use. 8.  It's too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any agreement must verify that the Assad regime keeps its commitments. But this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force. 9.  That's why I've asked the leaders of Congress to postpone a vote to authorize the use of force while we pursue this diplomatic path. I'm sending Secretary of State John Kerry to meet his Russian counterpart on Thursday, and I will continue my own discussions with President Putin. At the same time, we'll work with two of our closest allies -- France and the United Kingdom -- to put forward a resolution at the U.N. Security Council requiring Assad to give up his chemical weapons, and to ultimately destroy them under international control. 10.  Meanwhile, I've ordered our military to maintain their current posture to keep the pressure on Assad, and to be in a position to respond if diplomacy fails. And tonight, I give thanks again to our military and their families for their incredible strength and sacrifices. 11.  As we continue this debate -- in Washington, and across the country -- I need your help to make sure that everyone understands the factors at play. 12.  Please share this message with others to make sure they know where I stand, and how they can stay up to date on this situation. Anyone can find the latest information about the situation in Syria, including video of tonight's address, here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy/syria Thank you, President Barack Obama The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111