Tag Archives: MRS

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the First Lady at Kitchen Garden Planting Event

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By The White House

White House Kitchen Garden

1:16 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: How are you guys doing?

CHILDREN: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Is it a little chilly?

CHILDREN: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Where are your jackets? I'm going to be the mother. Where are your jackets? (Laughter.) All right, so we're going to put you to work.

Well, welcome. This is the fifth planting of the White House Kitchen Garden. Are you guys excited?

CHILDREN: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: So that we know who is here, I want to make sure that all these wonderful people with their cameras know which schools are here. So when I say your school name, raise your hand, or scream or something like that.

Milton Elementary School from Milton, Vermont. Woo-hoo! Yes, is that the principal? It's like woo-hoo, party on. Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Technology Academy in Knox County, Tennessee. Woo-hoo! (Applause.) Arthur D. Healey School, Somerville Public Schools in Somerville, Massachusetts. Woo-hoo! (Applause.) Benjamin David Gullett Elementary School in Bradenton, Florida. (Applause.) Yes, that was it. That was it. I know you all are cold, coming from Florida. And then we have our partners from many, many, many years — Bancroft Elementary School. (Applause.) There we go. See, they're comfortable yelling in the White House. (Laughter.) And then we have the Harriet Tubman Elementary School students. (Applause.)

So it's great to have you guys here. Are you ready to go? One of the reasons we invited these schools — Harriet Tubman School and Bancroft, they have been our partners for years. But the schools from across the country who have come, you guys are here because you are doing such wonderful things to implement the new school nutrition standards at your school. So do you like your school lunches? They are healthy and they are good? And you're eating your vegetables? And many of you have gardens of your own? Awesome. So you know what to do here, right? Are you ready to plant?

All right, let's get going. Let's do it!

END
1:18 P.M. EDT

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

New Energy Technologies to Present at Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit on April 4

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

New Energy Technologies to Present at Materials Research Society Spring Meeting & Exhibit on April 4 th , 2013

COLUMBIA, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– New Energy Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: NENE) has been accepted to present at the 2013 Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting & Exhibit on April 4th, 2013. The Conference will be held at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco, CA.

New Energy Principal Scientist, Dr. Scott Hammond, is scheduled to present research findings regarding different ways to improve the reliability and reproducibility of the coating between the anode interfacial and active layers, by way of controlling surface tension and energy, and examine the effect these methods have on the OPV device performance on Thursday, April 4th, 2013 at 8:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time. Active layer performance and the ability to reliably reproduce the coating between the device anode interfacial and active layers are important to New Energy’s SolarWindow™ electrical performance and reliability.

Currently under development for eventual commercial deployment in commercial buildings and homes in America, the Company’s SolarWindow™ technology is the subject of fourteen patent filings and is the world’s first-of-its-kind see-through technology capable of generating electricity on glass windows.

The MRS Conference is expected to have over 50 technical sessions, an international exhibit, a variety of special events, and over 5,000 attendees focused on presenting the very latest developments in materials research.


About Materials Research Society

The Materials Research Society, officially founded in 1973. The Society’s core principles were interdisciplinary, focused symposia, and greater interaction among researchers. These principles make MRS different from single-discipline professional societies because they encourage communication and technical information exchange across the various fields of science affecting materials. For more information on the list of presenting companies or to register for the event, please visit http://www.mrs.org or on-site registration will be available in the Moscone West, Level 1 during the Spring Meeting & Exhibit.


About New Energy Technologies, Inc.

New Energy Technologies, Inc., together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a developer of next generation alternative and renewable energy technologies. Among the Company’s technologies under development are:

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at "42" Film Workshop

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By The White House

State Dining Room

11:57 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Well, hello! How’s everybody doing?

AUDIENCE: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Welcome to the White House. (Laughter.) It’s nice. Let's do this. (Applause.) I know sometimes it’s hard to know how are you supposed to act in the White House. (Laughter.) Everybody is sitting with their — just loosen up, loosen up. It’s okay. You all are here. You’re just going to talk. I can tell you all talk a lot. (Laughter.) So you’re just going to talk a little more right here in the White House. We are honored to have you. Welcome, welcome.

Let me start today by thanking Paulette for moderating today’s workshop. Paulette is the new Director of the Office of Public Engagement right here in the White House, and we’re glad to have her on our team. I want to give her a round of applause — Paulette. (Applause.)

I want to thank Harrison Ford — I’ve wanted to say that for a while. (Laughter.) Harrison Ford. So you think you trip because I’m here? I’m tripping out — (laughter) — because he’s here. And look at this stage — Mr. Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman — he’s as cute as he was in the movie. (Laughter.) Just admit it. (Applause.) Outstanding — as well as Brian Helgeland, who is here as well. You’re going to hear from them.

And I want to thank all of you young people here, because I want to make sure I know who’s here. We have students from Gaithersburg, Maryland — who are you, where are you? (Applause.) Maryland in the house. Alexandria, Virginia. (Applause.) You guys are here. We’ve got some D.C. kids. (Applause.) Of course you all are the loudest ones. (Laughter.) It’s okay. We’ve got students from the Animo Jackie Robinson Charter High School in Los Angeles — where are our L.A. kids? (Applause.) There you go. You can be louder. (Laughter.) It’s okay, you all traveled.

But I want to make sure that you all know how welcome you are here in this house, because the truth is we do these things — we make sure that we do these workshops so that you all know that this is your house, too. So we want you to make yourselves at home. We want you to feel good and relaxed and learn and ask questions, okay?

And finally, I saved the best for last. I want to pay special thanks to a woman that I am totally in awe of. And I’m not going to get emotional. I’m going to say that now, because I can tend to get emotional. But she’s a woman of strength, of courage, conviction; a woman …read more
Source: White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the President and First Lady at the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll

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By The White House

South Lawn
10:48 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: This is Jessica Sanchez, everybody! Give her a big round of applause. (Applause.) Kid President — give Kid President a big round of applause. (Applause.) The Easter Bunny is here. Give the Easter Bunny a big round of applause. (Applause.)
It is wonderful to see all of you. And I just want to say welcome. You guys brought the great weather. It was a little shaky this morning, but all of you did a great job sending a message upstairs, and now we’ve got beautiful weather.
And I now want to introduce the star of the Obama family, my wife, the First Lady, Michelle Obama. (Applause.)
MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Kid President, Robbie Novak. Isn’t he wonderful? (Applause.) Robbie, we’re so proud to have you here. You have been so inspiring. I can’t imagine that there’s anyone who hasn’t seen your video, right? You make us all want to work hard and be better. That’s right. So you’re going to spend a little time in the Oval Office just fixing things up for this President, aren’t you? All right, well, it’s good to have you here.
And it’s great to have everyone here this morning. We are so excited. The Easter Egg Roll is the biggest event that we have here on the South Lawn of the White House each year. Today we’re going to have more than 30,000 people who will pass through this yard in celebration of nutrition and health and activity. And we could not do this if it were not for all of our wonderful volunteers, our staff, all of the terrific performers and athletes who have taken time out of their lives and their busy days to make this important. So we need to give all of them a round of applause for all their hard work. (Applause.) Yes, indeed!
So today, we want you to have a great time. We want you to run around. We want you to go over and see the White House Garden. We want you to learn about making tasty, healthy food. We’re going to come down and do some Easter egg roll. We’re going to read some stories. But overall, we want you guys to have a good time and keep moving and be healthy. And, kids, eat your vegetables, okay?
All right, you all, take care. We’ll see you down there. Bye-bye. Thank you. (Applause.)
10:51 A.M. EDT

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the First Lady at Fisher House Family Easter Event

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By The White House

Maryland Fisher House IV
Bethesda, Maryland

1:25 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, Crystal. It's so good to be back. It's good to see you guys. Are you having fun?

CHILDREN: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Are you ready for a little more fun? I'm coming to engage in the fun with you. Are you ready? Are you ready to show me how to make some stuff?

This is my second time here at Fisher House right around the Easter holidays, but it's not my second time, period. I mean, the Fisher Houses, as you all know, are just so important to families who are recuperating. They're doing some great stuff. As you can see, the houses are beautiful. And all around the country, they are as beautiful and as welcoming and as comforting as you guys are experiencing here.

That’s one of the reasons why we are so supportive of all the efforts that the Fisher Houses do. And we're grateful to the Fisher family — Crystal, who is here on behalf of her family — because it wouldn’t happen without them. So I like to come and hang out, number one, to bring cookies. Anybody like cookies here? I'm not sure if we haven't any cookie fans. (Laughter.) Just checking.

And one other thing I come bearing. We do this really cool thing at the White House around Easter every year. It's called our Easter Egg Roll. Have you guys heard of the Easter Egg Roll? We do it in the backyard of the White House on the South Lawn, and there are thousands of people who come. And we've got great entertainment, bands playing. We've got athletes who come, we've got Easter bunnies, and characters, and face painting, and bands playing, and lots of running right on the South Lawn. Does that sound fun?

CHILDREN: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: I brought tickets for all of you to come. So that’s the other thing I bring. (Applause.) So the Monday after Easter, you guys are invited to my house to hang out, okay?

I have one last surprise for you guys. I brought a friend. Bo!

(Bo walks into the room.)

I brought Bo. Bo came to see you guys. Okay, so first I'm going to check out — I'm going to come around to the tables. If you don’t like dogs, just let me know.

Bo is a sweetheart, but he's big; he's bigger than some kids realize. (Laughter.) So it takes a little second, but that’s all he is, is big. He's really a big baby. He's a big baby. He …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the First Lady at the Beasts of the Southern Wild Workshop

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By The White House

State Dining Room

11:07 A.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA: Hi! How is everybody? You guys good? Good morning!

AUDIENCE: Good morning.

MRS. OBAMA: I am thrilled, beyond thrilled. You guys excited to be here?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Was it a good movie?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Oh, wonderful. I am so glad you all are here to help us celebrate Black History Month at the White House. We're doing a bunch of stuff this month, but this is one of the highlights. And we are thrilled to be here with you all.

I want to start by thanking Rachel Goslins for agreeing to moderate the workshop today. Rachel is a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. And what that means is that her job is to connect all Americans, especially young people, to music, art, dance and film. So thank you, Rachel, as always. Thanks for all your hard work, and — yes. (Applause.)

And, of course, I also want to thank our guests who are with us today — Benh Zeitlin, Dwight Henry, and Quvenzhané — my girl. Did I say that right? Did I get that right? Quvenzhané Wallis for being here today. Let's give them a round of applause. (Applause.)

But it's a special joy to have so many bright, smart and talented young people here. You guys are looking good. And I know that some of you have traveled all the way from New Orleans — is that correct? And many of you are here right from D.C., right in our neighborhood, our neighbors. But let me tell you, no matter where you've come from or how far you traveled, we're just glad you're here today to watch what I consider to be one of the most powerful and important movies that has been put out this year — or in a long time, quite frankly — Beasts of the Southern Wild.

And as I was telling the cast and the directors and the producers in the other room, I had the opportunity to watch this movie this summer with a large group of our friends and family. And the ages ranged from three to 75 years old — we had a big family. But it's rare these days to find a movie that can so completely and utterly captivate such a broad audience, and that was one of the things that struck me about this movie. It managed to be beautiful, joyful and devastatingly honest.

It's a movie that makes us all think deeply about the people we love in our lives who make us who we are. It …read more
Source: White House Press Office

Computers

'Fair data' logo promotes ethical standards for collecting consumer data

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Consumers worried about how their personal data might be misused by private and public sector organisations can from today look for a new ‘Fair Data’ logo to calm their worries, the Market Research Society (MRS) has announced.

Launched on Data Privacy Day, 28 January, with the enthusiastic endorsement of the Information Commissioner, the MRS claims its 10-point set of principles [PDF] will set a new benchmark for the ethical handling of data.

Organisations wanting to display the kitemark will have to agree to gain explicit consent from customers for data collection, impose data security, ensure that data is only used for purpose for which it was collected, and allow consumer access to any data held.

They will also have to impose the same standards on any third-parties that might gains access to the data in their supply chain.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the President at Staff Inaugural Ball

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By The White House

Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.

9:00 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! (Applause.) You all clean up pretty good. (Applause.) You are looking good.

Couple of acknowledgements I want to make — first of all, please give it up for DJ Mal Sandiko. (Applause.) The U.S. Army Band is in the house. (Applause.) We're so proud — they can play anything — anything. Go ahead and make a request, they’ll play it. They are outstanding. And we are so grateful for their service to our country each and every day.

Now, this is just a little gathering, little party among friends. (Applause.) Represented here are our outstanding OFA staff and volunteers. (Applause.) Our amazing PIC — that would be Presidential Inaugural Committee Team. (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA: This has been a great inauguration. They've done a great job.

THE PRESIDENT: Michelle just said this has been a great inauguration, and you've done a great job.

We've got the DNC convention team that did an amazing job. (Applause.) We've got the DNC team that did an amazing job. (Applause.) And we've got the White House team, which is pretty good. (Applause.) They did an amazing job.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: And you!

THE PRESIDENT: I'm here, too. (Applause.) That’s true. And the First Lady of the United States — (applause) — bangs and all — (applause) — looking very sparkly and twinkly. (Laughter.)

Now, I'm not going to speak long, mainly because I've been speaking a lot and you all have heard me before.

MRS. OBAMA: And the entertainment is pretty good.

THE PRESIDENT: And, more importantly, we've got a couple of people who are pretty good musicians named Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett in the house. (Applause.) This is like my — Michelle is like doing interpretive dance of everything I say. It's been a long weekend — she's getting a little silly now. (Laughter.)
But my main job here tonight is real simple, and it's just to say thank you. (Applause.) You know, some of you were involved the very first time I ran, back in 2007, 2008. (Applause.) Some of you were 14 at the time, and so just got involved this time out. (Applause.) You know who you are. (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA: That’s right.

THE PRESIDENT: But regardless of whether you got involved six years ago or you got involved six months ago, what is true is that all of you have come to represent for me and Michelle our deepest hopes for America.

The average age here is probably around 20-something — (applause) — and that’s only because I'm here, which brings the average age up quite a bit. But when I think about traveling around the country during the course of the campaign and getting to know some of you and meeting some of you and seeing the work you do in the White House or the work that you did during the convention, and I meet young people who are so much smarter and more thoughtful and more caring about the future than I ever was at your age, so much more capable, so much more serious, so much more poised, it makes me know that America’s future is in good hands. (Applause.)

As long as all of you understand the immense and incredible power that you possess when you work together, when you join voices, when you extend yourselves not just on behalf of your own ambitions but on behalf of a larger cause, you cannot be stopped. And part of the reason I know that America will succeed is when I look at how you work together, what I saw in offices from Vegas — (applause) — to Richmond — (applause) — to Colorado Springs — (applause) — to Manchester, New Hampshire — (applause) — to Orlando, Florida — it didn’t matter — (applause) — it didn’t matter where I was, I'd walk into a volunteer office and what you saw was people from every walk of life — black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, young, gay, straight — it didn’t matter where you came from, you came together with a mission in mind and a vision in mind. And you were willing to set aside whatever surface differences you had because you understood you were working on behalf of an America that was a little more just and a little more fair and a little more compassionate, and better stewards for our environment. (Applause.)

And seeing that kind of spirit operate day in, day out, no matter how hard the work, no matter how little you got paid, no matter how bad your candidate screwed up, it didn’t matter, you just kept on going. And there were times during the course of this year where I might have gotten down, but you picked me back up. (Applause.) You lifted me up on your shoulders. And you said, yeah, we know he’s gotten kind of old and gray-haired, and we know sometimes he stumbles. But we are going to carry him across the finish line. (Applause.) Because this is not about him; this is about us. This is about America. This is about what we believe. This is about what our values are. (Applause.) This is what our ideals are all about. We are going to go out there and change America. (Applause.)

That's what you did every single day. And so this weekend belonged to you. (Applause.) To you. (Applause.)

So my final message — because I'm already breaking my promise; I said I wasn’t going to talk long — is to say that you can't stop now. I know some of you have got to go back to school. I know some of your parents are all like, okay, you did your little thing, but now you’ve got to go back and get your degree. I know some of you’ve got some rent to pay, so you’ve got to —

MRS. OBAMA: Some loans.

THE PRESIDENT: — get some loans to repay. You may be making a whole range of career choices and decisions right now. And, look, not all of you will end up staying in politics. Not all of you will end up pursuing professionally public service. But every single one of you, in your communities, in your neighborhoods, in your workplaces, wherever you decide to put down roots, wherever you decide to make a difference, as long as you retain that spirit that you’ve shown during the course of these campaigns — the idea that you’re a citizen, that America only works when you make it work — (applause) — that you have the power to move this country and, as a consequence, the world — if you retain that sense and never lose it, then I tell you, not only is America going to be in good hands, but what’s going to happen is you’re going to influence your peers and your friends and the folks you live next to and your neighbors and people in your workplace. And suddenly, like Robert Kennedy described, you’re like a stone thrown in a pool and it starts rippling out. And you don’t know where those ripples are going to go, and that’s the future that I see for you.

I know that every single person here donated $10 to a memorial on behalf of Alex Okrent Memorial. (Applause.) And Alex was one of you — this incredibly thoughtful, talented, compassionate, caring young person who decided to get involved because he thought he could make a difference. And tragically, he ended up leaving us while working in the campaign — some of the people here were there when it happened. And it was heartbreaking, and it reminded us of how precious our time on this Earth is.

We don’t have a lot of time. I know when you’re young it seems like it goes on forever. It turns out things are fragile. And yet, the thing that outlives each of us is what we do for somebody else, what difference did we make. And we know Alex made a difference. (Applause.) And so his impact outlives him. And that means — that’s all right — somebody is over there and they probably fainted because they’ve been standing too long. Many of you have been at rallies — there’s one over here, we’ve got EMS folks here. People, bend your knees while you’re here. (Laughter.) And try to get hydrated as well.

MRS. OBAMA: You know you’ve got to drink some water!

THE PRESIDENT: Drink water is what I mean. (Laughter.) Juice is okay, too. (Laughter.)

But in the same way that Alex left this indelible mark on my life and Michelle’s life, and many of your lives, you will leave an indelible mark as well, as long as you decide that you’re going to spend your life giving something back.

You’ve already given me an incredible gift. You’ve given America an incredible gift. Don’t stop. Keep on going. (Applause.) Don’t stop. Stay fired up. (Applause.)

Are you fired up?

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Are you ready to go?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Fired up!

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Ready to go?

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Fired up!

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Ready to go!

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: Fired up!

AUDIENCE: Fired up!

THE PRESIDENT: Ready to go.

AUDIENCE: Ready to go!

THE PRESIDENT: I think Lady Gaga is fired up, too.

God bless you, guys! (Applause.) I love you! Thank you! God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END
9:16 P.M. EST

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the President, the Vice President, the First Lady and Dr. Biden at Inaugural Reception

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By The White House

The Building Museum
Washington, D.C.

8:48 P.M. EST

DR. BIDEN: Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. But more than that, thank you for the kindness, friendship and support that you’ve shown us since we’ve begun this long journey together. We wouldn’t be here without your help, and that means so much to me and Joe.

Joe and I are thrilled, and I know you feel the same way, to have Barack Obama as our President for another four years — (applause) — and Michelle as First Lady. (Applause.) And I may be a little biased, but I couldn’t think of a better man than my husband to help our President lead our country for the next four years. (Applause.) As long as he has the privilege of serving this nation, I know that Joe will keep fighting for American people every day.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming my husband, our Vice President, Joe Biden. (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I’m going to move this away, baby.

Hello, I'm Jill Biden’s husband, and I’m delighted to be with you all here. (Laughter.) Let me begin with the simplest of statements: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’re the only reason that we are here. Thank you for your support. Thank you for being here. And most of all, thank you for believing in us.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been honored to serve as Vice President. But I’ve been especially honored to serve as Barack Obama’s Vice President. (Applause.) This man has already done an absolutely remarkable job: Historic health care reform, two Supreme Court appointees — Justice Sonya Sotomayor and Elaine Kagan — ending the war in Iraq and about to end the war in Afghanistan — (applause) — and stating forthrightly his support for marriage equality. (Applause.) And I want you to know something else about this guy Barack Obama — he’s just getting started. He’s just getting started. (Applause.)

In the weeks and months ahead, we’re going to reduce gun violence here in America. (Applause.) We’re going to pass comprehensive immigration reform. (Applause.) And we’re going to put this nation’s economy on a sustainable path to the future.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my great honor to introduce you to a magnificent, a truly magnificent First Lady Michelle Obama, and the guy she hangs out with — my friend, President Barack Obama. (Applause.)

Hey. (Laughter and applause.) I thought you weren’t coming out. (Laughter.) I thought you weren’t coming. (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, everybody. (Applause.) Excuse our tardiness. But you know what, when Stevie Wonder has a few words to say to you — (laughter) — you don’t rush Stevie Wonder. (Laughter.) So pardon our delay, but thank you. Thanks so much, Jill. Thank you for that kind introduction. But more importantly, thank you for your leadership and service. (Applause.)

I love Joe Biden. (Applause.) I love Jill a little bit more. (Laughter.) But I want to thank you both for making this journey so much more fun. Our families have bonded and this has just been a phenomenal four years. And I’m ready to do four more with both of you. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Four more.

MRS. OBAMA: Four more.

And most of all, I want to thank all of you here tonight for everything — everything — that you’ve done to bring this Inauguration to life. This weekend has been such a wonderful celebration for our people and for the future. And we know that none of it could have happened without all of you. And that’s why it was so important for all of us to be here and to spend some time with you.

So this weekend, as we look ahead to the next four years, we should absolutely take some time to truly enjoy this next few days. I mean, the last one was kind of fast. (Laughter.) So we’ve all agreed that we’re going to take some time to just breathe in and enjoy it.

But let's also remember that this Inauguration is about more than all of the events that we will all enjoy this weekend. It's about more than swearing in a President. It's about more than we accomplish together over the next four years. It's also about the opportunities we have to make a real difference in people's lives. (Applause.) I mean, the truth is it's about our opportunity to continue to lift up our families, to help more of our children achieve their dreams, and to put our country on a solid foundation not just for these next few years, but for generations to come.

So tonight, let us re-dedicate ourselves to that work. Let us keep building on the progress that we've made. And let's keep working and fighting and pushing forward —

THE PRESIDENT: Forward.

MRS. OBAMA: Forward. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Forward.

MRS. OBAMA: — forward to make the real changes that's happened.

And that's what this man, my husband, has been doing for these last four years. (Applause.) And let me tell you, it has just been a true thrill to watch this handsome, charming — (laughter) — individual grow into the man and the President that he is. We have seen him every single day — his integrity, his character, his sense of humor — (laughter) — his compassion, his courage. And no matter what the obstacles, we have seen him be so steady facing the challenges that lie ahead and, as always, held true to one unwavering belief — and that is that we love this country, and we can all work together to change it.

So, ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome the love of my life and our President for the next four years, Barack Obama. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Now, first of all, I love Michelle Obama. (Applause.) And to address the most significant event of this weekend, I love her bangs. (Laughter and applause.) She looks good. She always looks good.

You know, as President, you make a lot of important decisions. Probably the most important decision is who is going to be your partner during the course of your presidency. And there have been some decisions I got right, some maybe folks might question. But one decision I know was absolutely correct, absolutely spot on, was my choice of Vice President. I could not have a better partner than Joe Biden. And Joe Biden couldn’t have a better partner than Dr. Jill Biden. (Applause.) We love these folks. Give them a round of applause. (Applause.)

Now, some of you may have heard the story of Andrew Jackson's inaugural reception. Party-goers got so rowdy they broke several thousands of dollars' worth of White House china. (Laughter.) So my first big thank-you tonight is to the National Building Museum for hosting us here. (Laughter.)

I also want to thank The Source for their outstanding entertainment, the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters — (applause) — and a guy who has been known to make pretty good music, Mr. Stevie Wonder. (Applause.)

I'm delivering another speech tomorrow so tonight I'm going to be pretty brief, because there are a limited amount of good lines and you don’t want to use them all up tonight. (Laughter.) My main purpose tonight is just to say thank you.

As I look out on the room, we've got people from every walk of life, every corner and nook and cranny of this country, every state, every city, every suburb — people who have invested so much heart, soul, time, money, energy. One of the things that made this campaign unique was the degree of investment and ownership people had in this common project of ours, because you understood this was not just about a candidate; it was not just about Joe Biden or Barack Obama. This was about us, who we are as a nation, what values we cherish, how hard we're willing to fight to make sure that those values live not just for today but for future generations.

All of you here understood and were committed to the basic notion that when we put our shoulders to the wheel of history, it moves. (Applause.) It moves. It moves forward. And that’s part of what we celebrate when we come together for Inauguration.

Yesterday, Americans in all 50 states took part in a National Day of Service. Tomorrow, hundreds of thousands will join us in the National Mall. And what the Inauguration reminds us of is the role we have as fellow citizens in promoting a common good even as we carry out our individual responsibilities — the sense that there's something larger than ourselves that gives shape and meaning to our lives.

The theme of this year's Inauguration is “Our people and our future.” And throughout my career, what’s always given me energy and inspiration and hope, what’s allowed me to stand up when I’ve been knocked down, are folks like you — the decency, the goodness, the resilience, the neighborliness, the patriotism, the sense of duty, the sense of responsibility of the American people. You have inspired me throughout.

And so whenever I think about the challenges that Joe and I and Jill and Michelle face, we know that we stand amongst friends and colleagues and fellow citizens, and that the work is not just ours, that we are working together.

So I just want to say thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) And I want all of you to know that even as we celebrate over the next couple of days — and feel free to stay up as late as you want. Tomorrow is not a school night. Make sure to bundle up — although it won’t be as cold as it was four years ago. (Laughter.) Make sure you know that what we’re celebrating is not the election or swearing-in of a President; What we’re doing is celebrating each other, and celebrating this incredible nation that we call home. (Applause.)

And after we celebrate, let’s make sure to work as hard as we can to pass on an America that is worthy not only of our past but also of our future. (Applause.)

God bless you guys. I love you. We’ll see you tomorrow. (Applause.)

END
9:02 P.M. EST

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Biden at the Kids Inaugural Concert

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By The White House

7:45 P.M. EST

DR. BIDEN: Hello, everyone! (Applause.) Thank you for that wonderful introduction, Jaelen. I’m so proud of Jaelen, and I know you brought some other kids from Lee Hall Elementary. It’s so good to see all of you. (Applause.) Oh, they’re over there. And I want to thank your mom and your whole family for their service to our country.

J.R. Martinez, it is always wonderful to see you. Thank you for your service and all that you continue to do for our military families. The First Lady and I are so excited to be here with all these military kids.

I want to give a special welcome to some very brave kids from the Delaware Army National Guard 153rd Military Police Company. (Applause.) Just a few weeks ago, I was with them when their moms or dads were deployed to Afghanistan. I want you all to know that we are so proud of you and we will be here for you while your moms and dads are away.

The First Lady and I knew from the start that we wanted to celebrate the strength and service of our military families. That’s why we started Joining Forces — our effort to encourage all Americans to find ways to honor and support our troops, veterans and military families. Joining Forces is especially important to me because I know something about being a military mom. Our son Beau is a major in the Delaware Army National Guard, and he was deployed to Iraq for a year. Beau has two children, Natalie and Hunter, so I know — (applause) — thank you — so I know firsthand just how important it is for a child to have everyone’s support — their friends, their teachers, and their entire community — when mom or dad is away.

So we want tonight to be one special way that our country shows all of you just how much we appreciate everything you’re doing for our country. And we are so excited to be here with you tonight, here with everyone.

Now I would like to introduce someone else who is so proud of you and excited to be here. She’s been working so hard for military families. Please welcome my great friend and partner, First Lady Michelle Obama. (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA: Wow. Thank you so much. Thank you, Jill. Big hand to Jill, my partner. (Applause.) How is everybody doing? (Applause.) Are you guys having fun? (Applause.) Are you excited to be here for the inauguration? (Applause.) Well, we are all excited that you could join us tonight, both here in Washington and from all across the country and around the world by video.

We’ve got kids from Fort Hood that are here. (Applause.) We’ve got folks who have joined us from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. They’re in the house. (Applause.) We have folks from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base here. (Applause.) We’ve got folks from Camp Pendleton who are here with us. (Applause.) And we’ve got Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater here as well. (Applause.) Yes!

And for the wonderful kids from Naval Air Station Sigonella who led the Pledge of Allegiance — (applause) — yes! — we have some very special guests that are here as well — your parents! (Applause.) Those are your parents. So let’s give them a round of applause. We’ve beamed them in. (Applause.) They’re right there. Wave to them. They can see you. (Applause.)

Now, inauguration is a pretty big deal. The President and the Vice President are sworn in. There are all these inaugural balls, everybody dresses up and dances. We had a wonderful day of service today, and hundreds of thousands of people come from all 50 states to join in the celebration. And let me tell you, I love every single minute of it. Every single minute. But I have to tell you that my very favorite part of this entire weekend is being right here with all of you. (Applause.) Absolutely. Because for me, this is what inauguration is all about. It’s about celebrating who we are as Americans and all the things that make this country so great. And when I think about who we are, when I think about what makes America great, I think about all of you –our men and women in uniform, our military spouses, and our amazing military kids.

And that’s why Jill and I wanted to host this event. And we’re not the only ones that wanted to pay tribute to all of you today. You see, when we said we wanted to host a concert to honor our military kids, let me tell you, everyone wanted to be here. Usher wanted to be here. (Applause.) Katy Perry wanted to be here. (Applause.) Nick Cannon, the folks from Glee, and all the other amazing performers — they wanted to be here, too. (Applause.) And let me tell you, they’re not here for me. They’re not here for Dr. Biden. They are here for all of you. Because they know the kind of sacrifices that you all make every single day.

Let me just share something. Did you know that the — that a military kid attends an average of six to nine schools by the time he or she graduates from high school? I mean, just think about that. Just imagine how much courage it takes to always be the new kid — to walk through the doors of a new school every couple of years; to have to make new friends again and again. And did you know that our men and women in uniform often have to be away from their families for months, sometimes years.

Just think about the level of maturity that is required for military kids during those times, just think about that. Think about how they have to step up at home without even being asked — taking out the trash when dad’s not there; helping brothers and sisters with their homework when mom is away.

Think about how hard it is for military kids to be apart from the people they love most, how they miss their moms and dads every day and would do anything to have them back home. And that’s just a glimpse of what it means to be a military kid. It means always thinking about things that are so much bigger than yourself. It means growing up just a little faster and working just a little harder than other kids. And it means doing the greatest thing you can ever do with your life at such a young age, and that is to serve our country.

So to America’s military kids, let me tell you, make no mistake about it, you all are an important part of the greatest military on Earth. (Applause.) By supporting your families, you all are helping to protect this country and keep every single one of us safe. You’re doing that. And Dr. Biden and I are so incredibly proud of you all. Every day, we’re proud of you. Let me tell you, our husbands are proud — the Vice President, the President — they are proud of you.

And in the coming years, as these wars draw to an end and we draw down our troops, I want you all to know –(applause) — absolutely — but here’s the thing: I want you to know, you and your families to know that we will not be drawing down our work to support you. We will be doing just the opposite, because the fact is that today we have a greater obligation to serve you than ever before. And we will do everything in our power, everything to meet that obligation to make sure that our military families get the benefits they’ve earned and the support and recognition you all deserve.

So in the coming months and years through Joining Forces, Dr. Biden and I, we will keep calling on Americans to translate the love and pride that we all feel into action that makes a real difference for you and your families. Every single one of us has a role to play here. And I encourage everyone watching tonight to go to JoiningForces.gov and find out how you can give back to our military families. Because we cannot rest, no, we cannot be satisfied until we are serving all of you as well as you’ve served this country. You all deserve nothing less.

And with that, there is someone else here tonight who would like to show her appreciation for you all. She is our final performer for this evening. Should we bring her out? Are you ready? (Applause.) Are you really ready? (Applause.) All right, then. It is now my pleasure to introduce the fabulous Katy Perry!

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House Press Office

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President and the First Lady on Volunteering on National Day of Service

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By The White House

Burrville Elementary School
Washington, D.C.

12:46 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Well, this is a good-looking crew here. (Applause.) First of all, we just want to acknowledge Burrville Elementary School — (applause) — and the principal here, Tui Roper, who is doing outstanding work. (Applause.) If you see Tui, you may think she’s a student, but no, she’s the principal.

As I look around the room, I see friends from all across the country, people who have been such great supporters of ours, but more importantly, everybody here — adults to children — understand the importance of giving back. And as we think about not so much Inauguration, but we think about the fact that this is Dr. King’s birthday that we’re going to be celebrating this weekend, I’m always reminded that he said, everybody wants to be first, everybody wants to be a drum major; but if you’re going to be a drum major, be a drum major for service, be a drum major for justice, be a drum major for looking out for other people. (Applause.)

And organizations like City Year — (applause) — the Corporation for National Service — (applause) — all the great work that’s being done day in, day out shows that there’s a huge hunger on the part of young people to get involved and to get engaged. And it was interesting — we were talking to one of the young people, I was staining a shelf —

MRS. OBAMA: He did a fine job.

THE PRESIDENT: And Michelle says I did a fine job. (Laughter and applause.) And one of the City Year folks, I was talking to them, I said, how’d you get involved, they said, our parents every holiday we’d always do service and so I was taught at a very young age. So the fact that we’ve got some outstanding young people here today, I want to say thank you to the parents for showing early on to all our young people how gratifying and how fulfilling this is.

This is really what America is about. This is what we celebrate. This Inauguration we’re going to be — it’s a symbol of how our democracy works and how we peacefully transfer power, but it should also be an affirmation that we’re all in this together and that we’ve got to look out for each other and work hard on behalf of each other.

So we’re thrilled that all of you are here. We hope you guys are having a great time. (Applause.) I hear reports that the very young people did some really good work and some of the older folks like me, who it hurt getting our knees kind of bending down a little bit, we were able to manage also, and somehow Michelle looked stylish the whole time she was doing it. (Applause.)

So, Mich, you want to say a few words?

MRS. OBAMA: You all, thank you so much. It’s wonderful to have such great turnout for this day of service. And I know that we have a lot of family members in the audience — (applause) — and we always force our family, when they come up and do something really cool, they have to serve and they do it happily. So I’m proud of our families for always being there for us. We love you guys.

So as Barack said, this is a weekend of celebration, but through it all we have to remember that the reason why we’re here, why we’re standing here, why we’re able to celebrate this weekend is because a lot of people worked hard and supported us. And we’ve got a job to do. And this is a symbol of the kind of work that we need to be doing for the next four years and beyond.

(Loud crash.)

THE PRESIDENT: That was a cameraman.

MRS. OBAMA: That was the press. This is press. (Laughter.) It’s okay, though, it’s okay. Hope you didn’t break it. (Laughter.)

So for all the young people, and we’ve got a lot of young people — City Year members, the students here at this school — as Barack says, we’re passing the baton onto you all. So the goal is, is that as you make your way through life, who are you pulling up behind you? And as long as you’re pulling somebody up behind you, you’re doing the right thing.

So thank you all. We’re very proud of you and we’re going to come down and shake some hands.

END 12:52 P.M. EST

Source: White House Press Office