Sunday, August 4, 2013

President Obama Signs Texas Emergency Declaration

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For Immediate Release April 22, 2013 President Obama Signs Texas Emergency Declaration

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Texas and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from an explosion beginning on April 17, 2013, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in McLennan County.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Kevin L. Hannes as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

Extending Middle Class Tax Cuts

Blog posts on this issue April 22, 2013 6:34 PM EDTCelebrate National Park Week!

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

April 22, 2013 5:57 PM EDTYoung Scientists and Innovators Amaze President Obama at the White House Science Fair

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

April 20, 2013 1:10 PM EDTWatch Live: 2013 White House Science Fair

President Obama hosts the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country.

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Great Conservative Sports Star Tim Tebow is reportedly joining the New England Patriots, from where he will be able to defeat the liberal New York Jets at least twice a year. [1] God does indeed have a sense of humor.

Why is big government a Goliath and why should you fear it? Start with watching a girl with cystic fibrosis nearly die from some arcane rule, while the government waives said rule for a big campaign donor. Then remember a little bit of history. [2]

Homeschooling surge underway: Education at home is growing seven times faster than K-12 enrollment. The homeschool option makes perfect sense, "significantly higher ACT-Composite scores as high schoolers and higher grade point averages as college students." [3]

Michael Reagan: Reform the U.S. tax code. [4]

The joke sport of "rhythmic gymnastics" is part of the 2020 Olympic Games roster.[5]

2013 continues to be a TERRIBLE year for evolutionary belief just like creationists predicted. The formerly popular Whyevolutionistrue blog sees its web traffic plunge in 2013.[6]

Union jack.jpg

Britain has a debt-to-revenue ratio of 212%. Britain's external debt to GDP ratio was 390% in 2011.[7]

How long will you keep Charles Darwin on your currency Britain? How long will you run inefficient Darwinism indoctrinating public schools? Behold! Creationism will grow mightily in your land!

Multi-ethnic, Bible-believing church is adding 40-50 new members a year via the internet. Also, will a "God-ordained meeting" prove to yield more fruit than boring atheist meetings led by boring, white, atheist males? [8]

Atheists and evolutionists: Why are atheism and evolutionary beliefs so stale and boring?[9]

Conservative Rand Paul may challenge the privacy-invading conduct of the Obama Administration in court. [10] Even a few Dems express their opposition to the Big Brother program.

Promoters of marijuana are quiet about the arrest Saturday of a crane operator charged with causing the deaths of 6 people while under the alleged influence of the drug. [11] Authorities still conceal how much pot was in the system of "College Weed Dealer" Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. [12]

Trust the government? How can we in light of the recent scandals? [13]

Leftist vie for the Dem nomination for the special U.S. Senate election in New Jersey, with Rush Holt and media-promoted Cory Booker jumping into the race. [14]

Tag team of scientists show why the eye is still a thorn in the side of Darwinists.[15]

Protecting Christians in populist Muslim countries.[16]

Who is the enemy of the people? Barack Hussein Obama? Or institutions that enable him? [17]

Psychiatry and Darwinism: Pseudosciences in crisis.[18][19]

Primal scream therapy? A liberal evolutionist must have come up with that one!

Marijuana apparently killed again: six deaths in a building collapse have been traced back to a demolition equipment operator who, accordingly to toxicology reports, was allegedly high on pot. [20]

A Great Conservative Sports Star, the center who led the Ravens offense to the Super Bowl victory, declined to attend the White House celebration because Obama is so pro-abortion. [21] Obama-supported "Planned Parenthood performs about 330,000 abortions a year," Matt Birk observed.

"Reading by Bumps: How to navigate the Hebrew Braille Bible, and not go to prison" by Bishop Bert [22]

Obama administration mining Facebook data to predict crimes.[23]

New York City Mayor candidate Anthony Weiner and the New York Times are tying to rehabilitate his sleazy image, but Michelle Malkin has doubts that it will work.[24]

Flip-flops.png

Barack Hussein Obama flip-flops on the Patriot Act.[25]

Why do liberals, RINOs and Darwinist posers like to flip-flop so often?[26][27] Lack of convictions?

High unemployment, mistrust of government and a porous Mexican border makes odds of passing U.S. immigration bill longer.[28]

"The administration has now lost all credibility..."
And this statement comes from the editorial board of the New York Times, a liberal newspaper. [29][30]

The NSA's domestic spying - and they are spying on Americans - violates the Fourth Amendment. [31]

The special Senate election in New Jersey got a lot more interesting today. Governor Chris Christie named a close ally as a caretaker Senator, and several candidates said they would try to qualify. [32]

A Tea Party activist denounces Chris Christie for calling a special election instead of simply appointing an interim United States Senator. (And calling a special election so fast most candidates won't have time to qualify.) [33] While we're at it: is Chris Christie really a Republican? [34]

The Bully-crats: [35]

Trolls' attempts to silence conservatives just won't work. [36]

Robert Bauer: former White House Counsel, who could be the one most responsible for the IRS targeting of the Tea Party and conservatives in general. [37]

10-year old boy fends off armed home intruders with a gun.[38]

Remember this Father's Day: The left's policies are undermining the family.[39]

The Common Core State Standards for education are unconstitutional and illegal. See here for all the laws they violate. [40]

BREAKING NEWS: Steve Lonegan will start at once to gather signatures to get on the primary ballot in the New Jersey special Senate election. [41][42]

Chris Christie called a special election to fill Frank Lautenberg's Senate seat to benefit one man only: himself. And why is he drawing big money from prominent Democratic Party financiers? [43]

The Obama administration is as transparent as a tar pit.[44] American conservatives, like the ones in Florida and Texas, like the refreshing, clear waters of government transparency.

The IRS discriminates because they are a bunch of self-serving, liberal, money grubbers.[45] Eliminate the IRS and slash U.S federal government spending.

Real austerity and not "faux austerity" will help European economies.[46] How long will the liberal heathen rage and deny the obvious?

What's really "transparent" about Barack Hussein Obama? His war on America, and American women, that's what. [47]

Conservative landslide victory Tuesday, by a remarkable 67-27% margin, for an open congressional seat in Missouri. [48]

Tyranny gets a new face today. It is not just the IRS. It is the Democratic Party Caucus of the United States House of Representatives. [49]

BREAKING NEWS: Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey will not name an interim United States Senator immediately. He will call a special election, to take place this October, to name a replacement for the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. [50]

New Jersey voters! Vote today. A Tea Party group publishes its last list of endorsements in races from sheriff to township council. [51]

The lamestream media admit that Tim Tebow is being excluded not primarily because of his quarterbacking skills. [52] Why should the public support the NFL as it discriminates against outspoken Christians?

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) died Monday. Now Governor Chris Christie must appoint someone to replace him. Whom will that be? [53][54]

Liberal hatred of the First Amendment: [55]

Evolutionists failed to overturn Louisiana pro-creationism law - again! Also, another creationist mother is eager to have her daughter read a draft of the Question evolution! campaign book for middle school students.[56]

Forbes: Religion is an essential driver of economic growth. Evangelicalism is improving the cultures of third world countries and boosting their economies. [57]

UN Agenda 21 threatens San Francisco Bay. But two activists are preparing to sue to fight it. [58]

Liberal censorship continues, by making a big deal out of an offhand reference to "no homo" by a triumphant basketball player. [59] But there's no exception to the First Amendment allowing censorship to promote the homosexual agenda.

Are the Koch Brothers hoping to buy the Los Angeles Times? If so, conservatives should applaud, not decry, them for that. [60]

Anti-Darwinism has now entered into a mainstream public university. Indiana's Ball State University is now offering a course which is intelligent design friendly.[61]

Same-sex marriage is defeated in the liberal state of Illinois, despite Obama's push for it in his home state. [62] Has Obama become irrelevant?

The academic journal Sociology of Religion shows secularism losing momentum and beginning to decline in both Europe and America by 2050. Other academic research shows it may begin to happen much earlier.[63]

August 2012: A summer of triumph for biblical creation belief. Will August 2013 be a watershed month as well?[64]

Media-promoted Tiger Woods "shot his worst nine-hole score as a professional" but afterward his comments were again self-serving: "I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggled out there." [65] Actually, Woods' score is worse than 69 other players.

The number of adherents of liberal Christianity who will be spit out of Jesus's mouth will be many.[66]

The country with the world's biggest atheist population is very interested in information debunking Darwinism.[67]

The first review of the Question evolution! campaign book for middle school students is in! Rachel finds the book "very interesting". Sarah is "very interested" in reading the book.[68]

Evolutionists, learning science is exciting. The force feeding of stale, evolutionary bunkum is not.[69][70]

New Jersey voters! This Tuesday is Primary Day. Herewith a voter guide. [71][72][73]

The IRS and the White House definitely worked together. The visitor logs show how often IRS Commissioner Shulman visited – and how rarely anyone else did with whom he would have had meetings, of not with Barack Obama. [74]

A Tea Party activist withdraws his earlier call for a temporary criminal registry, in wake of the scandals surrounding the Internal Revenue Service. This is the same agency that will police Obamacare. [75]

Liberal double standard: when undefeated Michele Bachmann declined to run for reelection, there was liberal claptrap galore by the media. Then her Dem opponent pulled out of the race too, and the media are nearly speechless. [76]

Eric Holder gave a private party for his friends in the Mainstream Media, and less than half of them showed up. What does that say about those who did? [77]

After cutting Tim Tebow, the New York Jets now try to stop the building of a family amusement park. [78] Why should the increasingly anti-Christian NFL receive favoritism??

Associated Press reports that Americans may lose the health plan they like under Obamacare.[79]

Student Loan money profits are being siphoned off to pay for ObamaCare.[80]

An activist advises people to elect a sheriff who remembers his Constitutional duty to those who elect him. [81]

"Memorial Day 2013: How it was. What it will be" by Bishop Bert [82]

1960s liberalism is not only financially unsustainable, but its champions are a dying breed.[83]

Understanding gold market dynamics.[84]

Evolutionary racism directed towards an accomplished footballer puts a sour note on a football game.[85] Why are so many liberals racists?

When a republic turns into a democracy, it will surely fail. [86]

Remembering a fallen police officer in Phoenix, Arizona. [87]

Media bullying alert: the lamestream media spend all day picking on undefeated conservative Michele Bachmann, who repeatedly won in a liberal district. Rather their cheap criticism, the media should be asking why they could never defeat her.

Wikipedia continues to lose influence in the world in 2013.[88] Also, interest in Project 200 plus keeps expanding.

Undefeated five-term congressman Michele Bachmann announces that she will retire from her position, and may run for higher office. [89] The liberal machine was never able to defeat her in a Dem state.

Professor attacked by liberals. His "crime"? Teaching students to think for themselves. [90]

Judge-Shopping, or, How Eric Holder Got Away With Spying On A Reporter's Emails: [91]

The liberal nanny mayor of New York City doesn't like street cafes now. [92]

The IRS scandal that the news is not covering, because it's tied in with Obamacare: [93]

Eric Holder now faces investigation for perjury before Congress. Is Barack Hussein Obama paying attention? [94]

France struggles to find a strategy to turn around their economy even though it is right under their nose.[95] The Bible, Adam Smith and Friedrich Hayek

Many things happen in life that cannot be explained by science or philosophy. Atheists and agnostics self intellectually cripple themselves and are clueless about much of reality.[96]

Example of how modern conservatism is more conservative than Republicans from yesteryear: Bob Dole, Republican nominee in 1996, admits that "Reagan couldn't have made it. Certainly, Nixon couldn't have made it .... We might've made it, but I doubt it." [97]

A United States Senator finally says it: Barack H. Obama is throwing away his moral authority to lead. But in fact he never had legal authority to lead, either. [98]

Conservapedia pauses in prayer (not a liberal "moment of silence") in honor of Memorial Day.

RichardDawkins.net keeps getting smited! Has a plague of locusts eaten Richard Dawkins' daily website visitors?[99]

How long will you refuse to humble yourself before the Lord, Richard Dawkins?

Vox Day and a supporter of the Question evolution! campaign agree: The speed at which the secular left is collapsing is happening at an unexpectedly fast rate. [100]

Google USA estimates 101,000,000 search results for the search "Evolution and just so stories".[101]

"President Obama forgets to salute," but the lamestream media downplay gaffes by liberals. [102]

A Tea Party activist urges Congress to seize the moment, now that Obama's luck seems to have run out. [103]

Another study finds that obesity may decrease brain function.[104] See also: Atheism and obesity and Lesbianism and obesity

Have liberal policies destroyed Sweden? "Stockholm rioting continues for fifth night." [105]

The inventor of the concept "Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder" admitted, before he died, that he made the whole thing up. Think about that when the school district tells you to drug your kids. [106]

Dems admit they lack the votes to pass their amnesty-for-illegal-aliens bill, where 60 votes are the minimum needed in the U.S. Senate. [107]

The cold temperatures this spring have even hurt the sale of sporting goods. [108] Yet liberal denial about the cold weather persists, in order to perpetrate a fictional global warming.

World's most popular site devoted to atheism/agnosticism sees a massive loss of global market share according to Alexa. Also, new Question evolution! campaign group leader expected to be installed in June of 2013.[109]

Obama's paternalistic, sexist reference Thursday to a heckler as a "young lady" is no problem for the liberal media, [110] but an Hispanic golfer's offhand racial quip about Tiger Woods is unforgivable.

7 creationist groups have now joined Project 200 plus. Also, 7 ways the Question evolution! campaign is strengthening itself.[111]

An IRS official takes the Fifth Amendment. Or does she? Besides botching her plea, she shows hypocrisy in claiming a freedom she does not grant to others. [112]

Liberal double standard: racist remarks by Joe Biden are no problem, but the lamestream media and Tiger Woods make a big deal about an offhand joke by an Hispanic golfer. [113] Will media bullying enable Tiger Woods to end nearly 5 years without his winning a major?

The BBC News opened a story with this nonsense: “A study of Neanderthal skulls suggests that they became extinct because they had larger eyes than our species.”[114] Why does Darwinism spawn such lame just so stories?

Thomas Sowell recommends parents having their children read the book The New Leviathan which has a number of essays which debunk various liberal sacred cows.[115]

Barack Hussein Obama's "I am an idiot" defense about his recent scandals undermines his "cult of expertise" and statist redemption fantasies that he has been peddling.[116]

Ask yourselves right now: is this still America? Representative Mike Kelly asked that of IRS Acting Commissioner Miller. We should ask it of ourselves. [117]

Contrast the regal behavior of Barack Hussein Obama with the humble behavior of George Washington. [118]

Expert says that the discovery of a 20-year long rainfall in Ireland points to the Great Flood of the Bible being historical.[119]

Why do so many faux Christians deny the Great Flood and try to turn it into a non-Great Flood?[120] Did Jesus, Peter and Moses lie?[121]

Animals are where they are today, not because they evolved there, nor yet because of continental drift, but because they went there after the Great Flood. [122]

A description of "Common Core Education," the harm it can do, and a list of New Jersey primary candidates pledged to stop it. [123]

Outspokenly Christian Kevin Durant gives $1 million to the tornado victims. Durant uaually outscores LeBron, but the liberal media do not promote outspoken Christians.

Why does Glenn Beck, who loves to chart conspiracies on his famous chalkboards, ignore a conspiracy right under his nose? [124]

28 million Americans will be caught in a "massive game of health coverage pingpong" under ObamaCare, and even the liberal media are beginning to panic about this. [125]

Classic communist tactic by the Obama Administration: it files a document in court alleging that a reporter at Fox News is a possible co-conspirator in the "crime" of informing the public. [126] In fact this goes back further – to Henry II. Are we all Thomas Becket now? [127]

Teen awarded for improved capacitor - Intel gave a $50,000 scholarship to a girl whose titanium dioxide capacitor can store almost three times as much electrical energy as previous capacitors and is intended as a battery alternative. [128]

Most mainstream media got the story wrong, claiming incorrectly that her invention can charge a cell phone battery in 30 seconds. (Charging a battery too quickly reduces its life, which is why Motorola and Samsung and the rest keep the amperage low.)

Franklin Graham, one of America's most prominent evangelical Christians, says the targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service included two of his ministries.[129]

Are many evangelical Christian churches primarily growing in America due to birth rates or due to evangelism?[130]

"Quiverfull" evangelical Christianity, which does not believe in contraception, is now spreading in the UK.[131] In the past 30 years, the number of Anabaptists in North America, including the Amish, has grown significantly, from 313,000 baptized members in 1978 to more than 535,000 in 2010. [132]

Unfortunately for militant atheists, secularist philosophy breeds sub-replacement levels of fertility. See: Decline of atheism

Reuters reports: "Europe is in the midst of its longest recession since it began keeping records in 1995 — even surpassing the calamity that hit the region in the financial crisis of 2008-2009."[133]

Biblical creationism is growing in Europe and its growth rate will accelerate amidst Europe's economic woes.[134]

The UK has experienced one lost economic decade, and it's about to enter a second. [135] When is the UK going to remove Charles Darwin off its currency?[136]

Turkey, a world leader in anti-evolutionism, had its Moody’s credit rating upgraded to investment-grade quality. [137][138]

What is the real IRS scandal? It's the tax code itself. [139]

A video was recently produced on the topic "Why Christianity and the Bible are true." [140]

Abortion: an indispensable right or violence against women?[141]

A New Jersey activist promotes the primarying of a RINO State Senator. See his side-by-side of a typical RINO and his challenger. [142]

The first rule of grassroots anti-evolution social movements: What's behind us in inane evolutionist commentary is NOT important![143]

Is the Question evolution! campaign entering a new phase? If so, what new tactics are being employed by a Question evolution campaign group?

Bradlee Dean has this scathing commentary on Minnesota's gay "marriage" law. [144]

Previous Conservapedia Breaking News


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Remarks by the President at the 2013 White House Science Fair

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

East Room

2:21 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Please have a seat.  Have a seat.  Well, good afternoon, everybody.  And welcome to the White House Science Fair, one of my favorite events during the course of the year.

And I just had a chance to see some of the outstanding exhibits that have been put forward by some of these amazing young people.  And let me just start by saying, in my official capacity as President:  This stuff is really cool.  (Laughter.)  And I want to thank these incredible young people for explaining to me what the heck is going on.  (Laughter.)

Every one of you is enormously talented, obviously, but there’s also a community of people who helped all these young people succeed -- dedicated teachers who believed in them and challenged them to do even more; all of them have loving parents and mentors and family.  So I want to not only give the young people a big round of applause, but all the parents and teachers and principals and everybody who was involved, give yourselves a big round of applause as well.  (Applause.) 

Of course, primarily we’re here to celebrate these young scientists and visionaries who dream, and create, and innovate; who ask the question, why not?  Why not try something better?  Something that’s faster; something that helps more people.  And that drive, that refusal to give up, that focus on the future is part of what makes America great.  And all of you are participants in this long line of inventors and creators that have made this the most dynamic economy and the most dynamic country on Earth.

And that’s one of the things that I’ve been focused on as President is how do we create an all-hands-on-deck approach to science, technology, engineering, and math.  And I’m happy to have so many key members of my science team who are here today, including my Chief Science Advisor, John Holdren, who is here.  There’s John.  NIH Director Francis Collins.  There’s Francis right there, the tall guy.  We’ve got Acting Director of the National Science Foundation, Cora Marrett, who is here.  There’s Cora.  And we’ve got real-life astronaut and NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden.  Where’s Charlie?  There he is, right there.

So we need to make this a priority to train an army of new teachers in these subject areas, and to make sure that all of us as a country are lifting up these subjects for the respect that they deserve.  And one of the things that I’m concerned about is that, as a culture, we’re great consumers of technology, but we’re not always properly respecting the people who are in the labs and behind the scenes creating the stuff that we now take for granted.  And we’ve got to give the millions of Americans who work in science and technology not only the kind of respect they deserve but also new ways to engage young people. 

So today, I’m proud to announce a new AmeriCorps program that are going to -- (applause) --  that’s our Community Service Director.  (Laughter.)  She is a little bit biased, but I like that in her.  She’s got that kind of get-up-and-go.  A new AmeriCorps program that’s going to connect more professional scientists and engineers to young students who might follow in their footsteps.  And other people are stepping up, too. 

Some of America’s biggest tech companies are encouraging their workers to mentor young students.  You’ve got media organizations that are working with athletes like outstanding wide receiver Victor Cruz from the New York Giants, who’s here to highlight how critical math and science are to sports.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, since Victor is here, I don’t know -- did you see the exhibit about the whole cooling shoulder pads and helmet that these young guys did?  And they had a whole slogan that said you can succeed in athletics and science.  They were very impressive.  Had the little Gatorade so you -- (laughter) -- you didn’t even have to, like, reach for your Gatorade; you could just -- it would automatically transmit itself into your helmet.  (Laughter.)  It could work. 

We’ve got non-profits that are helping to organize 1,000 summer learning events this year.  They all realize how important science, technology, engineering, and math are to our future.  So we are doing this together.

And, after all, the science fair projects of today could become the products and businesses of tomorrow.  Three students -- Evan Jackson, Alec Jackson, and Caleb Robinson -- those are the folks that I talked about.  They’re from Flippen Elementary School.  Keep in mind, they’re in third, fourth grade, and they’ve already got this idea for COOL Pads so that Victor doesn’t get overheated when he’s out on the field.  But think about that.  If you’re inventing stuff in the third grade, what are you going to do by the time you get to college?  (Laughter.) 

And we just had the University of Alabama’s national championship football team here last week, and I know they’re interested in this idea because it gets really hot down in Alabama.

A lot of these students are working on the next generation of medical research.  So listen to this story.  When pancreatic cancer took the life of Jack Andraka’s close family friend, it inspired Jack to look for new ways to improve detection.  So Jack requested space from research labs to pursue his work -- nearly 200 times.  Two hundred times he asked.  Two hundred times he was turned down.  Finally, with the help of some folks at Johns Hopkins, he got the research facilities that he needed, developed a pancreatic cancer test that is faster, cheaper and more sensitive than the test that came before it -- which is not bad for a guy who is just barely old enough to drive.  So where's Jack?  There he is.  Jack, stand up, because that's pretty spectacular stuff.  (Applause.)  That's great work.  I don't know what you guys were doing when you were juniors in high school.  (Laughter.)  That's what Jack is doing.  (Laughter.)  Better than I was doing, I promise you.  (Laughter.)

Now, today is not just the third White House Science Fair.  It’s also the 43rd Earth Day.  So I want to give a special shout-out to all of the young people who participated, who focused their attention on how to harness cleaner forms of energy and how to create more energy efficiency.  So we’ve got young people like Caleb Meyer -- where's Caleb?  Caleb is way back there.  Stand up, Caleb, so we can see you.  (Applause.)  Caleb built a wind turbine that's small and fast enough to be installed on your roof or in your front yard.  

We’ve got Jon Kubricki and Bridget Zarych, who, together with their classmates, designed an inexpensive press that can recycle garbage like banana peels into briquettes as an alternative to using wood for fuel.  They're in eighth grade.  I don't know what you were doing in eighth grade.  (Laughter.)  That's what they're doing -- which could potentially help to reduce carbon emissions, save trees and deforestation, and reduce the amount of smoke inhalation that has an impact on people.

We've got Sara Volz, who is breeding new types of algae.  Where's Sara?  There's Sara.  (Applause.)  Sara is breeding new types of algae.  She stores this in a lab in her bedroom.  (Laughter.)  So, Sara, you have very supportive parents.  (Laughter.)  One reporter asked her, “Exactly what is growing under your bed that’s going to save the planet?”  (Laughter.)  And Sara’s answer was algae that can produce more oil for cheaper biofuels.  So, by the way, Jon Kubricki and Bridget Zarych, I didn't have them stand up.  I want to acknowledge them.  I saw them.  Maybe they're still cleaning their hands off.  (Applause.)  But there they are.  There they are. 

So I've got to say, young people like these, every one of them have these kinds of incredible innovations.  Some of them are already fully operational.  Some of them are getting fine-tuned.  But young people like these have to make you hopeful about the future of our country.  And it's also a reminder for us -- the adults -- we've got to do our part.  We've got to do everything we can to make sure that we are giving these young people opportunity to pursue their studies and discover new ways of doing things.  And we've got to make sure that we're also leaving behind a world that is safer and cleaner and healthier than the one we found.  That’s our obligation.   

And that’s why, over the last four years, we’ve made historic investments in the clean energy future that we need.  And today we import less oil than we have in 20 years.  Thanks to new fuel economy standards, by the middle of the next decade, cars will go twice as far on a gallon of gas.  We’ve doubled the amount of renewable energy that we're generating from sources like wind and solar -- and, by the way, creating tens of thousands of good, American jobs in the process.  We're emitting less carbon pollution into the environment than we have in nearly 20 years.

But we understand this is not enough.  We've got to do better.  And that's why we've got to pursue an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes investing in more biofuels and more fuel-efficient vehicles, and more solar power and more wind power, and more people going back to work building cars and homes and businesses that are more energy efficient than the ones that we've got right now. 

And that’s why I’ve proposed new job-creating investments in science and innovation.  And all these young people, as young as they are, they're all going to be going to college, and a lot of them are going to want to continue to pursue their research and pursue their dreams.  And if there is not the research grant pipeline in place, many of them will not have the resources to invent and discover the things that will make us healthier and make us more energy efficient and improve the quality of our lives. 

So this is not the time to gut investments that keep our businesses on the cutting edge, that keep our economy humming, that improve the quality of our lives.  This is the time to reach a level of research and development that we haven't seen since the height of the Space Race.  That's what we should be doing.  That's what we should be focused on.  (Applause.)  

And that should not be a partisan idea.  America has always been about discovery, and invention, and engineering, and science and evidence.  That's who we are.  That's in our DNA.  That's how this country became the greatest economic power in the history of the world.  That's how we’re able to provide so many contributions to people all around the world with our scientific and medical and technological discoveries.

And that's what these young people here are all about.  And if extraordinary young people like all of you can use your talents to shape the future for our families and our communities and our countries, we’ve got a responsibility to make sure that they’ve got the tools to do it. 

So I want to thank all the Science Fair winners not only for the work that you guys are doing, but also the example that you’re setting for your peers and also for your adults -- the adults in your lives.  We could not be prouder of you.  And I want you to keep up your incredible work.

And part of the reason that we’re doing this here -- we celebrate our great football players like Victor, and we celebrate outstanding musicians, and that's all appropriate.  But we’ve got to make sure that we’re also celebrating every single day in our schools, in our classrooms, and in our country the outstanding contributions that scientists and engineers and mathematicians and engineers are providing to us every single day.  And we want you to know that you’ve got a whole country behind you as you pursue your dreams.  And your success is going to be our success, as well.  So way to go. 

Thank you.  Appreciate it, everybody.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END
2:35 P.M. EDT

Extending Middle Class Tax Cuts

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

President Obama hosts the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country.

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Dante Gabriel Rossetti

(Difference between revisions)

Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English painter and poet, born in 1828. He is known for paintings of women, such as La Ghirlandata and Beata Beatrix, as well as some religious paintings like Girlhood of Mary and Ecce Ancilla Domini. However, the reverence of these religious paintings is questionable - they depict Mary as a gloomy teenage girl.

His most famous quote is:

The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank.[1]

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/dante-gabriel-rossetti

? http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Dante_Gabriel_Rossetti/

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Readout of the President's National Security Council Meeting Today

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For Immediate Release April 22, 2013 Readout of the President's National Security Council Meeting Today

President Obama convened the National Security Council in the Situation Room today from 11:30 to 1:00 to review the events in Boston. The President was updated by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Monaco, National Security Advisor Donilon, Attorney General Holder, FBI Director Mueller, and Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano on the apprehension of Dzhokar Tsarnaev, and the related investigation. He was also briefed by the leadership of the intelligence community, including DNI Clapper and Director Brennan, about our ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and protect the American people. The President commended the work that was done to pursue justice in the Boston Marathon bombing, and underscored the need to continue gathering intelligence to answer the remaining questions about this terrorist attack going forward. As he did last night, the President also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by state and local officials, and law enforcement, in Boston and Massachusetts. Vice-President Biden joined the meeting via video-conference.

A photo of the meeting is available here: http://bit.ly/ZFYn6Y

Extending Middle Class Tax Cuts

Blog posts on this issue April 22, 2013 6:34 PM EDTCelebrate National Park Week!

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

April 22, 2013 5:57 PM EDTYoung Scientists and Innovators Amaze President Obama at the White House Science Fair

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

April 20, 2013 1:10 PM EDTWatch Live: 2013 White House Science Fair

President Obama hosts the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country.

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MORNING READ

FROM THE BLOGS:

Experiencing the media's pro-am future in Boston
At the Harvard Business Review, Justin Fox recounts his experience during the Boston Marathon bombing.

Barack Obama — natural British conservative

Margaret Thatcher's death sparks a stark reminder of how wide the divide is between British conservatives and American conservatives, writes Brian John Spencer at The League of Ordinary Gentlemen.

Fed still owes Congress a blueprint on its emergency lending

Dealbook's Peter Eavis notes the Fed still hasn't released a proposal for protecting taxpayers when it issues emergency loans.

Sparks fly at immigration hearing

The Corner's Eliana Johnson highlights a heated exchange between Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration reform.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Lawmakers vow bombing investigations
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other lawmakers will examine how closely the FBI looked into Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of two suspects believed to be behind the Boston Marathon bombings, The Hill's Jordy Yager reports.

Democrats gain early fundraising edge

Congressional Democrats appear to have the early fundraising advantage ahead of the 2014 midterm elections, according to The Hill's Cameron Joseph.

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Gerald Finzi

(Difference between revisions)He is known mainly for his songs – practically all to words by English poets. His cycle of [[Shakespeare]] songs; “Let us Garlands Bring” is a particular favourite. His greatest  love, however, was the poetry of [[Thomas Hardy]]. He wrote dozens of settings, with 7 opus numbers, from as early as 1921 right up to his death – he usually had several “on the go” at any one time and a series of his late songs was collected and prepared for publication by his widow and son after he died.He is known mainly for his songs – practically all to words by English poets. His cycle of [[Shakespeare]] songs; “Let us Garlands Bring” is a particular favourite. His greatest  love, however, was the poetry of [[Thomas Hardy]]. He wrote dozens of settings, with 7 opus numbers, from as early as 1921 right up to his death – he usually had several “on the go” at any one time and a series of his late songs was collected and prepared for publication by his widow and son after he died.His vocal proclivities extended to choral works, both sacred and secular, where his sympathetic treatment of the words are as evident as in his songs.  On the secular side, a major work is ''“Ode to Intimations of Immortality”'', a setting for tenor, choir and string orchestra of all but two parts of [[William Wordsworth]]’s great work of the same name. His best major sacred work – also usually for the same sources - is ''"Dies nativitas”'' (''“Day of birth”''.) Both these works, after decades of neglect, have enjoyed popularity, both “live” and on record, in recent years. He wrote many choral pieces – anthems and the like – for the annual and ancient  “Three Choirs Festival” (he shares this distinction with some of the great choral composers of the age – [[Edward Elgar]], [[Hubert Parry]], [[Gustav Holst]], [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] – men who were major influences on his music.His vocal proclivities extended to choral works, both sacred and secular, where his sympathetic treatment of the words are as evident as in his songs.  On the secular side, a major work is ''“Ode to Intimations of Immortality”'', a setting for tenor, choir and string orchestra of all but two parts of [[William Wordsworth]]’s great work of the same name. His best major sacred work – also usually for the same forces - is ''"Dies nativitas”'' (''“Day of birth”''.) Both these works, after decades of neglect, have enjoyed popularity, both “live” and on record, in recent years. He wrote many choral pieces – anthems and the like – for the annual and ancient  “Three Choirs Festival” (he shares this distinction with some of the great choral composers of the age – [[Edward Elgar]], [[Hubert Parry]], [[Gustav Holst]], [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] – men who were major influences on his music.His pastoral side is most evident in his orchestral music. The early “Severn [[Rhapsody]]”  is about as bucolic as you can get without mooing; and as firm as Vaughan Williams and [[George Butterworth]] in its statement of time and place. He wrote, or attempted to write - some of his concertante works failed in their original forms – works for [[cello]] and [[piano]] with orchestra.His pastoral side is most evident in his orchestral music. The early “Severn [[Rhapsody]]”  is about as bucolic as you can get without mooing; and as firm as Vaughan Williams and [[George Butterworth]] in its statement of time and place. He wrote, or attempted to write - some of his concertante works failed in their original forms – works for [[cello]] and [[piano]] with orchestra.

Gerald Raphael Finzi (1901-1956) was an English composer. He is recognised as a leading exponent of the early to mid twentieth century English pastoral style, despite being of Italian-Jewish parentage – both Sephardic and Askenazim. London born, he grew up and studied there and elsewhere before, at the age of 32, moving to the country. In 1938 he settling with his artist wife on a farm, converted to suit their divers needs - which included Finzi’s interest in apple growing - in Hampshire.

He is known mainly for his songs – practically all to words by English poets. His cycle of Shakespeare songs; “Let us Garlands Bring” is a particular favourite. His greatest love, however, was the poetry of Thomas Hardy. He wrote dozens of settings, with 7 opus numbers, from as early as 1921 right up to his death – he usually had several “on the go” at any one time and a series of his late songs was collected and prepared for publication by his widow and son after he died.

His vocal proclivities extended to choral works, both sacred and secular, where his sympathetic treatment of the words are as evident as in his songs. On the secular side, a major work is “Ode to Intimations of Immortality”, a setting for tenor, choir and string orchestra of all but two parts of William Wordsworth’s great work of the same name. His best major sacred work – also usually for the same forces - is "Dies nativitas” (“Day of birth”.) Both these works, after decades of neglect, have enjoyed popularity, both “live” and on record, in recent years. He wrote many choral pieces – anthems and the like – for the annual and ancient “Three Choirs Festival” (he shares this distinction with some of the great choral composers of the age – Edward Elgar, Hubert Parry, Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams – men who were major influences on his music.

His pastoral side is most evident in his orchestral music. The early “Severn Rhapsody” is about as bucolic as you can get without mooing; and as firm as Vaughan Williams and George Butterworth in its statement of time and place. He wrote, or attempted to write - some of his concertante works failed in their original forms – works for cello and piano with orchestra.

He is notable as a composer for the clarinet: as well as his “Five Bagatelles” for clarinet and piano (later orchestrated) he extended his love of the English lyric by transforming three soliloquies from Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labours Lost” to short pieces for clarinet and orchestra. His “magnum opus” though, is possibly his Clarinet Concerto, considered one of the great concertos for that instrument of the twentieth century.

Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVhWOZOlFso Two songs from “Let us Garlands Bring” sung by a young Janet Baker, one of the great singers.


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