President Barack Obama addresses the Seed Savers Exchange on Monday in Decorah, Iowa, as part of a Midwest bus tour.
(CNN) -- Social-networking app Foursquare has snagged perhaps its highest profile user: President Barack Obama.
The commander in chief has joined the location-based service and will be using it to highlight places he visits and what he does there, the White House announced on its blog Monday evening.
Obama's check-in coincided with a three-day bus tour of Midwestern states.
The mobile platform has seen astronomical growth as users turn to it to find out where their friends are hanging out and what they recommend you do when you get there.
On Monday, the White House posted its first tip -- from a town hall meeting at a riverside Minnesota park in Cannon Falls.
"President Obama discussed ways to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class with a crowd of 500 people at Hannah's Bend Park on the first stop of his economic bus tour across the Midwest," the White House said.
Foursquare is just the latest foray into social media for the president. He's already on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
To find and follow him, one will have to go through the White House's page on the site: https://foursquare.com/whitehouse
Searching for "Barack Obama" on the app will pull up a man in Salt Lake City and one in London.
One appeal of Foursquare is to check into a site so often that you can oust someone else to become the "mayor" there.
For Obama, that raises a question though: How appealing is "mayor" when you're already president?
MAGNIFICENT post detailing just how a few of the hottest guys in the world (aka SEAL Team 6) ensured Bin Laden was brought to account for over 3,000 American deaths almost a decade ago.
WASHINGTON — The White House released the long form of President Barack Obama's birth certificate Wednesday in response to questions about whether he was really born in the U.S.
The certificate says Obama was born in Hawaii, which makes him eligible to hold the office of president. Obama released a standard short form before he was elected in 2008, but requested copies of his original birth certificate from Hawaii officials this week in hopes of quieting the lingering controversy.
White House spokesman Jay Carney says Obama felt the debate over his birthplace had become a "sideshow" that was bad for the country and political debate.
White House officials have said the issue was settled long ago. But so-called "birthers" opposed to Obama have kept the issue alive. Potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently began questioning why Obama hadn't ensured the long form was released.
"The president feels this was bad for the country, that it's not healthy for our political debate," Carney said in releasing copies of the long form to reporters.
The certificate is signed by the delivery doctor, Obama's mother and the local registrar. His mother, then 18, signed her name (Stanley) Ann Dunham Obama.
The form says Barack Hussein Obama II was born at 7:24 p.m. on Aug. 4, 1961, at Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital, within the city limits of Honolulu.
There's no mention of religion. It says his father Barack Hussein Obama, age 25, was African and born in Kenya and his mother was Caucasian and born in Wichita, Kan. Obama's mother and the doctor signed the certificate on Aug. 7 and 8.
Hawaii's registrar certified the new photocopy of the document provided to the White House on April 25, 2011.
Tonight Obama is meeting with Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt, and Mark Zuckerberg. There's been a lot of speculation about what they're going to discuss. Here's what I think.
Now that Conan O'Brien has a new talk show, 'Lopez Tonight' has moved to a different starting time (weeknights, 12AM ET on TBS). 'Lopez' is now more of a late late night experience. In honor of the show's new schedule, actor Jamie Foxx appeared, got George Lopez a little drunk, and then started talking about drugs.
Foxx celebrated the "after hours" time slot by having Lopez do some shots of booze. Once the pair was a little tipsy, Jamie shifted the conversation to the topic of Proposition 19 -- the attempt to legalize marijuana under California law.
The actor discussed his own prodigious pot consumption, then advanced a novel theory -- that Barack Obama is stoned all the time.
Jamie theorized that the president was engaging in some recreational activities. "Barack is so smooth," he said. "He's always cool -- even when 'they' yell at him. ... The president is smoking [pot]!" he yelled.
Foxx continued to argue that Obama must be "baked" to handle the amount of stress he faces. He added that Obama seemed to remain calm no matter what: "Even if they're like, 'Mr. President, you're just so wrong, you're just the worst!'" But even if Obama is always calm, Jamie was pretty loud and animated while discussing his theory. But then, he was drunk(-ish), not stoned, so that's understandable.
President Obama has taped a special message for the Jewish holidays, including renewed hope for Middle East peace talks.
A transcript:
As Jews in America and around the world celebrate the first of the High Holy Days I want to extend my warmest wishes for the New Year. L'shana Tova Tikatevu -- may you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.
Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the spiritual calendar and the birth of the world. It serves as a reminder of the special relationship between God and his children, now and always. And it calls us to look within ourselves -- to repent for our sins; recommit ourselves to prayer; and remember the blessings that come from helping those in need.
Today, those lessons ring as true as they did thousands of years ago. And as we begin this New Year, it is more important than ever to believe in the power of humility and compassion to deepen our faith and repair our world.
At a time when too many of our friends and neighbors are struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, it is up to us to do what we can to help those less fortunate.
At a time when prejudice and oppression still exist in the shadows of our society, it is up to us to stand as a beacon of freedom and tolerance and embrace the diversity that has always made us stronger as a people.
And at a time when Israelis and Palestinians have returned to direct dialogue, it is up to us to encourage and support those who are willing to move beyond their differences and work towards security and peace in the Holy Land. Progress will not come easy, it will not come quick. But today we had an opportunity to move forward, toward the goal we share -- two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
The scripture teaches us that there is "a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." In this season of repentance and renewal, let us commit ourselves to a more hopeful future.
Michelle and I wish all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah a sweet year full of health and prosperity.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama hasn't kicked the smoking habit, takes anti-inflammatory medication to relieve chronic tendinitis in his left knee and should eat better to lower his cholesterol, his team of doctors concluded Sunday after the 48-year-old's first medical checkup as commander in chief.
The hoops-happy chief executive, who has endured an exhausting White House run and yearlong battles with congressional Republicans, was otherwise declared in excellent health and fit for duty.
The White House physician, Navy Capt. Jeffrey Kuhlman, said Obama should stick with "smoking cessation efforts," the use of nicotine gum, and come back in August 2011 after he turns 50.
Obama cholesterol levels have crept up to borderline high and he should alter his diet accordingly, according to a report the White House released after the 90-minute examination at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. While at the facility, he visited 12 military service members receiving treatment and rehabilitation for injuries suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The president is the picture of health, eats modest portions and exercises regularly. He is an avid basketball player and golfer. The slightly elevated cholesterol levels, tendinitis in his left knee and occasional smoking were the only negatives noted.
Obama said at a June news conference that he still had an occasional cigarette. It was his first public acknowledgment that he hadn't kicked the habit. He chews nicotine gum to avoid regular smoking, and his doctor said that should continue.
Kuhlman also said the president should modify his diet to bring his LDL, or bad cholesterol, below 130. At the time of his last exam, Obama's total cholesterol was 173, while his LDL was 96 and HDL, or good cholesterol, was 68.
This time, total cholesterol was up to 209, with HDL down slightly at 62. LDL was up to 138. Borderline high cholesterol starts at 200, with LDL considered in the same category at 130.
Kuhlman said Obama last checkup was in July 2008 when he was seen by the attending physician to Congress when Obama was an Illinois senator. During the 2008 White House race, his campaign released a statement from his longtime Chicago doctor saying Obama was in excellent health when examined January 2007.
Sunday's report said Obama is 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds in shoes and exercise clothing. His pulse rate is 56, which is very good, as is his blood pressure — 105 over 62. The doctor said Obama's vision was 20/20 in both eyes for both distance and near vision.
The president was checked for and found free of colon cancer with a virtual colonoscopy, a scan that avoids the more invasive visual inspection with a camera device that is passed into the large intestine.
The tendinitis that Obama suffers in his left leg could be the result of his regular basketball playing.
Kuhlman said that there was mild popping and grinding in Obama's left knee and "some weakness" in his left hip, also possibly a result of rigorous and extended periods on the basketball court.
The doctor said Obama should:
_Have another exam for colon cancer in five years
_Continue smoking cessation efforts, a daily exercise program, a healthy diet, moderation in alcohol intake, periodic dental care, and remain up to date with recommended immunizations.
_Keep up a modified exercise regimen to strengthen his legs to ward off more difficulties with his knee.
_Modify his diet to lower his LDL cholesterol below 130.
President Barack Obama returns to the White House from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., following a medical exam, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, in Washington. The 48-year-old commander-in-chief signaled a thumbs-up when asked about his health. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
This Wednesday, at 9 p.m. EST, U.S. President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union speech; you can follow it via White House’s live webstream, as well as the iPhone app.
It’s wonderful to see that today social media plays such an important part in the way we receive news. But perhaps even more important is the followup to Obama’s speech, as viewers will be able to submit questions (and vote on other users’ questions) over at youtube.com/CitizenTube. Next week Obama will answer some of those questions in a special online event delivered live from the White House. From the YouTube blog:
“This year’s State of the Union speech will also make history. It will be the first time that citizens will have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions during the speech — and to hear the president’s response to those questions.”
Currently, the exact timing of the followup event is unknown, but we’ll let you know as soon as it’s officially announced.
George Obama sits in front of his home in a slum in Nairobi, Kenya
By George Obama | NEWSWEEK
In November 2008, I stood in a bar in Kenya watching Barack Obama give his victory speech. From the wild cheering of the crowd on TV, and his repeated appeals to them personally—"You said," "You heard," "You called"—I felt as if the people of America knew this man far better than I, even though we shared the same father. If there was a leading light in the Obama clan, he was it; and if there was a shadowed place that no one liked to talk about, then that, I guess, was me.
After a relatively privileged childhood, I crashed and burned in my teenage years. I had migrated from the plush suburbs of Nairobi, Kenya, to the wild chaos of the ghetto. I lost myself in drink and drugs and became a gun-toting gangster. In my early 20s, I spent a year in a Nairobi prison on robbery charges. My imprisonment included a starvation diet and 24/7 lockdowns in overcrowded, airless cells. But I came out a different man, resolved to turn my life around and find a different path.
Along with some fellow slum dwellers, I set up a youth group for ghetto kids. My passion was football (soccer), which is followed religiously throughout Africa. When we first established the Huruma Centre Football Club, none of our kids had so much as a pair of football boots, let alone any uniform. Some were so hungry when they turned up that they had no energy to play. At other times, the team had to trek for miles to matches because we couldn't afford any transportation. In spite of all that, our players were passionate, and we started winning. Then, as my brother's profile grew in America and around the world, the media came looking for his African relatives.
Eventually the press found me in my slum. My new notoriety was a blessing and a curse. Many people presume I have a direct line to the White House, but I don't. I've only met my big brother twice and have spoken to him just once since the election, to say congratulations. Still, because of our connection, I managed to pull in funds from philanthropists to support the work of the youth group. I raised enough money to buy the team gold and green uniforms—with their own numbers on the back. Last fall, Obama's Champs won the Nairobi Super League—a feat that, just a couple of years back, would have been unthinkable for a team from the slums. With the sponsorship I've attracted because of my last name, we can now afford to take buses all across Kenya for matches.
I still live in one of Africa's biggest slums, along with some 4.5 million others. We have little or no access to health care, no welfare, and no free schooling. The average income is less than $5 a day—and that's for those who find work as servants, taxi drivers, or garbage collectors. For the rest, there is nothing. My brother has risen to be the leader of the most powerful country in the world. In Kenya I hope to be a leader among the poorest, most powerless people on earth—the people of the ghetto.
Hope—it's an idea my brother talked about a lot. But it was only recently that I learned again what it means to feel the true spirit of that word. Here, a little goes a long way.
Obama's memoir, Homeland, was co-written with Damien Lewis.
According to Zapatero, Spanish law allows him to prevent the Spanish media from running any photographs of his 16 and 13-year-old daughters Laura and Alba. For their privacy, see. And because maybe it would be considered weird for the PM to have goth daughters, but it totally shouldn't be. It is a natural part of life, becoming a teenaged goth.
"I have news for them,'' WH spokesman says of 'birthers:' "He's a citizen.''
Barack Obama's birth certificate. Stop the presses: He's an American. (So is John McCain, born in the Panama Canal Zone of American parents.)
by Mark Silva and updated.
This just in from Honolulu:
President Barack Obama is still a citizen.
The White House says so, too.
State officials in Hawaii -- once again -- say they have checked and confirmed that the president of the United States was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen.
The official statement of the obvious is intended to quell a persistent and mischievious wave of chatter on talk shows and the Internet that Obama was born in Kenya and is, in the words of Watergate's G. Gordon Liddy, "an illegal alien.''
"I ... have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawaii State Department of Health verifying Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen," Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino said in a brief statement. "I have nothing further to add to this statement or my original statement issued in October 2008 over eight months ago."
The so-called "birthers" who contend that Obama is ineligible to serve as president because he was allegedly born outside the United States have gotten more vocal lately, with the help of commentators such as CNN's Lou Dobbs on the radio.
Fukino issued a similar press release on Oct. 31, before the presidential election, but was prompted to speak out again because of the renewed attention on Obama's birth -- the state flooded in recent weeks with questions from individuals and several national TV news networks asking for proof that Obama was indeed born in Hawaii, though state law bars release of a certified birth certificate to anyone without a tangible interest.
Hawaii isn't the only party laying the issue to rest.
The U.S. House on Monday unanimously approved a resolution recognizing and celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hawaii becoming the 50th state. A clause was included that reads: "Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961."
And the Obama White House confronted the question this week, with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs acknowledging that there is probably nothing that will "make the birthers go away,'' as a questioner put it. "The God's honest truth is no,'' he said.
"I almost hate to indulge in such an august setting as the White House -- and I mean this in seriousness -- the White House briefing room discussing the made-up, fictional nonsense of whether or not the president was born in this country,'' Gibbs said. "A year-and-a-half ago, I asked that the birth certificate be put on the Internet because Lord knows, you got a birth certificate and you put it on the Internet, what else could be the story?
"Here's the deal,'' Gibbs said. "If I had some DNA, it wouldn't assuage those that don't believe he was born here. But I have news for them and for all of us: The president was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the 50th state of the greatest country on the face of the earth. He's a citizen.''
Barack Obama was greeted with an elaborate welcoming ceremony and given an ornate gold necklace by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on his first visit to the country.
King Abdullah, who is putting Obama up at his lavish desert horse farm, showered Obama with compliments as he handed him the jewellery, which he said carries special meaning.
It is understood to be an award called the King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit, the country's highest honour.
The gift appeared to be the same as that bestowed on President George W. Bush during a stop in Saudi Arabia in January 2008.
"Those are only given to the very few friends of the king, and you are certainly one of those," Abdullah said as he presented the thick chain and large medallion to Obama in an ornate meeting room with marble columns, engraved mirrors and a large chandelier.
Obama replied: "I consider the king's friendship a great blessing, and I am very appreciative that he would bestow this honour on me during this visit."
Then, as an aide approached him with the necklace, Obama exclaimed: "Goodness gracious. That's something there."
The king draped it around Obama's neck, and the taller Obama bent his head low to accept it.
It was a risky move as, when the two leaders saw each other back at the G-20 summit in London, critics accused Obama of bowing to the Saudi monarch during a photo-op.
The White House maintained he was merely bending to shake hands with a shorter man.
This time, when they greeted each other at Riyadh's main airport, there was a light embrace and the region's traditional double kiss.
Obama descended his plane to find a tarmac filled with people, including the Saudi national guard and about 150 other military members.
Standing under a gazebo, the two leaders listened to each country's national anthem, reviewed the troops and greeted Saudi dignitaries.
A 21-gun salute was fired from a distance. At the airport's flower-adorned VIP terminal, Obama and Abdullah then sat together in gilded chairs, sipped cardamom-flavoured Arabic coffee from small cups and chatted briefly in public before retreating to hold private talks on a range of issues at the king's ranch outside of Riyadh.
As they arrived at the sprawling grounds, where the king keeps some 260 Arabian horses, guards on horseback flanked the long driveway, carrying swords and flags of the two countries.
Inside, Abdullah introduced Obama to several princes in an enormous room decorated to look like a tent, with a billowing draped ceiling, large candelabras, and a towering picture of King Abdul Aziz, founder of the modern Saudi monarchy.
Looking up, Obama joked: "This is a much nicer tent than you gave to Prince Charles."
That drew a laugh from Abdullah, who then explained that Saudi royals try to maintain ties to their desert roots even inside buildings.
"Well, it's beautiful," Obama replied.
The two also heaped praise on each other.
"I've been struck by his wisdom and his graciousness," Obama said of the king and thanked him for his "extraordinary generosity and hospitality."
Abdullah, in turn, expressed his "best wishes to the friendly American people who are represented by a distinguished man who deserves to be in this position."
As for that necklace, Obama took it off after a few minutes – and a few photographs – for "safekeeping."
Boulder, Colorado: I have every reason to believe that ‘4/20′ in 2009 will be the biggest and most momentous one to date as NORML launches 7,770 nationwide TV ads that advocate for cannabis law reform; NORML expects record numbers of supporters to join the organization for the celebratory one-day price of $4.20 because, I believe, there is a palpable zeitgeist in America right now favoring reform; the Obama administration appears amenable to some cannabis law reforms in ways that no prior president since Jimmy Carter has embraced; and lastly, with NORML’s nearly 600,000 ‘friends’ on Facebook and nearly 67,000 MySpace, more Americans than ever before who are keen on cannabis can create a viral effect that benefits reform.
Here in Boulder between 10,000-15,000 students and activists are expected to celebrate in what has become the biggest 4/20 event in the world.
Heck, the New York Times has already posted a profile of 4/20 for today’s paper, where they came yesterday for interview and photos to the University of Colorado at Boulder’s National Marijuana Forum. This portends well to what will be an insane day in the media for pro-reform groups like NORML (I’ve already got 35 interviews scheduled…) as I was also asked to pen an essay for National Public Radio’s All Things Considered that I assume will be published today. (UPDATE! Read and comment on Allen’s essay here.)
I dare say we as a country are finally ‘getting it’ regarding the clear and obvious need to reform our misguided cannabis laws.
Thanks to the hundreds of NORML supporters who donated what they could to buy ad time to launch a timely 4/20 ad campaign, you’re the green that keeps NORML all grassroots, all of the time!
Have an enjoyable and safe 4/20 from the staff of NORML!
Legalization: Yes We Can - Jason Druss
[UPDATE: Yes, the part at the end where the young lady giggles has been edited out for the airing on TV. I will work to find a copy to place on our site. -- Russ Belville, National Outreach Coordinator]
Marijuana Advocacy Group Launches TV Campaign on ‘4/20’
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Foundation (NORML Foundation) a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization, established in 1997, is purchasing advertising time on selective cable outlets to underscore the urgency of decriminalizing cannabis.
The NORML Foundation launched this pro-marijuana ad campaign to create further political pressure on the federal government to recognize 1) the ever-increasing support of Americans who favor cannabis legalization, 2) the clear sea change of cannabis laws that’s been happening at the state level since Californians voted in favor of medicinal access to cannabis in 1996, and 3) to rally cannabis consumers and anti-prohibitionists on April 20, a date on the calendar that has organically become a national day to both publicly celebrate cannabis as well as protest 70 years of prohibition.
The featured ad is the winner of NORML’s recent user-generated-content contest that asks NORML supporters: ‘What would you say to President Obama about legalizing marijuana?’
New Jersey college student and up and coming filmmaker Jason Druss created the winning submission and is the recipient of the contest’s $3,500 cash grand prize after 6500 votes were cast on NORML’s webpage. “It’s time for President Obama to endorse cannabis law reform where it is legally controlled and taxed like alcohol and tobacco products,” stated Jason Druss. “It’s shocking that students can lose out from federal student loans for possessing a few joints, when pot’s been part of the college culture for decades.’
Marijuana, By the Numbers… Thirteen states (with a population base of 115 million Americans) have decriminalized cannabis possession; thirteen states (with a population base of 75 million Americans) now have medical cannabis laws. Additionally, more states than ever before are debating cannabis law reform, including California and Massachusetts where legalization legislation have been introduced.
Since 1965, over 20 million Americans have been arrested on cannabis-related charges—90% for possession-only; over 900,000 cannabis arrests are expected again this year.
According to numerous survey and polls, approximately 75% of Americans support medical access to cannabis; 73% favor decriminalizing cannabis possession for adults and 42% of Americans support legalizing cannabis.
7,700 NORML Foundation ads are appearing on cable outlets nationwide (with a strong media buy in Ohio) on CNN, CNBC, Fox News Channel, Fuse, FX Networks, G4, MSNBC, CNN’s Headline News and Spike TV.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - There's a new reason Thursday night will be different from all other nights: Barack Obama is attending what's believed to be the first presidential Seder in the White House.
Administration staffers could find examples of Passover feasts at the White House before, but never one with the President himself honoring the holiday that celebrates the Jews' biblical escape from bondage in Egypt.
Passover meals were held in the Clinton White House, for example, but the commander-in-chief was not involved.
"This certifies the resonance of this ancient narrative and its relevance to all of us," said Jason Isaacson, the American Jewish Committee's Washington director. "It's a story of liberation from bondage, it's a story of people who persevere, it's a story of God's presence in our lives."
The White House provided no details of what insiders said will be a small, private event like one Obama did a year ago while he was still battling Hillary Clinton in the primaries.
"This Seder will be very similar to - and mark the anniversary of - the Seder held last year in Harrisburg, Pa., by campaign staff, and attended by the President and a few of his friends," said an administration official.
It will be led by Eric Lesser, a campaign aide who is now David Axelrod's assistant and who assembled last year's Seder.
That celebration turned out to be prophetic in its own way.
Participants jokingly added the line "next year in the White House!" after the traditional closing line, "next year in Jerusalem."
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has hired actor Kal Penn as a liaison between President Barack Obama's administration and Hollywood.
White House spokesman Shin Inouye said Tuesday that the actor who has a recurring role on Fox's TV show "House" and has starred in several movies would join the staff as an associate director in the Office of Public Liaison. His role will be to connect Obama with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as arts and entertainment groups.
Penn starred as Kumar in the movie, "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay."
Penn was an Obama supporter during the campaign. The White House says a start date for Penn hasn't been set.
The hire was first reported by Entertainment Weekly.
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
This Wednesday, at 9 p.m. EST, U.S. President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union speech; you can follow it via White House’s live 
.
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