http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/01/weekly-wrap-sacrifices-and-accomplishments

Click here to see the video.

Here's a quick glimpse at this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

The Nation’s Heroes: This Monday the President, Vice President, First Lady, and Dr. Biden traveled to the Arlington National Cemetery where the President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. He then spoke to the families gathered there, asking that we remember the fallen soldiers for the people they really were, “One thing we can do is remember these heroes as you remember them -- not just as a rank, or a number, or a name on a headstone, but as Americans, often far too young, who were guided by a deep and abiding love for their families, for each other, and for this country.”

The President then made his way to the Vietnam Veterans memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam  War. There he spoke of the service that the veterans undertook for America, both in war and once they returned home, “Like generations before you, you took off the uniform, but you never stopped serving.  You became teachers and police officers and nurses -- the folks we count on every single day.  You became entrepreneurs, running companies and pioneering industries that changed the world.  You became leaders and public servants, from town halls to Capitol Hill -- lifting up our communities, our states, our nation. You reminded us what it was like to serve, what it meant to serve. “

Extraordinary People: On Tuesday the President awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, to 13 extraordinary individuals. These people came from all walks in life, ranging from a doctor to a musician, the President said that each has made his or her mark on America, “Together, the honorees on this stage, and the ones who couldn’t be here, have moved us with their words; they have inspired us with their actions.  They’ve enriched our lives and they’ve changed our lives for the better.  Some of them are household names; others have labored quietly out of the public eye.  Most of them may never fully appreciate the difference they’ve made or the influence that they’ve had, but that’s where our job comes in.”

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/01/president-obama-we-have-deliver-our-veterans

President Barack Obama greets people in the crowd at the Honeywell Golden Valley Facility in Golden Valley, Minn., June 1, 2012. The President urged Congress to act on the “To Do List,” specifically highlighting the need to honor our commitment to returning veterans by passing legislation that creates a Veterans Jobs Corps. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In Minnesota today, President Obama was introduced by Ryan Sullivan -- a Navy veteran who served in Iraq and Yemen. When he was discharged, Sullivan got an education in electrical maintenance and construction, then went to work for Honeywell.

The President wants to make sure that all those returning from war find good jobs, just like Ryan Sullivan. That's why he's proposed the Veterans Jobs Corps, with a goal of putting 20,000 servicemembers to work rebuilding American infrastructure and serving as cops and firefighters.

He told the crowd in Golden Valley:

[Now] that the war in Iraq is over and we’re starting to wind down the war in Afghanistan over a million more of those outstanding heroes, they're going to be joining this process of transition back into civilian life over the next few years.

Now, just think about the skills these veterans have acquired at an incredibly young age. Think about the leadership they’ve learned -- 25-year-olds, 26-year-olds leading platoons into unbelievably dangerous situations, life-or-death situations. Think about the cutting-edge technologies they’ve mastered; their ability to adapt to changing and unpredictable situations -- you can’t get that stuff from a classroom.

I mean, these kids, these men, these women, they’ve done incredible work, and that's exactly the kind of leadership and responsibility that every business in America should be wanting to attract, should be competing to attract.

The President called on lawmakers to pass legislation making the Veterans Jobs Corps a reality -- part of his To-Do List for Congress.

Learn more about the actions that President Obama is asking Congress to take here.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/01/women-entrepreneurs-are-creating-jobs-interactive-timeline

The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression didn’t develop overnight, and it won’t be solved overnight. But while we have a long way to go, over the past 27 months, American companies have added more than 4.3 million jobs. Behind that number are countless small businesses – entrepreneurs with bold ideas and a willingness to dream big. 

President Obama knows that small business owners are the engines of our economy. That’s why he has signed 18 new small business tax cuts into law. As our country continues to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression, we must continue to support and celebrate America’s job creators. 

That’s why StartUp America, the Council on Women and Girls and the White House Business Council have put together an interactive tool to introduce you to some of the women entrepreneurs who are helping our country succeed. Some of these small business owners are on the cutting edge of social media, advanced manufacturing and biotechnology. Others have opened traditional “main street” establishments, such as stores and restaurants. All of them have created jobs, and made their communities better places to work and live. 

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/01/celebrating-jewish-history-white-house

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during a Jewish American Heritage Month reception in the East Room of the White House, May 30, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Ed note: This was first published on the Library of Congress' official blog

For the third consecutive year, special items from the Library of Congress’ Jewish American collections have been put on display at the White House. In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, President Barack Obama hosted a reception at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on Wednesday evening.

“Generations of Jewish Americans have brought to bear some of our country’s greatest achievements and forever enriched our national life,” he said in his official proclamation. “Our country is stronger for their contributions, and this month, we commemorate the myriad ways they have enriched the American experience.”

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/01/equal-pay-equal-work

It's 2012, but did you know that women are still paid less than men?

On average, full-time working women earn just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, a wage gap that exists regardless of personal choices like education or occupation. Over the course of her career, a woman with a college degree will earn hundreds of thousands of dollars less than a man who does the same work.  

This substantial gap is more than a statistic -- it has real life consequences. When women, who make up nearly half the workforce, bring home less money each day, it means they have less for the everyday needs of their families, and over a lifetime of work, far less savings for retirement.

President Obama supports passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which Congress puts to a vote on June 5. This comprehensive and commonsense bill updates and strengthens the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which made it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform substantially equal work.  

We’ve created some ecards that you can send via email or share on social media with reasons equal pay for equal work is essential. Pick your favorite, or send them all!

• Months after its re-release, Fifty Shades of Grey continues to make news in the most unexpected of ways, including some hastily written articles that prove strangely uninformative. These include an episode of the Dr. Oz show that used the book to focus on the science of arousal; various features pointing out how men like the trilogy too; both Glibert Gottfried and Ellen DeGeneres did readings from it; an article focusing on the hero's home ("[Director of Sales Erik] Mehr said that about a year ago, his team began to get phone calls from people who wanted to know 'the layouts of the penthouse and the details of the condos.'...When the Escala held open houses, visitors included 'Fifty Shades' fans who wandered about, checking on the amenities and basic floor models."); and a discussion of a fanfic remix as well as an interview with the author of a published parody who notes "'Fifty Shames,'...paid more than my first two books that took several years to write. It’s just kind of mind-boggling to me."


• Also boggled are the book's original publishers Amanda Hayward and Jennifer Pedroza, who were featured in a story about the international connections between the publishers and author. "Amanda and I met online through fan fiction," said Pedroza..."We realized we had some really good writers so we started The Writers Coffee Shop (in October 2010)." The venture is doing well. "The Writers Coffee Shop will still receive royalties for the next three years, Pedroza said, enough to convince her to retire from teaching and focus on publishing for awhile." A post by obsidianwings also looked at the issue of publishing in relation to the book and suggested that fandom is becoming mainstream publishing's slush pile reader.


• The issue of literary quality is something examined by The Record in "'50 Shades' another brick in the wall between fans and critics". "These days, anyone can write a book – or at least be credited with writing one. Biographies, autobiographies, novels and cookbooks are published based on reality-TV success, athletic victories or, in James' case, Internet fan fiction gone viral. Readers want to be part of the discussion with their friends, whether it's a well-regarded look back in history or a racy romance that may not be well-written. Concerns of the critics are not a priority...Many reviewers hated 'Bridges of Madison County,' 'The DaVinci Code' and 'Eat, Pray, Love,' yet the public loved them all, as books and as movies."


• A Florida library is refusing to put '50 Shades' on their shelves--though technically, it's in good literary company as a banned book. Brevard County, Florida spokesman Don Walker told the New York Daily News "'We don't put pornography on our bookshelves,' branding the book 'mommy porn' before admitting, 'I'm not sure what that is.'" Perhaps the bans allow libraries to avoid spending money on the many copies needed to satisfy reader demand. A Miami New Times blogger noted that not only is "Every single [copy] checked out. What's amazing is that there are currently 450 holds on the book." He then compared this to other popular books in the system and noted that "The only book that rivals Fifty Shades in Miami-Dade Library's most popular list at the moment seems to be The Hunger Games."


• Lastly there's been discussion of fan fiction itself, particularly in college newspapers. One of these, The Daily Collegian, published a two-part article that included an interview with OTW board member, Francesca Coppa. And BlackBook listed "Superstars of Fan Fiction," including OTW board member, Naomi Novik.