I'm really excited to welcome AmeriCorps alumni to the White House tomorrow because, well, I'm one myself! Having served as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the Dream Program in Burlington, VT, I know first-hand how incredibly powerful and rewarding the experience can be. Simply put, it changed my life – and I'll talk about that tomorrow, so join us. We'll also recognize some of the amazing work that's happening around the country and, who knows, perhaps inspire a few more people to take the plunge and join! 

Here's the scoop:

AmeriCorps is a national service opportunity that has helped more than 775,000 Americans serve more than 1 billion hours since 1994 (with more than 88,000 Americans serving this year alone). In FY 2011, AmeriCorps reached more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth through tutoring, mentoring, and other services.

Tomorrow, the White House will welcome more than 150 AmeriCorps Alumni leaders from across the country. While the Alumni are here, they'll participate in a day-long briefing, and we'll honor 12 of them as Champions of Change, a program created to honor ordinary Americans doing great work in their communities.

But tomorrow isn't just for the AmeriCorps Alumni joining us here at the White House. It's also a chance to engage with everyone who can't make it to Washington. That's why we'll be holding a live Google+ Hangout moderated by myself and Corporation for National and Community Service CEO Wendy Spencer at 12:00 p.m. EDT. We're hoping you'll join the conversation.

Here's how to participate:

• Ask your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #WHHangout, or submit questions through WhiteHouse.gov here.
• Tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. EDT, watch on our Google+ page, or on WhiteHouse.gov/Live.
• During the Hangout, you can continue to ask questions and participate in the discussion using the #WHHangout and #WHAmeriCorps hashtags.

We'll also be live-streaming the remainder of the day on WhiteHouse.gov/Live, be sure to check it out.

Ed. note: This post was originally published on energy.gov.

 

Our countdown of the top ten things you didn't know about wind energy:

10. Human civilizations have harnessed wind power for thousands of years. Early forms of windmills used wind to crush grain or pump water. Now, modern wind turbines use the wind to create electricity. Learn how here.

9. A wind turbine has as many as 8,000 different components.

8. Wind turbines are big. A wind turbine blade can be up to 150 feet long, and a turbine tower can be over 250 feet tall, almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty.

7. Higher wind speeds mean more electricity, and wind turbines are getting taller to reach higher altitudes where it’s even windier. See the Energy Department’s wind resource maps to find average wind speeds in your state or hometown.

6. Most of the components of wind turbines installed in the United States are manufactured here. Facilities for building wind turbine parts are located in over 40 states, and the U.S. wind energy industry currently employs 75,000 people. 

Ed note: PBS invited White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses to share his favorite memory of Julia Child to mark the 100th anniversary of her birthday. Read more tributes on their website http://www.pbs.org/food/blogs/julia-child-100-birthday-cookforjulia/

Julia Child inspired many chefs in her long career, myself included. And her infectious laugh and personality were as influential as her deep knowledge of the principles of good cooking. She minced onions but no words when it came to those who took kitchen shortcuts or who didn’t fully acquire cooking skills. The best party I ever attended was organized by the ebullient chef Michel Richard in celebration of Julia Child’s 80th birthday in February 1993 in Marina del Rey in California. She had actually turned 80 the year before but no matter, any excuse for a good “fête.” 

Ed. note: This post was originally published on dhs.gov.

Today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting requests for consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals. Deferred action is a discretionary determination to defer removal action of an individual as an act of prosecutorial discretion. Under this process, USCIS will consider requests on a case-by-case basis. While this process does not provide lawful status or a pathway to permanent residence or citizenship, individuals whose cases are deferred will not be removed from the United States for a two year period, subject to renewal, and may also receive employment authorization. To be considered for this process, you must show that:

• You came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday
• You have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time
• You were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012
• You entered without inspection before June 15, 2012, or your lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012
• You are currently in school, have graduated or obtained your certificate of completion from high school, have obtained your general educational development certification, or you are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States
• You have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat
• You were present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from energy.gov.

Today, the Energy Department and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory released a new report highlighting strong growth in America’s wind energy market in 2011 and underscoring the importance of continued policy support and clean energy tax credits to ensure that the U.S. remains a leading producer and manufacturer in this booming global industry.

As President Obama has made clear, we need an all-of-the-above approach to American energy and the U.S. wind industry is a critical part of this strategy. In fact, wind energy contributed 32 percent of all new U.S. electric capacity additions last year, representing $14 billion in new investment.

In the United States, domestic clean energy production and manufacturing competitiveness work hand-in-hand. The report finds total U.S. wind power capacity grew to 47,000 megawatts by the end of 2011 and has since grown to 50,000 megawatts, enough to power 12 million homes annually -- as many homes as in the entire state of California. And as wind energy capacity has grown, more and more wind turbines and components like towers, blades, gears, and generators are “Made in America.” Nearly 70 percent of all of the equipment installed at U.S. wind farms last year came from domestic manufacturers, doubling from 35 percent in 2005.

As President Obama said in a recent Weekly Address, Americans could not be prouder of the men and women representing our country in London, in both the recently concluded Olympics and in the upcoming Paralympics. And this year, Team USA included a record number of soldier athletes, both active duty and members of our reserves. The servicemen and women competing in these games represent the best of our military, and the best of our nation.

Learn more:

• Read the bios of the Army's Olympians
• See a slideshow of First Lady Michelle Obama and Team USA in London

Like people all over the world, the White House has been using Twitter to celebrate the 2012 Olympic Games in London. 

As head of the Delegation in London, First Lady Michelle Obama  represented the White House at the Opening Ceremonies. While in London, she also met with Team USA to wish them luck, hosted a Let's Move event for over 1,000 American military children and British students, and cheered our Olympians as they competed. All along the way, she documented her travels on Twitter at @LetsMove.

On August 4^th, President Obama dedicated his Weekly Address to letting our Olympic and Paralympic athletes know that that the American people could not be more proud of them, and thanked them for reminding us that we are one people, and by working together we can achieve great things. 

Additionally, throughout the Olympics, the President, First Lady, Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden took to Twitter to cheer on and congratulate Team USA. 

You can check out all of these moments and more below and over on Storify.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the Iftar Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House, Aug. 10, 2012 (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Last night, President Obama hosted his fourth Iftar dinner as President in the State Dining Room of the White House. The Iftar is the meal that breaks the day of fasting during Ramadan, when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset.

During his remarks at the dinner, the President reflected on the importance of religious freedom and the important role Muslims have played throughout our country’s history.

Of all the freedoms we cherish as Americans, of all the rights that we hold sacred, foremost among them is freedom of religion, the right to worship as we choose.  It’s enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution -- the law of the land, always and forever.  It beats in our heart -- in the soul of the people who know that our liberty and our equality is endowed by our Creator.  And it runs through the history of this house, a place where Americans of many faiths can come together and celebrate their holiest of days -- and that includes Ramadan.

As I’ve noted before, Thomas Jefferson once held a sunset dinner here with an envoy from Tunisia -- perhaps the first Iftar at the White House, more than 200 years ago.  And some of you, as you arrived tonight, may have seen our special display, courtesy of our friends at the Library of Congress -- the Koran that belonged to Thomas Jefferson.  And that's a reminder, along with the generations of patriotic Muslims in America, that Islam -- like so many faiths -- is part of our national story.

Watch the President's remarks at the Iftar Dinner here.

Eqlima is a young girl from Afghanistan. She lived with an abusive father and stepmother who often beat her. They even set her hair on fire. She escaped to a U.S. State Department-supported women’s shelter. The staff helped move her away from her father and stepmother, and now is helping her move in with her older brother.

Stories like these are all too common. From beatings, to “honor” killings, to sexual violence as a tactic of war, from intimate partner violence to human trafficking-- the forms of gender-based violence are varied, but their scope, and their impact are devastating.  Globally, an estimated one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. 

When women and girls are denied the chance to fully contribute to society because of the violence or fear they face, our entire world suffers.  That’s why President Obama has made the treatment of women an essential part of our global vision for democracy and human rights. A key part of that effort is stopping violence against women and girls.  

Last December, President Obama released the first ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security and signed an Executive Order directing the Plan’s implementation.  This action signaled a key commitment of the Obama Administration: to put gender equality and the advancement of women and girls at the forefront of our foreign policy.

Today, I am proud to announce that the President has taken another important step to prioritize and protect the rights of women and girls. President Obama issued an Executive Order on Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls Globally.   The Executive Order requires enhanced coordination of the United States’ efforts through the creation of an interagency working group, co-chaired by Secretary of State Clinton and USAID Administrator Shah, designed to leverage our country’s tremendous expertise and capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence globally as well as establish a coordinated, government-wide approach to address this terrible reality.