RolePlayGateway?

(This is very much a WIP- I am posting the most current draft which is the first, and I haven't finished it yet- And I am posting this here purely for critique and suggestions. Also, this is going to be a longer novel- already promising to be 100,000 words by the time I'm done. That said, Please tell me everything you think about it. Thank you for reading.)

Pronunciations

Phireem- (Fie reeem)
Psylch- (Silk)
Feagle (Fee ay gle)
Faire (Faire)
Tramice (Tram is (soft s))
Tamel (tam el (short a))
Jacobin (Jay co bin)

Simple Gifts

Prologue- Rumors of War
The two suns of Terrestria, Celeste and Supernal, began to make their descent into the horizon. They were approaching Equinox, promising some spectacular evenings during the days ahead; but for now the sunsets were normal. In the mountainous country of Tamel, the capital city of Elbin was starting to shut down. Merchants closed down their shops, soldiers returned to their barracks, families retired to their homes, and peasants scavenged for leftover scraps that would suffice for their next meal.

However, the castle was far from being inactive. Deep in its innermost chambers, General Harken stood in front of the table with a grave look on his weathered face, his h??ooves stamping on the ground every once in a while as he spoke.

?Tramice must fall!? He began to the ten or so officers around him. ?They are becoming too powerful! I?m sure you all know that they are trading with the Gorbians for better technology. Their economy is booming, their army is swelling, their warriors are powerful. Everything they try to do is successful! EVERYTHING! They may be friendly enough to us for the time being.? The mighty centaur grunted. ?Tell me, how long will that last?! When they grow strong enough, they will turn and destroy us!?

A man with eagle talons and wings laughed. ?So you?re suggesting we go to war with them now!?

Harken pounded the table with his fist. ?Exactly, Feagle! They are still weak, relatively. Our army is powerful. If we move quickly and strongly enough, they will not be able to withstand our forces!? His black hair swished back and forth as he looked from one officer to the other. ?And I know that you are capable to lead our army to a quick and successful victory!?

The others nodded and agreed with shouts. Harken raised his fist into the air. ?We will not be overpowered by the cursed Tramicites and their powers! We will triumph!?

?Long live Harken and the Tamelines!?
***
Chapter 1- Tramice

Two days later, rain had overtaken the entire countryside. The Forest of Loom soaked up the rain like a sponge, infusing the grass, trees, bushes, flowers, and everything with green with new energy. King?s Town, the capital of Tramice, was relatively inactive. Stone buildings had lanterns lit inside to keep families warm as old men told of legends and far-off wars.

Psylch sat on the ramparts of the great castle of Tramice, shielding herself from the pounding rain. Holding her hands up, she stopped the rain a few inches above her head, and then let it slide around her. She sighed. This is so boring! Nothing will ever happen while the rain is going down as hard as it is now!

Psylch turned her gaze across the quiet city. ?If only people were out and about, it wouldn?t be so boring! But of course, it?s raining too hard.? Looking up at the rain coming down in sheets, she thought, why don?t they let the Water Controllers take guard duty when the rain is here? They would probably enjoy it. The light coming from windows in the castle made Psylch jealous as they reflected in her green eyes. She sulked out loud, ?Aye, and they?re probably joking with each other and stuffing their faces, and here am I sitting out in the rain.?

?Having a pity party over there, Psylch?? a male voice shouted to her from a ways away. Psylch looked over to the voice?s owner, a man sitting under a ring of fire that he was constantly refueling to keep himself dry.

She scowled. ?And what if I am, Jacobin??

Jacobin shrugged. ?We?re in the same boat, I guess. Hey, would you like some fire? You?re probably cold.?

Psylch?s scowl disappeared as she replied, ?Really? That would be great!?

Psylch walked over to Jacobin slowly, still using her powers to keep dry. Within a couple of minutes she had reached Jacobin, who had a handful of fire ready for her. She pointed to the handful of fire and brought it closer to her.
?Thanks.?

Jacobin nodded. ?No problem.? He noticed the fire above him was swindling and refueled it. As Psylch headed back to her post, she brought both of her hands close to the hovering sphere of flame, and in doing so, let down her shield. In a few seconds her brown hair was soaked and the fire extinguished.

Jacobin?s reedy baritone rang out in laughter. ?For a Mind Controller, I would think that you?d know better than that, Psylch. I mean, I?m a Fire Controller and I knew about that.?

Quickly blocking the rain again, the scowl returned. He held up his hands in defense. ?Hey, it was a joke.? He formed another handful of fire. ?Here. You?ll need it for sure now.?

Psylch walked back and took the fire from Jacobin. He winked. ?Now, remember, just use one hand and-? before he could finish Psylch quickly gave him a small shove.

?Whoah!? The flames above him disappeared, he stumbled backwards, and his foot slipped. His waist struck the top of the wall, and he began to tumble over the side of the wall. Psylch gasped. ?Jacobin!? She reached out, trying to grab him as he fell. Her arms were just short, brushing his tunic, but unable to grasp it. As she lunged forward, Jacobin plummeted over the wall with a yell!

?No!? Psylch withdrew her arm, watching, and Jacobin suddenly stopped falling. She gasped. ?Wh-what?? she moved her arms like she were pulling a rope, and Jacobin floated back up. Jacobin looked up at Psylch. ?How are you doing that? I didn?t think you were able to manipulate humans!?

Once Jacobin was back on the wall safely, she trembled. ?I-?I didn?t know that either. At least you?re safe.?

Jacobin looked down over the wall and shuddered. ?Yeah? just don?t ever do that again!? he remade the ring of fire over his head, making it lower so he could dry himself off.

Psylch walked back to her post, without fire and with a lot to think about.
***

Phireem walked into a clearing in Loom Forest along with Faire, an old man with white hair but blue eyes that were still sparkling with energy. Faire walked briskly ahead of Phireem, saying, ?Ah, here we are!? He was wearing a waterproof covering, as was Phireem, so the pounding rain did little to affect either.

Phireem, a younger man with black hair and equally bright blue eyes, patted the plastic poncho-like covering as he followed Faire. ?Gorbian technology is certainly some of the most convenient things I have ever seen. Ah, I think I see what you wanted to show me.? Phireem pointed to a blue mist-like aura.

?Yes, exactly, Phireem. This is the portal, only visible to Fire Controllers such as you and me. It is very mysterious, but I have been able to gain much knowledge through what others have written about it.? He beckoned Phireem to come closer as they headed closer to the aura. ?This is Terrestria?s greatest secret. I am entrusting it with you, for I feel my days are running short.?

Phireem nodded, tears forming in his eyes and mingling with some of the rain streaming down his face as Faire continued. ?On the other side of this portal is another world, completely unlike Terrestria. From what I could gather, the people there are quite hostile to strangers. It also seems that they are like Lower-Order Tramicites, and none of the Higher-Order exists anymore. That being said, they also have Gorbian-like technology, perhaps even surpassing said tools. I would not recommend trying to enter that world unless some terrible tragedy befalls us.?

Phireem interrupted. ?Why is this such a big secret? Wouldn?t this be a good thing for all three countries and this other world? Another unique race to learn about and make ourselves better by sounds like only a good thing.?

Faire shook his head, spraying droplets of water. ?That is not true, Phireem. This world has billions of people, millions of warriors. They would think that Higher-Order people and the Tamelines something ?special?, so they would charge in, take us at will, cart all of us around and show us off to others to gain fame and popularity amongst their own people. They are cruel men, and would treat us as animals, slaves, and trinkets that they could kill whenever they think we are not profiting them enough.?

?So, it is a good thing there are no Fire Controllers on- what is that world called, Faire??

Faire shrugged. ?No one has been able to ask the inhabitants what they call their world, so we call it Oceania. As you were saying???

Phireem nodded. ?It is a good thing there are no Fire Controllers on Oceania, so that they cannot discover us. But is there a way to destroy the portal so we can prevent anything happening??

?No, there is not.? Faire stared into the portal. ?It is impossible to know how to use it without proper instruction anyway, so accidentally entering it is highly improbable.?

?Then why don?t we forget about the whole thing? Just call it some sort of myth and ignore the fact that there is another world that cannot reach us beyond it.?

?Because if Tramice ever falls, this is our only hope of escape. We cannot turn to either Tamel or Gorbia for protection if one decides it has seen enough of us. Although our army is strong, we have to be prepared for every possibility.?

Phireem stood in the soaked and softened earth, thinking. ?Okay? how do I open it??

Faire snapped his fingers, and flames blazed in both of his hands. ?I?m glad you asked. All you have to do is make your fire swirl like a whirlpool, or a tornado. It will not harm others here.? He twisted both of his hands, forming a small whirlwind of fire in front of both men. The rain slowed down his progress somewhat, but Faire continued diligently, adding fire and spinning it until the very air in the tornado seemed to crumble away, and in its place stood a window to Oceania. A verdant green field showed itself to Phireem.

?Wow! So that?s Oceania.?

?Yes, it is. Pick up that rock over there, young man, and drop it into this portal.?

Phireem held the fist-sized stone in his hands, and watched it fall through the portal into Oceania. Faire snapped his fingers, and all fire disappeared, as did the window to the field. No rock lay on the ground.

Faire smiled. ?As you can see, a rock from Tramice is now forever in that world.?

Phireem?s blue eyes stared at the matching mist that surrounded him. ?You must tell me more about this, my friend.?

Faire looked up. ?It appears the rain is ceasing. Come, and let us go back to King?s Town. I will tell you more about the portal.?

Both men exited the clearing, but the portal remained, shining mysteriously.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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Lawmakers: Syria chemical weapons could menace US

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons could be a greater threat after that nation's president leaves power and could end up targeting Americans at home, lawmakers warned Sunday as they considered a U.S. response that stops short of sending military forces there.

U.S. officials last week declared that the Syrian government probably had used chemical weapons twice in March, newly provocative acts in the 2-year civil war that has killed more than 70,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more. The U.S. assessment followed similar conclusions from Britain, France, Israel and Qatar ? key allies eager for a more aggressive response to the Syrian conflict.

President Barack Obama has said Syria's likely action ? or the transfer of President Bashar Assad's stockpiles to terrorists ? would cross a "red line" that would compel the United States to act.

Lawmakers sought to remind viewers on Sunday news programs of Obama's declaration while discouraging a U.S. foothold on the ground there.

"The president has laid down the line, and it can't be a dotted line. It can't be anything other than a red line," said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. "And more than just Syria, Iran is paying attention to this. North Korea is paying attention to this."

Added Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.: "For America to sit on the sidelines and do nothing is a huge mistake."

Obama has insisted that any use of chemical weapons would change his thinking about the United States' role in Syria but said he didn't have enough information to order aggressive action.

"For the Syrian government to utilize chemical weapons on its people crosses a line that will change my calculus and how the United States approaches these issues," Obama said Friday.

But Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, said Sunday the United States needs to consider those weapons. She said that when Assad leaves power, his opponents could have access to those weapons or they could fall into the hands of U.S. enemies.

"The day after Assad is the day that these chemical weapons could be at risk ... (and) we could be in bigger, even bigger trouble," she said.

Both sides of the civil war already accuse each other of using the chemical weapons.

The deadliest such alleged attack was in the Khan al-Assal village in the Aleppo province in March. The Syrian government called for the United Nations to investigate alleged chemical weapons use by rebels in the attack that killed 31 people.

Syria, however, has not allowed a team of experts into the country because it wants the investigation limited to the single Khan al-Assal incident, while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged "immediate and unfettered access" for an expanded investigation.

One of Obama's chief antagonists on Syria, Sen. John McCain, R- Ariz., said the United States should go to Syria as part of an international force to safeguard the chemical weapons. But McCain added that he is not advocating sending ground troops to the nation.

"The worst thing the United States could do right now is put boots on the ground on Syria. That would turn the people against us," McCain said.

His friend, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also said the United States could safeguard the weapons without a ground force. But he cautioned the weapons must be protected for fear that Americans could be targeted. Raising the specter of the lethal bomb at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, Graham said the next attack on U.S. soil could employ weapons that were once part of Assad's arsenal.

"Chemical weapons ? enough to kill millions of people ? are going to be compromised and fall into the wrong hands, and the next bomb that goes off in America may not have nails and glass in it," he said.

Rogers and Schakowsky spoke to ABC's "This Week." Chambliss and Graham were interviewed on CBS's "Face the Nation." McCain appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press."

___

Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Philip_Elliott

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawmakers-syria-chemical-weapons-could-menace-us-154735931.html

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Video Marketing And Making Your Brand Known

Video Marketing And Making Your Brand Known

Are you a small business owner or consultant interested in promoting yourself or your company? If this is the case, then you?re probably aware of how difficult promotional activities are. Nowadays, technology provides many great opportunities for marketing. Online videos are a great way to spread the word about your business. Keep reading to find out how to use videos for your business.

Make interesting content. Business videos can be interesting, fun, or newsworthy. Popular video hosting sites such as YouTube can expose you to many potential customers, but there is no way to attract them with boring videos. People watch videos to be entertained and informed, not bored by a canned sales pitch. Making great content will keep the viewers coming.

If you have a budget to promote your videos, then choose to have your video show up on related sites. Do not allow your video to be spam. Make use of surveys to know what websites dominate your audience?s surfing habits.

TIP! After you are comfortable with video marketing, it may be time to consider producing a regular podcast. Podcasts have experienced a rise in popularity of late.

Get all your staff involved in your videos. The ideal person is someone personable and good in front of the camera. Do not shy away from using multiple personalities in videos.

It can be helpful to give a brief introduction about the content of your video. Put your explanation in the description box as well as mentioning the video?s goals at the start. If you make it interesting enough for them to watch all the way through, they just might take a visit to your page.

Remember to offer a mailing list opt-in for interested clients. Many people will likely wish to sign-up and gather as much information as possible regarding the topic of choice.

TIP! It?s always in your brand?s best interest to encourage viewers to take some sort of action or follow through with a request. Frequently, this sort of approach is labeled as a ?call to action?.

A video should not end with an answer, only a question. By asking questions, you will stir interaction with viewers. Comments left on your video will show up on individual users? accounts, which will draw more views to your video.

Find the tone that you want for your videos and stick with it. How-to videos are not necessarily better than a funny one. Take your target audience as well as the goods or services you provide when determining what type of video you want to create. Keeping these things in mind while determining the image you?d like your business to project is going to let you know what sort of marketing videos work for you.

Keep your videos at under half a minute, unless you are imparting knowledge to your viewers. People have short attention spans, so you must be able to grab their attention.

TIP! Video marketing is more than just keywords. Your content must always be engaging in the viewer?s mind.

How-to videos are excellent tools for promoting your products and services. They can sell someone who was undecided on the purchase. This is great for minimizing customer inquiries regarding features and use, as well.

Viewer?s attention span is low ? 10 seconds. When you have them, they will watch your whole video. What will it take to get their attention? This depends on your target audience and your video topic.

Pay attention to how well your videos are received by your customers. The whole point to making videos is to create a viewing audience. This is why if you are not making the regulars happy, they won?t tell anyone else about you. Using their input is a good way incorporate their ideas, thus prompting them to stay involved and share videos with others.

TIP! Watch your competitors? videos. Don?t copy them, but rather find ways to make your video stand out.

Any event is a good time to take a video. You?ll probably end up meeting people that are experts in your field that you can get interviews from. You will want someone to tape any speeches you give.

You should now have a good idea on how to best market your business using video marketing. There are millions of people watching videos on the Internet at any given moment. Thus, you should avail yourself of that fact. Use these tips and before you know it you?ll have additional traffic and business.

Get your free website analysis (valued at $97) ? 1-888-513-5974 (tell us that you seen our ad on the website)

Source: http://4thgc.com/video-marketing-and-making-your-brand-known/

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Curry leads Warriors past Nuggets in Game 3

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) reacts as Denver Nuggets' Ty Lawson watches, right, at the end of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Friday, April 26, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) reacts as Denver Nuggets' Ty Lawson watches, right, at the end of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Friday, April 26, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) lays up a shot against Denver Nuggets' Wilson Chandler, right, during the second half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Friday, April 26, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Denver Nuggets' Kenneth Faried (35) scores against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Friday, April 26, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Denver Nuggets' Andre Iguodala (9) lays up a shot against Golden State Warriors' Jarrett Jack (2) during the first half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Friday, April 26, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) guards Denver Nuggets' Andre Iguodala, right, during the first half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Friday, April 26, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Playing on a sprained left ankle, Stephen Curry has the Golden State Warriors on firm footing in the playoffs.

Curry overcame his latest ankle injury to score 29 points and hand out 11 assists, and the Warriors outlasted the Denver Nuggets 110-108 on Friday night to take a 2-1 series lead.

"Feels good. Just thankful to be able to get through the game without any incidents," said Curry, who had ice wrapped around his ankle in the locker room.

Jarrett Jack added 23 points and seven assists, and Harrison Barnes and Carl Landry each scored 19 points to help the Warriors rally from 13 points down in the third quarter.

They still had to sweat out Andre Iguodala's missed 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded, setting off a gold-confetti celebration throughout the announced sellout crowd of 19,596, which stood for most of the fourth quarter in Golden State's first home playoff game since 2007 and just the second postseason appearance in 19 years.

"There's nothing like something being as good as advertised," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "They were loud. They were consistent and we fed off them even when we didn't match their intensity."

Ty Lawson had a career playoff-high 35 points to go with 10 assists, and reserve Corey Brewer scored 16 points as Denver dropped its second straight game ? and its grip on the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 is Sunday night in Oakland.

"There was a lot of good tonight," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "I told the team after the game, 'The process of the NBA playoffs is to get better. We got better tonight. We didn't win tonight. But there's a process going on, and it's just two wins. They're only halfway there.'"

The teams traded spectacular shots for most of the game, especially in the closing moments.

Curry, wearing a large white brace around both ankles, crossed over Kenneth Faried and then dropped in a high-arching lefty floater. Curry added another on the next possession ? only with his right hand, and this time hitting almost all net to put the Warriors back up four.

Faried, who finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, followed with a reverse layup. A few plays later, Curry stole the ball from Andre Miller from behind and then nearly dropped in another floater as Wilson Chandler fouled him. Curry's free throws gave Golden State a 108-102 lead with 1:54 remaining.

After Denver called timeout, Lawson's layup over Draymond Green started a three-point play. Denver got a stop before Lawson's 3-pointer hit the front iron and Curry corralled the rebound ? but then missed a layup on the other end.

Twice given a chance to either tie or take the lead, Denver blew both.

Iguodala got caught in the air trying to make a pass, Jack batted it away and hit 1 of 2 free throws for a 109-105 lead with 21.5 seconds to play. Chandler stunned the crowd with a quick 3 from the corner, the Nuggets covered Curry on the ensuing inbound and Jack was called for a rare 5-second violation.

Klay Thompson and backup center Festus Ezeli trapped Lawson off a pick-and-roll, and Lawson dribbled the ball off his leg and out of bounds. Officials confirmed the call with a video review.

"We gotta take care of our business," said Lawson, who shot 11 for 22 from the floor.

After Barnes made just the second free throw, Iguodala received the inbound pass. He took a few dribbles and heaved a shot from around half-court, hitting the front iron and letting the home fans exhale.

Golden State followed its 64.6 percent shooting performance ? the highest in an NBA playoff game in 22 years ? during its 131-117 win at Denver on Tuesday night with another gem befitting the Bay Area's basketball party.

Ushers and parking lot attendants greeted fans with "welcome to the playoffs." Almost every fan wore a gold shirt read "We are Warriors" on the front, and the 33rd straight sellout that packed Oracle Arena often yelled so loud even players had a hard time hearing whistles.

"I've never seen anything like it," Jack said.

The Warriors outshot the Nuggets 52.5 to 46.5 percent and won the rebounding battle for the third straight game, 42-34.

Jackson stuck with his smaller lineup for the second straight game since David Lee went down with a season-ending tear of his right hip flexor. Guards Curry, Jack and Thompson started alongside small forward Barnes and center Andrew Bogut, who had nine rebounds and six points and was a constant paint presence.

Karl countered with an even smaller lineup: forward Faried started at center in place of struggling big man Kosta Koufos, Chandler was at power forward, Iguodala at small forward, Evan Fournier at shooting guard and Lawson at point guard.

The athletic Nuggets constantly swarmed Curry and Jack ? or whoever dribbled off pick-and-rolls ? with double teams as soon as they crossed midcourt, forcing Golden State into 23 total turnovers.

"We were hot, we were feeling it but we had to stay aggressive and we stopped," Faried said.

Every time Curry lined up to shoot, the crowd's collective inhale could be heard. The silence was usually followed by a remarkable roar ? and until the final 15 minutes, often by another avalanche of Denver offense.

After going down by 13 points in the third quarter, the Warriors answered with a 16-2 run capped by Curry's 3-pointer near Denver's bench. The shot gave Golden State a 74-73 lead and sent owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber jumping out of their courtside seats, screaming, clapping and motioning to the stands to shout even louder.

"The fans," Curry said, "really had that energy stored up."

NOTES: Bogut was called for a technical foul in the third quarter after a verbal exchange with Denver's JaVale McGee. ... McGee grabbed his right shoulder when he was fouled in the first quarter. He had four points and one rebound in almost 14 minutes. ... Lee was in a suit and often engaged in the huddle.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-27-BKN-Nuggets-Warriors/id-7ede42f9cca4449d9f6217039efaa67b

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A User's Guide To Disrupt NY 2013

Disrupt is two days away... and we've put together an array of awesomeness with our partners to make your event experience better.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UlC9BUTrRRo/

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Obama jokes about radical 2nd term changes

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama joked Saturday about his plans for a radical second-term evolution from a "strapping young Muslim Socialist" to retiree golfer, all with a new hairstyle like first lady Michelle's.

Obama used this year's annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner to poke fun at himself and some of his political adversaries, asking if it was still possible to be brought down a peg after 4? years as commander-in-chief.

Entering to the rap track "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled, Obama joked about how re-election would allow him to unleash a radical agenda. But then he showed a picture of himself golfing on a mock magazine cover of "Senior Leisure."

"I'm not the strapping young Muslim Socialist that I used to be," the president remarked, and then recounted his recent 2-for-22 basketball shooting performance at the White House Easter Egg hunt.

But Obama's most dramatic shift for the next four years appeared to be aesthetic. He presented a montage of shots featuring him with bangs similar to those sometimes sported by his wife.

Obama closed by noting the nation's recent tragedies in Massachusetts and Texas, praising Americans of all stripes from first responders to local journalists for serving the public good.

Saturday night's banquet not far from the White House attracted the usual assortment of stars from Hollywood and beyond. Actors Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Claire Danes, who play government characters on series, were among the attendees, as was Korean entertainer Psy. Several Cabinet members, governors and members of Congress were present.

And despite coming at a somber time, nearly two weeks after the deadly Boston Marathon bombing and 10 days after a devastating fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, the president and political allies and rivals alike took the opportunity to enjoy some humor. Late-night talk-show host Conan O'Brien headlined the event.

Some of Obama's jokes came at his Republican rivals' expense. He asked that the GOP's minority outreach begin with him as a "trial run" and said he'd take his recent charm offensive with Republicans on the road, including to a book-burning event with Rep. Michele Bachmann.

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson would have had better success getting Obama out of office if he simply offered the president $100 million to drop out of last year's race, Obama quipped.

And on the 2016 election, the president noted in self-referential irony that potential Republican candidate Sen. Marco Rubio wasn't qualified because he hasn't even served a full term in the Senate. Obama served less than four years of his six-year Senate term before he was elected president in 2008.

The gala also was an opportunity for six journalists, including Associated Press White House Correspondent Julie Pace, to be honored for their coverage of the presidency and national issues.

The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza won the Aldo Beckman Award, which recognizes excellence in the coverage of the presidency.

Pace won the Merriman Smith Award for a print journalist for coverage on deadline.

ABC's Terry Moran was the winner of the broadcast Merriman Smith Award for deadline reporting.

Reporters Jim Morris, Chris Hamby and Ronnie Greene of the Center for Public Integrity won the Edgar A. Poe Award for coverage of issues of national significance.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-jokes-radical-2nd-term-changes-023742499.html

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Mom, daughter persevere together after Boston bombings

>> "rock center." a week ago tonight at this very moment we were in the middle of hours 'ole rolling coverage in boston . by this time last week, we knew the danger had passed but also knew the terrible toll in boston . last week, natalie morales introduced us to the corcoran family, mother and daughter hospitalized together. they have survived life-threatening injuries and are only alive because of the kindness and quick thinking of those around them. and tonight natalie reports on this family's incredible bond.

>> reporter: it wasn't the birthday party 18-year-old sydney corcoran planned.

>> happy birthday .

>> thanks.

>> reporter: but the fact she can celebrate at all is extraordinary considering how seriously she and her mother se celeste were injured two weeks ago. the family had gathered at the boston marathon to cheer on celeste 's sister carmen. her brother tyler decided to stay home at the last minute. they were at the finish line when the bomb went off. these powerful images show sydney being helped by strangers, and celeste lying in the carnage. her husband kevin struggling to stop her bleeding.

>> instinct just takes over. you take your belt off, put a tourniquet on.

>> last week kevin and carmen sat down to tell us about that awful day.

>> i just laid down next to her and just told her i loved her and that everything would be okay and i just kissed her face and just gently carsed her as people were trying to get to her.

>> they were at the finish line waiting for me and i was terrified that my family was gone. everyone i loved was there.

>> they have been recovering together, literally in the same room at boston medical center . sydney suffered a severed femoral artery and celeste lost both of her legs. this week, they were strong enough to speak to us themselves. despite being so close to the blast, they never lost consciousness and remember every detail.

>> celeste , what about your memory of that very moment?

>> it was just -- it was just crazy. i knew that my sister was coming around soon. and i was -- i just kept scanning back and forth to see if i could see her.

>> reporter: but then --

>> when the bomb hit, i -- i just couldn't -- i immediately -- i think i was just down on the ground because of course it hit my legs. i just kept saying over and over in my head, no, no. so my husband was standing next to me. i had no idea if sydney was hurt or anything. i was just down and then his face was over my face and he was just like i've got you. you are hurt. i'm going to take care of you. and he saved my life.

>> reporter: the pain, she says, was excruciating.

>> i just wanted to die. you know what, actually the thought was there because i was in so much pain and then i just remember thinking, i can't. i can't. i don't want to leave my family, you know. just too much to do.

>> reporter: celeste had no idea her daughter sydney was also badly injured bleeding heavily from a severe leg wound. sydney hoarse from being intubated from surgery describes that day.

>> it was really difficult that day being so tired because all of the blood leaving my body. i turned white. my lips turned blue. i felt tingly like i was fading.

>> reporter: did you know at the time you were in that severe of a situation?

>> no. i mean at the moment we were pushed back i was in shock and i wasn't sure what happened. when i was in the ambulance, i think it completely dawned on me like i could be dying.

>> reporter: separated from her parents, sydney feared the worst.

>> i wanted to know where they were. i thought i was going to wake up and have no one left but my brother.

>> reporter: in the hospital that night sydney learned her mother had lived but she suffered a devastating injury.

>> i knew i at least had my mother. so really the legs don't mean anything to me. i know it's hard for her, but i'm glad i have her.

>> that's true. i mean i liked my legs but, you know, if i can get a new set of legs and still be here and go through the milestones, her graduation. i have an older son and so close to. i want to see everything in their lives. i'm not ready to leave. so, yeah. if it is with new legs, it's with new legs.

>> reporter: it's the second time a medical disaster has hit the corcoran 's three years ago sydney was hit by a car and spent a week in the hospital with a fractured skull. her brother tyler saw it all happened.

>> he thought she was dead that time. so for him to live through this, i feel like emotionally this has to be -- he is so strong. you know, we have all been through so much.

>> it was just horrible. i just didn't want to go through losing her again.

>> reporter: but this family is not just boston strong, they are corcoran strong.

>> we're all here. we're all alive. i got my baby with me. you know, i couldn't ask for more.

>> reporter: not that their resilience won't be tested. a few days ago celeste hit a low point until this visit from some wounded veterans.

>> i can't do anything.

>> right now, yes. but i'm telling you, with all of my heart, you are going to be more independent than you ever were.

>> reporter: gabriel martinez lost his legs in 2010 .

>> doesn't matter. this is a just a change of scenery.

>> what did they tell you to lift your spirits?

>> he came in here with his legs and i was amazed. he goes rock climbing . nothing he can't do. if you have the spirit and you want to do it i can absolutely achieve it.

>> reporter: newfound friends are among the biggest comfort, especially from bonds forged that day. jeff was captured in this unforgettable scene. he helped the fbi identify one of the bombers. after he visited sydney on her birthday, jeff, celeste and sydney talked about doing rehab together. before rehab begins, it's the little things that can bring a smile or cause a panic.

>> i understand you even had a little visit from bradley cooper , is that right?

>> yes.

>> yes.

>> reporter: tell me about that. that had to be exciting.

>> it was very exciting. very exciting. her heart monitor -- it is a funny story.

>> reporter: your heart monitor got higher.

>> i was so stressed out because at that point i hadn't washed my hair. i still had the debris and shrapnel, whatever. literally my hair was matted. and like i said i do hair and i had my glasses on and i was under no illusion that he was going to walk in and be star struck by me but i wanted to look my best for me.

>> he asked for permission if he could kiss me on my cheek. of course i said yes. i'm never going to forget that moment. here's our hero.

>> reporter: the leading man of sydney 's story is matt smith . one of the strangers who helped to save her life.

>> what was he doing at the time to help you that allowed you to feel calm and feel like everything was going to be okay?

>> he made sure that i was holding his hand and he kept telling me to squeeze it, make sure i could still do it. and he was holding my gaze the entire time. getting right up in my face and he kept saying just look at me, bud.

>> reporter: people like you were real heros that day. there could have been more bombs for all you knew. did that enter your mind whatsoever?

>> no. the only thing, you know, that we wanted to make sure she was okay.

>> reporter: the corcoran 's have also found peace knowing police have tracked down the people they believe are responsible. when you there was a capture, were you happy to hear that? did it hit you in any way.

>> i felt a relief.

>> so did i. i wanted the person to be brought to jchlustice. i don't want e i didn't want them to hurt anyone else. i don't want hate in my heart for this person. i truly believe they are sick. they have my pity.

>> reporter: the family knows they face a tough road but they will make it together.

>> there's times when everything kind of overwhelms you. i really believe if you persevere and believe in yourself, you have to dig down deep inside and be like, i can do this. it's going to be hard but i can do this.

>> first of all, how wonderful they let you in to the family.

>> they really have is.

>> and you have been able to televise this conversation. tell us about prognosis. obviously they are already having their ups and downs and obviously from bradley cooper to veterans they have had help. what's the prognosis.

>> a lot of emotional support which they so much need right now. but sydney is expected to make a full recovery. you saw she has a leg wound and her doctors say she may even get back to her dance troupe that she loves so much at her high school . of course that is great news. celeste , what is next for her is the long road to recovery. once you are a double amputee she will have to be fit with prosthetics later on but she's very much looking forward to getting back to the life she had before as a hair dresser . although, of course, life has changed so much for them. their new reality.

>> for all of the wrong reasons. we have so much technology to help them in this. we will stay on the story. thank you for your reporting.

>> my privilege and pleasure. thank you.

>> natalie morales here with us

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b3aa18d/l/0Lvideo0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C51682173/story01.htm

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