Michelle Obama makes Vogue cover (US, President, Barrack, event)

President Barack Obama's wife Michelle is the cover girl for the March edition of fashion magazine Vogue. It is only the second time an American First Lady has taken the place of a model on a Vogue cover - the other was Hillary Clinton in 1998.

Mrs Obama, who was photographed wearing outfits she chose herself, says she is aware her wardrobe is under scrutiny. "I'm not going to pretend that I don't care about it. But I also have to be practical," she told Vogue magazine. Annie Leibovitz photographed Mrs Obama wearing a magenta silk dress designed by Jason Wu for the cover portrait. It is the second time she has chosen to wear one of his creations for a high-profile public appearance.

She wore a long white gown by Wu for the inauguration balls on 20 January. Mrs Obama's sense of style has proved influential. On the day she dressed her family in clothes from J Crew for her husband's inauguration, the company's shares leapt 10%. In the accompanying interview for Vogue, Mrs Obama also talks about her role as a social hostess.

"We want entertaining in the White House to feel like America, that we are reminded of all the many facets of our culture. The Latino community, the Asian-American community, the African-American community... hip-hop, spoken word - we want to bring the youth in, for them to hear their voices in this," she said.

On her self-declared role as "mom-in-chief" she will try to take her daughters Malia and Sasha to school every morning, though she acknowledges this may not always be possible. "I like to be a presence in my kids' school. I want to know the teachers; I want to know the parents."

Apart from Bess Truman, Vogue has photographed the wife of every American president since 1929 when President Herbert Hoover's wife, Lou Henry Hoover, was featured

Waitangi Day - Auckland, New Zealand, David Lim, GDI, Daily Pic

Today is a public holiday and have the chance to get a few done. The kids went to the Lantern Festival at Mt Albert Park, Auckland. Since there were limited parking space near the city, I opted to drop them off and pick them up again after they spend the evening there to enjoy the food fair, exhibition and celebration. Click here for the map of Waitangi, Northland, New Zealand.

Many are not aware that Waitangi Day is also the birthday of Bob Marley the raggae legend! I am one of there rare student back in mid 1980's who listens and appreciate the raggae music at the Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO. 63701, USA.

Liberation, equal rights and justice and resistance to oppression were dominant themes in Bob Marley's lyrics; his uncompromising messages rooted in the many struggles he endured in his rural Jamaican birthplace and later in Kingston's gritty Trenchtown ghetto resonated with maligned and marginalized people everywhere. From Hopi Indians in the American Southwest to African freedom fighters, Bob was celebrated as a motivating and empowering force by a diverse range of ethnic groups. Among the clans that continue to commemorate his life and music 26 years after his death are the indigenous Maori of New Zealand.

Marley's profound importance among the Maori community is also reflected in their observance of Waitangi Day, a national holiday which celebrates the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi by representatives of the British Crown and Maori chiefs, on February 6, 1840. The Treaty, as it is called, established New Zealand as a British colony and gave the Maori the rights accorded all British citizens as well as the opportunity to own their land and other properties throughout the island.

Waitangi Day, February 6, is also Bob Marley's birthday and many Maoris refer to Waitangi Day as "One Love Day" according to Nandor Tanczos, a Rastafarian and member of New Zealand's Parliament since 1999. "It is a day of unity; in Auckland we hold a celebration called "One Love" and we commemorate Waitangi Day and Bob Marley's birthday. 15,000 people come to that celebration in Auckland and it is not only a day of togetherness but a day of respect, unity and also justice."

Glyceridae - The Smallest Sea Monster! (Aukckland, New Zealand, David Lim, GDI)

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, about 17 miles off Sapelo Island, Georgia, is home to a variety of strange creatures. The Glyceridae, or bloodworms, are ferocious epi- and infaunal polychaetes that prey upon small invertebrates. They are errant burrowers that build galleries of interconnected tubes to aid in catching their prey.

TheKiwi.Ws

Do you know President Barrack Obama's Secret Email Address? David Lim, Auckland, New Zealand

Obama won the fight to keep email and his BlackBerry. Now, knowing the president's email address is a privilege reserved for the truly elite. The NYT explains this, and other juicy details about Obama's email.

We've all seen this picture below of him using a BlackBerry since becoming president, though what he's holding is "actually a more sophisticated, encrypted variation." Biden has one just like it.

The people who know Obama's top secret email address are exceedingly few: Biden, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, senior adviser David Axelroad, press secretary Robert Gibbs, a few other top advisers and a select group of friends from Chicago. Even some cabinet members, like Defense Secretary Robert Gates don't have his email address. And, it's likely that his top secret email address will be changed on a regular basis.
If you are lucky enough to get an email from him, it's encrypted in such a way that it can't be forwarded to your parents, or anyone. No attachments will get through, either.
Left sadly unanswered, however, is the greatest question of all: Does Oprah, formerly the most important person in America whose name starts with O, have his email address?