The Obama Diary

President Barack Obama talks with Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and Trip Director Marvin Nicholson in an elevator at the Bridgeport Arts Center in Chicago, Ill., Aug. 12, 2012. Photo by Pete Souza

****

President Obama is getting seriously serious about supercomputing — here's why that's awesome: bit.ly/1Tbpo40

—
Mic (@micnews) August 10, 2025

****

Max Plenke: Obama’s Getting Serious About The Future Of Supercomputing. Here’s Why That’s Awesome

Gird your technological loins, world: President Barack Obama is paving the way for the Usain Bolt of computers with the processing power of the human brain. A technology program called the National Strategic Computing Initiative seeks to invest heavily in high-performance hardware. The goal is to position the United States as the king of the supercomputing mountain. The speed it’s going for: one exaflop, or almost 30 times faster than the fastest computer in the world, China’s Tianhe-2, below. He’s thinking about saving the world. Or at least making it better. With an exaflop of computing power, scientists and researchers would be able to run incredibly complex and accurate simulations, like simulating the global climate to make global warming predictions.

The ability to handle a lot of data might be the supercomputer’s largest contribution. Think of all the simulations you can run: modeling aircraft, modeling guns, predicting weather anomalies or even figuring out long-term dilemmas, like what the agricultural industry’s impact will be in, say, 50 years.Medicine takes all kinds of analysis, deep dives into our DNA and biological informatics — things that take a level of computing power we’ve scratched but haven’t come close to mastering. The White House’s Precision Medicine Initiative would use high-performance computing to collect and create huge amounts of health and genomic data to tailor treatment for individuals.

More here

****

Incredibly honored to sign SB 144 in honor of Beau Biden. His legacy of protecting DE's children lives on @DelKids http://t.co/rdeljYKwz3

—
Gov. Jack Markell (@GovernorMarkell) August 11, 2025

3 dozen retired U.S. Generals and Admirals agree: "There is no better option to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon." wpo.st/NoAU0

—
WH National Security (@NSCPress) August 11, 2025

****

Twenty-nine of the nation’s top scientists, including 6 Nobel Laureates, say the #IranDeal is a good deal. nyti.ms/1PeWEBu

—
Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) August 10, 2025

The best option to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb and avoiding another war in the Middle East is this deal. huff.to/1MWDVvt

—
Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) August 07, 2025

****

.@POTUS today: #IranDeal based on hard, cold logic & our ability to verify that Iran's not pursuing a nuclear weapon n.pr/1f3A3Ld

—
Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) August 11, 2025

Here are my reasons to support agreement that's our best available option to put brakes on Iran nuclear weapon: bit.ly/1DKgoM2

—
Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) August 11, 2025

****

There is no better deal possible - 92 nations and counting strongly support the #IranDeal twitter.com/SenFeinstein/s…

—
Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) August 11, 2025

Important op-ed from Sandy Berger debunking the myth that there is a "better" Iran agreement to be had. politico.com/magazine/story… #IranDeal

—
Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) August 11, 2025

****

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talk in the Blue Room of the White House before the start of the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama hugs Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient actor Sidney Poitier during the award ceremony in the East Room of the White House, on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Joseph Medicine Crow shows a drum to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during a reception for recipients and their families in the Blue Room of the White House on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza

First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama greet guests at a reception for Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients and their families in the Blue Room of the White House on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama waits in the Blue Room of the White House for the start of an East Room ceremony to present 16 individuals the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Aug. 12, 2009. Standing in the background, from left, are Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients; Muhammad Yunus, Stuart Milk, nephew of slain San Francisco councilman Harvey Milk, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Dr. Janet Davison Rowley, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson. Photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama talks with Stephen Hawking in the Blue Room of the White House before a ceremony presenting him and 15 others the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Aug. 12, 2009. The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. Photo by Pete Souza