Obama Engages House Republicans on Economy, Health Reform, Urges Cooperation

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President Barack Obama takes questions from Republican lawmakers at the GOP House Issues Conference in Baltimore, 29 Jan 2010

President Barack Obama has urged Republicans in the House of Representatives to work with him on major national priorities, saying cooperation is essential to the country's economic recovery. President's spoke to Republicans at their issues conference in Baltimore, Maryland and some of the give and take in an extraordinary exchange with his political opposition.After the president's State of the Union Address, in which he warned of the harmful effects of divisive politics, Republicans said he had delivered rhetoric but no indications he was willing to change the direction of his policies.Republicans have opposed his health care reform effort, asserting it would add to high deficits and heavy long-term debt. They also point to the 10 percent national unemployment rate as proof that administration policies have not been effective.The president told Republicans in Baltimore while he wants and values constructive debate, Americans in hard economic times do not want politics as usual in Washington: "I don't think they want more gridlock, I don't think they want more partisanship, I don't think they want more obstruction," said President Obama. "They didn't send us to Washington to fight each other in some sort of political steel cage match to see who comes out alive."On Friday, President Obama was able to point to new figures showing the U.S. economy grew 5.7 percent, the second straight quarter of growth and fastest since 2003, as proof of progress in recovering from the recession. He has also proposed new tax incentives for small businesses.He was blunt in underscoring his frustration with Republican opposition, seen in what he called "disappointing" party line votes, on his economic stimulus Congress approved early last year, and other measures."These are serious times and what is required by all of us, Democrats and Republicans, is to do what's right for our country, even if it's not always what is best for our politics," said Mr. Obama.Representative Mike Pence of Indiana pressed the president on job losses, an issue of particular relevance in Baltimore where unemployment is high, and whether he would support Republican's call for major tax cuts:"The kind of across-the-board tax relief that Republicans have advocated, that President [John] Kennedy advocated, that President Reagan advocated, and that has always been the means of stimulating broad-based economic growth," said Mike Pence.Acknowledging again that his administration underestimated the severity of job losses, the president also noted that hundreds of thousands of jobs were already being lost when he began his presidency. On health care, he took strong exception to Pence's assertion that he and majority Democrats have simply ignored specific Republican alternative proposals, and said this about Republican's tactic portraying health care legislation as a government takeover:"If you were to listen to the debate, and frankly how some of you went after this bill, you would think that this thing was some Bolshevik plot," said President Obama. "I mean that's how you guys presented it."The president also had this exchange with Tom Price of Georgia who criticized what he called numerous statements by the administration that Republicans had offered no ideas:PRICE: "You have repeatedly said, most recently [in] the State of the Union, that Republicans have offered no ideas and no solutions, in spite of the fact."OBAMA: "I don't think I said that, what I said was, in the context of health care, I remember that speech pretty well it was only two days ago, I said I welcome ideas that you might provide, I didn't say that you hadn't provided ideas, I said I welcome those ideas you will provide."PRICE: "Mr. President, multiple times from your administration there have come statements that Republicans have no ideas and no solutions."It remains to be seen to what degree the president's personal appearance will move Republicans to work harder to find common ground with the president, and to shed a label applied to them in the president's first year: the party of "no".The president made a point of noting that Democrats too have contributed to a process in which politics has become a process of demonizing the other side.Saying all must choose between being "politicians first or partners in progress," he said he is ready and eager to work with anyone who is ready to proceed in "partisan goodwill" but added that absent any progress in breaking partisan gridlock, he still has a responsibility to act in a way that benefits Americans.

Obama Urges His Party Not to 'Run for the Hills'

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In his first State of the Union speech, the president urged Democrats to stay strong following Republican gains. He says his top priority is creating jobs. Transcript of radio broadcast: 29 January 2010

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
President Obama gave his first State of the Union speech Wednesday night. He talked mostly about the economy, and he repeated some of his message the next day in Florida.
BARACK OBAMA: "The worst of the storm has passed. But I think all of you understand the devastation remains. One in ten Americans still can't find work. That's why creating jobs has to be our number one priority in two thousand and ten."
President Obama just before delivering his State of the Union speech to CongressHis speech to both houses of Congress followed a defeat last week for his Democratic Party. The Republicans won a special Senate election in Massachusetts. They now have enough seats to block legislation in the Senate.
Independent voters helped elect President Obama but have since turned away from the Democrats. Congressional elections are this November.
BARACK OBAMA: "I know it's an election year. And after last week, it's clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual. But we still need to govern. To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve problems, not run for the hills."
To help create jobs, he urged the Senate to join the House of Representatives in passing a second economic stimulus bill.
BARACK OBAMA: "People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help and I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay."
He also called for a three-year freeze on some federal spending. And he set a goal to double American exports over the next five years.
Speaking to Democratic lawmakers after his speechIn addition, he said he takes his share of the blame for not explaining health care proposals more clearly to the public. But he added:
BARACK OBAMA: "Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people."
President Obama again promised to remove all American combat troops from Iraq by the end of August. He predicted success in Afghanistan. And he had a warning for nations that violate international agreements "in pursuit of nuclear weapons." He said that is why North Korea now faces stronger sanctions.
BARACK OBAMA: "And as Iran's leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: they, too, will face growing consequences. That is a promise."
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell giving the Republican response in the state capital, RichmondThe new governor of Virginia gave the Republican response to the State of the Union speech. Bob McDonnell said Democrats are spending too much and creating a level of debt that cannot be supported.
BOB MCDONNELL: "What government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation and litigation that kill jobs and hurt the middle class."
On Friday President Obama proposed tax credits for every new employee that a business hires this year. He also joined House Republicans for a sometimes tense meeting at their yearly gathering.
And the Commerce Department reported that economic growth at the end of two thousand nine was the fastest in six years. This early estimate was higher than expected. However, it was largely the result of businesses cutting their supplies of unsold goods at a slower rate.
Investments in equipment rose sharply. But consumer spending increased just two percent. Still, a private report said consumer confidence in the economy reached a two-year high this month.
And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. For more news, and for transcripts and MP3s of our reports, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Mario Ritter.

Steps Urged to Prevent Snakebites, Improve Treatments

About 5.5 million people a year are bitten. The W.H.O. now recognizes snakebite as a neglected tropical disease. Transcript of radio broadcast: 24 January 2010
This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
A western diamondback rattlesnake in Cave Creek, ArizonaSnakes bite an estimated five and a half million people worldwide each year. Experts say tens of thousands of people die from venom poisoning.
An untreated or incorrectly treated bite might require the removal of a bitten foot, for example, or an arm. Each year around four hundred thousand amputations are the result of snakebites.
Last year, for the first time, the World Health Organization added snakebites to its list of "neglected tropical diseases." This recognition aims to bring greater attention to the problem.
Scientists know of about three thousand kinds of snakes. About six hundred of them are venomous. These are most often found in rural areas in tropical climates.
Asia and Africa have the highest number of snakebites -- together about four million a year. Latin America and islands in the South Pacific follow.
The highest number of victims are agricultural workers. Snakebites are also common among fishermen, hunters and children. Many victims live in areas with poor or non-existent health care systems and where antivenom treatments are often not available.
Antivenom is the only cure. But experts say antivenom technologies and their use need to be improved. Problems include a shortage of manufacturers and the high cost of treatment.
Also, there is a widespread lack of knowledge among local health workers about how to use antivenoms. The treatments can cause dangerous and even deadly reactions if not used carefully.
Antivenom contains proteins from animals such as horses or sheep. The animals are injected repeatedly with one or more different snake venoms to produce immunity.The Lancet medical journal recently published a series of reports on snakebite prevention and treatment. David Warrell at the University of Oxford in England co-wrote one of them. He praised efforts by the W.H.O. to establish common practices for the production, regulation and control of antivenom. But he says more must be done.
The authors say community education programs could help prevent snakebites by teaching people how to avoid them. They also suggest actions like providing protective boots to wear while working in fields, and not sleeping on the ground.
Also important is providing information about where dangerous snakes are most likely to live and when they are most active.
And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. MP3s, transcripts and broadcasts of our reports are available at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Christopher Cruise.

New Museum to Honor Power of a Sit-In Protest

Also: A question from India about what is the favorite winter sport in America. And music by Jason Mraz. Transcript of radio broadcast: 28 January 2010
DOUG JOHNSON:
Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)
I'm Doug Johnson.
This week on our program we listen to music from singer/songwriter Jason Mraz.
And answer a question about Americans' favorite winter sports .
But first, a report on the anniversary of the Greensboro sit-in and the opening of a civil rights museum to honor it.
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Greensboro Sit-In
DOUG JOHNSON:
Monday marks the fiftieth anniversary of a very famous civil rights protest in the United States --- the Greensboro sit-in. On February first, nineteen sixty, four black college students took seats at a restaurant counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. The counter was for white people only.
The young men were refused service but they refused to leave. They returned to the store with other protesters day after day. Their sit-ins brought police and national attention. Now a new museum opens to remember and celebrate the event. Faith Lapidus has our story.
FAITH LAPIDUS:
Their names were Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair, Jr. and David Richmond. They were first-year students at North Carolina A&T University. The young men asked for coffee at the F.W. Woolworth store lunch counter. They were asked to leave the store. The young men refused. They remained seated until the store closed.
Lunch counter and stools that the four protesters in Greensboro sat onWhen they returned to the university, the four students called on others to join them the next day at Woolworth's. They returned to the lunch counter with four black women. They sat there for four hours. No one would serve them. Some white customers made angry comments. Newspaper and television reporters appeared. So did the local police.
The next day more than sixty black students took every seat at the lunch counter. Some of the protesters were from a local high school. The protesters demanded that the Woolworth Company permit blacks and whites to eat at its lunch counters.
By the end of March, similar sit-ins were taking place in fifty-five cities in thirteen states.
Sit-ins are a powerful form of non-violent resistance. The Greensboro sit-in was not the first in the United States. But it was the most influential at the time. President Dwight Eisenhower announced his sympathy for the protesters. He said they were acting for the "equality that they are guaranteed by the Constitution."
The sit-ins were successful. Within the next year or two many lunch counters and other public places permitted blacks and whites together in many southern towns. And the protests helped pass the Civil Rights Act of Nineteen Sixty-Four.
On Monday in Greensboro, officials will open the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The museum is in the former F.W.Woolworth store. The sixteen exhibits include a film recreation of the sit-in story as well as the four counter seats used by the first four protesters.
(MUSIC)
Americans' Favorite Winter Sport
DOUG JOHNSON:
Our listener question this week comes from Kerala state, India. Muhammad wants to know Americans' favorite winter sport.
We are not sure if Muhammad means the favorite sport to watch or to play so we will include both.
Several popular professional sports, including football, are played in winter. The National Football League will hold its championship game on February seventh. The Indianapolis Colts will play the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Members of the New Orleans Saints doing exercises Thursday in LouisianaMost sports experts believe football is the favorite sport to watch in the United States. Since nineteen ninety-four, the sports broadcasting network ESPN has been studying the subject. Their experts ask tens of thousands of Americans what sporting events they like to watch best. This includes attending the event and watching it on television at home. National Football League competition has finished in first place for many years.
However, both professional and college basketball always rates in the top five. Basketball competition starts in autumn and continues throughout the winter into spring.
One of America's favorite spectator sports takes place almost all year long. NASCAR, the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, has huge live and television audiences. The races take place mainly in the warm southern states. Probably the most famous NASCAR race is the Daytona Five Hundred. It takes place every February in Daytona Beach, Florida. About two hundred thousand people attend the race. Millions more watch it on television.
The winter sports Americans like to take part in often depend on where they live. Many Americans love to downhill ski, for example. But only people who live near snowy mountainous areas can ski a lot.
Ice skating and the game of ice hockey are also popular winter sports. There are many indoor ice rinks in America. So skaters can be active all year round.
The same is true of many sports normally thought of as warm weather activities. Indoor tennis courts, soccer fields and rock climbing centers permit people to take part in these sports in all seasons.
(MUSIC)
Jason Mraz
DOUG JOHNSON:
Other listeners have asked about American singer and songwriter Jason Mraz. Fritzi Bodenheimer tells about him and plays some of his music.
FRITZI BODENHEIMER:
Jason Mraz grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia. He performed in musical theater in high school. He went on to study musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. But he dropped out one year later after someone gave him a guitar. He learned to play the instrument and began writing songs.
Jason MrazHe is known for writing meaningful songs. His relaxed, easy sound includes influences of pop, folk and hip-hop music. And when he performs he connects with his audience. He sings a strong message of being thankful.
In two thousand two, he released his first album, "Waiting for My Rocket to Come." It included the hit song "Remedy (I Won't Worry.)"
Jason Mraz became very popular following the release of his third studio album in two thousand eight. It is called "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." Two songs on the album received Grammy nominations. Music critics say Jason Mraz sings with a pure and clear tone on the song "Make it Mine."
(MUSIC)
"Lucky" is another hit song from "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." Jason Mraz performs the song with singer Colbie Caillat.
(MUSIC)
Jason Mraz has gained a huge international following with his song "I'm Yours." It has been played millions of times on the Internet. It is a happy song about being open to love and life's possibilities. You may find yourself singing along.
(MUSIC)
DOUG JOHNSON:
I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Lawan Davis and Caty Weaver, who was also the producer. For transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our programs, go to voaspecialenglish.com. You can also post comments.
Do you have a question about people, places or things in America? Send it to mosaic@voanews.com and we may answer it on this show.
Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

New Understanding of How Plants Use Water

Discovery may help engineer better plants. Transcript of radio broadcast: 25 January 2010
This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Scientists have discovered more details about how plants use water. Their findings could help to engineer plants that grow better and more effectively in conditions with higher levels of carbon dioxide.
Plants naturally take in carbon dioxide they need for photosynthesis, the process of changing light energy to chemical energy. The carbon dioxide enters the plants through tiny holes or pores on the surface of leaves.
However, each time a plant takes in one molecule of carbon dioxide gas, it loses hundreds of water molecules.
Scientists say plants lose ninety-five percent of the water they take in through these pores. Some plants' pores can tighten to save water during conditions of high carbon dioxide. Other plants are not able to do this as well. Now, scientists know how these tiny pores tighten in plants.
Julian Schroeder is a professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego. Mister Schroeder says that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are much higher now than they were in the past. However, he says, many plants are not closing their pores in order to hold in more water.
He and his team have identified proteins that control the tightening of a plant's pores. The proteins are enzymes called carbonic anhydrases. The findings were published last month in the journal Nature Cell Biology. Mister Schroeder believes the enzymes could be changed in some plants to increase their ability to store water.
The researchers added carbonic anhydrase genes to plants that do not react to higher levels of carbon dioxide. They observed that for every molecule of carbon dioxide taken in by the plants, they lost forty-four percent less water.
The scientists say the photosynthesis process continued normally in these plants. They say this suggests that changing plants to save more water will not affect plant growth. This method might be used to help engineer food crops that are resistant to extremely dry conditions. The discovery could help farmers meet a growing demand for food as water supplies decrease. However, the scientists say more research is needed.
And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture report, written by Brianna Blake. For transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports, visit us on the Web at voaspecialenglish.com.

For Youths in US, a Jump in Media Use

A survey finds that children and teens are doing even more multi-tasking, and that heavy users are more likely to do poorly in school. Transcript of radio broadcast: 28 January 2010
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
American children and teenagers have increased their use of entertainment media by more than one hour a day in the last five years. On an average day they now spend seven and a half hours using media.
These are the findings of a new survey. It included devices like TVs, computers, mobile phones and MP3 players, but also media like books and magazines. It did not count media use for school.
Vicky Rideout at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health research group, wrote the report. She was surprised that kids could fit even more media time into their day.
She found that they spent ten hours and forty-five minutes if you counted each device individually. But children multi-task a lot, and Vicky Rideout says this is not necessarily a good thing.
VICKY RIDEOUT: "People who study the brain will tell you that you can't actually multi-task in that way. You're really switching back and forth sequentially from different tasks, just doing it rapidly, and that you don't really do either task as well as you would do them if you did them one at a time."
The study suggests a link between heavy media use and lower performance in school. About one-fourth of those who used media the least reported that their grades were mostly average or below. But that was true of half the heavy media users.
So where are the parents? Children who had any rule limiting the use of any kind of media were exposed to an average of about three hours less media a day. But only one-third of children had to follow any rules.
Girls spent more time than boys on social networking sites, listening to music and reading. Boys spent more time on video games -- an average of forty-eight minutes more a day than girls.
VICKY RIDEOUT: "It looks like the girls just sort of lose interest in the games and they drop off and start doing other things, whereas the boys' interest remains strong."
Some other findings: Time spent reading books has not dropped in the last five years. But time with newspapers and magazines has, though some reading now takes place online.
Blacks and Hispanics use media over four hours more a day than other groups. And for all children, media use appears to reach its highest point between the ages of eleven and fourteen. Vicky Rideout will try to explain these findings in future research.
The report is based on more than two thousand students ages eight to eighteen. They took a written survey in class through May of last year.
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. How much media use do you think is enough for children? Post your comments at voaspecialenglish.com, and you can find transcripts and captioned videos of our reports. I'm Mario Ritter.

Sexy Girl Vanessa Hudgens Sweet Photos At Intro To Summer West Hollywood

If you are to be successful at attracting sexy girl you will need to be good at holding their interest for as long as possible. This will ensure that it is you, rather than any of your rivals, that they will want to spend the evening and beyond with. To this aim, some knowledge of how a sexy girl thinks and what she really wants will be invaluable. It will underpin all that has come before and all that will come after.

If you can understand how sexy girl think, how we react, what we want and how we would like to be treated, it stands to reason that you will have a much better chance of appealing to us than those who do not possess this knowledge. You will be able to look into our minds and have a very good idea how we are thinking, what we want from you and how we would like you to go about winning us over. You will instinctively know what we would like you to do in every situation.Agree ?

Sexy girl Vanessa Anne Hudgens born December 14, 1988, is an American actress and singer. She made her debut in 2003 appearing in the Hollywood films Thirteen and Thunderbirds, before reaching fame in 2006 after appearing in the Disney Channel film High School Musical hit series. Hudgens began a music career and released her debut album, V, in 2006. Her sophomore album, Identified, was released July 1, 2008.

Sexy girl Hudgens debuted in Thirteen as Noel and appeared in the 2004 film Thunderbirds as Tintin and appearances include guest roles on Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers Garcia and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, as Corrie. Hudgens also appeared on Drake & Josh, playing Drake’s girlfriend, Rebecca.

Below is the sexy girl Hudgens sweet photos at Intro To Summer in West.

How a Family Helped Save American Folk Music

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For years, the Lomaxes collected examples of songs that might otherwise have been lost to time. First of two parts. Transcript of radio broadcast: 17 January 2010

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. Lomax is a name well known to historians of American musical culture. Today we have the first of two programs about how the Lomax family helped keep American folk music from being lost.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

John Lomax with Rich Brown near Sumterville, Alabama, in October 1940

John Avery Lomax was born in eighteen sixty-seven. He came from the state of Mississippi but grew up in Texas. His interest in cowboy music led him to research and collect examples of cowboy songs.

In nineteen ten he published a book called "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads." It contained not only the words to songs but some of the music as well. It began with an introduction by President Theodore Roosevelt.

"Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads" was an important research achievement. And it started John Lomax on his lifelong work.

The book included classics like "Sweet Betsy From Pike," "Git Along, Little Dogies" and "Home on the Range." Gene Autry was a singing cowboy in old films. Here he is singing "Home on the Range."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

At the time the book was published, John Lomax helped found the Texas Folklore Society. He traveled around the country raising money to establish other folklore groups. He spoke about the importance of preserving folk songs for future generations. In nineteen nineteen, he published another collection, called "Songs of the Cattle Trail and Cow Camp."

His two sons, John Junior and Alan, traveled with him around the country. In nineteen thirty-two, the MacMillan Publishing Company agreed to help them create a collection of folk songs, especially from black Americans. The Lomaxes went to Washington to examine the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress.

The library agreed to provide John Lomax with the recording equipment he needed. In exchange, he agreed to travel throughout the United States to make recordings that would become the property of the archive at the library.

VOICE ONE:

John Lomax with Billy McCrea and friends at McCrea's home in Jasper, Texas

In nineteen thirty-four, John Lomax became honorary consultant and curator of the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress. He held the title until his death in nineteen forty-eight. In all, he collected more than ten thousand recordings. Another Lomax also took an interest: his daughter Bess.

Dan Sheehy is acting head of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage at the Smithsonian Institution.

DAN SHEEHY: "The Lomaxes, John and Alan, thrfather and son team --and then Bess to a certain extent -- worked at the Library of Congress. And they were part of this very exciting groundbreaking work in the nineteen tens, twenties, thirties, into the forties and beyond, of showing the United States what it was, what it had in terms of grassroots cultural heritage.

"And so they would travel to places where certainly white people in the thirties and forties would not work too much in black communities, because there was so much antagonism between black and white at that time – racism toward African Americans. And Alan Lomax had some very compelling and really engaging stories to tell about actually painting himself up in blackface so that he could go into black communities, so that some of the whites wouldn't single him out and beat him up or whatever.

"In any case, John and Alan Lomax were very dedicated to locating these what they thought of as folk geniuses. They were looking for people who at the same time were representatives of a much bigger powerful tradition in the case of African-American music, but at the same time were really singular in their ability to express that tradition."

VOICE TWO:

The Lomaxes found one of these "folk geniuses" at the state prison in Angola, Louisiana, in nineteen thirty-three. He was a twelve-string guitar player named-- also known as Lead Belly. One of his best known recordings is this one, "The Midnight Special."

(MUSIC)

Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter with his 12-string guitar in a 1940s publicity photo

Lead Belly was released from prison the next year, in nineteen thirty-four. That same year, John Lomax published a book called "American Ballads and Folk Songs." He included many of the songs gathered from prisons in the South.

After that, Lead Belly became a celebrity. He was offered recording contracts, concert performances and radio broadcasts.

VOICE ONE:

Lead Belly worked for the Lomaxes as a driver and assistant. And John Lomax served as his manager, choosing performances and media appearances.

Some music writers say John Lomax paid himself too much out of Lead Belly's income. Dick Weissman is author of the book "Which Side Are You On? An Inside History of the Folk Music Revival in America." He says half of Lead Belly's concert fees went to John Lomax. And when Alan was added, he says, all three shared the money, so Lead Belly got only a third.

But others say music like Lead Belly's would never have become widely known if it wasn't for the work of John Lomax.

(MUSIC: "Good Night, Irene")

VOICE TWO:

Alan Lomax

Alan Lomax was eighteen years old when he started traveling with his father. They worked together in the South. But Alan also collected recordings himself in other parts of the country -- New England, New York and the Midwest.

And he did not stop there. His desire to increase understanding among people took him to other countries as well. He collected folk songs from the Caribbean and Europe, including this "Wedding Serenade" from Italy.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Alan Lomax has been called "the father of the American folk song revival." He brought attention to singers like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger in the nineteen thirties and forties.

He also made the first recording of a guitar-playing farm worker named McKinley Morganfield. Millions of blues fans around the world would come to know McKinley Morganfield by another name. Here is Muddy Waters is singing "Take a Walk With Me."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

We will continue our story of the Lomax family next week. You can find transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of all of our programs at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also post a comment. And if you do, here is a question you can answer: Who do you consider a "folk genius?"

VOICE ONE:

Tell us if you have a favorite American blues or folk singer -- young or old -- and what makes that person's music special to you. Go to voaspecialenglish.com, find our program and post your answer.

VOICE TWO:

You can also find a link to John Lomax's first book "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads." I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Shirley Griffith. Our program was written by Nancy Steinbach and produced by Caty Weaver. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

New Vaccine Joins Campaign to End Polio

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New formulation, first used in Afghanistan in December, targets two types of virus in one dose. Transcript of radio broadcast: 17 January 2010

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

An Afghan girl receives a dose of polio vaccine

The World Health Organization has begun to use a new vaccine against polio. Officials say it will become a major tool in the campaign to end a disease that mainly affects children under age five.

The new formulation is known as B.O.P.V. , or bivalent oral polio vaccine. It was used for the first time in December in a polio immunization campaign in Afghanistan.

Carol Pandak is with the PolioPlus program of the service organization Rotary International. She explains that health workers have been using what are called trivalent vaccines in some places. These are areas like Afghanistan where more than one kind of polio virus exists.

There are three types of polio virus. The trivalent vaccine is least effective against type three, more effective against type one and highly effective against type two. As a result, few new cases of type two have been reported since nineteen ninety-nine.

This has led to greater use of monovalent vaccines to protect against either type one or type three polio. But Carol Pandak says the monovalent vaccine is not enough in areas with both.

CAROL PANDAK: "You address the type one, and the type three cases go up. You address the type three, and the type one cases go up."

Rod Curtis at the World Health Organization in Geneva says the new bivalent vaccine solves this problem.

ROD CURTIS: "The beauty of the bivalent vaccine is that it is able to attack both types of wild polio virus in one dose."

Carol Pandak says tests found the new vaccine to be thirty percent more effective than the trivalent vaccine.

More than thirty new cases of polio were reported in Afghanistan last year. About half were type one and the others type three. Rod Curtis says that shows the importance of the new vaccine targeting both viruses at once. Officials say similar vaccination campaigns are planned this year in India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Intensive vaccination campaigns have reduced the number of new polio cases reported worldwide to fewer than two thousand a year. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative says the number has fallen by ninety-nine percent since nineteen eighty eight.

Polio is highly infectious. One victim in two hundred suffers permanent paralysis, usually in the legs. Five to ten percent of those victims die when their breathing muscles fail.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. I'm Steve Ember.

A Race Against Time to Get Help to Haitians

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U.N. makes an emergency appeal for earthquake victims. But the damage in Port-au-Prince has slowed efforts to distribute aid and reach the trapped and untreated. Transcript of radio broadcast: 15 January 2010

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Food. Water. Medicine. Hope. All that and more is urgently needed after a powerful earthquake wrecked much of Haiti's capital on Tuesday.

A Spanish rescuer carries 2-year-old Redjeson Hausteen Claude from a wrecked home in Port-au-Prince Thursday

Bodies lay in the streets of Port-au-Prince. Some estimates are as high as one hundred thousand dead. Each passing hour cuts the chances of survival for the trapped and untreated.

Other countries moved quickly to send rescuers and supplies. But the airport is damaged and crowded with planes. The main seaport was also damaged. Blocked roads and limited communications have only further slowed aid efforts. Anger is a growing concern.

President Obama announced an immediate one hundred million dollars for relief efforts. Thousands of American troops should be in the area by Monday. An aircraft carrier and more helicopters arrived Friday, and a hospital ship is expected by the end of next week.

People have donated millions of dollars through text messages to the Red Cross and other aid groups. But the public was warned to be careful of false appeals.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the western half of the world. The former French colony in the Caribbean has a history of political violence and natural disasters. Yet before this week, there were signs of promise of better times ahead for its nine million people.

American and French rescue workers search the ruins of a hotel in Haiti's capital Friday

On Friday, the United Nations made an emergency appeal for more than half a billion dollars. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said many of the three million people in the Port-au-Prince area lack food, water, shelter and electricity.

BAN KI-MOON: "A major humanitarian effort is now well underway. Although it is inevitably slower and more difficult than any of us would wish, we are mobilizing all resources as fast as we possibly can."

Ban Ki-moon also said he will visit Haiti "very soon."

President Obama spoke Friday by phone with Haiti's President Rene Preval, who himself lost his home in the quake.

BARACK OBAMA: "I pledged America's continued commitment to the government and the people of Haiti in the immediate effort to save lives and deliver relief and in the long-term effort to rebuild. President Préval and I agreed that it is absolutely essential that these efforts are well coordinated among the United States and the government of Haiti; with the United Nations, which continues to play a central role; and with the many international partners and aid organizations that are now on the ground."

Rajiv Shah

The new head of the United States Agency for International Development is supervising the American disaster relief. Rajiv Shah became administrator of USAID earlier this month.

He is a trained medical doctor and an agricultural expert. He held top jobs at the Department of Agriculture and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Doctor Shah is the thirty-six year old son of Indian immigrants.

USAID had been without a leader for almost a year, raising concerns about its future. The agency has changed over the years -- it now does its work largely through private contractors.

The Obama administration wants to raise development to the same level of importance as defense and diplomacy. Rajiv Shah says he plans to hire more experts. USAID now provides twenty billion dollars a year to development projects around the world. The plan is to increase that to fifty billion a year by two thousand twelve.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

Margaret Mead, 1901-1978: A Public Face of Anthropology

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Many consider her the most influential social science researcher of the 20th century. Yet some experts say her research depended too much on observation and local stories. Transcript of radio broadcast: 17 January 2010

VOICE ONE:

I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

Margaret Mead

And I'm Shirley Griffith with PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today we tell about one of the most influential social scientists of the last century -- the cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

People around the world mourned the death of Margaret Mead in nineteen seventy-eight. A year later, the president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, honored the social scientist with America's highest award for civilians.

Another honor came from a village in New Guinea. The people there planted a coconut tree in her memory. Margaret Mead would have liked that. As a young woman, she had studied the life and traditions of the village.

Miz Mead received such honors because she added greatly to public knowledge of cultures and traditions in developing countries. Many people consider her the most influential social science researcher of the twentieth century.

Yet some experts said her research was not scientific. They said she depended too much on observation and local stories. They said she did not spend enough time on comparative studies. They believed her fame resulted as much from her colorful personality as from her research.

VOICE TWO:

Margaret Mead shared her strong opinions about social issues. She denounced the spread of nuclear weapons. She spoke against racial injustice.

She strongly supported women's rights. Throughout her life she enjoyed taking risks. Miz Mead began her studies of cultures in an unusual way for a woman of her time. She chose to perform her research in the developing world.

She went to an island village in the Pacific Ocean. She went alone. The year was nineteen twenty-five. At that time, young American women did not travel far away from home by themselves. They did not ask strangers personal questions. They did not observe births and deaths unless they were involved in medical work. Margaret Mead did all those things.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Margaret Mead was born in nineteen-oh-one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father was a professor of finance. Her mother was a sociologist. Few women attended college in those days. However, Margaret Mead began her studies in nineteen nineteen at De Pauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. She soon decided that living in a small town did not improve one's mind. So she moved to New York City to study English and psychology at Barnard College. She graduated in nineteen twenty-three.

VOICE TWO:

Margaret Mead in 1928 on a canoe with children on Manus island, in what is now part of Papua New Guinea

Margaret next decided to study anthropology at Columbia University in New York. She wanted to examine the activities and traditions of different societies. She later earned master's and doctorate degrees.

Miz Mead studied with two famous anthropologists: Franz Boas and Ruth Benedict. Mister Boas believed that the environment people grow up in -- not family genes -- caused most cultural differences among people.

This belief also influenced his young student. Margaret Mead asked to do research in Samoa in the Pacific Ocean. Mister Boas was concerned for her safety. But he let her go. He told her to learn about how young Samoan women were raised.

VOICE ONE:

In graduate school, Margaret had married Luther Cressman, who was studying to be a clergyman. He went to Europe to continue his studies. She went alone to Samoa in nineteen twenty-five. She worked among the people of Tau Island. The people spoke a difficult language that had never been written down. Luckily, she was able to learn languages easily.

Miz Mead studied the lives of Samoan girls. She was not much older than the girls she questioned. She said their life was free of the anger and rebellion found among young people in other societies. She also said Samoan girls had sexual relations with anyone they wanted. She said their society did not urge them to love just one man. And she said their society did not condemn sex before marriage.

Margaret Mead said she reached these beliefs after nine months of observation in Samoa. They helped make her book "Coming of Age in Samoa" one of the best-selling books of the time. Miz Mead was just twenty-seven years old when her book was published in nineteen twenty-eight. Many American readers were shocked by her observations about the sexual freedom enjoyed by young Samoan women.

VOICE TWO:

Several social scientists later disputed her findings. Australian anthropologist Derek Freeman wrote a book which criticized her work. The book was published in nineteen eighty-three, five years after her death. He wrote that Miz Mead made her observations from just a few talks with two friendly young women.

He wrote that they wanted to tell interesting stories to a foreign visitor. But their stories were not necessarily true. Mister Freeman said Samoan society valued a young woman who had not had sexual relations. He said Tau Island men refused to marry women who had had sex. However, many published reports about the debate raised questions about Mister Freeman's criticism. After years of discussion, many anthropologists concluded that the truth would probably never be known.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

After nine months among the Samoans, Margaret Mead returned to the United States. She met a student from New Zealand, Reo Fortune, on the long trip home. Her marriage to Luther Cressman ended. She married Mister Fortune, also an anthropologist, in nineteen twenty-eight. They went to New Guinea to work together. It would be the first of seven trips that she would make to the area in the next forty-seven years.

VOICE TWO:

The two studied the people of several areas of New Guinea. She published another influential book, "Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies," in nineteen thirty-five. It was a study of the lives of three New Guinea tribes from infancy to adulthood.

Miz Mead wrote that many so-called male and female characteristics are not based on sex differences. Instead they reflect the cultural traditions of different societies. She wrote that women have the major role in one group in New Guinea without causing any special problems. This book became important for the women's rights movement in the United States.

VOICE ONE:

Not long after their New Guinea trip ended, Margaret Mead's marriage to Reo Fortune also ended. In nineteen thirty-six, she married for the third time. Her new husband was Gregory Bateson, a British biologist. Mister Bateson and Miz Mead decided to work together on the island of Bali in Indonesia. The people of Bali proudly shared their rich culture and traditions. Miz Mead observed and recorded their activities. Mister Bateson took photographs. The Batesons had a daughter. But their marriage ended in nineteen fifty.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

As time went on, Margaret Mead's fame continued to grow. Her books sold very well. She also wrote for popular magazines. She appeared on radio and television programs in the nineteen sixties and seventies. She spoke before many groups. Americans loved to hear about her work and the people she studied.

After her trips, Margaret Mead always returned to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She worked there for more than fifty years. She also taught at several universities in New York. She studied the problems of child-rearing, personality and culture in different societies.

Margaret Mead was also concerned about issues like the environment. On April twenty-second, nineteen seventy, environmental activists organized the first ever Earth Day. Margaret Mead spoke about the dangers of science and technology.

MARGARET MEAD: "No society has ever yet been able to handle the temptations of technology to mastery, to waste, to exuberance, to exploration and exploitation. We have to learn to cherish this earth and cherish it as something that's fragile, that's only one, it's all we have. We have to use our scientific knowledge to correct the dangers that have come from science and technology."

VOICE ONE:

Other scientists paid Margaret Mead a high honor when she was seventy-four years old. They elected her president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A few years later, she developed cancer. But she continued to travel, speak and study almost to the end of her life. One friend said: "Margaret Mead was not going to let a little thing like death stop her."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by June Simms. I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Steve Ember. You can learn about other famous Americans on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English.

A Race Against Time to Get Help to Haitians

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U.N. makes an emergency appeal for earthquake victims. But the damage in Port-au-Prince has slowed efforts to distribute aid and reach the trapped and untreated. Transcript of radio broadcast: 15 January 2010

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Food. Water. Medicine. Hope. All that and more is urgently needed after a powerful earthquake wrecked much of Haiti's capital on Tuesday.

A Spanish rescuer carries 2-year-old Redjeson Hausteen Claude from a wrecked home in Port-au-Prince Thursday

Bodies lay in the streets of Port-au-Prince. Some estimates are as high as one hundred thousand dead. Each passing hour cuts the chances of survival for the trapped and untreated.

Other countries moved quickly to send rescuers and supplies. But the airport is damaged and crowded with planes. The main seaport was also damaged. Blocked roads and limited communications have only further slowed aid efforts. Anger is a growing concern.

President Obama announced an immediate one hundred million dollars for relief efforts. Thousands of American troops should be in the area by Monday. An aircraft carrier and more helicopters arrived Friday, and a hospital ship is expected by the end of next week.

People have donated millions of dollars through text messages to the Red Cross and other aid groups. But the public was warned to be careful of false appeals.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the western half of the world. The former French colony in the Caribbean has a history of political violence and natural disasters. Yet before this week, there were signs of promise of better times ahead for its nine million people.

American and French rescue workers search the ruins of a hotel in Haiti's capital Friday

On Friday, the United Nations made an emergency appeal for more than half a billion dollars. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said many of the three million people in the Port-au-Prince area lack food, water, shelter and electricity.

BAN KI-MOON: "A major humanitarian effort is now well underway. Although it is inevitably slower and more difficult than any of us would wish, we are mobilizing all resources as fast as we possibly can."

Ban Ki-moon also said he will visit Haiti "very soon."

President Obama spoke Friday by phone with Haiti's President Rene Preval, who himself lost his home in the quake.

BARACK OBAMA: "I pledged America's continued commitment to the government and the people of Haiti in the immediate effort to save lives and deliver relief and in the long-term effort to rebuild. President Préval and I agreed that it is absolutely essential that these efforts are well coordinated among the United States and the government of Haiti; with the United Nations, which continues to play a central role; and with the many international partners and aid organizations that are now on the ground."

Rajiv Shah

The new head of the United States Agency for International Development is supervising the American disaster relief. Rajiv Shah became administrator of USAID earlier this month.

He is a trained medical doctor and an agricultural expert. He held top jobs at the Department of Agriculture and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Doctor Shah is the thirty-six year old son of Indian immigrants.

USAID had been without a leader for almost a year, raising concerns about its future. The agency has changed over the years -- it now does its work largely through private contractors.

The Obama administration wants to raise development to the same level of importance as defense and diplomacy. Rajiv Shah says he plans to hire more experts. USAID now provides twenty billion dollars a year to development projects around the world. The plan is to increase that to fifty billion a year by two thousand twelve.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

American History Series: The Final Surrender

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General Robert E. Lee accepted defeat in early April 1865. Other Confederate armies were too small and too weak to continue the fight. Transcript of radio broadcast: 14 January 2010

Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION -- American history in VOA Special English.

President Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln did not live to see the final surrender of the armies of the Confederacy. A Confederate sympathizer shot the president at Ford's Theatre in Washington on April fourteenth, eighteen sixty-five.

By that time, however, the American Civil War really was over.

General Robert E. Lee surrendered in early April, bringing an end to four years of fighting. Several other Confederate armies were still in the field. But they were too small and too weak to continue the fight.

This week in our series, Maurice Joyce and Leo Scully tell the story of the final surrender of the Confederate armies.

VOICE ONE:

General William T. Sherman

One army was in North Carolina, commanded by General Joe Johnston. Five days after Lee's surrender, Johnston asked for a meeting with General William Sherman, the commander of Union forces in North Carolina.

Sherman met with Johnston a few days later. He offered him the same surrender terms that General Lee had accepted. He said the Confederates must give up their weapons and promise to fight no more. Then they would be free to return to their homes.

Johnston said he could not accept these terms. Johnston said he had the power to surrender all the Confederate armies everywhere in the South he said he would do so if Sherman agreed on a political settlement.

VOICE TWO:

The two generals met again the next day. Sherman listened as Johnston explained his demands. Most of them, Sherman accepted. He believed that President Lincoln wanted to help the South as much as possible. He had heard Lincoln say that he wanted to make it easy for the southern states to return to the Union.

When the agreement was completed, Sherman sent it immediately to Washington for approval by the new president, Andrew Johnson. The agreement seemed to give the South everything it wanted.

VOICE ONE:

General Joe Johnston

Instead of surrendering to Sherman, the Confederate Armies would break up. The soldiers would return to their homes, taking their weapons with them. They would sign a promise not to fight again and to obey state and federal laws.

In exchange for this, Sherman said the president would recognize state governments in the south which promised to support the Constitution. He said federal courts would be established in the south again. And he said the president -- as well as he could -- would protect the political rights promised to all people by the Constitution of the United States and the state constitutions.

And Sherman said the United States government would not interfere with any of the southern people, if they remained peaceful and obeyed the laws.

VOICE TWO:

President Johnson held a cabinet meeting to discuss the agreement Sherman had signed. War Secretary Stanton and the other members of the cabinet were violently opposed to it. They said Sherman had no power to make any kind of political settlement.

President Johnson rejected the agreement. He said Johnston's army must surrender within forty-eight hours or be destroyed. He said the surrender terms could be no better than those given General Lee.

VOICE ONE:

Johnston decided to surrender. On April twenty-sixth, his army laid down its weapons. One by one, the remaining armies surrendered. The soldiers began returning home.

General Nathan Bedford Forrest

Many of them were bitter. They wanted to continue to fight. They spoke of guerrilla war against the Yankees. But most of the Confederate commanders opposed this. Many, like cavalry General Nathan Bedford Forrest, urged their men to accept defeat.

Said Forrest in a farewell speech to his men:

"It is a clear fact that we are beaten. We would be foolish to try to fight further. The government which we tried to establish is at an end. Civil War -- such as you have just passed through -- naturally causes feelings of bitterness and hatred. We must put these feelings aside. Whatever your responsibilities may be, meet them like men. You have been good soldiers. You can be good citizens."

VOICE TWO:

Confederate President Jefferson Davis fled south after the fall of his government. He hoped to get across the Mississippi River. He believed that he could form a new Confederate army. If this failed, he planned to escape to Mexico.

President Lincoln had hoped that Davis would escape. He felt that punishing Davis would only create more bitterness and make reconstruction -- the rebuilding of the South -- more difficult. But President Johnson did not share Lincoln's feelings. He believed Davis had a part in the plot to kill Lincoln. He said Davis must be captured.

On May tenth, Union forces found the Confederate president's camp in southern Georgia. They seized him and took him to Fort Monroe, Virginia. He remained there for many months under close guard. His trial was never held. And finally, in eighteen sixty-seven, he was freed.

VOICE ONE:

Union soldiers march in the Grand Review in Washington in May 1865

Late in May, one hundred fifty thousand Union soldiers, representing every one of the Union armies, came to Washington. They came to take part in a big parade -- a victory march through the city.

For two days, the soldiers marched past the White House. Many of the marching men had fought at Bull Run, at Fredericksburg, Antietam, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and Appomattox. Sherman's western army was there from battles at Shiloh, Vicksburg, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and Atlanta.

The soldiers marched proudly past the president and other government leaders.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

All along the way, from the Capitol building to the White House, were huge crowds of cheering people. Hour after hour, the soldiers passed. Never had the city seen such a celebration. Each group of soldiers had its band and carried its own battle flags. Some proudly carried flags that had been torn in fierce fighting.

Finally, late on the second day, the final group of soldiers passed the White House. The grand parade was over. The battle flags were put away, and the marching bands fell silent. The war was ended. Now, men could look about them and count the cost of the war.

VOICE ONE:

Four years of bloody fighting had saved the Union of states. The northern victory had settled for all time the question of whether states could leave the Union. And it had put to rest the great problem of slavery, which had troubled the nation for so many years.

But the costs were great. More than six hundred thousand men of the North and South lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands more were wounded. Many had lost their arms or legs.

VOICE TWO:

The war cost the North almost three-and-one-half thousand million dollars. It was almost as costly to the Confederates. Most of the war was fought in the southern states. And most of the war damage was there.

Hundreds of cities and towns suffered damage. Some -- like Atlanta -- were completely destroyed by Union forces. The damage outside the populated areas was almost as great. Union armies had marched across the South leaving behind them widespread destruction. Farm houses and buildings had been burned; animals and crops seized or destroyed.

VOICE ONE:

Transport in the South was especially hard hit. Union soldiers had destroyed most of the railroads. The few Confederate trains that escaped capture were worn out from heavy use. River boats had been destroyed. And roads and bridges were in terrible condition.

The South had no money to rebuild. Businessmen and rich landowners had put their money in Confederate bonds, now completely worthless. Confederate war debts would never be paid.

There was also the question of the four million former slaves. They were free now. But few could take care of themselves. They needed jobs and training.

VOICE TWO:

The people of the South faced a difficult future. They had been defeated in battle. Their economy was destroyed. In many areas, there was little food and the people were hungry. Farmers could not plant crops, because they had no seed and no animals to break the ground. There was no money for rebuilding.

President Andrew Johnson

To add to all these problems, radical Republicans in Washington were demanding severe punishment for the South. Instead of offering aid, they demanded that the government sell the property of southerners to pay Union war debts.

VOICE ONE:

President Andrew Johnson, himself a southerner from Tennessee, opposed the radical plans. He had his own program of reconstruction for the South.

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER:

Our program was written by Frank Beardsley. The narrators were Maurice Joyce and Leo Scully. Transcripts, podcasts and historical images from our series are at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also comment on our programs. And we invite you to follow us on Twitter at VOA Learning English. Join us again next week for THE MAKING OF A NATION -- an American history series in VOA Special English.

Google May Leave Fast-Growing China

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China has the world's largest Internet market, and just claimed the title of top export nation. But a cyber attack and censorship laws -- on top of limited success in China -- could lead Google to withdraw. Transcript of radio broadcast: 14 January 2010

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

China says it has passed Germany and become the world's top exporter. Exports totaled more than one trillion dollars last year. That was down from two thousand eight, but about thirty billion more than Germany.

China's influence in the world has increased with its fast-growing economy. The United States remains the largest economy. China is third and gaining on Japan.

A Chinese flag waves beside Google headquarters in Beijing

Manufacturing has expanded, fueling exports. But China has not imported as much as its trade partners would like. Its policies about valuing its currency and its human rights record have also created tensions.

And now there is a new dispute. China is the world's largest Internet market, but Google says it may leave. The company said it was targeted last month by a major Internet attack launched from China.

It says "intellectual property" was stolen and the attackers sought access to Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. At least twenty other large companies in different industries were also targeted.

Also, the company said it is no longer willing to censor search results as required by Chinese law. Google says it is still observing censorship laws, but it will hold talks with the government in the coming weeks.

Google.cn launched four years ago this month. Google is estimated to have around a thirty percent share of the search market in China. But that is only about half the share of the Chinese search engine Baidu. Baidu also reported an attack on its Web site earlier this week.

Online advertising sales in China are estimated to bring Google only a few hundred million dollars a year. Not much for such a big company, notes business expert Fariborz Ghadar at Penn State University.

FARIBORZ GHADAR: "Google has to make a decision whether they want to basically deviate from their vision mission statement that they 'do no harm' and stay in China. Or whether they have just had enough and they don't like the restrictions, and they don't like the cyber attacks, and they're going to move out so as to preserve their name and brand."

Online activity in China is closely watched and the government tries to limit access to many sites, including VOA.

On Thursday a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said "China's Internet is open" and that Chinese law bars cyber attacks. Another government official said China itself is the victim of a growing number of foreign attacks.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she would like an explanation from the Chinese about Google's accusations. She is giving a speech next week about Internet freedom.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.

Ambassador for Young Spreads a Love of Books

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Also: A question from Russia about a religious group called the Old Believers. And music by Whitney Houston. Transcript of radio broadcast: 14 January 2010

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson.

This week on our program we listen to music from superstar Whitney Houston ...

And answer a question about the Old Believers religious group ...

But first, we meet a new ambassador in Washington whose wants to spread the message that reading is fun.

(MUSIC)

Katherine Paterson

HOST:

If you are over the age of thirty you may not have heard of Katherine Paterson. But if you are under that age chances are good that you have. In fact, you might have read one of her many award-winning books. Or maybe you saw the movie version of her book, "Bridge to Terabithia." Now, the United States government has awarded Katherine Paterson a new job. Mario Ritter has more.

MARIO RITTER:

Katherine Paterson

Earlier this month, the United States Library of Congress named Katherine Paterson the national ambassador for young people's literature.

She is only the second person to hold the position. She replaces writer Jon Scieszka, who had served since two thousand eight.

The librarian of Congress, James Billington, said Miz Paterson "represents the finest in literature for young people." He spoke of national as well as international praise for her writing. Mister Billington said she would speak to the importance of reading in the lives of America's young people.

Miz Paterson has written more than thirty books. She is among only five writers to have won two Newbery Medals. These are among the most important children's book awards in the United States. "Bridge to Terabithia" won a Newbery Medal in nineteen seventy-seven. Her book "Jacob Have I Loved" won the award in nineteen eighty-one.

Katherine Paterson's books for children are often quite complex. "Bridge to Terabithia" includes adult themes like depression and death. The book has caused debate because of its place on school library bookshelves. Some parents think it is too adult for young children. Miz Paterson says the idea for the book came from a real life experience. Her son's best friend died in nineteen seventy-four when she was struck by lightning.

Katherine Paterson is seventy-seven. She began writing as a young mother with three children. But she says her interest in writing came as a surprise. As a child she had thought about becoming a Christian religious worker in foreign countries like her parents were.

Katherine Paterson spoke to a gathering of children when she was named ambassador on January fifth in Washington. She said: "Read for your life. Read for your life as a member of a family, as a part of a community, as a citizen of this country and a citizen of the world."

(MUSIC)

Old Believers

HOST:

Our question this week comes from Russia. Aleksey wants to know about the Russian community of Old Believers in the American state of Oregon.

Old Believers is the name used to describe millions of people who rejected reforms to the Russian Orthodox Church in the sixteen hundreds. Old Believers who chose not to accept the reforms were often mistreated or killed. Over time, millions fled Russia. Many fled to Asia, Australia, South America and Europe. Many others came to the United States.

A photograph by Joanne Mulcahy of a girl belonging to the Old Believers community in Oregon

There are large communities of Old Believers in the states of Pennsylvania, Alaska and Oregon. In fact, Oregon has the largest population of Old Believers in the United States. More than ten thousand live in that state.

Many continue to follow their old traditions and customs. Women wear coverings on their heads and long dresses, tied at the waist. Men are not permitted to shave the hair from their faces.

Old Believers follow special rules governing what they can and cannot eat on different days of the year. For example, they may not be permitted to eat things like dairy products, meat, fish or eggs, or drink alcohol. They also cannot eat off of the same dish that a non-believer has eaten off of. Because of this, many eat at fast food restaurants that serve food in containers that can be thrown away.

Old Believers observe forty religious holidays each year. On these days they are not permitted to go to work or attend school. In Oregon many Old Believers have their own businesses or farms. But a growing number of them work in jobs in the city, especially at furniture factories and sewing companies.

Many Old Believers live in small, private and somewhat closed communities. But the modern world is having an effect. Modern technology is entering their communities.

Many Old Believers watch television and drive cars. And many, especially the young, are reportedly having a harder time trying to hold on to their spiritual and cultural traditions.

(MUSIC)

Whitney Houston

HOST:

Whitney Houston's recent album "I Look to You" marked her long awaited return to the music industry. It opened at the number one position in the United States and Canada. It also appeared in top positions in Australia and five European countries. Now the superstar is preparing for a world concert tour. Here is Shirley Griffith with more about Whitney Houston and songs from her album "I Look to You."

SHIRLEY GRIFFITH:

Music fans around the world are excited about the launch of Whitney Houston's world concert tour. It is to begin in Tokyo, Japan in February. This is her first international concert tour in nearly ten years. Serious personal problems interfered with Houston's award- winning singing career during the past ten years. She abused illegal drugs and had a troubled marriage to singer Bobby Brown. Whitney Houston regained control of her life after being treated at a substance abuse center in California for almost one year.

Also, she ended her marriage to Bobby Brown in two thousand seven. That same year, Whitney Houston joined with her longtime friend and major record company executive Clive Davis to begin recording her album. Here is the title song from "I Look to You."

(MUSIC)

In November, Whitney Houston received the International Artist Award at the two thousand nine American Music Awards. The award has been given only seven times in the thirty-six year history of the awards. After receiving the honor, Houston thanked her family and supporters for believing in her. She also performed this song, "I Didn't Know My Own Strength."

(MUSIC)

We leave you with another hit song by Whitney Houston from her album "I Look to You." She wrote this dance song, "Million Dollar Bill," with singer-songwriter Alicia Keys.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. Our program was written by June Simms, Lawan Davis and Caty Weaver, who was also the producer. For transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our programs, go to voaspecialenglish.com. You can also post comments.

Do you have a question about people, places or things in America? Send it to mosaic@voanews.com and we may answer it on this show.

Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

Shakespeare Was a Producer and Actor and, Oh Yes, a Writer

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William Shakespeare's writings have influenced culture all over the world for more than four centuries. First of two parts. Transcript of radio broadcast: 06 January 2010

VOICE ONE:

I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

William Shakespeare

And I'm Barbara Klein with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we tell about one of the most influential and skillful writers in the world. For more than four hundred years, people all over the world have been reading, watching and listening to the plays and poetry of the British writer William Shakespeare.

JULIET: "Ay me!"

ROMEO: "She speaks:

O, speak again, bright angel!"

JULIET: "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

VOICE ONE:

You just heard part of a famous scene from a movie version of "Romeo and Juliet." This tragic play remains one of the greatest, and perhaps most famous, love stories ever told. It tells about two young people who meet and fall deeply in love. But their families, the Capulets and the Montagues, are enemies and will not allow them to be together. Romeo and Juliet are surrounded by violent fighting and generational conflict. The young lovers secretly marry, but their story has a tragic ending.

"Romeo and Juliet" shows how William Shakespeare's plays shine with extraordinarily rich and imaginative language. He invented thousands of words to color his works. They have become part of the English language. Shakespeare's universal stories show all the human emotions and conflicts. His works are as fresh today as they were four hundred years ago.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

William Shakespeare was born in fifteen sixty-four in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. He married Anne Hathaway at the age of eighteen. The couple had three children, two daughters and a son who died very young. Shakespeare moved to London in the late fifteen eighties to be at the center of the city's busy theater life.

Most people think of Shakespeare as a writer. But he was also a theater producer, a part owner of an acting company and an actor. For most of his career, he was a producer and main writer for an acting company called the King's Men.

VOICE ONE:

In fifteen ninety-nine Shakespeare's company was successful enough to build its own theater called the Globe. Public theaters during this time were usually three floor levels high and were built around a stage area where the actors performed. The Globe could hold as many as three thousand people. People from all levels of society would attend performances.

The poorer people could buy tickets for a small amount of money to stand near the stage. Wealthier people could buy more costly tickets to sit in other areas.

Often it was not very important if wealthy people could see the stage well. It was more important that they be in a seat where everyone could see them.

VOICE TWO:

It was difficult to light large indoor spaces during this time. The Globe was an outdoor theater with no roof on top so that sunlight could stream in. Because of the open-air stage, actors had to shout very loudly and make big motions to be heard and seen by all. This acting style is quite different from play-acting today. It might also surprise you that all actors during this period were men. Young boys in women's clothing played the roles of female characters. This is because it was against the law in England for women to act onstage.

Shakespeare's theater group also performed in other places such as the smaller indoor Blackfriars Theater. Or, they would travel around the countryside to perform. Sometimes they were asked to perform at the palace of the English ruler Queen Elizabeth, or later, King James the First.