What's the next best thing for Real Estate? To possibly live completely and independently on a large vessel. Check out this tropical island: Wally Island
Check out the Mega-Yacht dubbed "Wally Island"
What's the next best thing for Real Estate? To possibly live completely and independently on a large vessel. Check out this tropical island: Wally Island
'Lil Wayne to release a HARD ROCK album next month!!
Yeah, you heard right. According to sources from mediatakeout.com - rapper Lil Wayne will be releasing a HARD ROCK album next month.
According to the sources, the album will feature a number of HIGH PROFILE ROCK STARS and will have Lil Wayne singing and rapping on the album. Yes, I said, SINGING.
We love Lil Wayne.
Finally - FDA approves Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
This is truly exciting and shows how promising and amazing science and technology is. For years federal funds were blocked for embryonic stem-cell research until August 2001. The human stem cell research could begin as early as this summer and tests will be done to see whether the cells are safe to use in spinal injury patients.
Read the rest of the article here...
Stem cells could one day open the door to treatments for many diseases. Current diseases could be unlocked through stem cell research as it holds a lot of promise, but scientists still have a lot to learn.
The stem cells have the potential to develop into any of the types of cells in the human body.
Their versatility holds much promise for treating a wide array of diseases, although scientists still have a lot to learn.
PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Parkinson's disease is believed to be one of the most likely beneficiaries of stem cell research because it is caused by the failure of a single type of cell. When brain cells that normally produce dopamine don't do their job, symptoms of Parkinson's, such as hand tremors and stilted speech, result.
Researchers have cultivated dopamine-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells and transplanted them in rats with Parkinson's symptoms. But applying the treatment to humans is difficult and not considered safe enough.
Actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's has been a strong advocate of embryonic stem cell research.
STEM CELL SURGERY
A new standard for transplants may be ahead after a woman in Spain was given a new trachea with tissue created from her own stem cells. The transplant, which took place in June 2008, is considered a breakthrough in stem cell surgery as it highlights the potential of engineering new tissues from adult stem cells.
To create the windpipe, a pan-European team from the universities of Barcelona, Bristol, Padua and Milan put the patient's stem cells and cells from her healthy trachea onto a segment of donor trachea. Since the windpipe was created with her own cells, it is believed her body will not reject it.
DIABETES
Diabetes affects nearly 250 million people worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Foundation. The condition occurs when there are problems with the production and supply of insulin in the body.
Scientists are working on developing ways to derive embryonic-like stem cells from the skin cells of patients with diabetes and convert them into insulin-producing cells are cultivated from a patient's own stem cells, they would not be attacked the way new cells usually are after a transplant.
HEART DISEASE
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Scientists hope stem cells can be used to act as a repair kit; if they can stimulate the growth of new heart-muscle cells, they could possibly be used to replace damaged heart tissue.
Researchers have determined how to cultivate early-stage human heart cells from human embryonic stem cells. Engineering these cells into healthy heart tissue is still a long way off, but scientists believe determining how to grow the heart cells could lay the foundation.
FERTILITY
Scientists are using stem cell research to identify ways to improve fertility treatments. By exploring the biology of stem cells and human embryos, researchers hope they can better understand early human development.
Greater knowledge of how to grow embryos may lead to improved handling of embryos and better understanding of human fertility. That, in turn, could result in better success rates of pregnancies through in vitro fertilization.
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
Research into stem cells could be used to help people with damaged spinal cords. Spinal cords relay information between the brain and the rest of the body and injuries often are caused by sharp blows to the spine or disease.
Injections of human stem cells have repaired spinal cord injuries in mice and helped partially paralyzed mice walk again. But scientists say human spinal cord repair is complicated and that they need to learn much more about how nerve cells communicate with each other before the approach can ever be applied to humans.
Source: NIH, CNN
Read the rest of the article here...
Stem cells could one day open the door to treatments for many diseases. Current diseases could be unlocked through stem cell research as it holds a lot of promise, but scientists still have a lot to learn.
The stem cells have the potential to develop into any of the types of cells in the human body.
Their versatility holds much promise for treating a wide array of diseases, although scientists still have a lot to learn.
PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Parkinson's disease is believed to be one of the most likely beneficiaries of stem cell research because it is caused by the failure of a single type of cell. When brain cells that normally produce dopamine don't do their job, symptoms of Parkinson's, such as hand tremors and stilted speech, result.
Researchers have cultivated dopamine-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells and transplanted them in rats with Parkinson's symptoms. But applying the treatment to humans is difficult and not considered safe enough.
Actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's has been a strong advocate of embryonic stem cell research.
STEM CELL SURGERY
A new standard for transplants may be ahead after a woman in Spain was given a new trachea with tissue created from her own stem cells. The transplant, which took place in June 2008, is considered a breakthrough in stem cell surgery as it highlights the potential of engineering new tissues from adult stem cells.
To create the windpipe, a pan-European team from the universities of Barcelona, Bristol, Padua and Milan put the patient's stem cells and cells from her healthy trachea onto a segment of donor trachea. Since the windpipe was created with her own cells, it is believed her body will not reject it.
DIABETES
Diabetes affects nearly 250 million people worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Foundation. The condition occurs when there are problems with the production and supply of insulin in the body.
Scientists are working on developing ways to derive embryonic-like stem cells from the skin cells of patients with diabetes and convert them into insulin-producing cells are cultivated from a patient's own stem cells, they would not be attacked the way new cells usually are after a transplant.
HEART DISEASE
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Scientists hope stem cells can be used to act as a repair kit; if they can stimulate the growth of new heart-muscle cells, they could possibly be used to replace damaged heart tissue.
Researchers have determined how to cultivate early-stage human heart cells from human embryonic stem cells. Engineering these cells into healthy heart tissue is still a long way off, but scientists believe determining how to grow the heart cells could lay the foundation.
FERTILITY
Scientists are using stem cell research to identify ways to improve fertility treatments. By exploring the biology of stem cells and human embryos, researchers hope they can better understand early human development.
Greater knowledge of how to grow embryos may lead to improved handling of embryos and better understanding of human fertility. That, in turn, could result in better success rates of pregnancies through in vitro fertilization.
SPINAL CORD INJURIES
Research into stem cells could be used to help people with damaged spinal cords. Spinal cords relay information between the brain and the rest of the body and injuries often are caused by sharp blows to the spine or disease.
Injections of human stem cells have repaired spinal cord injuries in mice and helped partially paralyzed mice walk again. But scientists say human spinal cord repair is complicated and that they need to learn much more about how nerve cells communicate with each other before the approach can ever be applied to humans.
Source: NIH, CNN
The Government is Watching Everything You Do...
Basically... it started after 9/11. There are millions of people on TSA's watch list. Are you one of them? Fortunately, you can request your records from Homeland Security. Yes, you have a file. A file that lists a lot about you and where you've traveled, your entry points, and even the computer location of where you purchased the tickets. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it definitely is a security thing. Maybe one day in the future it will be virtually impossible to "get away".
We've seen a lot of it in recent days - with the missing pilot (tracking his cell phones and computer email usage) and many others...
Anyway, watch this piece on CNN Video for more information:
We've seen a lot of it in recent days - with the missing pilot (tracking his cell phones and computer email usage) and many others...
Anyway, watch this piece on CNN Video for more information:
The Neighborhood Ball - 2009 Inauguration Ball - President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama's First Dance - Beyonce, "At Last". Watch in HD Here.
The Neighborhood Ball - 2009 Inauguration Ball - President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama's First Dance - Singer Beyonce, "At Last". Watch Video in High Definition Here.
Watch the rest of the 2009 Inauguration: Watch Now | 2009 Inauguration of President Barack H. Obama
Watch the rest of the 2009 Inauguration: Watch Now | 2009 Inauguration of President Barack H. Obama
Watch Now | 2009 Inaugural of President Barack H. Obama
Watch President Obama's 2009 Inaugural speech Video | Text
"We Are Ready to Lead"
President Barack Obama says Americans must hold tight to the ideals of our forefathers.
Here is the text of President Obama's Speech
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
------------------ That is MY President! ----------------------
I was not too enthralled by Rick Warren's prayer. And when I was logged into the Facebook chat via CNN.com Live (by the way, which was awesome). Many folks chatting on there today weren't too happy with his prayer either. I would've really liked someone much more uplifting. Joel Osteen would've done awesome.
Anyway.. I started to cry during Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction. Watch Rev. Joseph Lowery's Benediction here...he's awesome. I miss Atlanta.
Also, watch "Air and Simple Gifts" by John Williams being played by Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill and Gabriela Montero perform at the 2009 Inauguration. It was beautiful! I got chills when they were playing that song. Very beautiful.
From MLK to Today
This is a beautiful piece. Watch Director Antoine Fuqua tells the story from MLK to President-elect Barack Obama in CNN's short film "From MLK to Today."
The World is Watching
CNN's Christiane Amanpour details the high expectations people around the world have for Barack Obama's presidency.
Watch Obama's Grand Entrance at the 2009 Inauguration
He's so poised. A true leader! I love so much love in him. He gives everyone around the world HOPE. He is the leader of the Free World.
Watch President Obama jump the gun on the Oath
A swearing-in worth swearing at. Someone blew it, as CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
I love Jeanne Moos... she does great work.
The People Who Attended the 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama
Ok... I also participated in Facebook's status updates
Randi Zuckerberg of Facebook shows the spike in status updates during President Obama's speech.
OH.. this is a good one. Watch a 107 year old woman watch PRESIDENT Barack Obama get sworn in.
Click here to see everyone who attended the 2009's Inaugural Swearing-In of President Barack Obama
Watch President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama walk and wave to supporters during the inauguration parade in Washington.
"We Are Ready to Lead"
President Barack Obama says Americans must hold tight to the ideals of our forefathers.
Here is the text of President Obama's Speech
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
------------------ That is MY President! ----------------------
I was not too enthralled by Rick Warren's prayer. And when I was logged into the Facebook chat via CNN.com Live (by the way, which was awesome). Many folks chatting on there today weren't too happy with his prayer either. I would've really liked someone much more uplifting. Joel Osteen would've done awesome.
Anyway.. I started to cry during Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction. Watch Rev. Joseph Lowery's Benediction here...he's awesome. I miss Atlanta.
Also, watch "Air and Simple Gifts" by John Williams being played by Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill and Gabriela Montero perform at the 2009 Inauguration. It was beautiful! I got chills when they were playing that song. Very beautiful.
From MLK to Today
This is a beautiful piece. Watch Director Antoine Fuqua tells the story from MLK to President-elect Barack Obama in CNN's short film "From MLK to Today."
The World is Watching
CNN's Christiane Amanpour details the high expectations people around the world have for Barack Obama's presidency.
Watch Obama's Grand Entrance at the 2009 Inauguration
He's so poised. A true leader! I love so much love in him. He gives everyone around the world HOPE. He is the leader of the Free World.
Watch President Obama jump the gun on the Oath
A swearing-in worth swearing at. Someone blew it, as CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
I love Jeanne Moos... she does great work.
The People Who Attended the 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama
Ok... I also participated in Facebook's status updates
Randi Zuckerberg of Facebook shows the spike in status updates during President Obama's speech.
OH.. this is a good one. Watch a 107 year old woman watch PRESIDENT Barack Obama get sworn in.
Click here to see everyone who attended the 2009's Inaugural Swearing-In of President Barack Obama
Watch President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama walk and wave to supporters during the inauguration parade in Washington.
Watch Video Showing Jet Crash in the Hudson River New York showing US Airways Flight 1549
I'm really glad they put this together. Below are links to a couple videos showing jet crash in the Hudson River New York showing US Airways Flight 1549 plane crash landing in Hudson River.
Crash Landing 911 Calls
New video from the Coast Guard shows the US Airways jet crash-landing into the Hudson River. Surveillance cameras capture flight 1549 crash landing into the Hudson River.
Video Showing Crash Landing
Surveillance cameras capture flight 1549 crash landing into the Hudson River.
"Miracle Survivors | on Larry King Live
"Thank You, Sully"
CNN's Campbell Brown looks at the loss of life that was avoided thanks to US Airways Capt. Sullenberger and his crew.
Hudson River Plane Crash
Crash Landing 911 Calls
New video from the Coast Guard shows the US Airways jet crash-landing into the Hudson River. Surveillance cameras capture flight 1549 crash landing into the Hudson River.
Video Showing Crash Landing
Surveillance cameras capture flight 1549 crash landing into the Hudson River.
"Miracle Survivors | on Larry King Live
"Thank You, Sully"
CNN's Campbell Brown looks at the loss of life that was avoided thanks to US Airways Capt. Sullenberger and his crew.
Hudson River Plane Crash
Inauguration Special | Barack Obama Life in Photos...
He formally accepted his party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, on August 23
He announced his intention to run for the 2008 in February 2007. After a lengthy battle with Hillary Clinton, he seized the Democratic nomination in June 2008
He entered the US Senate on January 4 2005
He delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston
Their daughters, Malia Ann and Natasha, were born in 1998 and 2001
He married Michelle Robinson in October 1992
After Harvard Law School, Obama returned to Chicago, joined a small civil rights firm, ran a voter registration drive, and lectured on constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School
He then studied law at Harvard, and graduated in 1991
He studied at Columbia University in New York, where he majored in political science
A photograph taken in 1987 of Barack Obama and his grandmother Sarah Hussein Obama hangs in her home in the village of Nyagoma-Kogelo, western Kenya
Barack returned to Hawaii with his grandparents
Barack Obama attended schools in Jakarta until he was ten years old
Barack attending school in Indonesia - with classmates.
His mother remarried, and the family moved to Indonesia in 1967
His parents separated when he was two years old and later divorced
His mother, Ann Dunham, hailed from Wichita, Kansas
His father, Barack Obama, Sr, came from Nyangoma-Kogelo, Kenya
Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4 1961
Watch Now | Dallas Austin MTV Cribs Episode
By far this is my favorite MTV Cribs Episode ever - why? Because it had Dallas Austin's Atlanta crib - which I must say is the tightest - his feng shui and style is definitely my cup of tea. I just love his vibe... it's chill and relaxing - a good spirited dude. I get the whole circle-concept now. lol.
What others had to say about Dallas Austin's crib...
1.
cherriesncream 10.27.08 | 1:10 AM
I love the roundness! Very soothing and relaxing!
2.
cherriesncream 10.27.08 | 1:08 AM
Very classy and well done!
3.
cherriesncream 10.27.08 | 1:07 AM
I love this house!
4.
zumagirl 10.08.08 | 6:48 PM
Dallas....finally ...an artist with superb taste down to every detail. And even better.....it looks like you enjoy your life and you don't need to flaunt it. I wish others were as humble once they become successful. Way to go.
5.
Eartha 06.28.08 | 9:47 PM
Great place Dallas, you have an eye for round things LOL
6.
SOLO T 05.18.08 | 11:18 PM
DALLAS AUSTIN AS GOOD TASTE AND A GOOD EYE FOR DETAIL.TO PUT A CRIB LIKE THIS TOGETHER. AND IT AS A WORK OF ART.
7.
dr.salt 04.04.08 | 4:18 PM
love his house
8.
LRB14 02.27.08 | 10:16 PM
His house is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9.
bayesow 01.20.08 | 9:16 PM
I Like the Way You Live Wonderful and Dreamed House !!!
Watch Now | Tina Fay's Acceptance Speech at the Golden Globes... hilarious!
…that was hilarious… someone needs to link me the video of that part of her on the Golden Globes 2008 for Best Actress Award…she’s hilarious… “you can suck it!” ….she truly did have a great year with the Election...you’ve been Palinized…
oh for Sarah Palin haters and lovers… check out: http://www.palinforpresident.com (btw we’re they drunk up on stage? cuz Tracy Morgan seemed super fucked up. )
Steven Spielberg receives Cecil B. DeMille Award for “outstanding contribution to the entertainment field.”
Martin Scorsese is his inspiration....he's got an amazing movie resume dude. How comes he's never done a movie with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in them? Huh huh huh?
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Free Sample | T-Shirt People
You may select one free sample garment, custom imprinted in one color, from any of the styles shown below. Child size large is sent for sizing purposes.
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Free Sample | Williams Loft
Fill out the form, choose up to 3 product samples, and click the submit button.Then we will mail the samples to the address that you provide. (...)
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Free Sample | VCF Vaginal Contraceptive Film
Get a FREE SAMPLE of VCF Contraceptive Film from the Original birth control film manufacturer. You will receive three(3) individually sealed VCF films (3 tries) via the mail in one ...
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Free Sample | Whole Fruit Mangosteen
FREE SAMPLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ... For a Limited Time Sample the Juice: The Original "Whole Fruit" mangosteen.
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Free Sample | Oxyfresh Toothpaste
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Request your free sample. Due to exceptional demand dunhill LONDON samples are not ... Order a Free Sample; Discover the Scent; Explore the Range; Experience the Ad; Visit dunhillfragrances.com
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The Worst Year Since 1945 - Employers Shed 2.6 Million Jobs in '08...
The report came out this morning around 8:30 AM. It didn’t look good folks…it’s seriously some tough times. Employers shed 524,000 jobs in December 2008 – making the grand total of lost jobs in 2008 to 2.6 million. It’s the worst year since 1945 with the unemployment rate spiking to 7.2%.
There is no sight of a recovery of these jobs – President-elect Barack Obama has a tough job ahead of him. It’s even sadder news when Analysts predict THOUSANDS of businesses will be closing it’s doors in 2009 – meaning more jobs being lost.
So what is the solution? I predict that the safest industries will have to be industries in which President-Elect Barack Obama focuses on during his presidency. Which is in many-ways technology-based. We are moving towards a technology-based world. Folks either need to accept it and embrace and learn it fast. He wants medical records online – great time for “telemedicine” (look into it) …he wants clean, renewable energy. Watch the Science Channel….amazingly there are technologies out there already – still in their infancy and still a few years away, but look like promising life-saving technologies. Take for example, Valcent. Check them out. Another would be Education – this is important – why because CHILDREN are our future and teacher’s need to be paid more and schools need to be advanced in technology. There’s others like infrastructure, etc… and guess what… TECHNOLOGY is a main factor in each of those sectors.
- Building a smart electric grid to distribute clean energy;
- Weatherizing federal buildings and homes;
- Creating millions of new green jobs;
- Helping laid-off workers afford health care; and
- Making sure struggling cities and states don't have to slash services.
So for those unemployed – it’s either time to go back to school or utilize the internet (which is FREE) and learn as much as you can through reliable sources. Yes, it will require a lot of reading….
Noble Prize Winning Scientist Considers Valcent 's Cutting Edge Technology
Nobel Prize Winner Explores Valcent's Algae Fuel as One of the Top Contenders for Reducing Carbon FootprintDan Kammen, Noble Prize winning energy Scientist and Professor of Energy, at University of California, Berkeley, explores his top four technologies to reduce carbon footprints for a healthy and sustainable megacity in the year 2050. He features Glen Kertz, along with other luminaries, as top contenders in cutting combustion gases and fueling the earth's transit system in a cost effective and environmentally friendly manner. Kammen compares Kertz's algae biofuel, hydrogen cell fuelled GM cars, electric jeepneys paired with methane gases from landfills, as well as giant versions of a B2 fighter jet that produces only 63 decibels of noise. Valcent's biofuel comes out successfully as one of the winning technologies that showcase the reduction in carbon footprints we are able to achieve.
Please click this link to Valcent's blog: http://blog.valcent.net/, to watch the powerful Valcent clip, produced for Discovery Network's Asia featured on the Science Channel, and see the abilities these new technologies hold to help avoid climate change and to adapt to earth's fast approaching future.
The episode ECOPOLIS 'Road to the Future' airs again on Saturday January 10th at 9pm ET, Sunday, January 11th at 12am ET, and Monday, January 12th at 4am ET on the Science Channel.
Contacts:
Bob Faris or Mike Parker
866.408.0153 or 800.877.1626
info@valcent.net
Media Relations
Nancy Tamosaitis
Vorticom Public Relations
212.532.2208
Nancyt@vorticom.com
Watch Now | When Michelle fell for Barack Obama
Michelle Obama talks to CNN's Suzanne Malveaux about her first encounter with the future president-elect.
Henri Bergson Quote
It’s 2009….do you know where your life is? Whatever you’re up for – or up against – we’re here to help.
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
- Henri Bergson
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