Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech at the DNC

Here is the complete video of Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. The speech was given on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, D. C. Although Barack Obama delivered his speech at the Mile High stadium in Denver to over 80,000 supporters, the moment was equally historic. As one young Obama supporter put it, "Barack Obama is my personal Jesus."

Aside from putting the entire stadium and all the viewers at home on Cloud 9, the speech secured Barack Obama's place in history as the first black American to receive the presidential nomination of a major political party (before him, Frederick Douglas received one vote from the Republican party when he ran for president) as well as a place as one of the United States' greatest orators.

In the words of a young college student after watching the speech, her voice cracking with emotion, "That was beautiful!!! How could you vote for anyone else?" In my own words, "No one can rock as much as Barack."

Enjoy the speech.

Dalai Lama Hospitalized in India

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama has been reportedly hospitalized in Mumbai after complaining of abdominal discomfort. The full article as follows below:

Dalai Lama in hospital with "discomfort"

By Bappa Majumdar

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, has been admitted to a hospital in India with "abdominal discomfort" but there was no cause for concern, doctors said on Thursday.

The spiritual leader, who cancelled two foreign trips after he complained of fatigue was "cheerful" after reaching the hospital in Mumbai, a hospital spokesman said.

"He has just been admitted for abdominal discomfort, investigation will commence tomorrow morning and there is no cause for concern," Mohan Rajan, the spokesman, said from Mumbai.

"We cannot tell you for how many days he will stay in the hospital at the moment."

The Nobel Peace Prize winner returned to Dharamsala, the north Indian town where Tibet's self-proclaimed government-in-exile is based, on Sunday after a two-week visit to France.

The visit focused mainly on lectures on Buddhism, but during it he also criticized Chinese policies in Tibet.

He told Le Monde in an interview that Chinese troops had fired on protesters in eastern Tibet on August 18, and that since protests against Chinese rule broke out in March, 400 people had been killed in the Lhasa area alone.

On Wednesday an aide told Reuters the 73-year-old was due to travel to Mumbai, India's financial centre, to undergo "routine medical tests" in hospital.

"All I can say is that he is fine," Chhime Chhoekyapa, the Dalai Lama's aide told Reuters from Mumbai on Thursday.

On arrival, the Dalai Lama was escorted by hospital officials to his room, where doctors carried out a preliminary check-up, his aide said.

"He is resting and has not had any visitor since he reached the hospital," Chhoekyapa, who accompanied the Dalai Lama, said by telephone.

The Dalai Lama spends several months of the year away from Dharamsala, delivering religious lectures and speaking about what he calls the suffering of Tibetan people under Chinese rule.

In recent years, doctors have increased medical checks to ensure that the Lama was in good health.

"His holiness is in good health, he retires early in the evening and gets up early in the morning," Chhoekyapa said.

DNC Wednesday Report

Here's the recap of the Democratic National Convention from Wednesday, August 27th.

First, former President Bill Clinton's speech. And although the DNC has had some interesting choices of music for the speakers (such as "Girl You Really Got Me" for Hillary Clinton), Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)" works.


Next up, passing some of the more boring speeches, is John Kerry, which one would think to be boring but actually turned out quite nicely.


Afterwards, again with a few lapses, we have Beau Biden, Joe Biden's son, to introduce his father.


After this touching introduction, Joe Biden, Democratic Vice President Nominee, gives his acceptance speech, with Billy Joel's steel worker's anthem, "Allentown," playing him in. Make sure to catch the end with the surprise guest.

Oh Mommy! Is that a Mummy?!?

In Peru, there has been another discovery of a Wari mummy. The interesting story as follows:

Pre-Incan Female Wari Mummy Unearthed in Peru

By Dana Ford

LIMA (Reuters) - Archeologists working at Peru's Huaca Pucllana ruins pulled a mummy from a tomb on Tuesday, thought to be from the ancient Wari culture that flourished before the Incas.

Besides the female mummy, the tomb contained the remains of two other adults and a child. It is the first intact Wari burial site discovered at Huaca Pucllana in the capital Lima, and researchers believe it dates from about 700 AD.

"We'd discovered other tombs before," said Isabel Flores, director of the ruins. "But they always had holes, or were damaged. Never had we found a whole tomb like this one -- intact," she said, standing on the ancient plaza, a huge partially excavated mound of rocks, bricks and dirt.

Workers wrapped the female mummy in tissue paper before lifting it onto a flat wood board. They exposed her face, revealing two big, bright blue orbs in her eye sockets. They extracted the other adult mummies, which were also whole, earlier in the week.

"Her face startled me at first," said Miguel Angel, 19, a worker at Huaca Pucllana who helped unearth the tomb.

"I wasn't expecting to find anything like that," he said. It was not clear what the fake eyes were made of.

The Wari people lived and ruled in what is now Peru for some 500 years, between 600 AD and 1100 AD. Their capital was near modern-day Ayacucho, in the Andes, but they traveled widely and are known for their extensive network of roads.

Flores said about 30 tombs have been found at Huaca Pucllana, surrounded by Lima's busy streets.

When in good condition, Wari tombs can be identified by the ceramic and textile offerings placed around the dead.

Small children were often sacrificed and it is common to find their bodies alongside adult ones. The child discovered with the adult mummies at Huaca Pucllana was likely sacrificed.

The discovery at Huaca Pucllana confirms the Wari people buried their dead in what is now Lima and offers a more complete picture of how burials were done. "This enriches Lima's story," Flores said.

Michelle ROCKS as much as Barak!

Here is Michelle Obama's keynote speech from the Democratic National Convention on Monday, August 25th, 2008. Enjoy!

Human Exoskeleton Helps Paralyzed People Walk

This is an interesting article showing ReWalk's ability to help paraplegics walk again.

Here is the article below, courtesy of Reuters:

Human exoskeleton suit helps paralyzed people walk

By Ari Rabinovitch

HAIFA, Israel (Reuters) - paralyzed for the past 20 years, former Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiof now walks down the street with a dim mechanical hum.

That is the sound of an electronic exoskeleton moving the 41-year-old's legs and propelling him forward -- with a proud expression on his face -- as passersby stare in surprise.

I never dreamed I would walk again. After I was wounded, I forgot what it's like," said Kaiof, who was injured while serving in the Israeli military in 1988.

Only when standing up can I feel how tall I really am and speak to people eye to eye, not from below."

The device, called ReWalk, is the brainchild of engineer Amit Goffer, founder of Argo Medical Technologies, a small Israeli high-tech company.

Something of a mix between the exoskeleton of a crustacean and the suit worn by comic hero Iron Man, ReWalk helps paraplegics -- people paralyzed below the waist -- to stand, walk and climb stairs.

Goffer himself was paralyzed in an accident in 1997 but he cannot use his own invention because he does not have full function of his arms.

The system, which requires crutches to help with balance, consists of motorized leg supports, body sensors and a back pack containing a computerized control box and rechargeable batteries.

The user picks a setting with a remote control wrist band -- stand, sit, walk, descend or climb -- and then leans forward, activating the body sensors and setting the robotic legs in motion.

It raises people out of their wheelchair and lets them stand up straight," Goffer said. "It's not just about health, it's also about dignity.

Kate Parkin, director of physical and occupational therapy at NYU Medical Centre, said it has the potential to improve a user's health in two ways.

Physically, the body works differently when upright. You can challenge different muscles and allow full expansion of the lungs," Parkin said. "Psychologically, it lets people live at the upright level and make eye contact."

Iuly Treger, deputy director of Israel's Loewenstein Rehabilitation Centre, said: "It may be a burdensome device, but it will be very helpful and important for those who choose to use it."

The product, slated for commercial sale in 2010, will cost as much as the more sophisticated wheelchairs on the market, which sell for about $20,000, the company said.

The ReWalk is now in clinical trials in Tel Aviv's Sheba Medical Centre and Goffer said it will soon be used in trials at the Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute in Pennsylvania.

Competing technologies use electrical stimulation to restore function to injured muscle, but Argo's Chief Operating Officer Oren Tamari said they will not offer practical alternatives to wheelchairs in the foreseeable future.

Other "robot suits," like those being developed by the U.S. military or the HAL robot of Japan's University of Tsukuba, are not suitable for paralyzed people, he said.

Obama Picks Biden

I didn't do too bad. I ranked Joe Biden fifth out of Obama's top ten veep choices back in June, but I rated him most highly of the three contenders receiving the most coverage as of late (Biden, Evan Bayh and Tim Kaine).

And of those three, not only did I think it most likely Obama would choose Biden, but I also personally liked Biden the most. Unlike the bland Evan Bayh, Biden is a dynamic politician who has spent over 30 years in the Senate and can serve as an adept attack dog against John McCain. And unlike Governor Kaine, Biden, currently the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will add experience to the argument that Obama is better on foreign policy. And now the silly, rampant media speculation can end.

The only problem is Biden's comments before the primaries, saying that Obama was too inexperienced. The McCain campaign has already put up an ad to that effect:

But I'm sure McCain won't show you Biden's more recent comments on Obama...

...and on McCain:

Biden called me in June to express his amazement that McCain continued to insist that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the leader of Iran, even after I pointed out--during a press conference--that the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei controlled Iran's foreign policy and nuclear program. McCain's response was that the "average American" thought Ahmadinejad was Iran's leader...and Biden proceeded to jump all over that in a subsequent interview with Think Progress:

I don’t want an average American as president. I have great respect for average — average Americans don’t want an average American president of the United States of America. I want someone above average. I want someone who knows what they’re dealing with. And it surprises me that John didn’t understand the complexities of the power struggle going on in Iran right now.

Biden told me that he was amazed and disappointed by the changes in McCain during the course of the campaign. "I just don't recognize the guy anymore," he said. "It's a shame."

Obama and Biden appeared for the first time together in Springfield, Illinois, today. You can read the transcript of Obama's speech here.

Musharraf Resigns

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf resigned earlier today, saying that he would put the nation ahead of "personal bravado." Muhammad Mian Soomro, the president of the Senate, became the acting president. The move is mostly good news for Pakistan. In the long term, home-grown reform and true democracy will probably lead to a more stable Middle East. In the short term, Parliament can now focus on a poor economy and insurgents in the tribal, border areas, instead of their conflict with Musharraf.

However, the ruling coalition in Parliament may splinter without the glue of opposition to Musharraf holding it together. An amalgamation of Parliament and the four regional assemblies must decide within the next 30 days who should replace Musharraf. Asif Ali Zardari, the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Benazir Bhutto's widower, seems to want the post, but he is opposed by the head of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, Nawaz Sharif. Sharif may agree to Zardari's appointment if the president is stripped of the powers to dissolve Parliament and choose the army chief.

Sharif and Zardari also disagree on judicial appointees. Sharif wants 57 supreme and high court justices removed by Musharraf to be reinstalled to their posts. Zardari wants those appointed in the interim to maintain their posts.

Musharraf's resignation has received mixed reactions internationally. The US offered faint praise, with spokesman Gordon Johndroe saying, "President Bush appreciates President Musharraf's efforts in the democratic transition of Pakistan as well as his commitment to fighting al-Qaeda and extremist groups." The Afghans believe the move will allow Pakistan to crack down harder on militants and improve democracy in both countries.

India is more wary. New Delhi has learned how to deal with Musharraf and is worried about an apparent power vacuum. Indian officials are unsure who is running the show in Islamabad: "Is it Prime Minister Geelani, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari or General Kayani? We don't know."

Headlines: 11 August 2008

• Open to Debate: Why Obama should accept McCain's invitation to a series of town hall forums.
• Russia Presses Into Second Front in Georgia: Russia's militarism indicates it's interested in more than Abkhaz and Ossetian self-determination.
• Olympic Medal Count:

  Rank	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
  1	China	9	3	2	14
  2	USA	3	4	5	12
  3	South Korea	4	4	0	8
  4	Italy	3	3	2	8

WAR!

As reported mentioned in passing before, tensions between Russia and Georgia have been escalating. And now Russian forces have entered Georgia and have begun battling Georgian soldiers.

Background

In 1801, Georgia and Ossetia were annexed by the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution, Ossetia was divided; South Ossetia became part of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, while North Ossetia became part of the Russian SSR.

As the USSR was disintegrating in the late 80's, Abkhazia and South Ossetia were granted autonomy by the Georgian Supreme Soviet. Several moves by the Georgian government afterward (declaring Georgian the national language, declaring independence from the USSR, reimplementing the pre-Soviet Constitution) were interpreted by the pro-Russian Abkhaz and Ossetians as threats to their autonomy. The Abkhaz and Ossetians declared independence, and violence flared until cease-fires in 1992 in Ossetia and '93 in Abkhazia.

From 1993 to 2003, the Georgians, Abkhaz, and Ossetians lived in a shallow peace. Under Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, the Abkhaz and Ossetians were mostly left to govern their territory with little interference from Tbilisi. Peacekeeping forces consisting of Georgians, Russians, and Abkhaz/Ossetians were stationed in Abkhazia and S. Ossetia. However, no progress was made to secure a more lasting solution.

For more on Abkhazia and South Ossetia (BBC & Wikipedia)

Escalation to War

Current Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was elected in 2004 after running on a platform of reasserting Georgia's authority over the breakaway regions. Tensions between Georgia and the separatists increased.

On November 12, 2006, the South Ossetian and Georgian governments held simultaneous referenda regarding S. Ossetian independence. Ossetians voted overwhelmingly to become independent, while the region's Georgian population voted to remain with the Georgian government.

The Russian government has meanwhile increased its support for the separatist cause. The Abkhaz and Ossetians have historically favored Russian authority, while Russian hegemony seems to make Georgians bristle. The Russians supplied arms to the Abkhaz and Ossetians during the early-90's conflicts. Many Abkhaz and S. Ossetians have Russian passports and are considered Russian citizens, and trade there is largely conducted in the Russian ruble.

Casus Belli

On August 8, 2008, the Georgian army clashed with S. Ossetian separatists in and around the S. Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali. During the fighting, ten Russian peacekeepers were killed. Russia immediately moved troops and tanks into S. Ossetia. Russian planes conducted airstrikes on targets as far south as Tbilisi. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev explained, "I must protect the life and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are. We will not allow their deaths to go unpunished. Those responsible will receive a deserved punishment." By August 9, Russian forces had taken control of Tskhinvali.

Georgia has requested that half of its contingent in Iraq be sent home.

Abkhaz separatists have sent troops into S. Ossetia and have taken the opportunity to try and drive out the last remaining Georgian troops in Abkhazia.

Tens of thousands of civilians who lived in South Ossetia have fled the region, either into Russian North Ossetia or deeper into Georgia. There were reports on Friday that the Georgian army was helping civilians evacuate.

And today, the Georgian army has declared its withdrawal from S. Ossetia and a cease-fire. However, Russian officials have said that a cease-fire is dependent on a complete withdrawal of Georgian troops from S. Ossetia and that has not yet happened. Russian planes continue to strike Georgian targets.

For a day-by-day recount of the Ossetian conflict.

Headlines: 8 August 2008

• Former bin Laden driver gets light sentence: After five years at Gitmo and a Supreme Court case, Salim Hamdan will be eligible for release in five months.
• A Glossary of Iraq Euphemisms: George Orwell is rolling over in his grave.
• Musharraf Won't Resign, Allies Say: The Pakistani Parliament is moving to impeach.
• Tibetan exiles in India protest Beijing Olympics naturally.
• Arrests as Burma marks uprising: Twenty years ago today, the Burmese started a six-week uprising against the junta.
• Mbeki set for new Zimbabwe talks: Mugabe and Tsvangirai are approaching a power-sharing deal.
• Detroit mayor charged with two felony assault counts: Michigan AG Mike Cox filed those two charges stemming from an incident involving Kilpatrick and an officer trying to deliver a subpoena on a Kilpatrick ally.
• A Whole New McCain: No more Mr. Nice Guy.
• Large Hadron Collider operations scheduled: Zwoom!

Headlines: 7 August 2008

• Karadzic protected by US until he broke 'deal': Supposedly, we promised he would never be brought to trial if he completely removed himself from politics.
• French sailors seized in Nigeria: What's up in the Niger Delta
• Detroit Mayor Ordered Jailed: No trips to Canada for Kwame

Conn Carroll was referring to this:

and this. (I got 6 out of 9 right by the way.)

Japan Marks Anniversary of Atomic Bombings (Aug 6 & 9)

This is taken from Reuters and reposted below.

Japan Marks Anniversary of Hiroshima Atomic Bomb

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tens of thousands bowed their heads at a ceremony in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Wednesday, the 63rd anniversary of the world's first atomic attack, as the city's mayor hit out at countries that refuse to abandon their bombs.

A bell tolled at 8:15 a.m. to mark the exact moment when the bomb dubbed "Little Boy" was dropped on the city, killing tens of thousands immediately and many more later from radiation sickness.

"We who seek the abolition of nuclear weapons are the majority," mayor Tadatoshi Akiba said in a speech at the Peace Memorial Park, attended by the ambassador of nuclear-armed China, as well as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and elderly survivors of the attack.

"Last year 170 countries voted in favor of Japan's U.N. resolution calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Only three countries, the United States among them, opposed this resolution," he said.

The United States and other world powers fear Iran is developing nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its atomic program is for power generation. Washington and others have warned of more sanctions against Tehran, which they accuse of playing for time in the dispute.

The mayor of Hiroshima also vowed to do more to help survivors still suffering the physical and mental after-effects of the 1945 attack by the United States in the final days of World War Two, which was followed a few days later by a nuclear attack on the southern Japanese city of Nagasaki.

The average age of survivors is over 75 and Akiba said he would launch a survey into the emotional damage they suffered.

Fukuda echoed some of Akiba's sentiments, saying he wanted to take a lead in the campaign against nuclear weapons and try to help as many as possible of those dealing with poor health after being exposed to radiation.

"We must not repeat such a sad event," one mother attending the ceremony told broadcaster NHK. "We need to pass that message on to our children's generation."

(Reporting by Isabel Reynolds; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS!

Headlines: 1 August 2008

• Source: British Territory Used for US Terrorism Interrogation: Extraordinary rendition through Diego Garcia, a British territory in the Indian Ocean.
• To Provoke War, Cheney Considered Proposal To Dress Up Navy Seals As Iranians And Shoot At Them: Luckily, there was one voice of reason at that meeting. But probably only one.
• Top Fatah officials held in Gaza: Six die in a bomb blast in Gaza, Fatah detains Hamas officials in the West Bank, Hamas detains Fatah officials in the Gaza Strip.
• US anthrax 'suspect' found dead: Dr. Bruce Ivins apparently committed suicide before he could be indicted for the 2001 anthrax attacks.
• Economic models predict clear Obama win in November: As the economy worsens, an Obama victory becomes more certain.