This probably comes as a huge surprise to most, but Southern California winters do get snow. Which means...skiers and snowboarders can rejoice! Living in Southern California does not mean the end of winter sports, there are several ski and snowboard resorts in Southern California too, and while they aren't quite as impressive as the ones up North, they're not bad when you're just craving the snow.

Big Bear Mountain Resorts is situated just about 100 miles from Los Angeles-- a brief 2 hour drive when the traffic is right. Sitting inland, Big Bear is extremely convenient to cities such as Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ontario. A quick hop in the car will get you to Big Bear from those cities in about an hour, giving you plenty of time to hit the slopes for the day.

Big Bear Mountain Resort operates 12 chair lifts which cover a whopping 4 mountain peeks. The highest elevation at Big Bear is 8,805 feet. What's particularly nice about Big Bear is that it offers a lot of intermediate and advanced runs while still offering a fair amount of beginner runs. According to statistics, about 40% of the runs are intermediate and 30% are advanced, leaving 30% as low-intermediate and beginner. This makes Big Bear a perfect location for families looking to expose their children to skiing or snowboarding, but that also want to have some challenges themselves on the slopes.

Big Bear is slightly cheaper than most of its Northern competitors, which tend to run on the more expensive side. Adults can ride for $53 a day, while young adults get in for only $43, and children get in for a mere $20. Big Bear also offers a range of ski and snowboard lessons for pretty much all skill levels-- from the "GuaranSki/GauranRide special" to the 'Go with a Pro" lesson.

Lastly, the Resort has a pretty great park for those interested in testing our their freestyle skills. The park has tons of rails, walls, boxes and Southern California's only Superpipe!

And remember, just because its Southern California doesn't mean it won't be chilly up there on the slopes. If you haven't got a nice warm beanie yet, this beanie is sure to keep you warm on the runs.

When he's on the court, he demands your attention. When he's not, you grow impatient waiting for him to return. Just nine games into his freshman season, John Wall is the biggest and brightest star in college basketball. And the ride is just beginning.

When's the last time a freshman got so big so quickly? Carmelo wasn't Carmelo until that NCAA tournament and Kevin Durant never truly captured the public's imagination until he averaged 34 ppg in his first four Big 12 games. It's not even Christmas and already Wall has taken over the sport, leaving analysts drooling at his potential:

Jason King, Yahoo! Sports: 

It's been quite awhile since college basketball has seen a point guard as talented as Wall. Calipari has already said Wall is playing better than Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans were at this stage of their freshmen seasons at Memphis. Rose and Evans were drafted No. 1 and No. 4, respectively, after just one year of college.

Last week North Carolina coach Roy Williams said Wall is the best point guard prospect since Jason Kidd, who starred at Cal nearly 20 years ago.

The one thing that was evident Wednesday is that Kentucky is a spectacular basketball team when Wall is on the court - and a mediocre one when he isn't.

Luke Winn, SI.com:

"At this point Wall interrupted with his dash to the rim. And it became clear his DNA is superior to everyone else's in college basketball. This was evident again Wednesday, when the 6-foot-4 guard raced past Robinson for the final layup ... The scariest part is Wall still has so much room to improve. He committed seven turnovers (against two assists) Tuesday and knows he needs to become a better floor general early in games. But Calipari still was comfortable with saying that his star freshman is ahead of where Derrick Rose was as a Memphis rookie in December of 2007, and Calhoun, who played Rose at the Garden that season, said that Wall, in comparison, "is all of that."

Jim O'Connell, AP:

Wall scored a season-high 25 points, including 12 of his team's last 15, and the fourth-ranked Wildcats beat No. 14 Connecticut 64-61 on Wednesday night in the SEC/Big East Invitational.

"He's phenomenal, one of the best players out there," Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson said. "If we need a crunch-time basket we give it to John and we know we are going to have the advantage. Pretty much when we need baskets we know who to get the ball to.

What made Wall's performance in his first appearance in Madison Square Garden even more remarkable is that he was saddled with foul trouble in the first half before dominating the game over the final 7 1/2 minutes-even when Connecticut made a defensive switch that slowed him down for a few possessions.

John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader:

By now we're all starting to think he is from some other planet out there somewhere, but Wall is from Raleigh, N.C. Yet those were New York City kind of plays - savvy, tough, clutch, and at nail-biting, crunch time on a grand stage, the grandest they tell you around here.

"John is used to doing stuff like this," said Patrick Patterson.

We, and all of college basketball. are getting used to it, too.

Photo: "the.wall" by jonathancastellino, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

The City issued an order to the donors of a nativity scene in front of Old City Hall to remove the plaque that adorned it. Apparently it's not offensive to display scenes from the Old Testament (thereby risking offending those of other religious beliefs), but it is inappropriate to label said scene in honour of a pro-life/anti-abortion advocate (thereby risking offending those with different moral and political foundations).

Bollywood is coming to Toronto in 2011. We've been selected as the host city for the first Bollywood Awards Gala to be held in North America. The awards ceremony travels the world and we will be joining the ranks of London, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Dubai, Bangkok, and Macao - all previous host cities.

The controversial and much contested Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) was passed by the province and feds and will come into effect in July of 2010. Interestingly, Dalton McGuinty, and George Smitherman were absent for the vote, and Christine Elliott (spouse of federal finance Jim Flaherty) abstained (see below embedded CityNews video).

More...

Photo: "Message in a Bottle" by Mike Manalang, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2009... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

MUSIC | W.S. Walcott's Rabbit's Foot Minstrel Review: A Tribute to The Band
Is there a more badass chorus in music history than The Band's "The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down"? If there is, I haven't heard it. Tonight some talented Toronto musicians play a tribute concert to one of the greatest bands of all time for no reason other than the proven fact that you can never get enough of the Band. Those paying homage include members of the Born Ruffians, Cuff the Duke, the Golden Dogs, and Sports: the Band.
The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave., $5, 9:30 pm

GALLERY | City Field North Shore
This exhibition of four artists showcases each painter's interpretations of the Ontario landscape. Stewart Jones paints his urban surroundings, David Griene focuses on fields, Peter Rotter concentrates on northern wildernesses, while Joseph Sampson works exclusively with shorelines. Together the artists provide a mutli-faceted description of what it means to live in this particular part of the world. Opening night party tonigh, show runs til December 20.
Lennox Contemporary, 12 Ossington Avenue, 7 pm - 10 pm

HOLIDAY SALE | Methinks 2nd Annual Pop Up Show
There has been a rash of pop-up sales lately, with merchandisers taking empty store fronts all over the city to host temporary sales. The Methinks art collective begins their unique holiday sale/art installation today, with the interior of 165 Augusta being transformed into the inside of a giant Christmas stocking. Tonight's opening day party includes a silent auction, hot cocoa and some red light specials. The collective's unique pieces will make great gifts for the hip art-lover in your life and run between $20-$200 in price. Runs til December 31.
Project 165, 165 Augusta Ave., 6 pm - 11 pm opening night, 12 pm - 8 pm daily

More...

Section: Exclusives, Originals, Features, How-To, Consoles, Wii

It’s the holiday season, which means its prime time for shopping for gifts. Online shopping always makes things easier, and choosing an option where the place you’re buying from automatically sends the recipient your gift is even better. Its even easier if you decide to buy your favorite Wii owner a Virtual Console or WiiWare game from the Wii Shop Channel.

Nintendo created the Wii Shop channel so there are two options when browsing a game’s listing. You can either buy the game you’re looking at for yourself, or for your friend. The past few weeks have seen an extraordinary number of WiiWare and Virtual Console games added to the Wii Shop Channel, so there’s a great chance you can do some of your Hanukkah and Christmas shopping online.

If you both have Wiis, then the gift giving procedure is much easier. Now, since you two are already friends, you’ll likely have registered your Wiis with your friend codes. If you haven’t click the bottom right envelope icon on the Wii home screen, bring up the address book and enter your friend’s code. Then call your friend to make sure he or she has registered your code as well. Be sure to check your console’s Parental Controls as well, to make sure both of you can send and receive messages.

Also, for this to work, you and your friend must live in the same country. So you can’t buy Wii Shop games for friends in Europe or Japan if you have a North American Wii. It’s sad, but understandable. The offerings in each region’s Wii Shop Channels are different, so there’s a good chance the game you’d want to gift wouldn’t even be available in that region. Or, if the game was there, it could be a different number of Nintendo Points.

The final part of our pre-Wii Shop Channel gifting preparations is funding. Make sure you have at least 1,500 Wii Points credited to your Wii Shop Channel account. That should be more than enough to cover any Virtual Console or WiiWare games you’re interested in sending as a gift. I mean, it’s not like Nintendo is going to allow you to give the games away for free.

So, now that you and the friend you want to send a gift to have registered each other as friends and you’ve made sure you have Wii Points, let’s get into the actual gift-giving process.

Step One: Sending the Gift

Yup, sending a gift to someone through the Wii Shop Channel is so easy it only takes one step. If you’ve been keeping up with the Gamertell Nintendo Downloads Update, you probably have an idea of what games you might want to get for your friend. So the first thing you should do is head to the Wii Shop Channel, go to the appropriate section (WiiWare or Virtual Console) and check the listing for the game you want to send. Double check the description, screenshots and controller requirements to make sure you’ve picked the right game. Once you’ve decided, click the gift button on the right to send your gift.

An address book will then pop up, showing all of the friends whose Wiis you have registered that have also registered you. Find your friend’s name and click on it. You’ll then be taken to a page where you can add a little message that will be included in the gift notification your friend will receive. It might be a good idea to use this part to tell your friend why you’re sending a gift. Click OK. Nintendo will then check your friend’s account to make sure that he or she doesn’t own the game you want to send. If your friend already owns it, the process will be halted and the purchase won’t go through. If your friend doesn’t, then the gift will be sent.

Step Two: Receiving the Gift

If all went well, your friend should now have a message on his or her Wii stating that you generously gifted a WiiWare or Virtual Console game. The message will also include the brief message you entered in step one, which presumably stated the reason you sent the gift. Your friend will then be able to reject or accept your gift. If the gift is accepted, your friend will be prompted to write a quick thank you note to you. You will then receive a mail from Nintendo stating that your friend successfully received and accepted the gift that also includes a brief thank you message from your friend.

But, what if you friend already has the game? Or just never touches his or her Wii and didn’t accept the game? There’s no need to worry. If your friend went out and purchased the game already, then you’d have received a message saying your friend already has the game before the gifting process depicted in step one even finished and the purchase won’t go through. You’ll also get your Nintendo Points back if you friend chooses to reject your gift or if your gift isn’t accepted within 45 days.

What if you have a friend with a Wii who really wants Pokemon Rumble, but you don’t have a Wii. The best way to get that “game” for your friend is to go to your local Walmart or navigate to your favorite online store, order up a $20 2,000 Nintendo Points card, put it in a nice card and give it to your friend.

Image Source: Nintendo

Read [Nintendo] Also Read [Associated Content] Also Read [Gamertell]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

---

WASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers seeking jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, after falling for five straight weeks.

Despite the increase, claims have fallen steadily since this summer, a sign that job cuts are slowing and hiring could pick up as soon as early next year amid a broad economic recovery.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 474,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. That was above analysts' expectations of 460,000 new claims.

Claims were partly inflated by a surge following the Thanksgiving holiday week, when many state unemployment offices are closed, a department analyst said. Seasonal layoffs in the construction industry also played a role.

Economists closely monitor initial claims, which are considered a gauge of the pace of layoffs and an indication of companies' willingness to hire new workers.

The four-week average of claims, which smooths fluctuations, fell to 473,750, its 14th straight decline and the lowest level since September 2008.

Still, claims will have to fall to about 425,000 for several weeks to signal the economy is actually adding jobs, according to many economists.

The number of people continuing to claim benefits fell by 303,000 to 5.16 million, the lowest level since February. The total unemployment benefit rolls have fallen in 11 of the past 12 weeks.

But the so-called continuing claims do not include millions of people that have used up the regular 26 weeks of benefits typically provided by states, and are receiving extended benefits for up to 73 additional weeks, paid for by the federal government.

About 4.6 million people were receiving extended benefits in the week ended Nov. 21, the latest data available. That's an increase of about 130,000 from the previous week, and is partly due to an extension of benefits that Congress enacted last month.

The economy grew at a 2.8 percent pace in the July-September quarter and analysts say it is likely growing at a similar pace in the current quarter. But that is much slower than the average 6 percent rate in previous economic recoveries.

As a result, most economists expect the unemployment rate to rise in coming months and remain above 9 percent through the end of next year.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday that he expects "modest" economic growth next year. That should help push down the nation's unemployment rate – now at 10 percent – "but at a pace slower than we would like," he acknowledged.

The Labor Department last week said employers shed 11,000 jobs in November, much better than economists expected and below the 111,000 lost the previous month.

Some employers are continuing to lay off workers. Consol Energy said Tuesday that it will lay off nearly 500 workers and idle a mountaintop removal mining operation near Bickmore, W.Va. The Pittsburgh-based company blamed an environmental lawsuit.

The Los Angeles School Board on Tuesday approved a budget plan that would cut 5,000 jobs, including about 1,400 teachers.

Among the states, the largest increases in initial claims was in Wisconsin, at 8,067, which it attributed to layoffs in construction and manufacturing industries. The state data lag initial claims by a week.

The next largest increases in claims were in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Indiana.

California reported the largest drop in claims, down 28,672, which it attributed to fewer layoffs in the service industry. Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Illinois had the next largest drops.

• Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald: "A small thing like points off the bench might make a huge difference for the Bulls, who probably never guessed they’d get so little from Jannero Pargo and rookie James Johnson early this season. Johnson scored 17 points against Atlanta, but they all came during garbage time. Pargo is 1 for 12 from the field in the last two games. Kirk Hinrich tried to help against the Hawks, returning from a left thumb sprain, but missed all 9 of his shots. Basically, during this downturn, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson have kept playing and the Bulls have gotten next to nothing from everyone else. Actually, Deng hit a bit of a slump recently after playing well all season. The point is, it’s tough to win with four guys."
• Brendan Haywood via YardBarker.com: "Aight Yard – it’s ya boy B-wood! My last blog stirred up a lot of controversy. If you didn’t read it, basically I just happened to address some of the issues that I had with Elin Woods’ actions after she found out about Tiger’s indiscretions. In NO WAY or at ANY POINT did I ever say that cheating on your spouse is okay or that women should ever condone such actions. But I guess some people missed that. One person that definitely missed that was my fellow Yardbarker Blogger Chantelle Anderson. She proceeded to write a blog criticizing my points. The first thing she stated was that she had a problem with the fact that I only gave an 'obligatory, what Tiger did was wrong.' Well, we already knew that. As more and more females have come out saying that they’ve slept with or had intimate relationships with Tiger, we can all tell that he was wrong. I didn’t think a whole blog about that was necessary. But obviously Chantelle disagrees with me. So for the last time, I’m going to clear this up. For all the folks who didn’t read my last blog fully or people like Chantelle who didn’t read it with comprehension: I DO NOT CONDONE TIGER’S ACTIONS."
• Michael Wallace of The Miami Herald: "Several team members disputed comments attributed to Mavericks forward Shawn Marion that the Heat purposely tanked it on the way to a 15-67 finish to the 2007-08 season. 'When I first got there, they were basically tanking the season,' Marion said in an SI.com article last month of his two-season stint in Miami. 'I hadn't been used to being on a team that just went out to lose like that.' Injuries to Wade, Alonzo Mourning, Marion and Udonis Haslem also were a factor in the losing that led to Miami getting Michael Beasley with the No. 2 draft pick. Marion also said he had fun during his short stint in Miami. But his remarks offended some. 'Man, wasn't anybody trying to lose like that,' Haslem said, dismissing the issue. 'Everybody's entitled to their opinion, and that's only his. That's all I have to say about that.' "
• Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe: "Good guys can finish first, indeed. Ray Allen needs 14 points to reach 20,000 and could get them tonight in Washington against the Wizards. Allen would become the 37th player to reach that milestone in a career that has had its share of adversity. ... It will be years before Allen’s place in the history of the game is determined. Kevin Garnett reached 20,000 points in March 2008 and Paul Pierce should reach it this season. Allen could easily have continued his career with Seattle or another club and been denied an opportunity to win a championship. The forming of the Big Three II, however, has defined his career. He will never have to buy a drink in Boston after his playing days -- if he does decide to drink -- and his individual accomplishments are more appreciated because they added to the resurrection of the Celtics. 'The fortune I have is that I still continue to think I am getting better and working within what we’re doing here and we want to get better,’ he said. 'For me, I can’t focus on what I am doing individually. We have such a regimen here that individually, we really don’t worry about it as much. And they stuck when you are not paying attention and I think that’s the beautiful thing.’ "
• Bob Kravitz of The Indianapolis Star: "Right now, Brandon Rush is a bust. Not a Shawne Williams-esque bust; that kid was the patron saint of blown first-rounders, spending most of his time here driving around Cheech-and-Chong style with unsavory characters. But through one full year and the first quarter of a second season, Rush is a giant disappointment, an immensely talented floater who still hasn't found his way. This, then, is Rush's make-or-break period. With Danny Granger out four to six weeks and Mike Dunleavy's playing time still limited, Rush figures to get extended minutes in the coming weeks, although he got just 24 minutes Wednesday in the Indiana Pacers' 102-91 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The story with him is simple: He must be aggressive, take the initiative, attack the defender. Not just do it part of the time; do it all the time. He is confounding, frustrating and enigmatic, a guy who looks like a budding star one minute and a bust the next."
• Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic: "Guard Steve Nash tried to pull out another game Tuesday at Dallas by taking the shots given him with a big man often switching to him but his 27 points were not quite enough. His eight assists and six turnovers were more telling. His run of first-quarter turnovers in recent games reflects his attempts to engage his teammates, despite less tempo and motion in the offense. When Nash has 11 assists or more, the Suns are 9-0, and Jason Richardson has scored at least 16 points in the eight of those games he played. If Nash has 10 assists or fewer, the Suns are 6-7. 'I could go out there and score 20 or 30 points against a switching defense but that's not necessarily as good for us as if I scored in the teens and had assists in the teens, where everyone is involved and our rhythm is good and we're putting the defense in a bind constantly,' Nash said. 'I'd much rather the game be played that way.' "
• Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Going into Wednesday night's game, the Hawks were 2 1/2 games behind Southeast Division-leading Orlando. Though the NBA season is only at the quarter-mark, the Hawks are well aware of their positioning relative to the defending division champs. 'Of course,' center Al Horford said. 'You have to keep up [with the competition]. I keep up with all the teams, even the bottom teams. It's one of those things that you want to keep that edge and you want to get to Orlando, maybe try to get ahead of them. It's important being at the top, no matter how early it is.' Last year, Orlando won the Southeast with a 59-23 record, 12 games better than the second-place Hawks. 'I think we need to start trying to get a win streak going," coach Mike Woodson said. 'That's what's important when you're trying to stay at the top and not let Orlando get too far away.' "
• Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer: "Raymond Felton has relaxed. The Bobcats point guard is playing some of the best basketball of his life, which he continued Tuesday in Charlotte's 107-95 win against a Denver Nuggets squad that will go deep in the playoffs. By adopting the 'less is more' approach and adapting to new teammate Stephen Jackson, Felton has gone from a sometimes exasperating player to an efficient one. Check out his line from Tuesday night. He only took seven shots. Made six. Had a season-high six steals. Three assists. One turnover. Everybody loves Raymond again -- coaches, teammates and fans. Felton won a one-point home game Saturday night against Philadelphia with a driving layup. Then on Tuesday he won the battle of former North Carolina point guards who led their teams to national championships, outdueling Ty Lawson in front of their college coach Roy Williams."
• Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle: "At some point, we may have to stop thinking of these Rockets as lovable overachievers. Out with warm and fuzzy. In with expectations. The Rockets are good. There, I said it. For 10 weeks, I couldn’t bring myself to admit what I was seeing was the real deal. I wanted to make it all about teamwork and energy, toughness and smarts. I wanted a Disney movie. Instead, the Rockets have given us something much, much better. They’re not just a team; they’re a good team. They emphasized that point again Wednesday night by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 95-85 at Toyota Center. They didn’t win pretty. This was a game of fouls and elbows, of missed shots and whistles. The Rockets got 18 fast-break points and held the Cavs to two, but it wasn’t the tempo they prefer. They sprinted to an 18-point lead in the first half, then slogged it out down the stretch."
• K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune: "Not only is Jamal Crawford the longest-tenured NBA player never to appear in a playoff game, but the former Bull also never has played on a winning team. And this is Crawford's 10th season in the league and Wednesday marked his 618th career game. 'I've paid my dues,' Crawford said. 'I don't take it for granted because I've seen the worst of the worst.' Crawford laughed when asked if that meant the Tim Floyd-era Bulls or the train-wreck Knicks teams. Crawford is earning league-wide recognition as an early Sixth Man of the Year candidate, averaging 16.1 points in 30.5 minutes for the Hawks, who acquired him from the Warriors in June. He scored a season-high 29 against the Bulls. 'I knew it was a good chance I'd come off the bench,' Crawford said. 'But I embraced it because I knew I'd play big minutes.' "
• Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "Shaun Livingston needed only one word to adequately describe his emotions for his latest and perhaps last significant opportunity in the NBA. Thankful. 'Anytime you get blessed with an opportunity, you’ve got to be thankful, especially given my history of opportunities and downfalls with injuries,' Livingston said. 'So obviously I don’t take it for granted. But I’m ambitious as well. I want to go out here and really show the staff what I can bring to the table.' Livingston has at least until the end of the month to prove his worth. The 6-foot-7 point guard is next in line to audition while opening-night backup Kevin Ollie recovers from right knee surgery. Mike Wilks was signed on Nov. 26 to provide emergency minutes. But after playing four straight games, it was Livingston who got the nod Monday against Golden State. ... Before Monday’s game, Livingston had played in only three games, tallying a meager 25 minutes. Swelling set in on his surgically repaired left knee, forcing Livingston to undergo an arthroscopic procedure to remove staples put in during his original reconstructive surgery in 2007. Livingston was expected to miss three to four weeks. He returned in two."
• Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "Injured Lakers forward Luke Walton said he wouldn't mince words while filling in for Mychal Thompson as the Lakers' radio color commentator the next two games. 'I speak my mind to them all the time in practice, so I'm going to go out and have a good time,' Walton said. Thompson will be in the Bahamas this weekend to attend the funeral of his mother. Walton will team with radio play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes for Friday's game against Minnesota and Saturday's game at Utah. Walton consulted with his father, Bill, a longtime TV analyst who recently retired because of constant back pain. 'He said, 'Go talk to Spero and do whatever Spero tells you to do and it'll be a good time,' ' Walton said. Walton won't be criticizing one person in particular: Coach Phil Jackson. 'I'm going to say he's the greatest, smartest coach of all time,' Walton said, smiling."

A 20-year-old burglar who stole a woman's £14,000 life-savings from her north Belfast home is jailed.

Analyst Sees Stable Oil Prices for 20 Years, More SUVs and Big Cars Ahead

Americans may not be moving to small cars, hybrids and battery electrics quite as fast as environmentalists have hoped, says the forecaster CSM Worldwide.

As the climate talks get underway in Denmark, all eyes are focused on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA says cars and trucks are more than 23 percent of U.S. climate emissions, so that’s a major focus. But to get Americans out of big gas guzzlers, CSM says, fuel prices would have to rise significantly (as they did last year, to $4 a gallon).

“But we don’t expect to see $140 a barrel oil again for another 20 years,” said George Augustaitis, CSM market analyst for North American vehicle sales. He said that when the price reaches $110 to $120, it becomes economical to start drilling again, and to invest in alternative sources such as oil shale and tar sands.

Soon oil prices will soar again

Many National Post readers are committed to the free-market system. They'll be surprised then, to learn then that oil and gas is subsidized by taxpayers to the tune of $250-billion a year worldwide.

Doug Koplow, an expert who studies oil and gas subsidies, points out that financial support comes in many forms: consumption subsidies, tax breaks, loans and loan guarantees, required purchase of particular energy commodities, funding research and development, and reducing risk by government assuming liability or providing insurance.

Oil Rebounds From 2-Month Low on Speculation Drop Was Too Fast

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose, rebounding from a two month-low near $70 a barrel on speculation that this week’s decline took place too rapidly.

Oil had lost almost 10 percent in six days as a stronger dollar dampened investor appetite for commodities to hedge against inflation and climbing U.S. fuel inventories undermined confidence demand is recovering. Gasoline stockpiles jumped 2.25 million barrels last week, the Energy Department said yesterday.

“The low $70s is definitely seen as a buying region for a lot of investors,” Ben Westmore, a minerals and energy economist at National Australia Bank Ltd. in Melbourne, said by telephone. “If you’ve got any faith in the medium-term demand outlook, then it’s probably not a bad time to buy.”

Inflation Returns to China

BEIJING – China is moving out of deflation after nearly a year of falling consumer prices, a turnaround driven in part by the government's success in changing long-criticized policies that kept costs for oil, water and electricity artificially low.

China major fuel stocks up 5.3 pct in Nov - source

BEIJING (Reuters) - Combined stocks of gasoline, diesel and kerosene held by China's top two oil companies rose by 5.3 percent in November from October as domestic sales dropped 2.6 percent, an industry official with knowledge of the data told Reuters on Thursday.

Saudi boosts crude supply to some Asia buyers

TOKYO/SINGAPORE - Saudi Arabia is restoring full term crude supplies to at least two Asian buyers for January and keeping contracted volumes to six others, as the top oil exporter prepares for domestic refinery maintenance this month, industry sources said on Thursday.

The two Asian customers will receive their full contracted volumes in January after supplies were cut by 5 to 7 percent for December, industry sources at the term customers said.

Turkmen-China gas pipeline nearly operational

BEIJING – A natural gas pipeline linking Turkmenistan and China is nearly operational and President Hu Jintao will attend an inauguration ceremony during a visit to the central Asian nation this weekend, a senior Chinese diplomat said Thursday.

The 1,833-kilometer (1,139-mile) Turkmenistan-China pipeline cuts through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan into China's far western Xinjiang region.

It will eventually be able to bring 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually from gas-rich Turkmenistan, undercutting Russia's near-lock on gas supplies in that former Soviet region.

Obama taps ex-Palin aide to oversee natgas project

Alaska (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday nominated Larry Persily, a veteran Alaska policy maker and former aide to former Governor Sarah Palin, to oversee plans for a massive, long-desired Alaska natural gas pipeline.

ANALYSIS - Now or never for Big Oil in Iraq

"For the companies involved, this is it," said Alex Munton, analyst at consultancy Wood Mackenzie. "Rounds 1 and 2 to a large extent covers all of Iraq's biggest fields. There is no round three."

Firms that failed to win contracts in the first round were likely to push hardest. Among the empty-handed so far are U.S. major Chevron and France's Total. The two have paired up and Total has said it would bid for Majnoon, one of the supergiant fields on offer.

U-Ming Marine to Add 20 Ships to Fleet in Five Years, Hsu Says

(Bloomberg) -- U-Ming Marine Transport Corp., the bulk shipping unit of Taiwan’s Far Eastern Group, plans to add at least 20 ships in the next five years as it expands into the crude carrier business, Chairman Douglas Hsu said.

“We are one of the partners to upgrade the second-generation double-hull oil tankers” for CPC Corp., Hsu, 67, said in an interview at his Taipei office yesterday. U-Ming also plans to buy at least 10 dry bulk carriers to boost its own fleet, he said.

BP Says Australian Oil Refinery Unaffected By Strike

(Bloomberg) -- BP Plc, which operates two refineries in Australia, said its Bulwer Island plant in Queensland state is running normally as maintenance workers strike after rejecting a new labor contract.

“Operations at the refinery are not affected,” Jamie Jardine, Melbourne-based spokesman for BP, said by phone today. Workers continue to reject an agreement and have chosen to take industrial action, he said.

Exxon’s New Jersey Franchisees Sue Over Fuel Prices, Rent

(Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., the biggest U.S. oil company, was sued by operators of more than 100 of its New Jersey gas stations claiming they are being forced to overpay for wholesale gasoline and rent.

J-Power May Buy U.S. Coal to Cut Reliance on Australia

(Bloomberg) -- J-Power, Japan’s biggest coal importer, bought 60,000 metric tons of the fuel from Alaska and is evaluating reviving purchases from the U.S. after a six-year gap to reduce dependence on supplies from Australia.

Electric Power Development Co., as J-Power is officially known, is considering a supply contract with an Alaskan producer after the trial, Executive Vice President Yoshihiko Sakanashi said. “Alaskan coal could increasingly be coming into Japan as long as it has price competitiveness.”

Foreign Policy: The World Bank Is Banking On Coal

With the U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen getting under way this week, the pressure's on for world leaders to come up with some sort of climate agreement. Despite the appearance of a unified plea for action, however, not everyone is playing ball. And one of the shirkers is especially surprising: Even as governments are weighing tough choices to bring down emissions and cope with rising temperatures, the World Bank is financing — and plans to continue financing — coal projects to the detriment of renewable energy. In effect, the World Bank is sending the message that coal is not just an acceptable fuel, but also a resource that should be developed with international funding. It's a betrayal of everything the World Bank's member countries are supposed to be working for.

Natural gas returning to favor, according to survey, whitepaper

Green is gone and gas is good, according to early word trickling out of Deloitte LLP’s oil and gas conference in The Woodlands on Wednesday.

A survey of 200 oil and gas professionals conducted in early November and released this week shows that most industry insiders expect climate change legislation to pass within two years, furthering the United States’ entry into a golden age for natural gas.

Clean old energy, new energy both needed - analyst

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Policymakers should promote clean uses of old forms of energy as well as new pollution-free forms of energy to advance the world toward a low-carbon future, an analyst said Wednesday.

Oil, gas and coal have to be part of the solution because solar and wind power cannot solve the problem alone, consultant Joe Stanislaw said in a paper issued at the 2009 Deloitte Oil & Gas Conference and in remarks at a news conference.

Rare Earth Interview with Analyst John Kaiser

Here’s a brief backgrounder on why the fundamentals for rare earths are what they are today: red hot. Every good story has an ample source of tension. The rare earths story abounds with the stuff.

To wit: Gasoline is quickly becoming passe. Within a few decades, most new vehicles will not be run directly from greenhouse gas emitting substances like petroleum-based fuels but rather a combination of fuel and electricity or something else entirely. There are simply too many reasons why this is so: Peak oil, global warming and oil-fueled wars being the three most obvious causes of triple digit oil costs.

GE Wins $1.4 Billion Turbine Order for Biggest Wind Farm So Far

(Bloomberg) -- General Electric Co. won a $1.4 billion contract to supply turbines and services for an Oregon wind farm that would be bigger than any completed so far and supply a tenth of Southern California Edison’s renewable energy.

GE, whose equipment generates one-third of the world’s electricity, will supply 338 of its 2.5-megawatt turbines to Caithness Energy LLC to be installed in 2011 and 2012 and will hold a 10-year service contract, the companies said in a statement. About 400 people will be needed during construction of the wind farm and 35 to run the plant, GE said.

UN Rejection of China’s Windfarms Is ‘Unfair,’ Xinhua Reports

(Bloomberg) -- The United Nations emissions regulator’s decision to reject certification to some windfarms in China is “unfair,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing a government official.

The development of Clean Development Mechanism projects in specific areas was confronted by “unprecedented difficulties and barriers, part of which are caused by the irrational, non- transparent and unfair decisions” of the system’s executive board, Li Gao, an official with the Chinese delegation at the Copenhagen climate change conference, was quoted as saying.

China's Wind Power Plans Turn On Coal

Nature is unpredictable: Sometimes there is no wind; other times, it's so strong the turbines have to be shut down. Because China's transmission power grid can't cope with the intermittent nature of wind, the government is adding back-up coal-fired power plants along with wind power to level out those peaks and troughs.

In Jiuquan, new coal-fired power plants with 13.6 million kilowatts of installed capacity — the same amount of energy generated by Chile in 2009 — will be added by 2020. The need to add baseload coal-fired power plants has the effect of reducing the clean benefits of wind power.

Taiwan chip giant TSMC to enter solar energy

TAIPEI (AFP) – Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is planning its first foray into solar energy with an investment in the island's largest producer of solar cells, a spokesman said Thursday.

World Bank musters $5.5 billion for solar projects

WASHINGTON — The World Bank announced Wednesday 5.5 billion dollars would be invested in solar energy projects in five countries of the Middle East and North Africa in a bid to combat climate change.

U.S. military sees surge to solar power

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The United States is calling out the military to help it win the global war for clean energy, building solar farms at bases and funding research.

U.S. military leaders hope the surge will help secure energy security at home and abroad, but the strategy could also boost the solar industry and soothe critics who fear the United States is lagging China and other nations in clean technology.

First fuel cell boat cruises Amsterdam's canals

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Emitting only water vapour and gliding silently through Amsterdam's centuries-old canals, a canal boat -- a popular tourist attraction -- powered by fuel cells made its debut cruise on Wednesday.

The "Nemo H2," which can carry about 87 people, is the first of its kind designed specifically to run on a fuel cell engine, in which hydrogen and oxygen are mixed to create electricity and water, without producing air-polluting gases.

Energy efficiency technologies offer major savings

WASHINGTON -- Energy efficiency technologies that exist today or that are likely to be developed in the near future could save considerable money as well as energy, says a new report from the National Research Council. Fully adopting these technologies could lower projected U.S. energy use 17 percent to 20 percent by 2020, and 25 percent to 31 percent by 2030.

Achieving full deployment of these efficiency technologies will depend in part on pressures driving adoption, such as high energy prices or public policies designed to increase energy efficiency. Nearly 70 percent of electricity consumption in the United States occurs in buildings. The energy savings from attaining full deployment of cost-effective, energy-efficient technologies in buildings alone could eliminate the need to add new electricity generation capacity through 2030, the report says. New power generation facilities would be needed only to address imbalances in regional energy supplies, replace obsolete facilities, or to introduce more environmentally friendly sources of electricity.

Peak Oil Coffee Table

“Since the human race is soon going to see the end of the ‘oil age’ as we know it, and it is not going to take long, it would only be fitting to produce an iconic and sickly reminder of those times to pass,” explains the artist of his design. “The table takes its basic form from the trunk of a mahogany tree which has been rendered with the glossy black plastic surface, a synthetic tomb stone if you like.”

Soros Seeks $100 Billion in IMF Funds for Green Plan

(Bloomberg) -- Billionaire George Soros asked the richest nations to use $100 billion of foreign-exchange reserves to finance emissions-reducing projects in poor countries.

The reserves, from the International Monetary Fund, would go into a green fund to “jump start” investments in rain forests, agriculture and land use that would lower carbon- dioxide emissions, the financier said today at climate negotiations involving more than 190 nations in Copenhagen.

Increasing resilience of poorest people first

The most vulnerable people in Africa, Asia and Latin America are hardest hit by climate change. Therefore they need to be the first to increase their resilience to global warming. Not by imposing measures from above, but by supporting communities to reflect on their problems and act themselves. This sounds logical, but turns out to be rather innovative.

"Solutions are only sustainable if you support pastoralists in Ethiopia or small farmers in Bangladesh to analyse their disaster risk and the possible solutions", says Marije Broekhuijsen of Cordaid. "As an NGO we can contribute by adding knowledge, contacts and resources, but the responsibility of taking action lies within the communities."

UK Met Office warns carbon emissions must peak by 2020

Even if emissions peaked in 2020, there would be a 50% chance of temperatures rising by more than 2C, the target adopted by the G8 at its July summit.

Meeting the lower target of 1.5C favoured by some developing countries is virtually impossible, the UKMO says.

Emissions 'higher than reported'

Emissions of some greenhouse gases are substantially higher than companies and countries report, say scientists.

The gases in question are much more powerful warming agents than CO2, but make a small contribution to climate change as concentrations are low.

---

---

Middle East

• As Defense Secretary Robert Gates visits Iraq, the Pentagon said that the delayed parliamentary elections won't affect U.S. troop drawdown plans. 
• Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for yesterday's bombings in Baghdad. 
• Egypt has begun building a wall along its border with Gaza to prevent smuggling. 

Asia

• U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth said he reached a "common understanding" with North Korea in nuclear talks in Pyongyang. 
• Pakistan has arrested five men reported missing in the United States who are suspected of planning terrorist attacks. 
• Bandits are holding almost 60 people hostage in Philippines' increasingly violent southern region. 

Europe

• A Russian test-launch of an intercontinental submarine-based missile failed. 
• Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy has co-written a Wall Street Journal op-ed calling for taxes of financial transactions and bank bonuses. 
• Sale of the abortion drug RU 486 was approved in Italy over the objections of the Vatican. 

Americas

• Honduras's government refused ousted leader Manuel Zelaya's request to leave the country for Mexico. 
• Mexican President Felipe Calderon moved his finance minister to the post of Central Bank chief. 
• Opposition groups are threatening to disrupt Haiti's upcoming legislative elections. 

Africa

• U.N. peacekeepers have been participating in combat actions with the Congolese army against the instructions of legal advisors, the New York Times reports.
• South Africa suspended dozens of immigration officials for falsely granting citizenship to foreigners. 
• Guinea's military junta is accusing French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of being behind a plot to assassinate leader Moussa Dadis Camara.

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Christmas nut Eric Marshall has confessed that in the last 10 years his impressive light show at his North Yorkshire has "just snowballed". He strings more than 1,000 lights across his house and garden in Bagby, near Thirsk, and spends three weeks setting up the display.

Cleveland Browns versus Pittsburgh Steelers

8:20 PM, Thursday Night Football

Remember last week, how everyone was saying that it was playoff time in Pittsburgh? Well, we're going to take a mulligan on that one. This week in Cleveland it really is do or die time.

The Steelers have to win out, along with having a few things fall their way to enter the playoffs as a wild card team. If they lose, they're done, without a look back.

What team other than the humble Browns would love to ruin the Steelers season more? No one. The team in Cleveland has lost a stunning 12 in a row to the defending champions and would like nothing more than to narrow the gap in the series record.

If there ever was a chance to do it, it's now. The Steelers are stumbling through the second half of their schedule, playing down to the level of their opponents. A late Oakland Raiders surge by quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and wide receiver Louis Murphy stunned the Steelers in the fourth quarter at home. The Browns lost a close one against the San Diego Chargers last week and are looking to build on the fact that they hung around with a tough Chargers team.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is facing the first adversity of his career, losing four straight and staring at the monumental task of whipping his team into playoff shape. If he can make the necessary adjustments, instead of making it sound good for the media (Unleash hell? Really? That's the best you've got, Mike?) then he'll be an even more respected coach and perhaps quiet the numerous Steelers fans calling for his head.

The week just wouldn't be a week in the Steelers 2009 schedule if there wasn't an injury to a key player. Well, Troy Polamalu's still out. But the best news? Hines Ward may not play due to an injured hamstring.

Wait.

The SAME Hines Ward that questioned his quarterback's toughness when he sat out a game with a concussion?

Seems like a little poetic justice mixed with a slight hint of irony I think.

If Ward is indeed not cleared to play in the game, we'll get to see Pittsburgh heartbreaker, Limas Sweed in action.

This is Sweed's final shot to prove himself to Steeler Nation, a good showing here and he saves his roster spot. Another drop-fest and he's likely out of Pittsburgh.

In the week six meeting between the two, Ben Roethlisberger absolutely lit the Cleveland defense up and systematically picked them apart on his way to 417 passing yards and two touchdowns.

The scariest thing on the Browns team that is sitting at 1-11 and completely out of the playoff discussion is kick/punt returner/receiver/quarterback/running back Joshua Cribbs. He does it all and can really kill the Pittsburgh special teams, which is why Jeff Reed needs to be instructed to kick the ball away from him at all times.

The Steelers need this one and I haven't bet against them yet, so I say they pull this one out somehow after a late surge by the Browns.

 

Baltimore Ravens versus Detroit Lions

1:00 PM Sunday

Funny thing about this match-up is that the last time they met was in 2005, a game in which the Lions ran for four touchdowns against the Ravens lauded defense.

That's not going to happen again, at least not this season. The Ravens are coming off of a tough loss against the Green Bay Packers that was riddled with penalties and turnovers for both sides.

Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford isn't going to be playing due to that shoulder injury he received against the Cleveland Browns. That's a pretty smart call considering the Ravens would like nothing more than to face a rookie quarterback who's a little banged up. They'd of been blitzing on every down, from every angle and forcing Stafford to beat them.

That being said, Daunte Culpepper just doesn't have it anymore and will likely get eaten alive by the Baltimore defense.

The key for the Lions is going to be to force Joe Flacco to throw the ball. Since the Ravens bye week he's thrown three touchdowns and six interceptions whilst averaging about 200 yards a game. He's certainly found his slump.

This isn't even a game in my humble opinion, Baltimore takes it. Of course, I'd be happy with a Lions win and will be hoping that they somehow pull off the upset.

 

Minnesota Vikings versus Cincinnati Bengals

1:00 PM, Sunday

Here's an interesting match-up. The Vikings are coming off only their second loss of the season, the first being against the Steelers, while the Bengals are riding high as the champions of the AFC North.

The Bengals defense is more than likely going to try and take the fumble prone Adrian Peterson out of the equation and rely on their talented corners to shut down Brett Favre and company via the aerial assault.

Last week the Arizona Cardinals shut down Peterson in one of the worst games of his career. The Bengals are looking to duplicate that success. The Cincinnati cornerbacks are two fierce competitors that are going to be a thorn in Favre's side from the first snap on.

Carson Palmer's numbers aren't as inflated as you'd expect them to be, but that's because of the emergence of running backs Cedric Benson and Larry Johnson for the club.

Benson needs only 31 rushing yards to reach the 1,000 yard mark this season, whereas Chad Ocho-Cinco needs only 90 receiving yards to hit the same plateau. I'm fairly confident that Benson at least eclipses it and perhaps Ocho-Cinco does as well.

A lot of people are picking the Vikings for this one, but give me the Bengals as much as it pains me to say they'll win. I think they're the better team between the two. Great defense, great running game and a passing attack that can be lethal when called upon.

I think we may have game of the week material here in this one, but at the end of the day, the Bengals end up with more points and a thousand yard rusher.

 

As always, TJ Jenkins' work can also be found at the Pittsburgh Pigskin Blog and the Sports Jabber Forums .

Oye, new Spanish grammar unveiled MADRID ? Academic overseers of the Spanish language have unveiled their first grammar guidelines in more than 70 years. The nearly 4,000-page tome in two volumes was unveiled Thursday at the Spanish Royal Academy at a ceremony presided over by King Juan Carlos. The academy and affiliated organizations in 21 other countries where ... Read more »»».

Stock futures hold on to gains after jobs data NEW YORK ? Stock futures are extending early gains even as the government says claims for unemployment benefits rose after falling for five straight weeks. The Labor Department says the number of newly laid-off workers seeking jobless benefits rose to 474,000, up from 457,000 last week. Economists were ... Read this article on Gaea Times at : Stock futures hold on to early gains even as government says unemployment claims rise.

I appreciate all the e-mails people have sent me on this topic which I have unfortunately been late getting to, but will now address it: In the opening months of the Korean War, the South Korean military and the police executed at least 4,900 civilians who had earlier signed up — often under force — for [...]

The full text of the US president's speech in Oslo, Norway, as provided by the White House

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, citizens of America, and citizens of the world:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage. Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela my accomplishments are slight. And then there are the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice; those who toil in humanitarian organizations to relieve suffering; the unrecognized millions whose quiet acts of courage and compassion inspire even the most hardened of cynics. I cannot argue with those who find these men and women some known, some obscure to all but those they help to be far more deserving of this honor than I.

But perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of a nation in the midst of two wars. One of these wars is winding down. The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by 43 other countries including Norway in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

Still, we are at war, and I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill. Some will be killed. And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

These questions are not new. War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man. At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.

Over time, as codes of law sought to control violence within groups, so did philosophers, clerics and statesmen seek to regulate the destructive power of war. The concept of a "just war" emerged, suggesting that war is justified only when it meets certain preconditions: if it is waged as a last resort or in self-defense; if the forced used is proportional; and if, whenever possible, civilians are spared from violence.

For most of history, this concept of just war was rarely observed. The capacity of human beings to think up new ways to kill one another proved inexhaustible, as did our capacity to exempt from mercy those who look different or pray to a different God. Wars between armies gave way to wars between nations total wars in which the distinction between combatant and civilian became blurred. In the span of 30 years, such carnage would twice engulf this continent. And while it is hard to conceive of a cause more just than the defeat of the Third Reich and the Axis powers, World War II was a conflict in which the total number of civilians who died exceeded the number of soldiers who perished.

In the wake of such destruction, and with the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another World War. And so, a quarter century after the United States Senate rejected the League of Nations an idea for which Woodrow Wilson received this Prize America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace: a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide and restrict the most dangerous weapons.

In many ways, these efforts succeeded. Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed. But there has been no Third World War. The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall. Commerce has stitched much of the world together. Billions have been lifted from poverty. The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced. We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.

A decade into a new century, this old architecture is buckling under the weight of new threats. The world may no longer shudder at the prospect of war between two nuclear superpowers, but proliferation may increase the risk of catastrophe. Terrorism has long been a tactic, but modern technology allows a few small men with outsized rage to murder innocents on a horrific scale.

Moreover, wars between nations have increasingly given way to wars within nations. The resurgence of ethnic or sectarian conflicts, the growth of secessionist movements, insurgencies and failed states have increasingly trapped civilians in unending chaos. In today's wars, many more civilians are killed than soldiers; the seeds of future conflict are sown, economies are wrecked, civil societies torn asunder, refugees amassed and children scarred.

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war. What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations acting individually or in concert will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago: "Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: It merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life's work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak, nothing passive, nothing naive in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism it is a recognition of history, the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter the cause. At times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the world's sole military superpower.

Yet the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions not just treaties and declarations that brought stability to a post-World War II world. Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other people's children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. The soldier's courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause and to comrades in arms. But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

So part of our challenge is reconciling these two seemingly irreconcilable truths that war is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human feelings. Concretely, we must direct our effort to the task that President Kennedy called for long ago. "Let us focus," he said, "on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions."

What might this evolution look like? What might these practical steps be?

To begin with, I believe that all nations strong and weak alike must adhere to standards that govern the use of force. I like any head of state reserve the right to act unilaterally if necessary to defend my nation. Nevertheless, I am convinced that adhering to standards strengthens those who do, and isolates and weakens those who don't.

The world rallied around America after the 9/11 attacks, and continues to support our efforts in Afghanistan, because of the horror of those senseless attacks and the recognized principle of self-defense. Likewise, the world recognized the need to confront Saddam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait a consensus that sent a clear message to all about the cost of aggression.

Furthermore, America cannot insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves. For when we don't, our action can appear arbitrary, and undercut the legitimacy of future intervention no matter how justified.

This becomes particularly important when the purpose of military action extends beyond self-defense or the defense of one nation against an aggressor. More and more, we all confront difficult questions about how to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government, or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region.

I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans, or in other places that have been scarred by war. Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later. That is why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace.

America's commitment to global security will never waver. But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. This is true in Afghanistan. This is true in failed states like Somalia, where terrorism and piracy is joined by famine and human suffering. And sadly, it will continue to be true in unstable regions for years to come.

The leaders and soldiers of NATO countries and other friends and allies demonstrate this truth through the capacity and courage they have shown in Afghanistan. But in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public. I understand why war is not popular. But I also know this: The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. Peace requires responsibility. Peace entails sacrifice. That is why NATO continues to be indispensable. That is why we must strengthen U.N. and regional peacekeeping, and not leave the task to a few countries. That is why we honor those who return home from peacekeeping and training abroad to Oslo and Rome; to Ottawa and Sydney; to Dhaka and Kigali we honor them not as makers of war, but as wagers of peace.

Let me make one final point about the use of force. Even as we make difficult decisions about going to war, we must also think clearly about how we fight it. The Nobel Committee recognized this truth in awarding its first prize for peace to Henry Dunant the founder of the Red Cross, and a driving force behind the Geneva Conventions.

Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct. And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe that the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.

I have spoken to the questions that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war. But let me turn now to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace.

First, in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws, I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to change behavior for if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something. Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.

One urgent example is the effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and to seek a world without them. In the middle of the last century, nations agreed to be bound by a treaty whose bargain is clear: All will have access to peaceful nuclear power; those without nuclear weapons will forsake them; and those with nuclear weapons will work toward disarmament. I am committed to upholding this treaty. It is a centerpiece of my foreign policy. And I am working with President Medvedev to reduce America and Russia's nuclear stockpiles.

But it is also incumbent upon all of us to insist that nations like Iran and North Korea do not game the system. Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted. Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia. Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.

The same principle applies to those who violate international law by brutalizing their own people. When there is genocide in Darfur, systematic rape in Congo or repression in Burma there must be consequences. And the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed intervention and complicity in oppression.

This brings me to a second point the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.

It was this insight that drove drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after the Second World War. In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.

And yet all too often, these words are ignored. In some countries, the failure to uphold human rights is excused by the false suggestion that these are Western principles, foreign to local cultures or stages of a nation's development. And within America, there has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values.

I reject this choice. I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please, choose their own leaders or assemble without fear. Pent up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence. We also know that the opposite is true. Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace. America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens. No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests nor the world's are served by the denial of human aspirations.

So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal. We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran. It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear to these movements that hope and history are on their side.

Let me also say this: The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach and condemnation without discussion can carry forward a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

In light of the Cultural Revolution's horrors, Nixon's meeting with Mao appeared inexcusable and yet it surely helped set China on a path where millions of its citizens have been lifted from poverty, and connected to open societies. Pope John Paul's engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa. Ronald Reagan's efforts on arms control and embrace of perestroika not only improved relations with the Soviet Union, but empowered dissidents throughout Eastern Europe. There is no simple formula here. But we must try as best we can to balance isolation and engagement, pressure and incentives, so that human rights and dignity are advanced over time.

Third, a just peace includes not only civil and political rights it must encompass economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.

It is undoubtedly true that development rarely takes root without security; it is also true that security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food, or clean water, or the medicine they need to survive. It does not exist where children cannot aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family. The absence of hope can rot a society from within.

And that is why helping farmers feed their own people or nations educate their children and care for the sick is not mere charity. It is also why the world must come together to confront climate change. There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades. For this reason, it is not merely scientists and activists who call for swift and forceful action it is military leaders in my country and others who understand that our common security hangs in the balance.

Agreements among nations. Strong institutions. Support for human rights. Investments in development. All of these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about. And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination, an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share.

As the world grows smaller, you might think it would be easier for human beings to recognize how similar we are, to understand that we all basically want the same things, that we all hope for the chance to live out our lives with some measure of happiness and fulfillment for ourselves and our families.

And yet, given the dizzying pace of globalization, and the cultural leveling of modernity, it should come as no surprise that people fear the loss of what they cherish about their particular identities their race, their tribe and, perhaps most powerfully, their religion. In some places, this fear has led to conflict. At times, it even feels like we are moving backwards. We see it in the Middle East, as the conflict between Arabs and Jews seems to harden. We see it in nations that are torn asunder by tribal lines.

Most dangerously, we see it in the way that religion is used to justify the murder of innocents by those who have distorted and defiled the great religion of Islam, and who attacked my country from Afghanistan. These extremists are not the first to kill in the name of God; the cruelties of the Crusades are amply recorded. But they remind us that no Holy War can ever be a just war. For if you truly believe that you are carrying out divine will, then there is no need for restraint no need to spare the pregnant mother, or the medic, or even a person of one's own faith. Such a warped view of religion is not just incompatible with the concept of peace, but the purpose of faith for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature. We are fallible. We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil. Even those of us with the best intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The nonviolence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached their faith in human progress must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.

For if we lose that faith if we dismiss it as silly or naive, if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace then we lose what is best about humanity. We lose our sense of possibility. We lose our moral compass.

Like generations have before us, we must reject that future. As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago: "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the 'isness' of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."

So let us reach for the world that ought to be that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of deprivation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

at the end of my sophomore year in college my room mate and i decided we could not handle the crazy north park dorms anymore and we needed out! the problem was we didn't have enough credits to compete for the smaller apartments and didn't really know anyone we'd want to live with in a larger apartment. not that there weren't people, but at small evangelicalchristian colleges (read: dry campus) you gotta be careful about who you chose as a roommate. you never know who follows the doctrine and who doesn't. lots of secret sinning in those places and jae and i were just a little more open about ours.

alas. we had a friend who was looking for roommates for her and two of her friends and who knows why? but we ended up in a 5 person with no one we knew.

sarah. oh, sarah. she was in africa during the housing lottery and i didn't even meet her until we moved in. but what a lovely treat of a room mate. she baked and cooked and baked and cooked. delicious.

we have a similar history now. after college she went to democratic republic of congo where, as a missionary, committed the eternal sin of falling in love with a local. oops. went back to the states for grad school and then got married. she's got a beautiful son, liam, who i'm sure loves his moms ability to throw down in the kitchen.

she might just be the epitome of mommy-blogger. her entire blog, the buki blog is about her son and family. and on top of being super baker cooker extraordinaire, she is thrifty. a girl after my own heart. couponing and everything. i do'nt have time for that.

but the point is right now she's got this giveaway going on for a puzzle and samil LOVES puzzles. you can win it to, check her out at the buki blog and the sponsor at toysandgamesonline.com. i just hope we get it, puzzles are expensive and my genius child loves them.

New jobless claims rise more than expected to 474K WASHINGTON ? The tally of newly laid-off workers seeking jobless benefits rose more than expected, after falling for five straight weeks. The Labor Department says initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 474,000. That was above analysts’ expectations of 460,000. A Labor Department analyst .... Read the original article  : New jobless claims rise more than expected to 474,000, continuing claims fall sharply.

Good morning all: Hope it is warmer where you are than it is here. It got below zero this morning (around -18 C for those outside North America). We do have sun so some of the snow might melt. Some. And I'm tired - both of the snow and cold and generally speaking. Why do I wake up at 1 AM no matter what???

This week's travels were to Newcastle, a city I really like, for the final stop of the BBC Olympic roadshow before Christmas. The usual mix: a session with the staff from BBC North East, an interview on Radio Newcastle -...

Motorists on Shetland are urged to take extra care after a rise in the number of otters being killed on the roads.

London Muslim Adam Khatib, 23, conspired with ringleader of foiled plan to blow up transatlantic planes

A Muslim man was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years today after being convicted of conspiracy to murder by plotting with Abdulla Ahmed Ali, the convicted ringleader of the foiled plan to blow up passenger jets.

Adam Khatib, 23, of Walthamstow, east London, was found guilty yesterday by a majority of 11 jurors to one after a two-month trial at Woolwich crown court.

Ali was jailed for a minimum of 40 years in September after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to murder by planning suicide attacks on transatlantic aircraft. Three other men, Assad Sarwar, Tanvir Hussain and Umar Islam, were also convicted of playing key roles in the plot.

Khatib's co-defendant, Mohammed Shamin Uddin, 39, of Stoke Newington, north London, was found not guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts by meeting Ali on 19 July 2006 and of researching or permitting research to be carried out into the use and purchase of hydrogen peroxide.

Uddin, who sat in the dock wearing a black suit and maroon shirt, was also found not guilty of possessing materials, namely a CD, which could be used for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. However, the jury of seven women and five men unanimously convicted him on the alternative count of possessing materials, namely a CD, likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Co-defendant Nabeel Hussain, 25, of Chingford, east London, was found guilty by an 11-1 majority of preparing for terrorism by meeting Ali twice in July 2006 and of possessing several items, namely a will, mobile phones and a £25,000 loan application, for use in terrorism.

Opening the trial in October, the crown offered evidence of how the three defendants fitted in a multi-layered terror plot.Prosecutor Peter Wright QC said it was not necessary that every participant knew of the precise nature and plan of attack, with the scope of knowledge dependent on the level of seniority. He said not everyone involved was necessarily going to lose their lives, but in any plot there was a backroom team and frontline troops.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

____________________________________________________________

December 10, 2009

Remarks of President Barack Obama - As Prepared for Delivery

A Just and Lasting Peace
Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize
Thursday, December 10th, 2009

Oslo, Norway

                                                                                   

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, citizens of America, and citizens of the world:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations - that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage.  Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize - Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela - my accomplishments are slight. And then there are the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice; those who toil in humanitarian organizations to relieve suffering; the unrecognized millions whose quiet acts of courage and compassion inspire even the most hardened of cynics.  I cannot argue with those who find these men and women - some known, some obscure to all but those they help - to be far more deserving of this honor than I.

But perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of a nation in the midst of two wars.  One of these wars is winding down.  The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by forty three other countries - including Norway - in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

Still, we are at war, and I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land.  Some will kill.  Some will be killed.  And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict - filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

These questions are not new.  War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man.  At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease - the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.

He continues below the fold.

Over time, as codes of law sought to control violence within groups, so did philosophers, clerics, and statesmen seek to regulate the destructive power of war. The concept of a "just war" emerged, suggesting that war is justified only when it meets certain preconditions: if it is waged as a last resort or in self-defense; if the forced used is proportional, and if, whenever possible, civilians are spared from violence.  

For most of history, this concept of just war was rarely observed.  The capacity of human beings to think up new ways to kill one another proved inexhaustible, as did our capacity to exempt from mercy those who look different or pray to a different God.  Wars between armies gave way to wars between nations - total wars in which the distinction between combatant and civilian became blurred. In the span of thirty years, such carnage would twice engulf this continent. And while it is hard to conceive of a cause more just than the defeat of the Third Reich and the Axis powers, World War II was a conflict in which the total number of civilians who died exceeded the number of soldiers who perished.

In the wake of such destruction, and with the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another World War. And so, a quarter century after the United States Senate rejected the League of Nations - an idea for which Woodrow Wilson received this Prize - America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace: a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide, and restrict the most dangerous weapons.

In many ways, these efforts succeeded.  Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed.  But there has been no Third World War.  The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall. Commerce has stitched much of the world together. Billions have been lifted from poverty. The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced.  We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.

A decade into a new century, this old architecture is buckling under the weight of new threats.  The world may no longer shudder at the prospect of war between two nuclear superpowers, but proliferation may increase the risk of catastrophe. Terrorism has long been a tactic, but modern technology allows a few small men with outsized rage to murder innocents on a horrific scale.

Moreover, wars between nations have increasingly given way to wars within nations. The resurgence of ethnic or sectarian conflicts; the growth of secessionist movements, insurgencies, and failed states; have increasingly trapped civilians in unending chaos. In today's wars, many more civilians are killed than soldiers; the seeds of future conflict are sewn, economies are wrecked, civil societies torn asunder, refugees amassed, and children scarred.

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war.  What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations - acting individually or in concert - will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago - "Violence never brings permanent peace.  It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life's work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak nothing passive nothing na?ve - in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism - it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter the cause. At times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the world's sole military superpower.

Yet the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions - not just treaties and declarations - that brought stability to a post-World War II world. Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: the United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest - because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples' children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another - that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. The soldier's courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause and to comrades in arms. But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

So part of our challenge is reconciling these two seemingly irreconcilable truths - that war is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human feelings. Concretely, we must direct our effort to the task that President Kennedy called for long ago. "Let us focus," he said, "on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions."

What might this evolution look like?  What might these practical steps be?

To begin with, I believe that all nations - strong and weak alike - must adhere to standards that govern the use of force. I - like any head of state - reserve the right to act unilaterally if necessary to defend my nation. Nevertheless, I am convinced that adhering to standards strengthens those who do, and isolates - and weakens - those who don't.

The world rallied around America after the 9/11 attacks, and continues to support our efforts in Afghanistan, because of the horror of those senseless attacks and the recognized principle of self-defense. Likewise, the world recognized the need to confront Saddam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait - a consensus that sent a clear message to all about the cost of aggression.

Furthermore, America cannot insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves. For when we don't, our action can appear arbitrary, and undercut the legitimacy of future intervention - no matter how justified.

This becomes particularly important when the purpose of military action extends beyond self defense or the defense of one nation against an aggressor. More and more, we all confront difficult questions about how to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government, or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region.

I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans, or in other places that have been scarred by war. Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later. That is why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace.

America's commitment to global security will never waiver. But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. This is true in Afghanistan. This is true in failed states like Somalia, where terrorism and piracy is joined by famine and human suffering. And sadly, it will continue to be true in unstable regions for years to come.

The leaders and soldiers of NATO countries - and other friends and allies - demonstrate this truth through the capacity and courage they have shown in Afghanistan. But in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public. I understand why war is not popular. But I also know this: the belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. Peace requires responsibility. Peace entails sacrifice. That is why NATO continues to be indispensable. That is why we must strengthen UN and regional peacekeeping, and not leave the task to a few countries. That is why we honor those who return home from peacekeeping and training abroad to Oslo and Rome; to Ottawa and Sydney; to Dhaka and Kigali - we honor them not as makers of war, but as wagers of peace.

Let me make one final point about the use of force. Even as we make difficult decisions about going to war, we must also think clearly about how we fight it. The Nobel Committee recognized this truth in awarding its first prize for peace to Henry Dunant - the founder of the Red Cross, and a driving force behind the Geneva Conventions.

Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct. And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe that the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.

I have spoken to the questions that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war. But let me turn now to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace.

First, in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws, I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to change behavior -  for if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something. Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure - and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.

One urgent example is the effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and to seek a world without them. In the middle of the last century, nations agreed to be bound by a treaty whose bargain is clear: all will have access to peaceful nuclear power; those without nuclear weapons will forsake them; and those with nuclear weapons will work toward disarmament. I am committed to upholding this treaty. It is a centerpiece of my foreign policy. And I am working with President Medvedev to reduce America and Russia's nuclear stockpiles.

But it is also incumbent upon all of us to insist that nations like Iran and North Korea do not game the system. Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted. Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia. Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.

The same principle applies to those who violate international law by brutalizing their own people. When there is genocide in Darfur; systematic rape in Congo; or repression in Burma - there must be consequences. And the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed intervention and complicity in oppression.

This brings me to a second point - the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.

It was this insight that drove drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after the Second World War. In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.

And yet all too often, these words are ignored. In some countries, the failure to uphold human rights is excused by the false suggestion that these are Western principles, foreign to local cultures or stages of a nation's development. And within America, there has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists - a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values.  

I reject this choice. I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please; choose their own leaders or assemble without fear. Pent up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence. We also know that the opposite is true. Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace. America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens. No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests - nor the world's -are served by the denial of human aspirations.

So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal. We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran. It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear to these movements that hope and history are on their side

Let me also say this: the promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach - and condemnation without discussion - can carry forward a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

In light of the Cultural Revolution's horrors, Nixon's meeting with Mao appeared inexcusable - and yet it surely helped set China on a path where millions of its citizens have been lifted from poverty, and connected to open societies. Pope John Paul's engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa. Ronald Reagan's efforts on arms control and embrace of perestroika not only improved relations with the Soviet Union, but empowered dissidents throughout Eastern Europe. There is no simple formula here. But we must try as best we can to balance isolation and engagement; pressure and incentives, so that human rights and dignity are advanced over time.

Third, a just peace includes not only civil and political rights - it must encompass economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.

It is undoubtedly true that development rarely takes root without security; it is also true that security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food, or clean water, or the medicine they need to survive. It does not exist where children cannot aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family. The absence of hope can rot a society from within.

And that is why helping farmers feed their own people - or nations educate their children and care for the sick - is not mere charity. It is also why the world must come together to confront climate change. There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades. For this reason, it is not merely scientists and activists who call for swift and forceful action - it is military leaders in my country and others who understand that our common security hangs in the balance.

Agreements among nations. Strong institutions. Support for human rights. Investments in development. All of these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about. And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more - and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share.

As the world grows smaller, you might think it would be easier for human beings to recognize how similar we are; to understand that we all basically want the same things; that we all hope for the chance to live out our lives with some measure of happiness and fulfillment for ourselves and our families.

And yet, given the dizzying pace of globalization, and the cultural leveling of modernity, it should come as no surprise that people fear the loss of what they cherish about their particular identities - their race, their tribe, and perhaps most powerfully their religion. In some places, this fear has led to conflict. At times, it even feels like we are moving backwards. We see it in Middle East, as the conflict between Arabs and Jews seems to harden. We see it in nations that are torn asunder by tribal lines.

Most dangerously, we see it in the way that religion is used to justify the murder of innocents by those who have distorted and defiled the great religion of Islam, and who attacked my country from Afghanistan.  These extremists are not the first to kill in the name of God; the cruelties of the Crusades are amply recorded. But they remind us that no Holy War can ever be a just war.  For if you truly believe that you are carrying out divine will, then there is no need for restraint - no need to spare the pregnant mother, or the medic, or even a person of one's own faith.  Such a warped view of religion is not just incompatible with the concept of peace, but the purpose of faith - for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature.  We are fallible. We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil. Even those of us with the best intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected.  We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place.  The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached - their faith in human progress - must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.

For if we lose that faith - if we dismiss it as silly or na?ve; if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace - then we lose what is best about humanity.  We lose our sense of possibility.  We lose our moral compass.

Like generations have before us, we must reject that future.  As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago, "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history.  I refuse to accept the idea that the 'isness' of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."

So let us reach for the world that ought to be - that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls.  Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace.  Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on.  Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example.  We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice.  We can admit the intractability of depravation, and still strive for dignity.  We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace.  We can do that - for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

##

A press release was issued yesterday announcing that Innocence Project of Florida will stand at the North Door of the Polk County, Florida, courthouse to release news that DNA test results in the case of Jimmy Bain proves his innocence.  Great news?  Well, sure, it's always great to correct a wrongful conviction.

But Jimmy Bain has already spent 35 years in prison, convicted of a crime that occurred in 1974, when he was only 18 years old.

On March 4, 1974, the boy was sleeping in a queen-sized bed between his sisters, 10 and 11, when a man crawled through an open window and quietly lifted him out of bed.

The boy didn't wake up when the man carried him out the door and through an orange grove to a baseball diamond in an open field. He didn't wake up till the man laid him in the dust and yelled at him to pull down his pants.

Later, the boy told police the man said he thought he was a girl, because his hair was pin-curled with bobby pins.

"He made me turn over," the boy said.

Marriott International Inc. (MAR) has provided a better guidance for the fourth quarter of 2009. The company now expects to add around 38,000 rooms to its worldwide lodging system by the end of 2009. This is up from its previous guidance of gross addition of 33,000 rooms for 2009, which was provided along with its third quarter earnings release in October 2009.

Marriott has also updated its guidance by two percentage points for systemwide revenue per available room ((REVPAR)) outside North America. The company now expects its systemwide REVPAR to decline by 14% - 16% in the fourth quarter of 2009. However, systemwide REVPAR inside North America is expected to remain in line with the previous guidance of a decline of 13% - 16%.

Below is Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, "A Just and Lasting Peace," as prepared for delivery.

* * * * *

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, citizens of America, and citizens of the world:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations - that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage. Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize - Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela - my accomplishments are slight. And then there are the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice; those who toil in humanitarian organizations to relieve suffering; the unrecognized millions whose quiet acts of courage and compassion inspire even the most hardened of cynics. I cannot argue with those who find these men and women - some known, some obscure to all but those they help - to be far more deserving of this honor than I.

But perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of a nation in the midst of two wars. One of these wars is winding down. The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by forty three other countries - including Norway - in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

Still, we are at war, and I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill. Some will be killed. And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict - filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

These questions are not new. War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man. At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease - the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.

Over time, as codes of law sought to control violence within groups, so did philosophers, clerics, and statesmen seek to regulate the destructive power of war. The concept of a "just war" emerged, suggesting that war is justified only when it meets certain preconditions: if it is waged as a last resort or in self-defense; if the forced used is proportional, and if, whenever possible, civilians are spared from violence.

For most of history, this concept of just war was rarely observed. The capacity of human beings to think up new ways to kill one another proved inexhaustible, as did our capacity to exempt from mercy those who look different or pray to a different God. Wars between armies gave way to wars between nations - total wars in which the distinction between combatant and civilian became blurred. In the span of thirty years, such carnage would twice engulf this continent. And while it is hard to conceive of a cause more just than the defeat of the Third Reich and the Axis powers, World War II was a conflict in which the total number of civilians who died exceeded the number of soldiers who perished.

In the wake of such destruction, and with the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another World War. And so, a quarter century after the United States Senate rejected the League of Nations - an idea for which Woodrow Wilson received this Prize - America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace: a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide, and restrict the most dangerous weapons.

In many ways, these efforts succeeded. Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed. But there has been no Third World War. The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall. Commerce has stitched much of the world together. Billions have been lifted from poverty. The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced. We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.

A decade into a new century, this old architecture is buckling under the weight of new threats. The world may no longer shudder at the prospect of war between two nuclear superpowers, but proliferation may increase the risk of catastrophe. Terrorism has long been a tactic, but modern technology allows a few small men with outsized rage to murder innocents on a horrific scale.

Moreover, wars between nations have increasingly given way to wars within nations. The resurgence of ethnic or sectarian conflicts; the growth of secessionist movements, insurgencies, and failed states; have increasingly trapped civilians in unending chaos. In today's wars, many more civilians are killed than soldiers; the seeds of future conflict are sewn, economies are wrecked, civil societies torn asunder, refugees amassed, and children scarred.

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war. What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations - acting individually or in concert - will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago - "Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life's work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak -nothing passive - nothing naïve - in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism - it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter the cause. At times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the world's sole military superpower.

Yet the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions - not just treaties and declarations - that brought stability to a post-World War II world. Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: the United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest - because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples' children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another - that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. The soldier's courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause and to comrades in arms. But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

So part of our challenge is reconciling these two seemingly irreconcilable truths - that war is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human feelings. Concretely, we must direct our effort to the task that President Kennedy called for long ago. "Let us focus," he said, "on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions."

What might this evolution look like? What might these practical steps be?

To begin with, I believe that all nations - strong and weak alike - must adhere to standards that govern the use of force. I - like any head of state - reserve the right to act unilaterally if necessary to defend my nation. Nevertheless, I am convinced that adhering to standards strengthens those who do, and isolates - and weakens - those who don't.

The world rallied around America after the 9/11 attacks, and continues to support our efforts in Afghanistan, because of the horror of those senseless attacks and the recognized principle of self-defense. Likewise, the world recognized the need to confront Saddam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait - a consensus that sent a clear message to all about the cost of aggression.

Furthermore, America cannot insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves. For when we don't, our action can appear arbitrary, and undercut the legitimacy of future intervention - no matter how justified.

This becomes particularly important when the purpose of military action extends beyond self defense or the defense of one nation against an aggressor. More and more, we all confront difficult questions about how to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government, or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region.

I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans, or in other places that have been scarred by war. Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later. That is why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace.

America's commitment to global security will never waiver. But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. This is true in Afghanistan. This is true in failed states like Somalia, where terrorism and piracy is joined by famine and human suffering. And sadly, it will continue to be true in unstable regions for years to come.

The leaders and soldiers of NATO countries - and other friends and allies - demonstrate this truth through the capacity and courage they have shown in Afghanistan. But in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public. I understand why war is not popular. But I also know this: the belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. Peace requires responsibility. Peace entails sacrifice. That is why NATO continues to be indispensable. That is why we must strengthen UN and regional peacekeeping, and not leave the task to a few countries. That is why we honor those who return home from peacekeeping and training abroad to Oslo and Rome; to Ottawa and Sydney; to Dhaka and Kigali - we honor them not as makers of war, but as wagers of peace.

Let me make one final point about the use of force. Even as we make difficult decisions about going to war, we must also think clearly about how we fight it. The Nobel Committee recognized this truth in awarding its first prize for peace to Henry Dunant - the founder of the Red Cross, and a driving force behind the Geneva Conventions.

Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct. And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe that the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.

I have spoken to the questions that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war. But let me turn now to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace.

First, in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws, I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to change behavior - for if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something. Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure - and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.

One urgent example is the effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and to seek a world without them. In the middle of the last century, nations agreed to be bound by a treaty whose bargain is clear: all will have access to peaceful nuclear power; those without nuclear weapons will forsake them; and those with nuclear weapons will work toward disarmament. I am committed to upholding this treaty. It is a centerpiece of my foreign policy. And I am working with President Medvedev to reduce America and Russia's nuclear stockpiles.

But it is also incumbent upon all of us to insist that nations like Iran and North Korea do not game the system. Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted. Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia. Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.

The same principle applies to those who violate international law by brutalizing their own people. When there is genocide in Darfur; systematic rape in Congo; or repression in Burma - there must be consequences. And the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed intervention and complicity in oppression.

This brings me to a second point - the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.

It was this insight that drove drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after the Second World War. In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.

And yet all too often, these words are ignored. In some countries, the failure to uphold human rights is excused by the false suggestion that these are Western principles, foreign to local cultures or stages of a nation's development. And within America, there has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists - a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values.

I reject this choice. I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please; choose their own leaders or assemble without fear. Pent up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence. We also know that the opposite is true. Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace. America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens. No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests - nor the world's -are served by the denial of human aspirations.

So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal. We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran. It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear to these movements that hope and history are on their side

Let me also say this: the promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach - and condemnation without discussion - can carry forward a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

In light of the Cultural Revolution's horrors, Nixon's meeting with Mao appeared inexcusable - and yet it surely helped set China on a path where millions of its citizens have been lifted from poverty, and connected to open societies. Pope John Paul's engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa. Ronald Reagan's efforts on arms control and embrace of perestroika not only improved relations with the Soviet Union, but empowered dissidents throughout Eastern Europe. There is no simple formula here. But we must try as best we can to balance isolation and engagement; pressure and incentives, so that human rights and dignity are advanced over time.

Third, a just peace includes not only civil and political rights - it must encompass economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.

It is undoubtedly true that development rarely takes root without security; it is also true that security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food, or clean water, or the medicine they need to survive. It does not exist where children cannot aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family. The absence of hope can rot a society from within.

And that is why helping farmers feed their own people - or nations educate their children and care for the sick - is not mere charity. It is also why the world must come together to confront climate change. There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades. For this reason, it is not merely scientists and activists who call for swift and forceful action - it is military leaders in my country and others who understand that our common security hangs in the balance.

Agreements among nations. Strong institutions. Support for human rights. Investments in development. All of these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about. And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more - and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share.

As the world grows smaller, you might think it would be easier for human beings to recognize how similar we are; to understand that we all basically want the same things; that we all hope for the chance to live out our lives with some measure of happiness and fulfillment for ourselves and our families.

And yet, given the dizzying pace of globalization, and the cultural leveling of modernity, it should come as no surprise that people fear the loss of what they cherish about their particular identities - their race, their tribe, and perhaps most powerfully their religion. In some places, this fear has led to conflict. At times, it even feels like we are moving backwards. We see it in Middle East, as the conflict between Arabs and Jews seems to harden. We see it in nations that are torn asunder by tribal lines.

Most dangerously, we see it in the way that religion is used to justify the murder of innocents by those who have distorted and defiled the great religion of Islam, and who attacked my country from Afghanistan. These extremists are not the first to kill in the name of God; the cruelties of the Crusades are amply recorded. But they remind us that no Holy War can ever be a just war. For if you truly believe that you are carrying out divine will, then there is no need for restraint - no need to spare the pregnant mother, or the medic, or even a person of one's own faith. Such a warped view of religion is not just incompatible with the concept of peace, but the purpose of faith - for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature. We are fallible. We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil. Even those of us with the best intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached - their faith in human progress - must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.

For if we lose that faith - if we dismiss it as silly or naïve; if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace - then we lose what is best about humanity. We lose our sense of possibility. We lose our moral compass.

Like generations have before us, we must reject that future. As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago, "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the 'isness' of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."

So let us reach for the world that ought to be - that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of depravation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that - for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

More on Barack Obama

Horse blocks motorway A horse became trapped blocking off a Lancashire motorway.

A pupil at a North Lanarkshire primary is reported to police for allegedly brandishing a knife on his way home from school.

Botox Part 2- New Uses for Botox

Many of my patients love Botox and Dysport because both of these products can erase wrinkles. However there are several other reasons to love these neurotoxins, the most popular of which I’ve listed below. Please note that some of these uses are not FDA approved, but if a patient is informed of the possible risks and complications and signs a consent the procedures can legally be performed by a Board Certified physician.

1.Does someone you know sweat so excessively from their underarms, hands or feet that it causes severe social embaressment? Well 3% of the population does and Botox and Dysport may be just the treatment to save them from ruining another shirt from sweat stains or refusing to shake hands at a business meeting. The release of acetylcholine from nerve endings causes the sweat glands to produce sweat. Injections of Botox and Dysport work by blocking the release of acetylcholine and thus stop sweating. The effect lasts from four to six months. Some insurances now cover the treatment for excessive underarm sweating. Once I even did Botox on a friend’s forehead prior to her wedding so that she wouldn’t sweat on her face and her pictures would be perfect (which they were!).

2. Do you have a fabulous event to go to and the gown you want to wear won’t look good with a bra to give you the lift you need? Well Botox and Dysport may be able to help with that as well. It’s all about opposing muscles. If the muscles that pull your breasts down over time is weakened then the muscle that pulls your breast up can do an even better job. The treatment usually costs around $2,000. If you don’t want to go through the pain and cost of a breast lift this may be an option if your breasts are small to moderately sized.

3. I’ve seen personally how fabulous Botox and Dysport work for migraines. My aesthetician, who has been with me five years, was previously incapacitated by her migraines. She would see flashing lights, vomit and all her facials would have to be cancelled immediately. However once I began treating her she has been migraine free. She definitely loves Botox for her “movie star smile” (she says that because it erases the wrinkles she used to get around her eyes when she smiled), but she loves it even more for stopping her migraines.

The theory is that muscle spasms are involved in migraines and the neurotoxins relax those muscles. At the same time they block the release of proteins that transmit the pain of migraines to the brain. Studies have supported the fact that treatment with neurotoxins can prevent migraines in many cases and in others at least diminish their frequency and severity. The patients I have treated say it’s a life saver.

There are a number of other uses for botox including chronic lower back pain, excessive blinking, treating cross eyes, improving a gummy smile and numerous others. So if you have a concern or problem, mention it to your dermatologist. It may be one that can be cured with Botox or Dysport! - Dr. Andrea Trowers

*Italics editor's own

Dr. Andrea Trowers is a Board Certified Dermatologist who has a private Dermatology practice in North Miami Beach. After graduating from Georgetown University, she completed medical school at Emory University. Her residency in Dermatology was completed at Case Western University, where she was Chief Resident. She then was selected for a fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology at the University at Miami, where she later joined the faculty in the Department of Dermatology. She is an expert in conditions affecting the skin, hair and nails and strives to provide personalized expertise and treatment to each of her many patients. Dr. Trowers' practice also includes cosmetic treatments such as Botox, Dysport and fillers. Her approach to cosmetic treatments is a 'natural aesthetic' that enhances a patient's existing beauty.

For more information, please visit Dr. Andrea Trowers' New Beauty Magazine feature.

Office contact info: 10800 Biscayne Boulevard Suite #650 Miami, FL 33161

more images more images Obama: All nations must follow standards for war OSLO ? President Barack Obama, accepting his Nobel Peace Prize, says all nations must follow standards on the use of force. The president, who last week ordered 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, says he reserves the right as commander in chief to act unilaterally to defend the .... Read the original article  : here.

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid, MPG, Green Daily

Just about every publication has an award to give away this time of year, and Wards Automotive is no different. But instead of picking the best car, truck or SUV, the industry wiz kids at Wards go right for the power supply to rank the Ten Best Engines for 2010. Over the years the list has contained a nice mix of engines from the U.S., Europe and Asia, but never before has the Ten Best been this fuel efficient. The list comprises of two hybrids, two diesels, one supercharger and three turbocharged gasoline mills.

To be eligible for Wards' 10 Best Engines competition the vehicle must cost less than $54,000 and the engine must be available as a standard production option by Q1 2010. Among the ten winning engines are the new 1.8-liter hybrid powerplant from the Toyota Prius, the 2.5-liter hybrid powering the Ford Fusion, and the diesels from the BMW 335d and the 2.0-liter Jetta TDI. Audi joins the ranks with its excellent 2.0T and 3.0T (well, supercharged) mills, while Ford scored a hit with its Ecoboost 3.5-liter engine. The most powerful engine to make the 10 Best Engines list is Hyundai's 4.6L Tau V8, which gains ten hp for 2010.

The 10 Best Engines awards will be presented at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 13. Hit the jump to read Wards' press release and check the gallery below for a tour of this year's winners.



[Source: Wards Automotive]

Continue reading Ward's announces 10 Best Engines for 2010

Ward's announces 10 Best Engines for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

This is Part 2 (Read Part 1) of a personal look back at the sites, tools, behaviors, platforms, and technologies that have changed our lives in the past 10 years. Please add your own thoughts and memories in the comments.

2001 turned out to be a momentous year for both obvious and much more subtle reasons than I realized at the time.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I left the apartment I was living in in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn on my way to work shortly before 9am. Outside, two men were standing on the corner staring towards lower Manhattan, having only minutes ago watched the first plane crash into The World Trade Center's North Tower. I went back inside, turned on the TV, and moments later heard the news that the second plane had hit. I went to the roof and bits of charred paper and ash were beginning to float across the water from the towers and land in South Brooklyn.

At the time, I still didn't have my own computer, and was in the habit of waiting until I got into work to check my email. I did, however, have a cell phone and called my friend who had moved from New York to Seattle back in April because I knew he'd want to know what was going on as soon as possible.

Then I went into work. Probably to get on to my computer, as much as anything else. At work we listened to the radio, and I watched live streaming video of network news on my computer.

Considering how far streaming online video has come in the past 10 years, and how it's still lacking in many ways, it's hard to believe that it was fairly reliable that morning back in 2001.

Sometime that morning, as more and more people attempted to get in touch with friends and family, cell phones stopped working. I think they went down in New York first, shortly after the towers fell. And pretty soon people all over the country had trouble making calls.

One of the striking differences about that morning, compared to today, is how many fewer people were relying on digital technology to communicate with each other. Imagine how an event of that magnitude would strain the system today. Not only would cell phone service go down, but so would Twitter, Facebook, all major news websites, and we'd probably even notice a global slowdown across the entire web as people started flooding the web with information.

Over the next couple weeks I felt unmoored, to say the least. The sketch comedy group I was in was about to open our first show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre that week (great timing, right?). I was settling into NYC, and making new friends. But, I was also stuck at a dead-end job, and was spending increasing amounts of time surfing the web. I wasn't quite sure what the hell I was doing with my life.

It took me a couple years before I realized it, but I think the seed was planted that morning in 2001. Eventually I realized that being fulfilled in life has a lot less to do with achieving any predetermined or easily labeled goal you may have set for yourself, and a lot more to do with being creatively and intellectually challenged and inspired by what you do.

It was that realization that eventually lead me to where I am now, doing what I do now; and it will continue to lead me to wherever I'll be and whatever I'll be doing 10 years from now.