Today is the International Women's Day

History of International Women's Day: International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.

1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.

1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.

1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

YouTube site 'blocked' in Bangladesh

Internet users in Bangladesh who have been unable to access YouTube have voiced concern that it is being deliberately blocked by the authorities.

Many Bangladeshis have been unable to see the popular video-sharing site since about 6:00pm Friday, 6th March 2009. YouTube users wondered, but nobody is sure. At the same time, people discovered that they can't access eSnips either.

Some people have linked the YouTube problem to an audio recording that would "damage" the reputation of our great Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

But state-controlled service provider BTCL and country's 1st private IIG Mango Telecom said the problem was the result of a technical glitch.

No spokesman for the Bangladesh government was available to comment on this specific telecommunications issues.

This is a classic irony since the present Govt. of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to power with a promising election manifesto of creating a Digital Bangladesh.

2009 Academy Awards

'Slumdog Millionaire' Cleans Up at the Oscars

Written by Jake on Feb-23-09 11:01am

Actors Dev Patel, Madhur Mittal, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan and Anil Kapoor arrive at the 81st Annual Academy Awards held at Kodak Theatre on February 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dev Patel;Madhur Mittal;Freida Pinto;Irrfan Khan;Anil Kapoor (Getty Images)more pics »Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire took home 8 awards tonight, crushing its closest competitor, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which won 3. Winning both Best Director and Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire took home 8 out of the 10 awards it was nominated for.

The other upset of the night? Sean Penn taking home a golden statue for his role in Milk, taking it away from Mickey Rourke, who seemed close to a lock for his turn in The Wrestler. The other major categories went down without many surprises. Kate Winslet won her first for The Reader, Heath Ledger was honored with a posthumous Oscar for his turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight, and Penelope Cruz nabbed a Best Supporting Actress for Vicky Christina Barcelona.

Meanwhile, the Academy's attempt to liven up the broadcast was met with mixed success. Hugh Jackman was an amiable but forgettable host, gamely making his way though some lame one-liners and one pretty terrible dance sequence.

The one innovation that seemed to work was the presentations for acting awards. Having five former winners of Best Supporting and Best Actor and Actresses managed to honor the history of the Oscars without feeling hackneyed or forced.

A full list of winners is below:


Best Picture - "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Director - Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire")
Best Actor - Sean Penn ("Milk")
Best Actress - Kate Winslet ("The Reader")
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight")
Best Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona")
Best Original Screenplay - Dustin Lance Black ("Milk")
Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy ("Slumdog Millionaire")
Best Animated Feature - WALL-E
Best Animated Short - La Maison en Petit Cubes
Best Foreign Film - "Departures"
Best Documentary - "Man on Wire"
Best Short Documentary - "Smile Pinki"
Best Art Direction - Donald Graham Burt ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button")
Best Makeup - Greg Cannom ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button")
Best Costume Design - Michael O'Conner ("The Duchess")
Best Cinematographer - Anthony Dod Mantle ("Slumdog Millionaire")
Best Live Action Short - "Speilzeugland (Toyland)"
Best Visual Effects - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Best Sound Editing - Richard King ("The Dark Knight")
Best Sound Mixing - "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Film Editing - Chris Dickens ("Slumdog Millionaire")
Best Score - A.R. Rahman ("Slumdog Millionaire")
Best Original Song - A.R. Rahman ("Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire")

IP Telephony Trend in Indian Subcontinent

VoIP: On the runway

VoIP in India represents a great opportunity. If minor changes are made in regulations, and other issues like interoperability addressed, the market could take off in a big way.

Talking over the telephone, one does not bother how the call is being routed or over what kind of a network one’s voice traveling. What concerns the caller is the clarity of voice and the absence of delays and jitter. Once these issues are addressed, the underlying technology really does not matter to the common user, be it VoIP or standard PSTN. All he is concerned about is that the message should be conveyed.

In this context, VoIP as a technology has over the years managed to gain a certain level of acceptance, if not a ubiquitous presence. It all started with organizations establishing closed user group (CUG) voice links between their head office and branch offices. The concept has served companies well, particularly large enterprises and those organizations in industry verticals such as banking, logistics, and ITeS.

Earlier the technology was plagued by problems galore namely network latency, packet loss, jitters, and other issues that marred its image as a promising information communication technology. Gradually these have been taken care off, and stage has been set for widespread adoption of VoIP/ IP telephony in India.

According to Frost and Sullivan, the market for Internet telephony has experienced exceptional growth over the last two years, and the sales of IP PBX systems witnessed a growth of 65% in 2006-07. The technology is projected to account for 65% of the entire enterprise voice market by 2008. IP Telephony revenues touched $209 million in 2007.

According to Gartner, the acceptance and adoption of VoIP in India is increasing, and the market is showing signs of maturity. The growth in the Indian market though is relatively slow when compared to that in other APAC markets such as Australia; the overall outlook, however, is quite positive.

"The recent announcement further opening up IP telephony means that IP telephones and equipment will be able to freely interconnect with normal TDM lines, be it for calling within CUG or outside, irrespective of whether the called party is outside India or inside India" - Biswajit Patnaik Voice Business Development Manager, Polycom India	"VoIP is picking up in India and it is expected to be the second largest market in the APAC after China. Till a few years ago, IP PBX systems were deployed only at large enterprises. But today, SMEs are also adopting IP PBX systems" - Minhaj Zia National Sales Manager, Cisco, India & SAARC
"Regulations should be restricted only to the extent of guidance and should not be used as a restrictive mechanism. The restriction through regulations limits the speed of growth in India" - Desi Valli COO, Net4 India	"Since large enterprises have the buying potential, they are showing more interest in VoIP. SMBs in contrast are not that aggressive" - Parminder Kaur Saini Senior Research Analyst, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia & Middle East

From the vendors’ perspective

The market for VoIP in India, and the way in which it is evolving, represents a mixed bag of opportunities and challenges for vendors. There also emerge mixed reactions as far as the satisfaction with the growth of this market is concerned. While some are quite happy with the development of this market and are quite optimistic, others believe that corrective measures are required if this market segment is to flourish.

“The market is growing at a phenomenal rate globally and the Indian market will not be left far behind. VoIP is picking up in India and it is expected to be the second largest market in the APAC after China. Till a few years ago, IP PBX systems were deployed only at large enterprises. But today, more and more small & medium enterprises are also adopting IP PBX systems,” said Minhaj Zia, National Sales Manager, Cisco, India & SAARC.

“The Indian IP telephony enterprise equipment market is finally emerging from the shackles of government-enforced restrictions. The recent announcement further opening up IP telephony means that IP telephones and equipment will be able to freely interconnect with normal TDM lines, be it for calling within CUG or outside, irrespective of whether the called party is outside India or within the country,” said Biswajit Patnaik, Voice Business Development Manager, Polycom India.

V Praveen Kumar, Head – Enterprise Voice & Teleconferencing, Avaya GlobalConnect said, “India is embracing IP Telephony rapidly due to the inherent benefits of this technology. Almost all organizations are moving towards IP based intelligent communications—especially large multi-location organizations. It has a huge potential for growth in India.”

In contrast, Desi Valli, COO, Net4 India, presented a completely different point of view. He said, “We are not satisfied with the growth. It is unfortunately restricted to limited usage in India. Growth of a business of this kind should be controlled by the market acceptance and not by regulations. The regulations should be restricted only to the extent of guidance and should not be used as a restrictive mechanism. The restriction through regulations limits the speed of growth in India.”

“The Internet Telephony market in India is in its infancy, and we are not satisfied with the growth. The growth is directly linked with broadband. As broadband is not growing at the pace projected, all applications, which run on broadband including Internet Telephony, are suffering. Compared to over 60 million broadband subscribers in China, India has only 3 million,” said Rajiv Kumar, COO, World Phone Internet Services Pvt. Ltd.

Sources in BSNL said that this market has been growing in a haphazard manner and that growth is unsatisfactory. Due to initial hiccups with the service, people are skeptical about its adoption. They added that the telecom license regime has been dominated by the traditional voice service providers who are also the last mile owners, and that the license restrictions have not let the VoIP service grow freely as per its potential.

Opportunities and Challenges

Opportunities for VoIP in the Indian context are tremendous. For a country that simply loves talking (something that is evident from the growth in the mobile phone market), the adoption of VoIP could skyrocket and it may bring the same benefits, as did mobile communication, namely ease of use, cost benefits and flexibility. Besides, with the Internet being used for multiple purposes, this technology can also be used for sending voice and video. This could bring down the cost per service drastically.

Additionally, IP based solutions are likely to enable enterprises to deploy other services such as audio, Web and video conferencing. Some also believe that VoIP might stimulate network development and significantly expand universal service coverage. “VoIP presents a huge opportunity to Indian business. VoIP is not about cost considerations today. Rather it allows you to integrate advanced applications, which adds value to the business process,” said Sanish KB, Research Analyst, Gartner.

Finally, with businesses operating in a globalized environment, the need for establishing a communication link with each other assumes prime importance. It becomes all the more important to establish this link over the Internet, when the Internet has emerged as the lodestone of business today.

That said, despite all these advantages, VoIP faces certain challenges that impede its growth. A few of these are, costly IP phones, low levels of awareness, regulatory restrictions, low penetration of broadband in India, and quality of service etc. “Security is another obstacle. Viruses can affect VoIP servers since most of them run on common operating systems and operate on data networks. Hence, VoIP networks inherit all security problems encountered in data networks like hacking, spoofing etc.,” said Patnaik.

“Interoperability is another issue that needs to be resolved. Not all phones, soft phones, gateways and call managers are interoperable as they support some proprietary variant of a standard protocol. This limits enterprises from free mix and match of components,” said Zia.

In addition, added BSNL sources, VoIP as a service has a hidden cost, i.e., the cost of broadband/Internet service itself. It is not only the monthly rental, even the amount of download/upload during a VoIP call is also charged by the ISP.

Reasons for restricted growth

There are three different aspects to VoIP in India. Firstly, it has largely been evaded by SMBs and remained restricted to large enterprises, courtesy costly IP phones. Secondly, it has been restricted to closed user groups only. Thirdly, even though VoIP is considerably cheaper than the traditional telephone service, it has remained attractive only to those segments of market, which spend on ILD calls on a regular basis.

“Since large enterprises have the buying potential, they are showing more interest in VoIP. SMBs in contrast are not that aggressive. Presently, four verticals, ITeS, BFSI, Telecom and the government sector are employing VoIP and account for 70-80% of this market in India. The government sector is investing a lot in VoIP. Other verticals like education, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing are comparatively slow,” said Parminder Kaur Saini, Senior Research Analyst, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia & Middle East.

In this context, it is important to look at the licensing policy. VoIP as a service is provided under the Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP). Under the ITSP license, calls can be made from one IP Phone to another and to PSTN / mobile phones outside India only. In contrast, a user can receive a call on his IP phone only from another IP phone but not from a PSTN / mobile phone. This means that a user cannot have an IP phone number similar to a PSTN / mobile number. The IP phones can make calls only within their own network in a closed loop.

Sources say that these license conditions are based on the protection of market segmentation of PSTN /mobile / Internet, and that the government is getting a huge revenue share out of voice services. If cheaper options like VoIP take over this market the revenues share will also drop.

According to Sanish another reason for restricted growth is, “It is the lifecycle for products in India which is longer when compared to other countries. For instance, a product that may be used for five years abroad may be used for eight years in India. This is not allowing us to accept new technology.”

“Due to its usage restriction that limits it to be used for PC to PC or PC to phone outside India, it is difficult for any user to use the same only for restrictive services as the TCO is high, if it is used only for restrictive services,” added Valli.

What the future holds

VoIP has indeed come a long way from just being a PC to PC calling phenomenon. The call rates have been coming down over the last few years to keep it as an attractive option in comparison to PSTN. The spread now depends on the availability of broadband, inexpensive end terminals, and international long distance carrier options. Now, with the approval of logical partitioning of PSTN and VoIP closed user group, VoIP would get some much-needed impetus.

“We see good growth for VoIP in 2-3 years time. Factors like increase adoption of unified communication applications, availability of required bandwidth and increased awareness levels will drive this market,” opined Saini.

According to BSNL sources, the success of VoIP now depends on the rollout by the last mile owners of telecom. These service providers considered VoIP, for a long time, as a service which would eat into their own voice market. Over a period of 3-4 years a sizable chunk of the customers have shifted to ILD calling through Internet. The situation has now forced the service providers to rollout VoIP services in a cautious manner. So, now the growth of VoIP depends on the growth of broadband.

It is important for large-scale penetration of VoIP in India that the tag of computer calling is removed from its name and it is marketed as a convenient way of making calls, contrary to the common perception that it is a cumbersome way of making calls through a computer.

Bill is a great guy..

Opinion: Bill Gates' new mission: Saving lives

By Wolfgang Gruener

Monday, January 26, 2009 13:54

Opinion – Chicago (IL) - When you already have transformed the way the world works, what do you do with the second half of your life? Ask Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, the insanely rich guy we so often loved to hate, but who is being credited with bringing computing to the mainstream. Today, Gates released the first annual letter describing his new role at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. What we read is a passionate introduction to the challenges and goals of his charity. And I remember the old saying: There are those who say they are saving lives, and those who actually do. Bill Gates retiring from Microsoft was one of the big news items last year. Back then, we knew Gates would not be able to leave Microsoft entirely and given the economic times and the challenges that Microsoft is facing, it is probably a good idea that he will drop by occasionally. However, Gates also mentioned that he would like to focus more and more on his charity in the future. And for those who thought this work might just be a hobby and less intensive than leading Microsoft, they have been proven wrong today. Gates released what he describes as the first of an annually published letter detailing some of the focus areas of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates spends some time in the letter addressing doubts (download the 20-page PDF) that his charity may not be as fulfilling as Microsoft was and claims that his tasks are actually quite similar. "Many of my friends were concerned that I wouldn't find the foundation work as engaging or rewarding as my work at Microsoft. I loved my work at Microsoft and it had been my primary focus for over 30 years. I too would have worried if I had paused and thought about it enough." He mentions that his job at Microsoft had "three magical things" - an "opportunity for big breakthroughs", he felt he has "skills would let [him] help create a special company that would be part of a whole new industry" and the work would "let [him] engage with people who were smart and knew things [he] didn't." Gates says his Foundation also has "three magical elements" – "opportunities for big breakthroughs", he believes that his "experience in building teams of smart people with different skill sets focused on tough long-term problems can be a real contribution" and he noted that "the intelligence and dedication of the people involved in these issues [are] just as impressive as what [he has] seen before." Within his letter, which you can read in its entirety online here, Gates outlines the efforts in Global Health, Global Development, and a dedicated U.S. education Program. In health, he provides insight in a program that accounts for 50% of the spending of the Foundation and concentrates on 20 diseases, such as "diarrheal diseases (including rotavirus), pneumonia, and malaria—which mostly kill kids—and AIDS and TB, which mostly kill adults." "With a handful of new vaccines, we should be able to save a year of a person's life for well under $100. If we waste $500,000, we are wasting 5,000 years of life. This is the kind of trade-off I ask our employees to consider when they are deciding which areas to get involved in and which grants to make," Gates writes. There is also the Global Development program, trying to address rural development and starvation. "About 2.5 billion people live on less than $2 a day. More than 900 million suffer from chronic hunger, and most of them live in rural areas of developing countries," according to Gates. "This is why the foundation added our Global Development Program to complement the Global Health group two years ago. We are working in areas like financial services, including savings and insurance. Our biggest investment is in improving agricultural output, another area where innovations have made a huge difference for millions of people but have not reached the poorest, especially in Africa and South Asia." He hopes that "new seeds and other inputs like fertilizer allow a farmer to increase a farm's output significantly, instead of just growing enough food to subsist. This innovation is just as important as developing and delivering vaccinations." The U.S. Program is aimed at improving education to "help reduce inequity". Gates not only shares what is being done now, what is being funded, but also what has been achieved already, such as this: "Lee High School, Houston, Texas. But a few of the schools that we funded achieved something amazing. They replaced schools with low expectations and low results with ones that have high expectations and high results. These schools are not selective in whom they admit, and they are overwhelmingly serving kids in poor areas, most of whose parents did not go to college. Almost all of these schools are charter schools that have significantly longer school days than other schools." Reading through the activities of the world's best-financed charity is an amazing eye-opener of what can be done with enough resources and dedication. One can only hope that the effort pays off and the results of Gates' new journey will be as significant as the ones he achieved with Microsoft. Even if it is Gates' choice to spend his time with his charity and many would be willing to change roles with him, his work should not be taken for granted. There is no better way that Gates could allocate his time or spend his wealth. It makes me think about other sparkling executives and company founders in the IT industry. Especially those who continue mentioning how they will save the planet by driving a hybrid/electric car, but then spend their fortune on yachts and jets. So with that thought in mind: Thank you, Bill Gates.

CADILLAC ONE

Inside the Rocket-Proof Obamamobile

I love this cutaway illustration of the new Cadillac One by John Lawson, Obama included. Specially things like "Doors: eight-inch thick and the weight of a 757 door". Other highlights:

• It can withstand rocket impacts and it's perfectly sealed against biochemical attacks.
• Petrol tank: Can withstand a direct hit thanks to a special foam and armor-plating.
• Bodywork: made of dual hardness steel, aluminum, titanium, and ceramics to "break up posible projectiles".
• Tyres: Kevlar-reinforced with steel rims underneath so it can run away no matter what.
• Accessories include: Night vision cameras, pump-action shotguns, tear gas cannons.
• Comes with bottles of blood compatible with the President's blood.

Obama takes office, saying choose 'hope over fear'

Stepping into history, Barack Hussein Obama grasped the reins of power as America's first black president on Tuesday, saying the nation must choose "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" to overcome the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

President Barack Obama's inauguration speech

Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:07pm EST

Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States as he is sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with his wife Michelle by his side during the inauguration ceremony in Washington

The following is the full text of U.S. President Barack Obama's inauguration address on Tuesday. Obama, a Democrat, was sworn in on the steps of the Capitol as the 44th U.S. president around noon EST, taking over from President George W. Bush, a Republican.

"My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.

Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."