Blissful Life

Category: politics

  • Does Healthcare Need Technology or Policy or Passionate People or all of these?

    At HackIndia 2015 in Bangalore which I’d attended during the last 7 hours of 18th July as part of the Mozilla team, I had met three young doctors roaming around from booth to booth. One of them, incidentally, is living in Mysore and I had a meetup with him (S) and his sister (V) at our favorite Kukralli yesterday.

    We were brought together by the feeling that there are problems in health care and that there could be technological solutions to at least some of them.

    Here’s what’s a very rough (rearranged, rephrased, corrected) transcript of some interesting parts of our long conversation around the lake.

    A (me, final year): I was attending a world ORS day program today in my college. And that’s when I thought that we should be having small apps/websites for smartphones, localized to local languages, to help people know about simple things like ORS.

    S (intern, off duty): I was going through some health-tech startups. I think there should be applications that let patients know what to do in every situation – like in an emergency – they must know which hospital to go to, where the facilities are available to treat their kind of disease, and which doctor treats what. I saw this app which lets patients rate doctors according to how good they were during consultations.

    V (OBG PG): I think rating doctors is a bad idea. It puts a lot of pressure on the doctors.

    S: So you were talking about Mozilla Science Lab at HackIndia. What is Mozilla Science Lab? Is Mozilla turning into health?

    A: Mozilla Science Lab is a Mozilla project that brings together researchers, librarians, publishers and developers so that they can publish their work online using the power of the Web and not fall prey to the money hungry publishers that exist today. In India, IITs and IISc are in various stages of such participation in the web.

    S: There’s this online portal where they publish their lectures – NPTEL.

    A: Yeah, I’ve signed up for some 4 courses 😀

    S: You were also talking something about free software, open data in health care?

    A: Yeah, let’s begin with free software. I guess you’re familiar with it, it’s the concept that software should be free. There’s this free software foundation which has supported the GNU project. They’ve defined the 4 essential freedoms for a software to be free. Those are:

    1. Freedom to use the software
    2. Freedom to modify the software (by modifying the source code)
    3. Freedom to redistribute the software
    4. Freedom to distribute the modifications of the software

    These freedoms ensure that a software is actually useful for improving mankind. This is especially useful in government set-ups where the funding is already low, so we have to make maximum use of the money we have. And free software helps in that too. Also, when & if there are specific requirements for customization it is easier & cheaper with free software. And, these solutions can be used in other cities, states too without much cost in scaling.

    Then there is open document formats. Health care can be expected to generate a lot of data in the near future. We should be worrying about what file format these data is saved in. We wouldn’t want them to be saved in a proprietary format which might not be interoperable. That would make any kind of meta-analysis, or other collaborative use of such data difficult or impossible.

    Then there’s this government policy on open data. Instead of filing RTI for access to key data from various government departments, they’re expected to proactively publish various data they collect into the public domain in accessible formats. This is a policy (that is not legally enforcable) and therefore is suffering from lack of attention from various departments. Yet there’s this open data portal at data.gov.in which gives various kinds of useful data in formats that developers can directly tap to create apps or the like.

    In fact, health departments should be very active in collecting and publishing such data because that can automatically lead to very good research. And our ways currently are leading to the destruction of data that is already collected – for example, as discovered through an RTI campaign by NS Prashanth and friends although our death certificates are detailed with income, caste, cause of death, etc, this data is not properly collected and aggregated and therefore many states and districts of India cannot say differential counts for the various causes of death in their area.

    S: Hmm. On another note, I remember this teleradiology platform in which doctors can submit radiology images and then get opinion from a global network. And they are expanding that to other departments like pathology and medicine.

    A: One of my friends was talking about this Canadian team called health-e-net which does something similar – a global network of doctors whom patients can get second opinions from without going far from their home.

    S: Also at hackindia there was this 3D printing work by Fracktal Works. They were talking about developing cheap slit lamps for ophthalmology departments using 3D printing technology by reimagining the hardware design.

    A: Yeah, medical equipments are so expensive that I think anyone who can become a medical equipment manufacturer can make so much money. I bought a peak flow meter for one of my studies. It costed ₹500 and it was just plastic, like a kid’s toy. I guess they can make more money than even drug manufacturers because they don’t even have to spend anything for R&D.

    S: No, even drug manufacturing is cheap these days because of the various ways patent laws are. There’s something called process patent as opposed to product patent. So, if a process is patented, new companies can modify a small step in that process and create a different process which is not patented. Thus they’ll be able to manufacture drugs cheaply.

    A: Ah, that reminds me of Gleevec and Novaris being turned down by the Supreme court upholding India’s stance on how patents should be. Usually pharmaceutical companies, when the patent period on their chemical is over, makes a small change to their drug and gets a new patent. But Indian patent law prevents this. And when challenged in the court Supreme court considered the Indian situation of a lot of people needing drugs and granted in favor of the people. This is one of the things that enables generic drugs to flourish in India. And, Africa’s HIV and other disease control relies in a large manner on India’s generic drug industry.

    And USA under lobbying from these Pharma companies are pressurizing India using international trade laws to prevent production of such generic drugs.

    And Modi government is bringing in too many things. Like the DNA profiling bill with no bothering about issues surrounding it. Then making Aadhaar mandatory across everything even though Supreme Court had asked not to do so and even though there’s no parliamentary sanction, the constitutional validity of which is now being fought over in Supreme Court. India is slowly being turned into a surveillance state.

    S: But it’s difficult to influence the government decisions, isn’t it?

    A: Yes, that’s why we need to organzie. Organizations are powerful. For example, the savetheinternet campaign. When a few people came together, everything started falling in place and soon a large majority got convinced of the importance of net neutrality. Convince enough people and we can definitely influence government.

    S: But convincing people is difficult when they don’t have tangible benefits. With net neutrality they could directly see the problem. But that wouldn’t be the case in other issues.

    A: Yes, true. Like it is very difficult to make people understand that zero rating is the same thing as differential pricing. But that doesn’t mean we should stop trying. After all, we ought to keep trying.

    S: Coming back, we should have patient centric apps. Like Your D.O.S.T emotional support system. The current apps focus on doctors or hospitals, trying to make money. There are a lot of gaps in health care like doctors not getting enough time to speak to patient. There should be apps that help fill in this space with enough information for the patient.

    V: Doctors don’t have much time for patients at all. There is a lot of workload.

    S: Yes, that’s where these apps can help people. To fill up the gap.

    A: Like medscape or mayoclinic? But probably with localized content?

    S: The target group should be middle class mothers who may or may not be educated. Therefore it should be accessible. Yes, localized content, and even more pictorial content.

    A: Like thai card!

    V: These thai cards, many mothers don’t even open it. There is excellent information about breastfeeding, immunization, etc in that. But they open it only when they are in the doctor’s room for vaccination. There should be more of audio-visual information. In fact, there are a lot of videos created by many organizations. The challenge is in making the mothers watch these.

    A: There should be apps that notifies mothers on mobile phones about immunization and all. Someone else can configure these for them.

    V: There are such apps already. And big hospitals even have the facility of telephone reminders as special packs.

    S: There could be call centres which give information out to patients. They can call these call centres through numbers like 112 and get help.

    A: How would that be sustainable? Who’d pay these people?

    V: You know, even doctors do not know many things. For example, when my friends became pregnant, they’d start googling for what to eat and so on.

    A: In fact, the motto of my website is to improve learning, especially medicine. There are a lot of problems in medical education. We learn a lot but not in creative useful ways. I am still finding out ways to learn medicine. For example, I built a set of open questions in first chapter of ophthalmology textbook. These questions, just by going through them, makes the learner learn a lot of things.

    And there should be more of open educational resources. The Web is still deficient in medical education resources. There are some videos put on youtube by universities, or professors. They are usually accompanied by copyright notices. This shouldn’t be happening. We need remixable, open educational resources that are licensed in permissive ways.

    And there sholud be creative ways of learning. It shouldn’t just be text. We do have creative things like virtual body, etc coming. But these shouldn’t be restricted to just demo apps. Medicine is so voluminous, there shouldn’t be some interactive thing for every topic.

    V: There’s Dr Virkud. He records procedures, clinics, etc adds audio and uploads them on Youtube. But not all professors are cool like him.  For example, downloading slides from slideshare and using them for presentations is frowned upon by professors.

    A: Exactly! I see surgeries from YouTube and that makes professors angry. But they can’t be blamed for these. They should first be made aware of these alternate things – open learning, free software, etc. Once they realize how great they are, they can switch their mindset easily and this is probably a more solid strategy than students switching sides first.

    V: Another thing, these techies research everything on the Internet, including diagnosis and treatment before coming to a doctor. But they’re only like 5% of population. The rest and the vast majority of patients are looking for an emotional touch from hospitals. They care more about care than about technology or luxury.

    Also, if I am not a good communicator, why should I be communicating with patients. Why should I repeat the same advice to every pregnant women? If I’m good at clinical things, I should be left to do that. Counseling, follow-up, treating, paper work, everything shouldn’t be on doctors. Why can’t we recruit more staff for giving patients advice, talking to them etc rather than spending on luxury? Medicine should be a team work.

    S: But I think luxury is important. There are some people who can afford to pay for it. And this can bring in much needed money which can be used to cross-subsidize for poor patients.

    V: Even if people can afford luxury, care is more important for most people. For example, there are RMPs in AP.  They have won patients’ trust by being with them and giving emotional touch. And they bring the patients to the hospitals from where they get commissions. They are called kickbacks.

    A: I guess these are all policy issues that need to be solved by bringing in policy changes. There probably are organizations working for health policy changes? I can remember save the doctor campaign (or the patient?). There should be more campaigns for all these issues.

    S: The problem is that medical student corpus is largely apolitical. A lot of students aren’t even aware of issues.

    V: We had a small organization in AP. AP’s medical education is a mess. Students don’t even know how to take case. Our idea was to increase the feeling of social responsibility in students and make them more political. But in our meetings, they ended up asking questions about how to learn pathology, what to do after MBBS, etc. Even active members lost interest a while later because of peer pressure. How can we expect huge campaigns in such situations?

    A: Hmm. Let’s just keep in touch for now and motivate each other to keep going. We won’t waste time in organizing.

    And then we split ways. If you’re interested in joining our small group, let me know.

  • Why Hazare’s demands are hazardous

    Corruption – sucks.
    Lokpal – great idea.
    Making Lokpal equivalent to monarchy – insanely stupid in the long run.

    What we see at major cities is not support for the idea that Prime Minister and judiciary should be brought under Lokpal (for the agitated people don’t even know what they are agitated about)
    What we see is the stupid mistake every kid learning politics in 9th standard makes – comparing an ideal monarchy with a practical democracy.

    Yes, the Lokpal should be formed. But no, it should not be made omnipotent. Because that would be going backwards in history. From democracy to anarchy.

    The Lokpal will shake the constitution. So it should be brought in slowly so that the constitution doesn’t lose balance and topple over. And you can’t afford to postpone eating till the end, no matter how large your tummy is.

    Tail piece : People are guillible, especially college kids who hate going to college. But to pursuade those people to vote in favour requires intelligence, which the politicians have. And that’s why they think before they leap.

  • Friends, Indians, countrymen, lend me your ears

    I come to concede Tharoor, not to praise him;
    The evil that ministers do lives after their term,
    The good is oft interred with their files,
    So let it be with Tharoor … The noble Modi
    Hath told you Tharoor was ambitious:
    If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
    And grievously hath Tharoor answered it …
    Here, under leave of Modi and the rest,
    (For Modi is an honourable man;
    So are they all; all honourable men)
    Come I to speak in Tharoor’s farewell …
    He was my hero, faithful and just to me:
    But Modi says he was ambitious;
    And Modi is an honourable man….
    He hath brought many traders home to India,
    Whose exchange did the general coffers fill:
    Did this in Tharoor seem ambitious?
    When that the poor have cried, Tharoor hath wept:
    Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
    Yet Modi says he was ambitious;
    And Modi is an honourable man.
    I speak not to disprove what Modi spoke,
    But here I am to speak what I do know.
    You all did vote for him once, not without cause:
    What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
    O judgement! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
    And men have lost their reason…. Bear with me;
    My heart is in the smartphone there with the MoS,
    And I must pause till it come back to me twittering.

    —

    Enough of the Victorian Shakespeare. And enough of our mentality running older than that. Why do we always have to think old? Why can’t we think in new patterns? Are our brains too concrete?
    Does using twitter make a minister alien? Or does a website make him Extra-Terrestrial. It is called technology. Technology that makes public life social and social life public. So did Obama. And so did Advani try to. But when Tharoor did it successfully people ask him to stop shooting mouth off.

    When Tharoor stayed in a 5-star hotel it was luxury. Had he stayed in Mumbai’s Taj Palace, it would have been patriotism.
    When he called the ‘cattle class’ the ‘cattle class’, people became cattle, thanks to the English pundits.
    When he said people should work on Gandhi Jayanthi, it became anti-national. Destroying a holiday of a billion Indians? Oh My Gandhi.
    When the terrorists came in rowing boats the government started asking the flight passengers a few more questions. When Tharoor questioned the logic behind this he was helping the terrorists blast peace off India.
    And then he’s reported to have questioned Chachaji’s and Bappuji’s foreign policy. He’s reported to have.
    And the Oxford Dictionary’s Pakistan edition is still undecided about the meaning of the word ‘interlocutor’.

    Throughout he’s called the man of controversies. Tharoor should be awarded some prize for this skill.
    Where other politicians find it very tough to attract controversy even while making controversial decisions, or accepting huge gifts, or spending too less for an ordinary minister; Tharoor seems to have acquired a knack of creating controversy with sentences less than 140 characters long. When Tharoor talks there is controversy, when he sneezes there is tsunami, and when he watches a cricket match there is extortion, profiteering, breach of trust, venality and corruption.
    We’ve got options. Change our attitude or cut the tongue and all those digits off Tharoor.

  • What if the PM directly orders the District Collectors? (and technology assists them)

    I just found a solution for corrupt politics. If I can get one great Prime Minister, I have made a plan to rescue India. Consider:
    There are only around 600 districts in India. Assuming that all of them have one and only district collector we will have around 600 district collectors. All of them are highly educated, highly qualified IAS officers and therefore most probably sincere to their professions too. A district is quite a manageable area for a single person to administer efficiently. So, District Collectors can efficiently look after their respective districts. But what they lack is sometimes the power to make laws and sometimes the support of a minister concerned with what he’s trying to do (that is what we mean by a corrupted government)
    Now assume that we have one great Prime Minister. And around 50 % good collectors (i.e. 300 of them). Let all others be corrupted. All the ministers, all other executives. We just need 301 people on our side.

    The PM after being elected conducts a grand conference. On day 1 he talks to district collectors from one state, about the problems the state is facing and about what they can do. He asks them about the hurdles they are facing in nation development. He lends them complete support for anything that they are undertaking (provided all the collectors from that state agree). He promises to help them out of any complications that are being imposed on them by state ministers or other central ministers. He gives them high class security.
    And he gives them an email id and a phone number. Any collector can at any moment contact him directly and talk to him and ask his permission and if needed ask his help in dealing with a troublesome minister or such.

    This is done with every other state. And within a month every collector in the country is connected to the Prime Minister. And the collectors can do reforms that were previously impossible due to interventions by others.

    What I mean is virtually a parallel government. But this one is legal.
    Instead of the Members of Parliament (We do have MPs, but they are not acting in between the PM and Collectors), we have District Collectors. It is not true democracy, but it seems like it is better than democracy as it is in India now. The PM acts directly through the Collectors. So there is no time lag. There is no efficiency drain. Corrupt politicians are no more a problem.

    One great Prime Minister and India will never be the same again.

  • What is lavalin

    There is a presentation describing the SNC lavalin case at snclavalin.blogspot.com


    If you want to know more about the snc lavalin scandal including valid documents go to snclavalin.blogspot.com

  • Mr PM! Have you kept your promises?

    I got this as an email.

    LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER

    Dear Mr. Prime minister

    I am a typical mouse from Mumbai. In the local train compartment which has
    capacity of 100 persons, I travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at least
    squeak but we don’t even do that.

    Today I heard your speech. In which you said ‘NO BODY WOULD BE SPARED’. I
    would like to remind you that fourteen years has passed since serial bomb
    blast in Mumbai took place. Dawood was the main conspirator. Till today he
    is not caught. All our bolywood actors, our builders, our Gutka king meets
    him but your Government can not catch him. Reason is simple; all your
    ministers are hand in glove with him. If any attempt is made to catch him
    everybody will be exposed. Your statement ‘NOBODY WOULD BE SPARED’ is
    nothing but a cruel joke on this unfortunate people of India.

    Enough is enough. As such after seeing terrorist attack carried out by
    about a dozen young boys I realize that if same thing continues days are
    not away when terrorist will attack by air, destroy our nuclear reactor and
    there will be one more Hiroshima.

    We the people are left with only one mantra. Womb to Bomb to Tomb. You
    promised Mumbaikar Shanghai what you have given us is Jalianwala Baug.

    Today only your home minister resigned. What took you so long to kick out
    this joker? Only reason was that he was loyal to Gandhi family. Loyalty to
    Gandhi family is more important than blood of innocent people, isn’t it?

    I am born and bought up in Mumbai for last fifty eight years. Believe me
    corruption in Maharashtra is worse than that in Bihar. Look at all the
    politician, Sharad Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Bal Thackray ,
    Gopinath Munde, Raj Thackray, Vilasrao Deshmukh all are rolling in money.
    Vilasrao Deshmukh is one of the worst Chief minister I have seen. His only
    business is to increase the FSI every other day, make money and send it to
    Delhi so Congress can fight next election. Now the clown has found new way
    and will increase FSI for fisherman so they can build concrete house right
    on sea shore. Next time terrorist can comfortably live in those house ,
    enjoy the beauty of sea and then attack the Mumbai at their will.

    Recently I had to purchase house in Mumbai. I met about two dozen builders.
    Everybody wanted about 30% in black. A common person like me knows this and
    with all your intelligent agency & CBI you and your finance minister are
    not aware of it. Where all the black money goes? To the underworld isn’t
    it? Our politicians take help of these goondas to vacate people by force. I
    myself was victim of it. If you have time please come to me, I will tell
    you everything.

    If this has been land of fools, idiots then I would not have ever cared to
    write you this letter. Just see the tragedy, on one side we are reaching
    moon, people are so intelligent and on other side you politician has
    converted nectar into deadly poison. I am everything Hindu, Muslim,
    Christian, Schedule caste, OBC, Muslim OBC, Christian Schedule caste,
    Creamy Schedule caste only what I am not is INDIAN. You politician have
    raped every part of mother India by your policy of divide and rule.

    Take example of former president Abdul Kalam. Such a intelligent person,
    such a fine human being. You politician didn’t even spare him. Your party
    along with opposition joined the hands, because politician feels they are
    supreme and there is no place for good person.

    Dear Mr Prime minister you are one of the most intelligent person, most
    learned person. Just wake up, be a real SARDAR. First and foremost expose
    all selfish politician. Ask Swiss bank to give name of all Indian account
    holder. Give reins of CBI to independent agency. Let them find wolf among
    us. There will be political upheaval but that will better than dance of
    death which we are witnessing every day. Just give us ambient where we can
    work honestly and without fear. Let there be rule of law. Everything else
    will be taken care of.

    Choice is yours Mr. Prime Minister. Do you want to be lead by one person or
    you want to lead the nation of 100 Crore people.
    Prakash B. Bajaj
    Chandralok ‘A” Wing, Flat No 104
    97 Nepean Sea Road
    Mumbai 400 036
    Phone 98210-71194

  • The Change We Need

    And Barack Husein Obama has lived up to all the expectations. He disappointed neither his followers nor the people of the United States of America and the whole world. He won.
    Here is the inspiring and heart throbbing victory acceptance speech that he gave out in front of 120 000 supporters in the election night.

    Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama

    (as prepared for delivery)

    Election Night

    Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

    Chicago, Illinois

    If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

    It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

    It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

    It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

    It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

    I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

    I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

    I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

    To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

    But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

    I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

    It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

    I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

    The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

    There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

    What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

    So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

    Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

    And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

    For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

    This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

    She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

    And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

    At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

    When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

    When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

    She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

    A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

    America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

    This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

    Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

    Read the original at barackobama.com

  • US elections 2008

    Obama is all set for a win. When I was writing this, he was leading 200 to 90 where only 270 is needed to win. So the first black prez of America.

    See more at BBC