View allAll Photos Tagged Refocus
Macro Monday #Alive. This was a pretty difficult shot to get because every time I pointed my camera at her she would move. So I had to wait for her to settle down, recompose and refocus before she moved again. HMM!
I regarded the world as such a sad sight
Until I viewed it in black and white
Then I reviewed every frame and basic shape
And sealed the exits with caution tape
Don't refocus your eyes in the darkness
And don't remember this place unless
I describe all the things that you cannot see
And we'll unravel the mystery
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird & Hibiscus.
My camera struggling to focus on these little wonders turned this "miss" into a peek-a-boo gem!
A spot near my house that is nice to frequent and refocus my mind. The sound of the water is soothing.
Focus-stacked from two exposures.
Herne Bay, testing my 'new' lens that came yesterday
The lens is from 1970s, all manual, varifousl, (You need to refocus when you zoom) Constant f2.8, made by Kino Precision (Kiron)
I hesitated for a long time to refocus this photo, but I decided to leave above on the left the hand, which although diverting the attention of the head, it seems to me that it gives and strengthens the unusual side of the photo! What do you think about it?
Was lying in bed the other night, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly the stillness was broken by a faint rustling noise. Sounded like the flapping of little wings, or maybe tiny feet racing across the floor of the attic directly over my head. Maybe a mouse I wondered, but I hadn't heard it before now. Maybe a critter just moved in. But then it occurred to me that I'm normally not sleepless at this hour. Maybe the mouse runs across the attic every night and I simply don't hear it. Recently a portion of almost every night is spent this way. I think about the millions of other people that are also lying awake staring at their bedroom ceilings. The pandemic has upended lives and changed how we look at just about everything. Lately I worry about the longterm effect of unrelenting anxiety. Normally the proverbial valleys of daily life are counterbalanced by peaks. Bad days are interspersed with good ones and that helps us balance the books, so to speak, in terms of mental health. But now it seems there are no peaks as we've driven over a precipice into an enormous valley. The next big peak seems distant and very conditional (if we do this or that, if a vaccine is developed, if, if if). The negative effects are widespread and far reaching. Economy depressed, closed schools and businesses; people withdrawn from society. Even basic grocery shopping has become an anxiety-inducing experience. And all of that pales in comparison to the staggering death toll. And it worries me how the daily death counts have are becoming increasingly abstract. The mind just cannot fathom the numbers anymore as the bar for shock is raised on a daily basis. A mental numbness sets in through the constant repitition of the news cycle. I force myself to tune out for a portion of the day to prevent overload and being overwhelmed. I suppose a reset like this was inevitable. It's goin g to end, sooner or later. We'll emerge into a new normal. But it won't be the old one. Many adaptations are probably here to stay. Almost every day something surfaces in my life to remind me of the time before all of this. Trivial things like old photos, emails, notes and letters that remind me how priorities have shifted so drastically. Things that reveal the pettiness of my prior annoyances and problems in the present context. I would gladly embrace all of those issues now in exchange for the present reality. Everything is relative. I expect I haven't heard the last of my attic sounds. They are like a metaphor for the virus itself. Whatever the hell is making those noises, I hope it can't get inside.
She seemed so tentative
Cautious Her tiny eye
Curving round the window frame
of a greying sky And I wonder
if we'll ever Fly into each others
arms again
We peek into each others eyes
hoping to find the answers
to All our Whys
To readjust the Balance
in our lives
To Refocus our priorities
so we can Meet again
Walk hand in hand
along that lovers path
where we First
embraced
And through those gates
down yonder where grows
the Tree of Hearts
to sit a spell and drink again
and again And again
from Loves sweet well
c. Namerif
Douglas Fireman
ON THE SHORES OF CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
Looks Best in LightBox www.flickr.com/photos/barrentrees/8714047168/in/photostre...
or Fluidr www.fluidr.com/photos/barrentrees
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
REFRESHMENT, ANYONE? By Jane Fryar
By some estimates, seven of every ten doctor visits are fatigue-related. That’s a lot of weariness! Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of disease. But fatigue has other sources, too. Long-term stress. Grief. Ongoing frustration. Clinical depression. The list of causes goes on and on. Always, though, fear and worry make weariness worse. Anyone who has laid awake at night stewing about an aging parent, a straying spouse, or a child with autism knows how quickly fear and worry can dig a pit—and how deep and dark that pit can be. Into our darkness the Lord shouts his promise to refresh us. Far more helpful than a splash of cold water on tired eyes, far more effective than two pots of stiff coffee, God’s promise touches our hearts, planting seeds of hope. “I will refresh the weary,” he says.
A tall lemonade on a hot day. That first dive into the pool after the cover comes off in spring. A care package from home during finals week at college. These things refresh us. How much more refreshing, though, to see a friendly face, to hear a loved one’s voice, to receive a hug from someone who cares deeply about us. The presence of those we love during life’s lonely, troubled times—now that’s refreshing! And how much more so when the one who comes to refresh our souls is the Savior, who loved us to death—his own death on the cross! At times we find ourselves as innocent bystanders in the troubles that engulf us. At other times, we have caused the train wreck of our circumstances. (Or, at least, contributed to it.) But always, Jesus comes to forgive and heal, to refresh and satisfy our hearts with his love for us. In the light of his promise, worries melt and fears shrink. Are you “fainting” today from weariness? Are you struggling with an unresolved illness? Are you carrying a burden of guilt or fear or worry? Whatever the cause of your fatigue, pause and invite your Savior to refresh your soul. Lord, you refresh me by your presence and in your promises. Teach me to rely more and more on You, especially. (written by Jane Fryar)
"I WILL refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jeremiah 31:25
Have a Great Week my very talented friends! And may you be refreshed wherever you find yourself today :)
* World Annual Photo 2025, ReFocus Awards, Nominee Fashion and Beauty
* Winner Fashion ICE CineFest 2024
* Nominee - Portrait, Cinematography and Photography Awards Winter 2024
Publications:
* Art Magazine #3, 2025, Barbagelata Contemporary Art Foundation
On a pedal Boat when he/she swam in way too quickly and too close for a lens manual refocus. Disgusted we had no bread, he/she swam as quickly away.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."~Winston Churchill
I couldn't get the photos sharp enough. I think my camera is busted, it won't stop trying to refocus. :/
Sometimes you have to stand alone, just to make sure you still can.
Thank you everyone for your visit and kind comments, really appreciated. Hope your all having a great Sunday.
Another one taken while out the other day and already sharp out the camera, edited in PhotoShop and save as a tiff file, then just for fun reshapen again useing Akvis Refocus.
2011 © Hans Davis Photography.
© All rights reserved. Do not use without permission.
Where is your favorite place to refocus yourself?
For me, contemplating the perfect horizon and feeling warm breeze were just absolutely perfect to clear my mind during my stay in Krabi, Thailand.
Plus, golden hour enhanced this magical moment. Let me know your favorite place to keep your focus in the comments!🌟
www.instagram.com/p/B_2YSdhAnQV/
Follow me on www.instagram.com/taiga.foto/ to check my pics everyday🙌🙌🙌
;//w//; My babies <3
TwT Ah this is kind of random but I spent my Christmas working and playing with dollies and decided to take some pictures of Faustus and Euclid together since its been a while. xD Oh, also to show off Faustus' new wig and eyes a bit more I guess haha.
Euclid in rare form not wearing a long dress for once haha. Need to build up the more androgynous/"masculine" side of their wardrobe since I've tended to favor dressing them more femininely since I don't have any super femme dolls (aside from Rift but can't have her out at the same time as Euclid so xD)
;//w//; Anyways, love these two. They are special not just to each other but also to me as Euclid is my favorite doll and Faustus is my most special/significant doll. xD Canonically in their story just before Euclid gets their hair mended is when Faustus is finally cured of his affliction of burning (basically) everything he touches so whenever Eui wears this wig its totally a-ok in my mind to have them touching. Even though they are just dolls and it doesn't actually matter, I almost never had them touch prior as it would have seemed canonically inaccurate and I CAN'T COMPROMISE MY INTEGRITY ...I mean because i'm a huge nerd xDDD
So yeah, ever since I made this wig for Eui these two have been inseparable ;w;
~
//RANT UPDATE FEELS BLAH
But anyways, these two kind of tie into my current state of thoughts/feelings in the hobby so I might as well give some updates on that while i'm here. To be honest, I thought that I was done with reflections and changes for myself in the hobby for a while as I feel like that's all that's been going on with me lately but I still have the deep yearning to change things, set goals and refocus so I suppose i'm not done yet as annoying is that is for me and probably for you guys to bare witness to as well. To start, a lot of my feelings/goals in the hobby are changing still but the one that hasn't budged is that my ultimate main goal in the doll hobby is to get my little conflicted quartet of Faustus, Euclid, Hyacinth and Petra "complete" and as perfect as possible. Thankfully they are pretty close to getting there as I'm so happy and content with all of their head sculpts and Faustus is the only one who I feel needs a body upgrade. Its been WAY too long for them to still be so unfinished and there are so many fun projects I want to do for them so they are definitely priority number one.
I also decided a while back that I wouldn't be starting my reshelling process of Shu/Calliope/Etzel until these four are at an acceptable level of "completeness" to where it feels warranted to begin a new big project. The prospect of not having Shu as a doll for some time definitely pains me as he's so special to me, but I think it'll ultimately frustrate and confuse me a lot less if I focus on a smaller amount of dolls at a time. They will 100% be coming back in the future of course but i'm not putting any set dates to start on that anytime soon.
But really, my Unicorn character's story and these characters have been my greatest love in the hobby since the beginning and continue to be to this day and the longer i'm in the hobby the more I feel like i'd be happiest if this was the only one of my really complex pre-existing stories that I focused on as dolls. I can imagine just focusing on them exclusively and building up their world and the most important characters in it, constantly improving them and making them more clothes, dioramas, etc. and being completely content. Putting forth all my effort and passion into really fleshing them out, you know? The more time goes by the more that notion comes to the forefront of my thoughts and I think all of my confusion and indecisiveness in the hobby has been culminating to this seemingly inevitable conclusion. I've even been annoying myself with how fickle i've become with my dolls lately and I know that isn't the type of person I am and don't want to continue being. I think back on myself when I first joined the hobby when in the beginning I only focused on my Unicorn characters and I think that was when I felt the most happy and when everything made the most sense to me, you know? And ever since I decided to pursue lots of different characters of mine from lots of different stories it made everything so much more difficult, frustrating and I overall just less fun. That isn't to say I have been devoid of enjoyment in the hobby ever since then because that's absolutely not the case, but I just feel that i'd get even more enjoyment out of it while feeling more productive and fulfilled if I focused more heavily on the one thing i've been inspired by the most from the beginning up to now.
That also being said, because i'd so adamantly chosen the path of shelling characters from so many of my very detailed pre-existing stories I kind of cut myself off from having the ability to just get dolls that inspire me and letting my creativity run wild. My Minifee FLAM, Rift, (and to a lesser extend Rumor before her) really opened my eyes to just how much I love the process of creating something new with a doll and just going where the creativity takes me and prior to her I never allowed myself to do that. I adore Rift so much because she gave me something that I had been hungry for ever since I joined the hobby but was to wrapped up in my own ideas to realize; freedom. I've come to understand that there are two main paths one can go down in the hobby; very methodically shelling your own pre-existing characters as dolls or making completely new characters/concepts for dolls that you want and inspire you. I've always known that sticking exclusively to the later path could lead to having too many dolls you don't know what to do with but I don't think I realized that sticking so exclusively to the first path could become limiting and take away the feeling of freedom. I guess what i'm trying to say is that i've been leaning too heavily to one side for too long and I think what I really want is balance and allow myself to walk down both paths rather than restricting myself to just one. I've noticed lots of people tend to do the same thing, like for example some shell important well-developed characters from their story all in SD but then have a bunch of YoSDs or MSDs as their random "fun" dolls, you know? I think a similar approach is what would work best for me in the long run as well. Shelling my most beloved characters from my most beloved story and having the feeling of accomplishment that comes with bring them to life as accurately as possible, but also having a series of dolls that is nothing but pure art and creativity that has no restrictions. Hopefully that makes sense.
T__T Anyway, as much as I think this is ultimately the best course of action for me and what all of the frustration/confusion i've been having these days have been working toward, but this whole thing feels so much more difficult to overcome considering the dolls I currently have on order. Two of them were originally intended to be a part of my Egyptian character's story which if I do commit to pursuing only my Unicorn character's story it just makes it all the more difficult to say goodbye to. (I am thinking that the two who haven't arrived yet I could transition into characters that would fit in with my Unicorn character's story/other plans but we'll see.) I think the biggest thing that has prevented me from really just fully committing to this plan is because I love my Egyptian characters and their story so much as well and I legitimately hate the idea of parting with them as I love both the dolls and characters that they represent. River in particular is a very special doll to me and has always been a huge favorite of mine so the idea of parting with him especially kind of kills me. Like, I consider him my very first real "grail" doll, one that i'd never thought that i'd actually own, so considering parting with him in particular is honestly the hardest decision i've yet had to make and I really don't know yet if I can do it. I desperately want to somehow work him into my Unicorn character's story just so I can justify keeping him. I absolutely refuse to force random new characters into my Unitrios story as I care to much about its integrity for that, but perhaps there may be an existing character in the story that he could suit with minor alterations. I've never successfully been able to give a new character to a doll that previously had one but i'm willing to try again for him~
But as much as I do love River and his story I still feel so much more passionately about my Unicorn characters and could still so easily imagine myself giving my Egyptian characters up in favor of them and not regretting it. No sacrifice i've made for the sake of improving my Unicorn characters i've ever regretted so far since they really do mean that much to me, but still, even knowing that doesn't make committing to this any easier. Again, i'm going to do everything in my power to justify keeping River only as a different character but Raum and the other two dolls I have on order I originally planned for their story I very well may not end up keeping.
Then there is the matter of the other doll I have on order, my F60 Cygne. I think she is really what pushed me over the edge to really understanding just how much I wanted freedom in the hobby and my desire to finally just commit to getting a doll because I love and am inspired by it. It kind of goes against my new course of action if I end up making her my character IbbI as she is also from one of my really complex and pre-existing stories and I really do not want to branch out beyond the one, but really, I find this particular doll to be so inspiring that I could imagine her as a dozen different things and be just as in love with all of them. That kind of leads me into what i'm possibly thinking of for my "fun" group of dolls in the future. I mentioned before that the vast majority of dolls i've been intensely captivated by and consider "grails" in some form or another are SDs. I think logically it just makes the most sense that a size that i've always found so intriguing and inspiring is the size I should devote to my purely creative endeavors. Even before Cygne was a thing I had been thinking for a long time about making a series of dolls that tie together but don't have a super specific story or have really developed characters but are at their core each meant to be a beautiful work of art centered around a theme. They'd all be really intricate and unique projects most involving mods and dyeing and would be the perfect way to own dolls i've always loved but otherwise couldn't justify owning, realize ideas I couldn't do with my specific characters dolls because it wouldn't be canonically accurate, and really challenge my skills and creativity in a way that only having no limits could be possible. Of course, whether or not I actually enjoy SDs in real life is still up in the air as I haven't got to hold a complete one in my hands yet so whether or not I actually pursue this is dependent on how I feel about them when my Cygne arrives, but I am really hoping I end up liking the size as i'm ridiculously inspired by this project. I'll of course share more about it if/when it ends up working out, but yeah, just know that they would be the most unique and captivating dolls ever and i'm sure you guys would absolutely adore them ;w;
If it does end up working it kind of creates another problem with Rift and her little "fun" side project if I wanted to remain size-specific, but I suppose i'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
And as far who Cygne will end up being i'm not entirely sure at this point but i'm alright with waiting until she arrives to figure it out exactly. I'll probably make more mockups and such for some other ideas I have for her but idk if you guys would want to see even more of those at this point haha xD
Ack, anyways rambling as usual, sorry, but hopefully that kind of explains where i'm coming from and how i'm feeling. I swear this is going to be the last reflective/somber update i'm going to have in a LONG time because at this point I know what has been plaguing me and now feel confident in building things up even stronger once things have been sorted out for good. Not certain as to what will happen with River, Raum, my DIM Annabeth or Sio2 Ragdoll yet but hopefully I can work River and Annabeth into my Unicorn character's story and Ragdoll perhaps can be some sort of companion to my Cygne, we'll see.
Despite the idea of possibly having to say goodbye to more dolls/stories i'm actually not sad at all, instead relieved. It feels like a weight has been lifted and I feel more inspired than ever to make the dolls I have something truly special and press forward with both clear goals but also the freedom to go where the creativity lies. This year has been difficult for me both with dolls and with life but I've learned a lot about myself and what I truly want out of my dolls. 2016 was a year of darkness and sad goodbyes for both me and in the perspective of most people in general, but i'm keeping positive that 2017 will be full of creativity, progress and and wonderful new things.
I really appreciate everyone who has stuck with me through this whole process and encouraged me to follow my heart no matter how difficult that can be at times.
*hugs*
---
Faustus (right, boy) is a Soom R. Shale in Cream White skin. Faceup, horn and wig by me.
Euclid (left, gender fluid) is a modded Fairyland Minifee Luka in Beautiful White skin. Faceup, mods, horn, wig and harness by me.
I was shooting the mushroom when this long legs strolled into the frame. I tried to refocus for the spider instead.
COMMON SECURITY FOR OUR COMMON HUMANITY
"At moments of great peril in the last century, American leaders such as Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John F. Kennedy managed both to protect the American people and to expand opportunity for the next generation. What is more, they ensured that America, by deed and example, led and lifted the world -- that we stood for and fought for the freedoms sought by billions of people beyond our borders.
As Roosevelt built the most formidable military the world had ever seen, his Four Freedoms gave purpose to our struggle against fascism. Truman championed a bold new architecture to respond to the Soviet threat -- one that paired military strength with the Marshall Plan and helped secure the peace and well-being of nations around the world. As colonialism crumbled and the Soviet Union achieved effective nuclear parity, Kennedy modernized our military doctrine, strengthened our conventional forces, and created the Peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress. They used our strengths to show people everywhere America at its best.
Today, we are again called to provide visionary leadership. This century's threats are at least as dangerous as and in some ways more complex than those we have confronted in the past. They come from weapons that can kill on a mass scale and from global terrorists who respond to alienation or perceived injustice with murderous nihilism. They come from rogue states allied to terrorists and from rising powers that could challenge both America and the international foundation of liberal democracy. They come from weak states that cannot control their territory or provide for their people. And they come from a warming planet that will spur new diseases, spawn more devastating natural disasters, and catalyze deadly conflicts.
To recognize the number and complexity of these threats is not to give way to pessimism. Rather, it is a call to action. These threats demand a new vision of leadership in the twenty-first century -- a vision that draws from the past but is not bound by outdated thinking. The Bush administration responded to the unconventional attacks of 9/11 with conventional thinking of the past, largely viewing problems as state-based and principally amenable to military solutions. It was this tragically misguided view that led us into a war in Iraq that never should have been authorized and never should have been waged. In the wake of Iraq and Abu Ghraib, the world has lost trust in our purposes and our principles.
After thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars spent, many Americans may be tempted to turn inward and cede our leadership in world affairs. But this is a mistake we must not make. America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, and the world cannot meet them without America. We can neither retreat from the world nor try to bully it into submission. We must lead the world, by deed and by example.
Such leadership demands that we retrieve a fundamental insight of Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy -- one that is truer now than ever before: the security and well-being of each and every American depend on the security and well-being of those who live beyond our borders. The mission of the United States is to provide global leadership grounded in the understanding that the world shares a common security and a common humanity.
The American moment is not over, but it must be seized anew. To see American power in terminal decline is to ignore America's great promise and historic purpose in the world. If elected president, I will start renewing that promise and purpose the day I take office.
MOVING BEYOND IRAQ
To renew American leadership in the world, we must first bring the Iraq war to a responsible end and refocus our attention on the broader Middle East. Iraq was a diversion from the fight against the terrorists who struck us on 9/11, and incompetent prosecution of the war by America's civilian leaders compounded the strategic blunder of choosing to wage it in the first place. We have now lost over 3,300 American lives, and thousands more suffer wounds both seen and unseen.
Our servicemen and servicewomen have performed admirably while sacrificing immeasurably. But it is time for our civilian leaders to acknowledge a painful truth: we cannot impose a military solution on a civil war between Sunni and Shiite factions. The best chance we have to leave Iraq a better place is to pressure these warring parties to find a lasting political solution. And the only effective way to apply this pressure is to begin a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces, with the goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008 -- a date consistent with the goal set by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. This redeployment could be temporarily suspended if the Iraqi government meets the security, political, and economic benchmarks to which it has committed. But we must recognize that, in the end, only Iraqi leaders can bring real peace and stability to their country.
At the same time, we must launch a comprehensive regional and international diplomatic initiative to help broker an end to the civil war in Iraq, prevent its spread, and limit the suffering of the Iraqi people. To gain credibility in this effort, we must make clear that we seek no permanent bases in Iraq. We should leave behind only a minimal over-the-horizon military force in the region to protect American personnel and facilities, continue training Iraqi security forces, and root out al Qaeda.
The morass in Iraq has made it immeasurably harder to confront and work through the many other problems in the region -- and it has made many of those problems considerably more dangerous. Changing the dynamic in Iraq will allow us to focus our attention and influence on resolving the festering conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians -- a task that the Bush administration neglected for years.
For more than three decades, Israelis, Palestinians, Arab leaders, and the rest of the world have looked to America to lead the effort to build the road to a lasting peace. In recent years, they have all too often looked in vain. Our starting point must always be a clear and strong commitment to the security of Israel, our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy. That commitment is all the more important as we contend with growing threats in the region -- a strengthened Iran, a chaotic Iraq, the resurgence of al Qaeda, the reinvigoration of Hamas and Hezbollah. Now more than ever, we must strive to secure a lasting settlement of the conflict with two states living side by side in peace and security. To do so, we must help the Israelis identify and strengthen those partners who are truly committed to peace, while isolating those who seek conflict and instability. Sustained American leadership for peace and security will require patient effort and the personal commitment of the president of the United States. That is a commitment I will make.
Throughout the Middle East, we must harness American power to reinvigorate American diplomacy. Tough-minded diplomacy, backed by the whole range of instruments of American power -- political, economic, and military -- could bring success even when dealing with long-standing adversaries such as Iran and Syria. Our policy of issuing threats and relying on intermediaries to curb Iran's nuclear program, sponsorship of terrorism, and regional aggression is failing. Although we must not rule out using military force, we should not hesitate to talk directly to Iran. Our diplomacy should aim to raise the cost for Iran of continuing its nuclear program by applying tougher sanctions and increasing pressure from its key trading partners. The world must work to stop Iran's uranium-enrichment program and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. It is far too dangerous to have nuclear weapons in the hands of a radical theocracy. At the same time, we must show Iran -- and especially the Iranian people -- what could be gained from fundamental change: economic engagement, security assurances, and diplomatic relations. Diplomacy combined with pressure could also reorient Syria away from its radical agenda to a more moderate stance -- which could, in turn, help stabilize Iraq, isolate Iran, free Lebanon from Damascus' grip, and better secure Israel.
REVITALIZING THE MILITARY
To renew American leadership in the world, we must immediately begin working to revitalize our military. A strong military is, more than anything, necessary to sustain peace. Unfortunately, the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps, according to our military leaders, are facing a crisis. The Pentagon cannot certify a single army unit within the United States as fully ready to respond in the event of a new crisis or emergency beyond Iraq; 88 percent of the National Guard is not ready to deploy overseas.
We must use this moment both to rebuild our military and to prepare it for the missions of the future. We must retain the capacity to swiftly defeat any conventional threat to our country and our vital interests. But we must also become better prepared to put boots on the ground in order to take on foes that fight asymmetrical and highly adaptive campaigns on a global scale.
We should expand our ground forces by adding 65,000 soldiers to the army and 27,000 marines. Bolstering these forces is about more than meeting quotas. We must recruit the very best and invest in their capacity to succeed. That means providing our servicemen and servicewomen with first-rate equipment, armor, incentives, and training -- including in foreign languages and other critical skills. Each major defense program should be reevaluated in light of current needs, gaps in the field, and likely future threat scenarios. Our military will have to rebuild some capabilities and transform others. At the same time, we need to commit sufficient funding to enable the National Guard to regain a state of readiness.
Enhancing our military will not be enough. As commander in chief, I would also use our armed forces wisely. When we send our men and women into harm's way, I will clearly define the mission, seek out the advice of our military commanders, objectively evaluate intelligence, and ensure that our troops have the resources and the support they need. I will not hesitate to use force, unilaterally if necessary, to protect the American people or our vital interests whenever we are attacked or imminently threatened.
We must also consider using military force in circumstances beyond self-defense in order to provide for the common security that underpins global stability -- to support friends, participate in stability and reconstruction operations, or confront mass atrocities. But when we do use force in situations other than self-defense, we should make every effort to garner the clear support and participation of others -- as President George H. W. Bush did when we led the effort to oust Saddam Hussein from Kuwait in 1991. The consequences of forgetting that lesson in the context of the current conflict in Iraq have been grave.
HALTING THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
To renew American leadership in the world, we must confront the most urgent threat to the security of America and the world -- the spread of nuclear weapons, material, and technology and the risk that a nuclear device will fall into the hands of terrorists. The explosion of one such device would bring catastrophe, dwarfing the devastation of 9/11 and shaking every corner of the globe.
As George Shultz, William Perry, Henry Kissinger, and Sam Nunn have warned, our current measures are not sufficient to meet the nuclear threat. The nonproliferation regime is being challenged, and new civilian nuclear programs could spread the means to make nuclear weapons. Al Qaeda has made it a goal to bring a "Hiroshima" to the United States. Terrorists need not build a nuclear weapon from scratch; they need only steal or buy a weapon or the material to assemble one. There is now highly enriched uranium -- some of it poorly secured -- sitting in civilian nuclear facilities in over 40 countries around the world. In the former Soviet Union, there are approximately 15,000-16,000 nuclear weapons and stockpiles of uranium and plutonium capable of making another 40,000 weapons -- all scattered across 11 time zones. People have already been caught trying to smuggle nuclear material to sell on the black market.
As president, I will work with other nations to secure, destroy, and stop the spread of these weapons in order to dramatically reduce the nuclear dangers for our nation and the world. America must lead a global effort to secure all nuclear weapons and material at vulnerable sites within four years -- the most effective way to prevent terrorists from acquiring a bomb.
This will require the active cooperation of Russia. Although we must not shy away from pushing for more democracy and accountability in Russia, we must work with the country in areas of common interest -- above all, in making sure that nuclear weapons and material are secure. We must also work with Russia to update and scale back our dangerously outdated Cold War nuclear postures and de-emphasize the role of nuclear weapons. America must not rush to produce a new generation of nuclear warheads. And we should take advantage of recent technological advances to build bipartisan consensus behind ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. All of this can be done while maintaining a strong nuclear deterrent. These steps will ultimately strengthen, not weaken, our security.
As we lock down existing nuclear stockpiles, I will work to negotiate a verifiable global ban on the production of new nuclear weapons material. We must also stop the spread of nuclear weapons technology and ensure that countries cannot build -- or come to the brink of building -- a weapons program under the auspices of developing peaceful nuclear power. That is why my administration will immediately provide $50 million to jump-start the creation of an International Atomic Energy Agency-controlled nuclear fuel bank and work to update the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. We must also fully implement the law Senator Richard Lugar and I passed to help the United States and our allies detect and stop the smuggling of weapons of mass destruction throughout the world.
Finally, we must develop a strong international coalition to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and eliminate North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Iran and North Korea could trigger regional arms races, creating dangerous nuclear flashpoints in the Middle East and East Asia. In confronting these threats, I will not take the military option off the table. But our first measure must be sustained, direct, and aggressive diplomacy -- the kind that the Bush administration has been unable and unwilling to use.
COMBATING GLOBAL TERRORISM
To renew American leadership in the world, we must forge a more effective global response to the terrorism that came to our shores on an unprecedented scale on 9/11. From Bali to London, Baghdad to Algiers, Mumbai to Mombasa to Madrid, terrorists who reject modernity, oppose America, and distort Islam have killed and mutilated tens of thousands of people just this decade. Because this enemy operates globally, it must be confronted globally.
We must refocus our efforts on Afghanistan and Pakistan -- the central front in our war against al Qaeda -- so that we are confronting terrorists where their roots run deepest. Success in Afghanistan is still possible, but only if we act quickly, judiciously, and decisively. We should pursue an integrated strategy that reinforces our troops in Afghanistan and works to remove the limitations placed by some NATO allies on their forces. Our strategy must also include sustained diplomacy to isolate the Taliban and more effective development programs that target aid to areas where the Taliban are making inroads.
I will join with our allies in insisting -- not simply requesting -- that Pakistan crack down on the Taliban, pursue Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants, and end its relationship with all terrorist groups. At the same time, I will encourage dialogue between Pakistan and India to work toward resolving their dispute over Kashmir and between Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their historic differences and develop the Pashtun border region. If Pakistan can look toward the east with greater confidence, it will be less likely to believe that its interests are best advanced through cooperation with the Taliban.
Although vigorous action in South Asia and Central Asia should be a starting point, our efforts must be broader. There must be no safe haven for those who plot to kill Americans. To defeat al Qaeda, I will build a twenty-first-century military and twenty-first-century partnerships as strong as the anticommunist alliance that won the Cold War to stay on the offense everywhere from Djibouti to Kandahar.
Here at home, we must strengthen our homeland security and protect the critical infrastructure on which the entire world depends. We can start by spending homeland security dollars on the basis of risk. This means investing more resources to defend mass transit, closing the gaps in our aviation security by screening all cargo on passenger airliners and checking all passengers against a comprehensive watch list, and upgrading port security by ensuring that cargo is screened for radiation.
To succeed, our homeland security and counterterrorism actions must be linked to an intelligence community that deals effectively with the threats we face. Today, we rely largely on the same institutions and practices that were in place before 9/11. We need to revisit intelligence reform, going beyond rearranging boxes on an organizational chart. To keep pace with highly adaptable enemies, we need technologies and practices that enable us to efficiently collect and share information within and across our intelligence agencies. We must invest still more in human intelligence and deploy additional trained operatives and diplomats with specialized knowledge of local cultures and languages. And we should institutionalize the practice of developing competitive assessments of critical threats and strengthen our methodologies of analysis.
Finally, we need a comprehensive strategy to defeat global terrorists -- one that draws on the full range of American power, not just our military might. As a senior U.S. military commander put it, when people have dignity and opportunity, "the chance of extremism being welcomed greatly, if not completely, diminishes." It is for this reason that we need to invest with our allies in strengthening weak states and helping to rebuild failed ones.
In the Islamic world and beyond, combating the terrorists' prophets of fear will require more than lectures on democracy. We need to deepen our knowledge of the circumstances and beliefs that underpin extremism. A crucial debate is occurring within Islam. Some believe in a future of peace, tolerance, development, and democratization. Others embrace a rigid and violent intolerance of personal liberty and the world at large. To empower forces of moderation, America must make every effort to export opportunity -- access to education and health care, trade and investment -- and provide the kind of steady support for political reformers and civil society that enabled our victory in the Cold War. Our beliefs rest on hope; the extremists' rest on fear. That is why we can -- and will -- win this struggle.
REBUILDING OUR PARTNERSHIPS
To renew American leadership in the world, I intend to rebuild the alliances, partnerships, and institutions necessary to confront common threats and enhance common security. Needed reform of these alliances and institutions will not come by bullying other countries to ratify changes we hatch in isolation. It will come when we convince other governments and peoples that they, too, have a stake in effective partnerships.
Too often we have sent the opposite signal to our international partners. In the case of Europe, we dismissed European reservations about the wisdom and necessity of the Iraq war. In Asia, we belittled South Korean efforts to improve relations with the North. In Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina, we failed to adequately address concerns about immigration and equity and economic growth. In Africa, we have allowed genocide to persist for over four years in Darfur and have not done nearly enough to answer the African Union's call for more support to stop the killing. I will rebuild our ties to our allies in Europe and Asia and strengthen our partnerships throughout the Americas and Africa.
Our alliances require constant cooperation and revision if they are to remain effective and relevant. NATO has made tremendous strides over the last 15 years, transforming itself from a Cold War security structure into a partnership for peace. But today, NATO's challenge in Afghanistan has exposed, as Senator Lugar has put it, "the growing discrepancy between NATO's expanding missions and its lagging capabilities." To close this gap, I will rally our NATO allies to contribute more troops to collective security operations and to invest more in reconstruction and stabilization capabilities.
And as we strengthen NATO, we must build new alliances and partnerships in other vital regions. As China rises and Japan and South Korea assert themselves, I will work to forge a more effective framework in Asia that goes beyond bilateral agreements, occasional summits, and ad hoc arrangements, such as the six-party talks on North Korea. We need an inclusive infrastructure with the countries in East Asia that can promote stability and prosperity and help confront transnational threats, from terrorist cells in the Philippines to avian flu in Indonesia. I will also encourage China to play a responsible role as a growing power -- to help lead in addressing the common problems of the twenty-first century. We will compete with China in some areas and cooperate in others. Our essential challenge is to build a relationship that broadens cooperation while strengthening our ability to compete.
In addition, we need effective collaboration on pressing global issues among all the major powers -- including such newly emerging ones as Brazil, India, Nigeria, and South Africa. We need to give all of them a stake in upholding the international order. To that end, the United Nations requires far-reaching reform. The UN Secretariat's management practices remain weak. Peacekeeping operations are overextended. The new UN Human Rights Council has passed eight resolutions condemning Israel -- but not a single resolution condemning the genocide in Darfur or human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. Yet none of these problems will be solved unless America rededicates itself to the organization and its mission.
Strengthened institutions and invigorated alliances and partnerships are especially crucial if we are to defeat the epochal, man-made threat to the planet: climate change. Without dramatic changes, rising sea levels will flood coastal regions around the world, including much of the eastern seaboard. Warmer temperatures and declining rainfall will reduce crop yields, increasing conflict, famine, disease, and poverty. By 2050, famine could displace more than 250 million people worldwide. That means increased instability in some of the most volatile parts of the world.
As the world's largest producer of greenhouse gases, America has the responsibility to lead. While many of our industrial partners are working hard to reduce their emissions, we are increasing ours at a steady clip -- by more than ten percent per decade. As president, I intend to enact a cap-and-trade system that will dramatically reduce our carbon emissions. And I will work to finally free America of its dependence on foreign oil -- by using energy more efficiently in our cars, factories, and homes, relying more on renewable sources of electricity, and harnessing the potential of biofuels.
Getting our own house in order is only a first step. China will soon replace America as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Clean energy development must be a central focus in our relationships with major countries in Europe and Asia. I will invest in efficient and clean technologies at home while using our assistance policies and export promotions to help developing countries leapfrog the carbon-energy-intensive stage of development. We need a global response to climate change that includes binding and enforceable commitments to reducing emissions, especially for those that pollute the most: the United States, China, India, the European Union, and Russia. This challenge is massive, but rising to it will also bring new benefits to America. By 2050, global demand for low-carbon energy could create an annual market worth $500 billion. Meeting that demand would open new frontiers for American entrepreneurs and workers.
BUILDING JUST, SECURE, DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES
Finally, to renew American leadership in the world, I will strengthen our common security by investing in our common humanity. Our global engagement cannot be defined by what we are against; it must be guided by a clear sense of what we stand for. We have a significant stake in ensuring that those who live in fear and want today can live with dignity and opportunity tomorrow.
People around the world have heard a great deal of late about freedom on the march. Tragically, many have come to associate this with war, torture, and forcibly imposed regime change. To build a better, freer world, we must first behave in ways that reflect the decency and aspirations of the American people. This means ending the practices of shipping away prisoners in the dead of night to be tortured in far-off countries, of detaining thousands without charge or trial, of maintaining a network of secret prisons to jail people beyond the reach of the law.
Citizens everywhere should be able to choose their leaders in climates free of fear. America must commit to strengthening the pillars of a just society. We can help build accountable institutions that deliver services and opportunity: strong legislatures, independent judiciaries, honest police forces, free presses, vibrant civil societies. In countries wracked by poverty and conflict, citizens long to enjoy freedom from want. And since extremely poor societies and weak states provide optimal breeding grounds for disease, terrorism, and conflict, the United States has a direct national security interest in dramatically reducing global poverty and joining with our allies in sharing more of our riches to help those most in need. We need to invest in building capable, democratic states that can establish healthy and educated communities, develop markets, and generate wealth. Such states would also have greater institutional capacities to fight terrorism, halt the spread of deadly weapons, and build health-care infrastructures to prevent, detect, and treat deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and avian flu.
As president, I will double our annual investment in meeting these challenges to $50 billion by 2012 and ensure that those new resources are directed toward worthwhile goals. For the last 20 years, U.S. foreign assistance funding has done little more than keep pace with inflation. It is in our national security interest to do better. But if America is going to help others build more just and secure societies, our trade deals, debt relief, and foreign aid must not come as blank checks. I will couple our support with an insistent call for reform, to combat the corruption that rots societies and governments from within. I will do so not in the spirit of a patron but in the spirit of a partner -- a partner mindful of his own imperfections.
Our rapidly growing international AIDS programs have demonstrated that increased foreign assistance can make a real difference. As part of this new funding, I will capitalize a $2 billion Global Education Fund that will bring the world together in eliminating the global education deficit, much as the 9/11 Commission proposed. We cannot hope to shape a world where opportunity outweighs danger unless we ensure that every child everywhere is taught to build and not to destroy.
There are compelling moral reasons and compelling security reasons for renewed American leadership that recognizes the inherent equality and worth of all people. As President Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address, "To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required -- not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." I will show the world that America remains true to its founding values. We lead not only for ourselves but also for the common good.
RESTORING AMERICA'S TRUST
Confronted by Hitler, Roosevelt said that our power would be "directed toward ultimate good as well as against immediate evil. We Americans are not destroyers; we are builders." It is time for a president who can build consensus here at home for an equally ambitious course.
Ultimately, no foreign policy can succeed unless the American people understand it and feel they have a stake in its success -- unless they trust that their government hears their concerns as well. We will not be able to increase foreign aid if we fail to invest in security and opportunity for our own people. We cannot negotiate trade agreements to help spur development in poor countries so long as we provide no meaningful help to working Americans burdened by the dislocations of a global economy. We cannot reduce our dependence on foreign oil or defeat global warming unless Americans are willing to innovate and conserve. We cannot expect Americans to support placing our men and women in harm's way if we cannot show that we will use force wisely and judiciously. But if the next president can restore the American people's trust -- if they know that he or she is acting with their best interests at heart, with prudence and wisdom and some measure of humility -- then I believe the American people will be eager to see America lead again.
I believe they will also agree that it is time for a new generation to tell the next great American story. If we act with boldness and foresight, we will be able to tell our grandchildren that this was the time when we helped forge peace in the Middle East. This was the time we confronted climate change and secured the weapons that could destroy the human race. This was the time we defeated global terrorists and brought opportunity to forgotten corners of the world. And this was the time when we renewed the America that has led generations of weary travelers from all over the world to find opportunity and liberty and hope on our doorstep.
It was not all that long ago that farmers in Venezuela and Indonesia welcomed American doctors to their villages and hung pictures of JFK on their living room walls, when millions, like my father, waited every day for a letter in the mail that would grant them the privilege to come to America to study, work, live, or just be free.
We can be this America again. This is our moment to renew the trust and faith of our people -- and all people -- in an America that battles immediate evils, promotes an ultimate good, and leads the world once more."
We were both a bit urbex dizzy because there was so many old things to look at and take photographs of. We both had to stop a few times and refocus our minds
There were 5 mantas surrounding us non stop. It was so overwhelming that at one point, I had to swim away from the action and just stare at blackwater to refocus.