text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For years, retired Air Force Col. John Leech has had no desire to return to the Pentagon.

Retired Col. John Leech narrowly escaped death at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Leech narrowly escaped death September 11, 2001, when a hijacked American Airlines jetliner hit the building.

He will attend Thursday's dedication of the Pentagon memorial honoring the 184 people killed in the terror attack.

In an earlier visit to the memorial, Leech left a note for his friend Navy Capt. Jack Punches: "Thanks Jack for serving and dying for our nation."

Leech could barely contain his sadness recently as he watched a Department of Defense videotape showing the burned interior of the area in the building where he was that fateful morning.

"Wow. My God. ... It makes you weak in the knees to see these pictures," Leech said.

Leech, 54, recently took CNN into an office not far from the conference room where he was that morning. He has avoided touring the building since the attack but finally decided he was ready to "re-engage" with the past.

In 2001, Leech was working as a Defense Department liaison officer to the White House Drug Policy office. He worked primarily out of the White House but attended meetings at the Pentagon every Tuesday and Thursday morning.  Watch as he returns to the crash site Â»

As he walked the now-renovated halls where he spent the morning of September 11, he recalled the horror of the day.

The shock, he said, was indescribable.

"It hit with such force. I had never experienced anything like it in my life. It rattled you right down to the bone," Leech said.

Flight 77 slammed into the west wall of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. ET. Among the 184 people killed in the building and on the plane were a 3-year-old girl and a 71-year-old retired Navy captain, the youngest and oldest victims, who were both passengers on Flight 77.  A closer look at the new Pentagon memorial Â»

Several people were killed or severely burned not far from where Leech took cover. He remembers people screaming, "bloodcurdling screams."

"I was so lucky. ... It was almost like we were in a protective cocoon," Leech recalled. "I mean, I inhaled a lot of jet fuel vapors, and I got dusted up, but that was the extent of my injuries."

The married father of a 26-year-old woman remembers snaking his way outside the burning building, where in a stupor he noticed a comb that appeared to belong to a small child.

"A little girl's comb that was untouched. It was not scorched; it didn't have smut on it," Leech remembered. "It was a pristine red comb sitting off the side, and next to it was a tattered suitcase, and I can remember looking at that and thinking, who did that belong to? What little girl did that belong to?"

Leech served 28 years in the military and now works for the Department of Homeland Security but hopes to return one day to the Defense Department.

Seven years after that horrible day, Leech visited the chapel at the new Pentagon Memorial, a two-acre park, which opens to the public Thursday. It was built at the spot where Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Thumbing through a condolence book in the chapel, he found the friend whom he was with that day, Navy Capt. Jack Punches. He wrote, "Thanks Jack for serving and dying for our nation -- John Leech."

"I've avoided ... anything to do with 9/11, so it feels good to be here," he said. "I mean, a lot happened that day. A lot of good people died. A lot of very good people."

CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre contributed to this story

text: WASHINGTON

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text: For

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text: friend

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text: Jack

text: Punches

text: Thanks

text: Jack

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text: dying

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text: nation

text: Leech

text: could

text: barely

text: contain

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text: recently

text: as

text: he

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text: Department

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text: videotape

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text: burned

text: interior

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text: area

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text: he

text: was

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text: fateful

text: morning

text: Wow

text: My

text: God

text: It

text: makes

text: you

text: weak

text: in

text: the

text: knees

text: to

text: see

text: these

text: pictures

text: Leech

text: said

text: Leech

text: recently

text: took

text: CNN

text: into

text: an

text: office

text: not

text: far

text: from

text: the

text: conference

text: room

text: where

text: he

text: was

text: that

text: morning

text: He

text: has

text: avoided

text: touring

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text: building

text: since

text: the

text: attack

text: but

text: finally

text: decided

text: he

text: was

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text: past

text: In

text: Leech

text: was

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text: a

text: Defense

text: Department

text: liaison

text: officer

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text: the

text: White

text: House

text: Drug

text: Policy

text: office

text: He

text: worked

text: primarily

text: out

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text: the

text: White

text: House

text: but

text: attended

text: meetings

text: at

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text: Pentagon

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text: and

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text: morning

text: Watch

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text: he

text: returns

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text: crash

text: site

text: Â

text: As

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text: halls

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text: he

text: spent

text: the

text: morning

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text: September

text: he

text: recalled

text: the

text: horror

text: of

text: the

text: day

text: The

text: shock

text: he

text: said

text: was

text: indescribable

text: It

text: hit

text: with

text: such

text: force

text: I

text: had

text: never

text: experienced

text: anything

text: like

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text: my

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text: It

text: rattled

text: you

text: right

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text: the

text: bone

text: Leech

text: said

text: Flight

text: slammed

text: into

text: the

text: west

text: wall

text: of

text: the

text: Pentagon

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text: a.m.

text: ET

text: Among

text: the

text: people

text: killed

text: in

text: the

text: building

text: and

text: on

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text: plane

text: were

text: a

text: old

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text: and

text: a

text: old

text: retired

text: Navy

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text: youngest

text: and

text: oldest

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text: both

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text: Flight

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text: Leech

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text: cover

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text: remembers

text: people

text: screaming

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text: screams

text: I

text: was

text: so

text: lucky

text: It

text: was

text: almost

text: like

text: we

text: were

text: in

text: a

text: protective

text: cocoon

text: Leech

text: recalled

text: I

text: mean

text: I

text: inhaled

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: jet

text: fuel

text: vapors

text: and

text: I

text: got

text: dusted

text: up

text: but

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text: was

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text: extent

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text: my

text: injuries

text: The

text: married

text: father

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text: old

text: woman

text: remembers

text: snaking

text: his

text: way

text: outside

text: the

text: burning

text: building

text: where

text: in

text: a

text: stupor

text: he

text: noticed

text: a

text: comb

text: that

text: appeared

text: to

text: belong

text: to

text: a

text: small

text: child

text: A

text: little

text: girl

text: 's

text: comb

text: that

text: was

text: untouched

text: It

text: was

text: not

text: scorched

text: it

text: did

text: n't

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text: on

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text: Leech

text: remembered

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: pristine

text: red

text: comb

text: sitting

text: off

text: the

text: side

text: and

text: next

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text: was

text: a

text: tattered

text: suitcase

text: and

text: I

text: can

text: remember

text: looking

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text: and

text: thinking

text: who

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text: belong

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text: years

text: in

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text: military

text: and

text: now

text: works

text: for

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: but

text: hopes

text: to

text: return

text: one

text: day

text: to

text: the

text: Defense

text: Department

text: Seven

text: years

text: after

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text: horrible

text: day

text: Leech

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text: chapel

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text: new

text: Pentagon

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text: acre

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text: condolence

text: book

text: in

text: the

text: chapel

text: he

text: found

text: the

text: friend

text: whom

text: he

text: was

text: with

text: that

text: day

text: Navy

text: Capt

text: Jack

text: Punches

text: He

text: wrote

text: Thanks

text: Jack

text: for

text: serving

text: and

text: dying

text: for

text: our

text: nation

text: John

text: Leech

text: I

text: 've

text: avoided

text: anything

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: so

text: it

text: feels

text: good

text: to

text: be

text: here

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: mean

text: a

text: lot

text: happened

text: that

text: day

text: A

text: lot

text: of

text: good

text: people

text: died

text: A

text: lot

text: of

text: very

text: good

text: people

text: CNN

text: senior

text: Pentagon

text: correspondent

text: Jamie

text: McIntyre

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: story

question: Who narrowly escaped death on September 11, 2001?

answer: Retired Col. John Leech

text: Retired Col. John Leech

question: Retired Col. JOhn Leech escaped death when?

answer: September 11, 2001.

text: September 11, 2001.

question: What did he find in the rubble?

answer: "A little girl's comb that was untouched

text: "A little girl's comb that was untouched

question: What could be seen near a suitcase?

answer: s a pristine red com

text: s a pristine red com

question: What did the Pentagon survivor recall?

answer: horror of the day.

text: horror of the day.

question: Who is Col. John Leech?

answer: Defense Department liaison officer to the White House Drug Policy office.

text: Defense Department liaison officer to the White House Drug Policy office.

question: Who was nearly killed?

answer: Retired Col. John Leech

text: Retired Col. John Leech


text:
(CNN)  -- Walk into any sleek West Elm store, and the first thing you're likely to see is a giant red banner emblazoned with a white peace symbol. Peace is pretty. Browse Pottery Barn Teen, and you'll be dazzled by backlit peace signs and multicolored peace-sign bedding. Peace is cool.

Visit the ubiquitous Gap store and find peace within reach on T-shirts and bracelets. Peace is accessible, at least as an accessory.

Where are the protesters passionately waving hand-drawn peace signs at marches, calling for an end to war?

What happened to "Give peace a chance" rather than "Give peace a place in your wardrobe"?

The notion of peace has been corroded to the point that it's as fragile as a Christmas ornament. Or as dubious as a prize doled out to a president at war.

Fittingly, President Obama's Nobel speech acknowledged the paradox of being honored for contributing to world peace while sending more young Americans to kill and die in Afghanistan.

Rationalizing the contradiction, he apologetically characterized humanity as caught in the throes of our own evolution, from who we are to who we ought to be.

But what will spark that progress, from waging war to living peace? It's difficult to expect peace to take root beyond symbols and words if the symbols lose their meaning and the words ring hollow.  How will we ever evolve if we always choose pragmatism and fear over idealism and hope? When will peace truly have its season?

For starters, we must know what peace is and what it's worth. And we must practice it rather than wait for its miraculous arrival. We must stop viewing "peace" as the cry of the weak and "war" as the act of the strong. We must not envision peace as isolationist inaction or the mere absence of conflict.

Peace is a proactive choice we make in our personal lives every day. We must do the same as a nation. In order to embrace peace, we must believe it's worth doing so.

Ponder all the lives lost at war. Consider the sacrifice endured by our brave soldiers and their families.

Weigh the enormous cost to our struggling economy. Not only would thousands of lives be spared by peace, but millions more would benefit by the constructive use of the vast resources squandered on war. Diseases might be cured. World hunger might be eliminated. Prosperity and fulfillment might replace poverty and suffering around the globe.

Peace is worth it. And it's certainly not for the weak but rather for those courageous enough to take a risk.

Evolution begins with one mutation that turns out to be better, higher, smarter, stronger. Making the leap requires faith in our own ability to lead the world by example through this evolutionary process.

Peace is a bold but calculated risk, a brave and noble choice. Gandhi said, "Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances."

Pacifist A.J. Muste once declared, "There is no way to peace. Peace is the way." Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal."

What I take from these wise thinkers is that peace starts with us and our actions. Peace is not passive. It's not something we can put off forever. We must practice peace in order to attain it.

As citizens, we must demand it. Only then will elected officials -- and others around the world -- follow our lead. So when we purchase peace signs, let's honor their meaning:

The peace symbol, created in 1958 by designer Gerald Holtom, combines the signals in semaphore for the letters "N" and "D," standing for nuclear disarmament.

By the 1960s, it was adopted by anti-war protesters of the baby boom generation, perhaps explaining its now nostalgic allure in boomer-frequented retail establishments, where the only conflict is whether to pick a throw pillow in sage, cranberry or chartreuse.

Just as we must not allow peace to become a meaningless trinket, we mustn't allow the prize to become a parody. Instead, we must remember the passion with which that peace sign was first hoisted at marches on capitols and on campuses.

We must recall the fervor and nobility with which Nobel laureates like Gandhi and King gave their lives pursuing nonviolent solutions. And we must stand for peace, in our actions, in our expectations of our leaders, and in our votes. We cannot simply consume peace as an illusion.

We must stop talking about peace in terms of who we ought to be and start making it who we are. Because the day we stop fighting for peace is the day peace will be ours.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rudy Ruiz.

text: CNN

text: Walk

text: into

text: any

text: sleek

text: West

text: Elm

text: store

text: and

text: the

text: first

text: thing

text: you

text: 're

text: likely

text: to

text: see

text: is

text: a

text: giant

text: red

text: banner

text: emblazoned

text: with

text: a

text: white

text: peace

text: symbol

text: Peace

text: is

text: pretty

text: Browse

text: Pottery

text: Barn

text: Teen

text: and

text: you

text: 'll

text: be

text: dazzled

text: by

text: backlit

text: peace

text: signs

text: and

text: multicolored

text: peace

text: sign

text: bedding

text: Peace

text: is

text: cool

text: Visit

text: the

text: ubiquitous

text: Gap

text: store

text: and

text: find

text: peace

text: within

text: reach

text: on

text: T

text: shirts

text: and

text: bracelets

text: Peace

text: is

text: accessible

text: at

text: least

text: as

text: an

text: accessory

text: Where

text: are

text: the

text: protesters

text: passionately

text: waving

text: hand

text: drawn

text: peace

text: signs

text: at

text: marches

text: calling

text: for

text: an

text: end

text: to

text: war

text: What

text: happened

text: to

text: Give

text: peace

text: a

text: chance

text: rather

text: than

text: Give

text: peace

text: a

text: place

text: in

text: your

text: wardrobe

text: The

text: notion

text: of

text: peace

text: has

text: been

text: corroded

text: to

text: the

text: point

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: as

text: fragile

text: as

text: a

text: Christmas

text: ornament

text: Or

text: as

text: dubious

text: as

text: a

text: prize

text: doled

text: out

text: to

text: a

text: president

text: at

text: war

text: Fittingly

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: Nobel

text: speech

text: acknowledged

text: the

text: paradox

text: of

text: being

text: honored

text: for

text: contributing

text: to

text: world

text: peace

text: while

text: sending

text: more

text: young

text: Americans

text: to

text: kill

text: and

text: die

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: Rationalizing

text: the

text: contradiction

text: he

text: apologetically

text: characterized

text: humanity

text: as

text: caught

text: in

text: the

text: throes

text: of

text: our

text: own

text: evolution

text: from

text: who

text: we

text: are

text: to

text: who

text: we

text: ought

text: to

text: be

text: But

text: what

text: will

text: spark

text: that

text: progress

text: from

text: waging

text: war

text: to

text: living

text: peace

text: It

text: 's

text: difficult

text: to

text: expect

text: peace

text: to

text: take

text: root

text: beyond

text: symbols

text: and

text: words

text: if

text: the

text: symbols

text: lose

text: their

text: meaning

text: and

text: the

text: words

text: ring

text: hollow

text: How

text: will

text: we

text: ever

text: evolve

text: if

text: we

text: always

text: choose

text: pragmatism

text: and

text: fear

text: over

text: idealism

text: and

text: hope

text: When

text: will

text: peace

text: truly

text: have

text: its

text: season

text: For

text: starters

text: we

text: must

text: know

text: what

text: peace

text: is

text: and

text: what

text: it

text: 's

text: worth

text: And

text: we

text: must

text: practice

text: it

text: rather

text: than

text: wait

text: for

text: its

text: miraculous

text: arrival

text: We

text: must

text: stop

text: viewing

text: peace

text: as

text: the

text: cry

text: of

text: the

text: weak

text: and

text: war

text: as

text: the

text: act

text: of

text: the

text: strong

text: We

text: must

text: not

text: envision

text: peace

text: as

text: isolationist

text: inaction

text: or

text: the

text: mere

text: absence

text: of

text: conflict

text: Peace

text: is

text: a

text: proactive

text: choice

text: we

text: make

text: in

text: our

text: personal

text: lives

text: every

text: day

text: We

text: must

text: do

text: the

text: same

text: as

text: a

text: nation

text: In

text: order

text: to

text: embrace

text: peace

text: we

text: must

text: believe

text: it

text: 's

text: worth

text: doing

text: so

text: Ponder

text: all

text: the

text: lives

text: lost

text: at

text: war

text: Consider

text: the

text: sacrifice

text: endured

text: by

text: our

text: brave

text: soldiers

text: and

text: their

text: families

text: Weigh

text: the

text: enormous

text: cost

text: to

text: our

text: struggling

text: economy

text: Not

text: only

text: would

text: thousands

text: of

text: lives

text: be

text: spared

text: by

text: peace

text: but

text: millions

text: more

text: would

text: benefit

text: by

text: the

text: constructive

text: use

text: of

text: the

text: vast

text: resources

text: squandered

text: on

text: war

text: Diseases

text: might

text: be

text: cured

text: World

text: hunger

text: might

text: be

text: eliminated

text: Prosperity

text: and

text: fulfillment

text: might

text: replace

text: poverty

text: and

text: suffering

text: around

text: the

text: globe

text: Peace

text: is

text: worth

text: it

text: And

text: it

text: 's

text: certainly

text: not

text: for

text: the

text: weak

text: but

text: rather

text: for

text: those

text: courageous

text: enough

text: to

text: take

text: a

text: risk

text: Evolution

text: begins

text: with

text: one

text: mutation

text: that

text: turns

text: out

text: to

text: be

text: better

text: higher

text: smarter

text: stronger

text: Making

text: the

text: leap

text: requires

text: faith

text: in

text: our

text: own

text: ability

text: to

text: lead

text: the

text: world

text: by

text: example

text: through

text: this

text: evolutionary

text: process

text: Peace

text: is

text: a

text: bold

text: but

text: calculated

text: risk

text: a

text: brave

text: and

text: noble

text: choice

text: Gandhi

text: said

text: Each

text: one

text: has

text: to

text: find

text: his

text: peace

text: from

text: within

text: And

text: peace

text: to

text: be

text: real

text: must

text: be

text: unaffected

text: by

text: outside

text: circumstances

text: Pacifist

text: A.J.

text: Muste

text: once

text: declared

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: way

text: to

text: peace

text: Peace

text: is

text: the

text: way

text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: Jr.

text: said

text: Peace

text: is

text: not

text: merely

text: a

text: distant

text: goal

text: that

text: we

text: seek

text: but

text: a

text: means

text: by

text: which

text: we

text: arrive

text: at

text: that

text: goal

text: What

text: I

text: take

text: from

text: these

text: wise

text: thinkers

text: is

text: that

text: peace

text: starts

text: with

text: us

text: and

text: our

text: actions

text: Peace

text: is

text: not

text: passive

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: something

text: we

text: can

text: put

text: off

text: forever

text: We

text: must

text: practice

text: peace

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: attain

text: it

text: As

text: citizens

text: we

text: must

text: demand

text: it

text: Only

text: then

text: will

text: elected

text: officials

text: and

text: others

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: follow

text: our

text: lead

text: So

text: when

text: we

text: purchase

text: peace

text: signs

text: let

text: 's

text: honor

text: their

text: meaning

text: The

text: peace

text: symbol

text: created

text: in

text: by

text: designer

text: Gerald

text: Holtom

text: combines

text: the

text: signals

text: in

text: semaphore

text: for

text: the

text: letters

text: N

text: and

text: D

text: standing

text: for

text: nuclear

text: disarmament

text: By

text: the

text: it

text: was

text: adopted

text: by

text: anti

text: war

text: protesters

text: of

text: the

text: baby

text: boom

text: generation

text: perhaps

text: explaining

text: its

text: now

text: nostalgic

text: allure

text: in

text: boomer

text: frequented

text: retail

text: establishments

text: where

text: the

text: only

text: conflict

text: is

text: whether

text: to

text: pick

text: a

text: throw

text: pillow

text: in

text: sage

text: cranberry

text: or

text: chartreuse

text: Just

text: as

text: we

text: must

text: not

text: allow

text: peace

text: to

text: become

text: a

text: meaningless

text: trinket

text: we

text: must

text: n't

text: allow

text: the

text: prize

text: to

text: become

text: a

text: parody

text: Instead

text: we

text: must

text: remember

text: the

text: passion

text: with

text: which

text: that

text: peace

text: sign

text: was

text: first

text: hoisted

text: at

text: marches

text: on

text: capitols

text: and

text: on

text: campuses

text: We

text: must

text: recall

text: the

text: fervor

text: and

text: nobility

text: with

text: which

text: Nobel

text: laureates

text: like

text: Gandhi

text: and

text: King

text: gave

text: their

text: lives

text: pursuing

text: nonviolent

text: solutions

text: And

text: we

text: must

text: stand

text: for

text: peace

text: in

text: our

text: actions

text: in

text: our

text: expectations

text: of

text: our

text: leaders

text: and

text: in

text: our

text: votes

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: simply

text: consume

text: peace

text: as

text: an

text: illusion

text: We

text: must

text: stop

text: talking

text: about

text: peace

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: who

text: we

text: ought

text: to

text: be

text: and

text: start

text: making

text: it

text: who

text: we

text: are

text: Because

text: the

text: day

text: we

text: stop

text: fighting

text: for

text: peace

text: is

text: the

text: day

text: peace

text: will

text: be

text: ours

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Rudy

text: Ruiz

question: who needs to take a stand?

answer: citizens,

text: citizens,

question: who can make peace?

answer: we

text: we

question: What did Rudy Ruiz  write about peace?

answer: is a proactive choice we make in our personal lives every day. We must do the same as a nation. In order to embrace

text: is a proactive choice we make in our personal lives every day. We must do the same as a nation. In order to embrace

question: According to Rulz, America must stand for what?

answer: peace, in our actions, in our expectations of our leaders, and in our votes.

text: peace, in our actions, in our expectations of our leaders, and in our votes.


text:
Wichita, Kansas (CNN) -- In situations like the dire humanitarian crisis that has followed Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti, we all are forced to witness what is the sometimes painful truth behind the clichÃ© about it taking a village to raise a child. In the tragedy unfolding before us now, it will take a global village.

President Obama and former presidents, along with other leaders and representatives of humanitarian organizations, have reminded us of this. We would like to add our own small, humble contribution to the efforts under way around the world to help the people of Haiti.

In particular, we would like to draw your attention to the many children who were living in Haitian orphanages when the earthquake hit. As we have heard from professionals devoted to children's issues, children are among the most vulnerable segments of a population subject to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. It is not hard to imagine that orphans living in institutional care might often be even more vulnerable.

Watch couple's interview with Anderson Cooper

Right now, orphanages across Port-au-Prince are struggling to provide the most basic necessities to the children in their care. But right now, all Haitians in the capital are struggling to do this.

What makes Haiti's orphans different is that they have no families to take care of them, and no hope of reuniting with their families. Except for the orphanages' staff members, most of whom have families of their own to which they rightly must divide their attention, these children have no one.

iReport: Looking for loved ones in Haiti

Our adoptive son, Alexander, is one of the children without a family. He was left, just hours after his birth, near a hospital in CitÃ© Soleil and, with the permission of Haiti's Institut du Bien-Ãtre Social et de Recherches, brought to one of the homes of the Brebis de Saint-Michel de L'Attalaye orphanage in Port-au-Prince.

He was named after one of the American volunteers, Alison McMutrie, who works alongside Haitian staff to care for orphaned children. Ti Ali, or Little Ali, is 17 months old, and Big Ali is about 21.

Ali and the rest of the BRESMA staff have been the only family Alexander has ever known. And although we will never know for sure, especially not after the earthquake, anything about her, we firmly believe that his birth mother loved Alexander and did what was in her power to ensure that he would have a brighter future than she could provide.

Hers was, we believe, an act of sacrifice, but it was also an act of hope and trust -- hope that the world would be kind to Alexander, perhaps even despite her own experience, and trust that someone would love him as much as she does.

Though she will never know us, the faith that she has placed, even indirectly, in us is quite simply astounding.

Or at least it was until Tuesday. Now, we imagine that we share another bond with her: We would willingly make whatever personal sacrifice we have to to save Alexander's life. As parents who are adopting across national, linguistic and cultural boundaries, we are sensitive to all of the complicated issues that arise in international adoption, and we support both the integrity of Haitian families and the commitment to finding loving homes for children who are in need of them.

Since being matched with Alexander in April, we have traveled to Haiti four times to get to know him and the country of his birth. Each successive trip impressed upon us more and more the dignity of the Haitian people and the sense of commitment they show for each other.

From what we have seen of the people of Haiti when we have been there with Alex, they care deeply about all children -- orphans and those still living with their families. Many likely would help the orphans through this crisis if they could, but they simply cannot.

As Alexander's mother put her trust in the people who, as fate would have it, turned out to be us, we are placing our trust in others to join our efforts to secure the life of our child and the rest of the orphans of Haiti.

This is no longer an adoption matter. It's a matter of life and death. We have been told by the BRESMA staff that the children living in orphanages before the quake need to be evacuated from Haiti to save their lives.

We are aware that evacuating these children under such circumstances is temporary and might affect our adoption proceedings, potentially negatively. We also understand that it could mean that Alexander will never live in the home we have waiting for him. But he's our son, and we want him to live.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jean Griffith and Ross Haskell.

text: Wichita

text: Kansas

text: CNN

text: In

text: situations

text: like

text: the

text: dire

text: humanitarian

text: crisis

text: that

text: has

text: followed

text: Tuesday

text: 's

text: earthquake

text: in

text: Haiti

text: we

text: all

text: are

text: forced

text: to

text: witness

text: what

text: is

text: the

text: sometimes

text: painful

text: truth

text: behind

text: the

text: clichÃ

text: about

text: it

text: taking

text: a

text: village

text: to

text: raise

text: a

text: child

text: In

text: the

text: tragedy

text: unfolding

text: before

text: us

text: now

text: it

text: will

text: take

text: a

text: global

text: village

text: President

text: Obama

text: and

text: former

text: presidents

text: along

text: with

text: other

text: leaders

text: and

text: representatives

text: of

text: humanitarian

text: organizations

text: have

text: reminded

text: us

text: of

text: this

text: We

text: would

text: like

text: to

text: add

text: our

text: own

text: small

text: humble

text: contribution

text: to

text: the

text: efforts

text: under

text: way

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: to

text: help

text: the

text: people

text: of

text: Haiti

text: In

text: particular

text: we

text: would

text: like

text: to

text: draw

text: your

text: attention

text: to

text: the

text: many

text: children

text: who

text: were

text: living

text: in

text: Haitian

text: orphanages

text: when

text: the

text: earthquake

text: hit

text: As

text: we

text: have

text: heard

text: from

text: professionals

text: devoted

text: to

text: children

text: 's

text: issues

text: children

text: are

text: among

text: the

text: most

text: vulnerable

text: segments

text: of

text: a

text: population

text: subject

text: to

text: natural

text: disasters

text: and

text: humanitarian

text: crises

text: It

text: is

text: not

text: hard

text: to

text: imagine

text: that

text: orphans

text: living

text: in

text: institutional

text: care

text: might

text: often

text: be

text: even

text: more

text: vulnerable

text: Watch

text: couple

text: 's

text: interview

text: with

text: Anderson

text: Cooper

text: Right

text: now

text: orphanages

text: across

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: are

text: struggling

text: to

text: provide

text: the

text: most

text: basic

text: necessities

text: to

text: the

text: children

text: in

text: their

text: care

text: But

text: right

text: now

text: all

text: Haitians

text: in

text: the

text: capital

text: are

text: struggling

text: to

text: do

text: this

text: What

text: makes

text: Haiti

text: 's

text: orphans

text: different

text: is

text: that

text: they

text: have

text: no

text: families

text: to

text: take

text: care

text: of

text: them

text: and

text: no

text: hope

text: of

text: reuniting

text: with

text: their

text: families

text: Except

text: for

text: the

text: orphanages

text: staff

text: members

text: most

text: of

text: whom

text: have

text: families

text: of

text: their

text: own

text: to

text: which

text: they

text: rightly

text: must

text: divide

text: their

text: attention

text: these

text: children

text: have

text: no

text: one

text: iReport

text: Looking

text: for

text: loved

text: ones

text: in

text: Haiti

text: Our

text: adoptive

text: son

text: Alexander

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: children

text: without

text: a

text: family

text: He

text: was

text: left

text: just

text: hours

text: after

text: his

text: birth

text: near

text: a

text: hospital

text: in

text: CitÃ

text: Soleil

text: and

text: with

text: the

text: permission

text: of

text: Haiti

text: 's

text: Institut

text: du

text: Bien

text: Ãtre

text: Social

text: et

text: de

text: Recherches

text: brought

text: to

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: homes

text: of

text: the

text: Brebis

text: de

text: Saint

text: Michel

text: de

text: L'Attalaye

text: orphanage

text: in

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: He

text: was

text: named

text: after

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: American

text: volunteers

text: Alison

text: McMutrie

text: who

text: works

text: alongside

text: Haitian

text: staff

text: to

text: care

text: for

text: orphaned

text: children

text: Ti

text: Ali

text: or

text: Little

text: Ali

text: is

text: months

text: old

text: and

text: Big

text: Ali

text: is

text: about

text: Ali

text: and

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: BRESMA

text: staff

text: have

text: been

text: the

text: only

text: family

text: Alexander

text: has

text: ever

text: known

text: And

text: although

text: we

text: will

text: never

text: know

text: for

text: sure

text: especially

text: not

text: after

text: the

text: earthquake

text: anything

text: about

text: her

text: we

text: firmly

text: believe

text: that

text: his

text: birth

text: mother

text: loved

text: Alexander

text: and

text: did

text: what

text: was

text: in

text: her

text: power

text: to

text: ensure

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: have

text: a

text: brighter

text: future

text: than

text: she

text: could

text: provide

text: Hers

text: was

text: we

text: believe

text: an

text: act

text: of

text: sacrifice

text: but

text: it

text: was

text: also

text: an

text: act

text: of

text: hope

text: and

text: trust

text: hope

text: that

text: the

text: world

text: would

text: be

text: kind

text: to

text: Alexander

text: perhaps

text: even

text: despite

text: her

text: own

text: experience

text: and

text: trust

text: that

text: someone

text: would

text: love

text: him

text: as

text: much

text: as

text: she

text: does

text: Though

text: she

text: will

text: never

text: know

text: us

text: the

text: faith

text: that

text: she

text: has

text: placed

text: even

text: indirectly

text: in

text: us

text: is

text: quite

text: simply

text: astounding

text: Or

text: at

text: least

text: it

text: was

text: until

text: Tuesday

text: Now

text: we

text: imagine

text: that

text: we

text: share

text: another

text: bond

text: with

text: her

text: We

text: would

text: willingly

text: make

text: whatever

text: personal

text: sacrifice

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: to

text: save

text: Alexander

text: 's

text: life

text: As

text: parents

text: who

text: are

text: adopting

text: across

text: national

text: linguistic

text: and

text: cultural

text: boundaries

text: we

text: are

text: sensitive

text: to

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: complicated

text: issues

text: that

text: arise

text: in

text: international

text: adoption

text: and

text: we

text: support

text: both

text: the

text: integrity

text: of

text: Haitian

text: families

text: and

text: the

text: commitment

text: to

text: finding

text: loving

text: homes

text: for

text: children

text: who

text: are

text: in

text: need

text: of

text: them

text: Since

text: being

text: matched

text: with

text: Alexander

text: in

text: April

text: we

text: have

text: traveled

text: to

text: Haiti

text: four

text: times

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: know

text: him

text: and

text: the

text: country

text: of

text: his

text: birth

text: Each

text: successive

text: trip

text: impressed

text: upon

text: us

text: more

text: and

text: more

text: the

text: dignity

text: of

text: the

text: Haitian

text: people

text: and

text: the

text: sense

text: of

text: commitment

text: they

text: show

text: for

text: each

text: other

text: From

text: what

text: we

text: have

text: seen

text: of

text: the

text: people

text: of

text: Haiti

text: when

text: we

text: have

text: been

text: there

text: with

text: Alex

text: they

text: care

text: deeply

text: about

text: all

text: children

text: orphans

text: and

text: those

text: still

text: living

text: with

text: their

text: families

text: Many

text: likely

text: would

text: help

text: the

text: orphans

text: through

text: this

text: crisis

text: if

text: they

text: could

text: but

text: they

text: simply

text: can

text: not

text: As

text: Alexander

text: 's

text: mother

text: put

text: her

text: trust

text: in

text: the

text: people

text: who

text: as

text: fate

text: would

text: have

text: it

text: turned

text: out

text: to

text: be

text: us

text: we

text: are

text: placing

text: our

text: trust

text: in

text: others

text: to

text: join

text: our

text: efforts

text: to

text: secure

text: the

text: life

text: of

text: our

text: child

text: and

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: orphans

text: of

text: Haiti

text: This

text: is

text: no

text: longer

text: an

text: adoption

text: matter

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: matter

text: of

text: life

text: and

text: death

text: We

text: have

text: been

text: told

text: by

text: the

text: BRESMA

text: staff

text: that

text: the

text: children

text: living

text: in

text: orphanages

text: before

text: the

text: quake

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: evacuated

text: from

text: Haiti

text: to

text: save

text: their

text: lives

text: We

text: are

text: aware

text: that

text: evacuating

text: these

text: children

text: under

text: such

text: circumstances

text: is

text: temporary

text: and

text: might

text: affect

text: our

text: adoption

text: proceedings

text: potentially

text: negatively

text: We

text: also

text: understand

text: that

text: it

text: could

text: mean

text: that

text: Alexander

text: will

text: never

text: live

text: in

text: the

text: home

text: we

text: have

text: waiting

text: for

text: him

text: But

text: he

text: 's

text: our

text: son

text: and

text: we

text: want

text: him

text: to

text: live

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Jean

text: Griffith

text: and

text: Ross

text: Haskell

question: What happens in haiti?

answer: earthquake

text: earthquake

question: what country is this happening in

answer: Haiti,

text: Haiti,


text:
(CNN) -- Sri Lankans went to the polls on Tuesday in the island nation's first peacetime presidential election in 26 years, despite explosions and mortar fire in the capital of Northern Province hours before polls opened.

Once a stronghold for the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the Northern Province city of Jaffna was a frequent battleground for the rebels and Sri Lankan government troops until a government offensive last year crushed the Tigers.

While it wasn't clear what the explosions were, they were nothing new for Jaffnans, who have lived under military control for decades.

More than 14 million Sri Lankans are expected to elect their sixth executive president to a six-year term.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is seeking a fresh mandate for his government, but he faces a tough challenge from his one-time confidante and former Army commander, retired General Sarath Fonseka.

Rajapaksa cast his vote in his ancestral town of Medamulana, near the southern town of Tangalle. "I am very confident of victory," he told journalists.

Fonseka was expected to visit a polling booth in Colombo.

Queues were large outside most polling booths in Colombo and principal towns, election officials said.

"I waited in a queue for 45 minutes before I could cast my ballot," said Damayantha Perera of the Colombo suburb of Maharagama.

"I also had to wait for almost an hour," said W. Ramiah, a resident of Nugegoda, also of Colombo.

Fonseka, who won wide acclaim for leading troops to military victory against the rebels, broke ranks with the Rajapaksa administration after he was elevated to the largely ceremonial post of chief of defense staff in July after retiring as Army commander.

After Fonseka announced his presidential bid, the main opposition parties -- with widely diverse political ideologies -- closed ranks behind him to make him their common candidate.

"There has been abuse of power, corruption and nepotism. We want to abolish the executive presidency and make the parliament more answerable to the people. The best person to do this is the one who defeated terrorism," Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the United National Party, told CNN.

Many of Rajapaksa's family members, including his brothers, hold key positions in the government: Chamal is a Cabinet minister, Gotabhaya is Defense Secretary, and Basil is a member of parliament and senior presidential adviser. Other members of the family hold important positions locally and in Sri Lanka's diplomatic missions abroad.

The coalition of parties backing Fonseka includes a main opposition right wing party and a leftist Marxist outfit, as well as the Tamil National Alliance.

Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu of the Center for Policy Alternatives, a branch of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, said the situation in Sri Lanka, however, is "a picture of dysfunction and breakdown."

There have been allegations of interference with mail-in ballots, according to the group. Most of the complaints have been against members of Rajapaksa's government, it said.

There have been more than 700 reports of violence ahead of the election, with at least four deaths reported, Saravanamuttu said.

Sri Lankans are casting their ballots in more than 11,000 voting booths across the nation. Local leaders have urged a peaceful voting day amid the escalating violence, including the shooting deaths of two people -- one a supporter of the opposition and the other of the government.

A contingent of 85,000 police officers have been deployed to maintain law and order, said Mahinda Balasooriya, the inspector general of police. Each polling station has two to three police officers on duty, he said.

The spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last week that the U.N. chief was "concerned about the growing violence in the lead-up to the presidential election."

"The peaceful conduct of the first post-conflict national election is of the highest importance for long-term peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka," he added.

CNN's Sara Sidner and Iqbal Athas contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Sri

text: Lankans

text: went

text: to

text: the

text: polls

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: in

text: the

text: island

text: nation

text: 's

text: first

text: peacetime

text: presidential

text: election

text: in

text: years

text: despite

text: explosions

text: and

text: mortar

text: fire

text: in

text: the

text: capital

text: of

text: Northern

text: Province

text: hours

text: before

text: polls

text: opened

text: Once

text: a

text: stronghold

text: for

text: the

text: rebel

text: Liberation

text: Tigers

text: of

text: Tamil

text: Eelam

text: the

text: Northern

text: Province

text: city

text: of

text: Jaffna

text: was

text: a

text: frequent

text: battleground

text: for

text: the

text: rebels

text: and

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: government

text: troops

text: until

text: a

text: government

text: offensive

text: last

text: year

text: crushed

text: the

text: Tigers

text: While

text: it

text: was

text: n't

text: clear

text: what

text: the

text: explosions

text: were

text: they

text: were

text: nothing

text: new

text: for

text: Jaffnans

text: who

text: have

text: lived

text: under

text: military

text: control

text: for

text: decades

text: More

text: than

text: million

text: Sri

text: Lankans

text: are

text: expected

text: to

text: elect

text: their

text: sixth

text: executive

text: president

text: to

text: a

text: six

text: year

text: term

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: President

text: Mahinda

text: Rajapaksa

text: is

text: seeking

text: a

text: fresh

text: mandate

text: for

text: his

text: government

text: but

text: he

text: faces

text: a

text: tough

text: challenge

text: from

text: his

text: one

text: time

text: confidante

text: and

text: former

text: Army

text: commander

text: retired

text: General

text: Sarath

text: Fonseka

text: Rajapaksa

text: cast

text: his

text: vote

text: in

text: his

text: ancestral

text: town

text: of

text: Medamulana

text: near

text: the

text: southern

text: town

text: of

text: Tangalle

text: I

text: am

text: very

text: confident

text: of

text: victory

text: he

text: told

text: journalists

text: Fonseka

text: was

text: expected

text: to

text: visit

text: a

text: polling

text: booth

text: in

text: Colombo

text: Queues

text: were

text: large

text: outside

text: most

text: polling

text: booths

text: in

text: Colombo

text: and

text: principal

text: towns

text: election

text: officials

text: said

text: I

text: waited

text: in

text: a

text: queue

text: for

text: minutes

text: before

text: I

text: could

text: cast

text: my

text: ballot

text: said

text: Damayantha

text: Perera

text: of

text: the

text: Colombo

text: suburb

text: of

text: Maharagama

text: I

text: also

text: had

text: to

text: wait

text: for

text: almost

text: an

text: hour

text: said

text: W.

text: Ramiah

text: a

text: resident

text: of

text: Nugegoda

text: also

text: of

text: Colombo

text: Fonseka

text: who

text: won

text: wide

text: acclaim

text: for

text: leading

text: troops

text: to

text: military

text: victory

text: against

text: the

text: rebels

text: broke

text: ranks

text: with

text: the

text: Rajapaksa

text: administration

text: after

text: he

text: was

text: elevated

text: to

text: the

text: largely

text: ceremonial

text: post

text: of

text: chief

text: of

text: defense

text: staff

text: in

text: July

text: after

text: retiring

text: as

text: Army

text: commander

text: After

text: Fonseka

text: announced

text: his

text: presidential

text: bid

text: the

text: main

text: opposition

text: parties

text: with

text: widely

text: diverse

text: political

text: ideologies

text: closed

text: ranks

text: behind

text: him

text: to

text: make

text: him

text: their

text: common

text: candidate

text: There

text: has

text: been

text: abuse

text: of

text: power

text: corruption

text: and

text: nepotism

text: We

text: want

text: to

text: abolish

text: the

text: executive

text: presidency

text: and

text: make

text: the

text: parliament

text: more

text: answerable

text: to

text: the

text: people

text: The

text: best

text: person

text: to

text: do

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: one

text: who

text: defeated

text: terrorism

text: Ranil

text: Wickremesinghe

text: leader

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: National

text: Party

text: told

text: CNN

text: Many

text: of

text: Rajapaksa

text: 's

text: family

text: members

text: including

text: his

text: brothers

text: hold

text: key

text: positions

text: in

text: the

text: government

text: Chamal

text: is

text: a

text: Cabinet

text: minister

text: Gotabhaya

text: is

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: and

text: Basil

text: is

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: parliament

text: and

text: senior

text: presidential

text: adviser

text: Other

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: family

text: hold

text: important

text: positions

text: locally

text: and

text: in

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: 's

text: diplomatic

text: missions

text: abroad

text: The

text: coalition

text: of

text: parties

text: backing

text: Fonseka

text: includes

text: a

text: main

text: opposition

text: right

text: wing

text: party

text: and

text: a

text: leftist

text: Marxist

text: outfit

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: the

text: Tamil

text: National

text: Alliance

text: Paikiasothy

text: Saravanamuttu

text: of

text: the

text: Center

text: for

text: Policy

text: Alternatives

text: a

text: branch

text: of

text: the

text: Centre

text: for

text: Monitoring

text: Election

text: Violence

text: said

text: the

text: situation

text: in

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: however

text: is

text: a

text: picture

text: of

text: dysfunction

text: and

text: breakdown

text: There

text: have

text: been

text: allegations

text: of

text: interference

text: with

text: mail

text: in

text: ballots

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: group

text: Most

text: of

text: the

text: complaints

text: have

text: been

text: against

text: members

text: of

text: Rajapaksa

text: 's

text: government

text: it

text: said

text: There

text: have

text: been

text: more

text: than

text: reports

text: of

text: violence

text: ahead

text: of

text: the

text: election

text: with

text: at

text: least

text: four

text: deaths

text: reported

text: Saravanamuttu

text: said

text: Sri

text: Lankans

text: are

text: casting

text: their

text: ballots

text: in

text: more

text: than

text: voting

text: booths

text: across

text: the

text: nation

text: Local

text: leaders

text: have

text: urged

text: a

text: peaceful

text: voting

text: day

text: amid

text: the

text: escalating

text: violence

text: including

text: the

text: shooting

text: deaths

text: of

text: two

text: people

text: one

text: a

text: supporter

text: of

text: the

text: opposition

text: and

text: the

text: other

text: of

text: the

text: government

text: A

text: contingent

text: of

text: police

text: officers

text: have

text: been

text: deployed

text: to

text: maintain

text: law

text: and

text: order

text: said

text: Mahinda

text: Balasooriya

text: the

text: inspector

text: general

text: of

text: police

text: Each

text: polling

text: station

text: has

text: two

text: to

text: three

text: police

text: officers

text: on

text: duty

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: spokesman

text: for

text: U.N.

text: Secretary

text: General

text: Ban

text: Ki

text: moon

text: said

text: last

text: week

text: that

text: the

text: U.N.

text: chief

text: was

text: concerned

text: about

text: the

text: growing

text: violence

text: in

text: the

text: lead

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: presidential

text: election

text: The

text: peaceful

text: conduct

text: of

text: the

text: first

text: post

text: conflict

text: national

text: election

text: is

text: of

text: the

text: highest

text: importance

text: for

text: long

text: term

text: peace

text: and

text: reconciliation

text: in

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: he

text: added

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Sara

text: Sidner

text: and

text: Iqbal

text: Athas

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Queues were large where?

answer: outside most polling booths in Colombo

text: outside most polling booths in Colombo

question: What was large outside of polling booths?

answer: Queues

text: Queues

question: What does he face?

answer: a tough challenge

text: a tough challenge

question: Where did President Rajapaksa cast his vote?

answer: Medamulana,

text: Medamulana,

question: What did election officials say?

answer: Queues were large outside most polling booths in Colombo and principal towns,

text: Queues were large outside most polling booths in Colombo and principal towns,

question: He faces a tough challenge from who?

answer: his one-time confidante and former Army commander, retired General Sarath Fonseka.

text: his one-time confidante and former Army commander, retired General Sarath Fonseka.

question: What did President Rajapaksa do?

answer: cast his vote

text: cast his vote

question: Who casts his vote in ancestral town of Medamulana?

answer: Rajapaksa

text: Rajapaksa


text:
(CNN) -- President Obama takes his first foreign trip Thursday, but domestic politics will loom large as he tackles the explosive issue of protectionism in a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the leader of the United States' largest trade partner.

Trade will be a major issue when President Obama visits Canada beginning Thursday.

At issue is a controversial so-called "Buy American" provision requiring the use of U.S.-produced iron, steel, and other manufactured goods in public works projects funded by the $787 billion economic stimulus bill.

Several Democratic-leaning unions and domestic steel and iron producers favor the provision; a large number of business and trade organizations are opposed.

Administration officials altered the language in the final version of the stimulus bill to ensure that the provision will not trump existing trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA. Canadian companies will therefore still have the chance to sell products used in stimulus-funded projects.

Canadian government officials, however, are still concerned by what they perceive as rising protectionist sentiment in the United States that could potentially spark a trade war and, in their opinion, deepen the global economic crisis.

Canada has been hit hard by the global downturn. The country's critical manufacturing-based sales dropped 8 percent in December, reflecting roughly equal decreases in both volume and price, according to Statistics Canada, an agency charged with tracking key economic data for officials in Ottawa.

In a recent letter to U.S. Senate leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States warned that the U.S. was losing the moral authority to pressure other nations not to erect their own trade barriers.

"A rush to protectionist actions could create a downward spiral like the world experienced in the 1930s," wrote Ambassador Michael Wilson. "In the end we got into this economic crisis together. We need to work together to build ourselves out of it."

Some Canadian leaders also cite unresolved concerns over what they perceive to be vague and potentially harmful language in the "Buy American" provision.

Specifically, they are questioning whether NAFTA and World Trade Organization rules will apply to state and city governments receiving stimulus money for local infrastructure projects.

They also cite uncertainty over what rules of origin apply to projects covered under the stimulus bill. A number of components in Canadian products come from countries such as China and India, which are effectively excluded by the "Buy American" provision.

"This is no merely technical question; different parts of many products come from different places, and intricately entwined supply chains could be seriously disturbed if they have to be disentangled, to the detriment of both the U.S. and Canada," the Toronto-based Globe and Mail newspaper editorialized Tuesday.

"Such questions cannot wait for judgments in trade litigation," the Globe and Mail argued. "Canadian governments and businesses ... have to be ready for a long series of many minor battles."

Obama stumbled over Canadian trade issues during last year's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Shortly before the Ohio primary in March, he was extremely critical of NAFTA. Many Rust Belt voters believe the accord has cost countless jobs by accelerating the erosion of the U.S. industrial base.

During a debate with then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama agreed that the United States should abandon the treaty if it could not be renegotiated. It was later revealed that one of Obama's economic advisers, Austan Goolsbee, had met with officials at Canada's Chicago, Illinois, consulate and allegedly assured them that Obama's trade rhetoric was more a function of politics than any deeply held policy position.

text: CNN

text: President

text: Obama

text: takes

text: his

text: first

text: foreign

text: trip

text: Thursday

text: but

text: domestic

text: politics

text: will

text: loom

text: large

text: as

text: he

text: tackles

text: the

text: explosive

text: issue

text: of

text: protectionism

text: in

text: a

text: meeting

text: with

text: Canadian

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Stephen

text: Harper

text: the

text: leader

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: largest

text: trade

text: partner

text: Trade

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: major

text: issue

text: when

text: President

text: Obama

text: visits

text: Canada

text: beginning

text: Thursday

text: At

text: issue

text: is

text: a

text: controversial

text: so

text: called

text: Buy

text: American

text: provision

text: requiring

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: U.S

text: produced

text: iron

text: steel

text: and

text: other

text: manufactured

text: goods

text: in

text: public

text: works

text: projects

text: funded

text: by

text: the

text: billion

text: economic

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: Several

text: Democratic

text: leaning

text: unions

text: and

text: domestic

text: steel

text: and

text: iron

text: producers

text: favor

text: the

text: provision

text: a

text: large

text: number

text: of

text: business

text: and

text: trade

text: organizations

text: are

text: opposed

text: Administration

text: officials

text: altered

text: the

text: language

text: in

text: the

text: final

text: version

text: of

text: the

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: to

text: ensure

text: that

text: the

text: provision

text: will

text: not

text: trump

text: existing

text: trade

text: agreements

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: North

text: American

text: Free

text: Trade

text: Agreement

text: known

text: as

text: NAFTA

text: Canadian

text: companies

text: will

text: therefore

text: still

text: have

text: the

text: chance

text: to

text: sell

text: products

text: used

text: in

text: stimulus

text: funded

text: projects

text: Canadian

text: government

text: officials

text: however

text: are

text: still

text: concerned

text: by

text: what

text: they

text: perceive

text: as

text: rising

text: protectionist

text: sentiment

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: that

text: could

text: potentially

text: spark

text: a

text: trade

text: war

text: and

text: in

text: their

text: opinion

text: deepen

text: the

text: global

text: economic

text: crisis

text: Canada

text: has

text: been

text: hit

text: hard

text: by

text: the

text: global

text: downturn

text: The

text: country

text: 's

text: critical

text: manufacturing

text: based

text: sales

text: dropped

text: percent

text: in

text: December

text: reflecting

text: roughly

text: equal

text: decreases

text: in

text: both

text: volume

text: and

text: price

text: according

text: to

text: Statistics

text: Canada

text: an

text: agency

text: charged

text: with

text: tracking

text: key

text: economic

text: data

text: for

text: officials

text: in

text: Ottawa

text: In

text: a

text: recent

text: letter

text: to

text: U.S.

text: Senate

text: leaders

text: Canada

text: 's

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: warned

text: that

text: the

text: U.S.

text: was

text: losing

text: the

text: moral

text: authority

text: to

text: pressure

text: other

text: nations

text: not

text: to

text: erect

text: their

text: own

text: trade

text: barriers

text: A

text: rush

text: to

text: protectionist

text: actions

text: could

text: create

text: a

text: downward

text: spiral

text: like

text: the

text: world

text: experienced

text: in

text: the

text: wrote

text: Ambassador

text: Michael

text: Wilson

text: In

text: the

text: end

text: we

text: got

text: into

text: this

text: economic

text: crisis

text: together

text: We

text: need

text: to

text: work

text: together

text: to

text: build

text: ourselves

text: out

text: of

text: it

text: Some

text: Canadian

text: leaders

text: also

text: cite

text: unresolved

text: concerns

text: over

text: what

text: they

text: perceive

text: to

text: be

text: vague

text: and

text: potentially

text: harmful

text: language

text: in

text: the

text: Buy

text: American

text: provision

text: Specifically

text: they

text: are

text: questioning

text: whether

text: NAFTA

text: and

text: World

text: Trade

text: Organization

text: rules

text: will

text: apply

text: to

text: state

text: and

text: city

text: governments

text: receiving

text: stimulus

text: money

text: for

text: local

text: infrastructure

text: projects

text: They

text: also

text: cite

text: uncertainty

text: over

text: what

text: rules

text: of

text: origin

text: apply

text: to

text: projects

text: covered

text: under

text: the

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: A

text: number

text: of

text: components

text: in

text: Canadian

text: products

text: come

text: from

text: countries

text: such

text: as

text: China

text: and

text: India

text: which

text: are

text: effectively

text: excluded

text: by

text: the

text: Buy

text: American

text: provision

text: This

text: is

text: no

text: merely

text: technical

text: question

text: different

text: parts

text: of

text: many

text: products

text: come

text: from

text: different

text: places

text: and

text: intricately

text: entwined

text: supply

text: chains

text: could

text: be

text: seriously

text: disturbed

text: if

text: they

text: have

text: to

text: be

text: disentangled

text: to

text: the

text: detriment

text: of

text: both

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Canada

text: the

text: Toronto

text: based

text: Globe

text: and

text: Mail

text: newspaper

text: editorialized

text: Tuesday

text: Such

text: questions

text: can

text: not

text: wait

text: for

text: judgments

text: in

text: trade

text: litigation

text: the

text: Globe

text: and

text: Mail

text: argued

text: Canadian

text: governments

text: and

text: businesses

text: have

text: to

text: be

text: ready

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: series

text: of

text: many

text: minor

text: battles

text: Obama

text: stumbled

text: over

text: Canadian

text: trade

text: issues

text: during

text: last

text: year

text: 's

text: campaign

text: for

text: the

text: Democratic

text: presidential

text: nomination

text: Shortly

text: before

text: the

text: Ohio

text: primary

text: in

text: March

text: he

text: was

text: extremely

text: critical

text: of

text: NAFTA

text: Many

text: Rust

text: Belt

text: voters

text: believe

text: the

text: accord

text: has

text: cost

text: countless

text: jobs

text: by

text: accelerating

text: the

text: erosion

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: industrial

text: base

text: During

text: a

text: debate

text: with

text: then

text: Sen

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: Obama

text: agreed

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: should

text: abandon

text: the

text: treaty

text: if

text: it

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: renegotiated

text: It

text: was

text: later

text: revealed

text: that

text: one

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: economic

text: advisers

text: Austan

text: Goolsbee

text: had

text: met

text: with

text: officials

text: at

text: Canada

text: 's

text: Chicago

text: Illinois

text: consulate

text: and

text: allegedly

text: assured

text: them

text: that

text: Obama

text: 's

text: trade

text: rhetoric

text: was

text: more

text: a

text: function

text: of

text: politics

text: than

text: any

text: deeply

text: held

text: policy

text: position

question: What is the big issue referring to?

answer: of protectionism in

text: of protectionism in

question: who was he meeting?

answer: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper,

text: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper,

question: where was he going

answer: Canada

text: Canada

question: Does this interfere with NAFTA?

answer: will not trump existing trade agreements such as

text: will not trump existing trade agreements such as

question: What are Canadian officials worried about?

answer: they perceive as rising protectionist sentiment in the United States that could potentially spark a trade war and, in their opinion, deepen the global economic crisis.

text: they perceive as rising protectionist sentiment in the United States that could potentially spark a trade war and, in their opinion, deepen the global economic crisis.

question: Who is President Obama meeting in Canada?

answer: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper,

text: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper,


text:
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- The Russian parliament approved a constitutional amendment Friday to extend the presidential term from four to six years.

Vladimir Putin was barred constitutionally from seeking a third consecutive term as president.

There is widespread speculation in Russian media that the change is aimed at paving the way for a return to the Kremlin by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who remains a popular and powerful figure since leaving the president's office in May.

The Kremlin maintains the amendment -- along with other proposed changes to the terms in office for elected officials -- is necessary to ensure the stability of future Russian governments.

President Dmitry Medvedev announced the measures just two weeks ago, in his first state-of-the-nation speech on November 5.

The lower house of the Russian parliament had its third and final reading Friday before putting the measures to a vote. It passed by a vote of 392 to 57, with those against representing the Communist Party faction. There were no abstentions.

Further approval is needed from the upper house of parliament and regional councils before the changes become law. The amendments will come into force when at least two-thirds of the nation's 83 regional parliaments and assemblies -- or 56 -- approve them.

Analysts have expressed concern about the rapid movement of the measures through parliament. They say the government may be seeking to capitalize on Putin's popularity amid the financial crisis, which has dented support for the current leadership.

The next Russian presidential elections are scheduled for 2012.

There is speculation in Russia that the new measures could set the stage for fresh elections, allowing Putin to sidestep a ban on a third presidential term and stand again for president.

-- CNN's Matthew Chance and Max Tkachenko contributed to this report.

text: MOSCOW

text: Russia

text: CNN

text: The

text: Russian

text: parliament

text: approved

text: a

text: constitutional

text: amendment

text: Friday

text: to

text: extend

text: the

text: presidential

text: term

text: from

text: four

text: to

text: six

text: years

text: Vladimir

text: Putin

text: was

text: barred

text: constitutionally

text: from

text: seeking

text: a

text: third

text: consecutive

text: term

text: as

text: president

text: There

text: is

text: widespread

text: speculation

text: in

text: Russian

text: media

text: that

text: the

text: change

text: is

text: aimed

text: at

text: paving

text: the

text: way

text: for

text: a

text: return

text: to

text: the

text: Kremlin

text: by

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Vladimir

text: Putin

text: who

text: remains

text: a

text: popular

text: and

text: powerful

text: figure

text: since

text: leaving

text: the

text: president

text: 's

text: office

text: in

text: May.

text: The

text: Kremlin

text: maintains

text: the

text: amendment

text: along

text: with

text: other

text: proposed

text: changes

text: to

text: the

text: terms

text: in

text: office

text: for

text: elected

text: officials

text: is

text: necessary

text: to

text: ensure

text: the

text: stability

text: of

text: future

text: Russian

text: governments

text: President

text: Dmitry

text: Medvedev

text: announced

text: the

text: measures

text: just

text: two

text: weeks

text: ago

text: in

text: his

text: first

text: state

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: speech

text: on

text: November

text: The

text: lower

text: house

text: of

text: the

text: Russian

text: parliament

text: had

text: its

text: third

text: and

text: final

text: reading

text: Friday

text: before

text: putting

text: the

text: measures

text: to

text: a

text: vote

text: It

text: passed

text: by

text: a

text: vote

text: of

text: to

text: with

text: those

text: against

text: representing

text: the

text: Communist

text: Party

text: faction

text: There

text: were

text: no

text: abstentions

text: Further

text: approval

text: is

text: needed

text: from

text: the

text: upper

text: house

text: of

text: parliament

text: and

text: regional

text: councils

text: before

text: the

text: changes

text: become

text: law

text: The

text: amendments

text: will

text: come

text: into

text: force

text: when

text: at

text: least

text: two

text: thirds

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: regional

text: parliaments

text: and

text: assemblies

text: or

text: approve

text: them

text: Analysts

text: have

text: expressed

text: concern

text: about

text: the

text: rapid

text: movement

text: of

text: the

text: measures

text: through

text: parliament

text: They

text: say

text: the

text: government

text: may

text: be

text: seeking

text: to

text: capitalize

text: on

text: Putin

text: 's

text: popularity

text: amid

text: the

text: financial

text: crisis

text: which

text: has

text: dented

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: current

text: leadership

text: The

text: next

text: Russian

text: presidential

text: elections

text: are

text: scheduled

text: for

text: There

text: is

text: speculation

text: in

text: Russia

text: that

text: the

text: new

text: measures

text: could

text: set

text: the

text: stage

text: for

text: fresh

text: elections

text: allowing

text: Putin

text: to

text: sidestep

text: a

text: ban

text: on

text: a

text: third

text: presidential

text: term

text: and

text: stand

text: again

text: for

text: president

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Matthew

text: Chance

text: and

text: Max

text: Tkachenko

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: When did Medvedev announce the measures?

answer: on November 5.

text: on November 5.

question: What did the Russian media speculate?

answer: return to the Kremlin by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,

text: return to the Kremlin by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,

question: What did the Kremlin say?

answer: is necessary to ensure the stability of future Russian governments.

text: is necessary to ensure the stability of future Russian governments.

question: What is the name of the Russian government, in general?

answer: The Kremlin

text: The Kremlin

question: When are the next Russian elections?

answer: 2012.

question: What former Russian President was mentioned?

answer: Vladimir Putin

text: Vladimir Putin

question: Why does Kremlin say an amendment is needed?

answer: is necessary to ensure the stability of future Russian governments.

text: is necessary to ensure the stability of future Russian governments.

question: Who is the current Russian President?

answer: Vladimir Putin

text: Vladimir Putin


text:
(CNN) -- Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember the U.S. troops who have died. One way to honor the fallen troops is to volunteer at a veterans cemetery. And while there are opportunities on Memorial Day, there are other ways you can help all year long.

There are more than 150 national cemeteries and monument sites maintained by such groups as the the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Park Service. Read more about them or find a volunteer opportunity at a cemetery near you.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has these tips on ways you can help at a veterans cemetery that you might not have considered:

-- Volunteer to greet visitors, give tours or research and document cemetery history

-- Donate items such as golf carts, which are used to transport visitors who need assistance reaching a gravesite

-- Volunteer to raise and lower cemetery flags on national holidays

-- Help maintain the final resting place of fallen troops by volunteering to prune trees, mend cemetery flags, repair cemetery benches or sponsor a burial area or flower bed and maintain it all year long

-- If you're a bugler, volunteer to play a live "Taps" at veterans' funerals. About 1,800 veterans die each day, most of them from World War II, according to the VA. Because the military cannot provide enough buglers to play at such a large number of funerals, Congress passed a law in 2000 to allow a recorded version to be played. But many families of the fallen prefer a live version if possible.

text: CNN

text: Memorial

text: Day

text: is

text: a

text: day

text: set

text: aside

text: to

text: remember

text: the

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: who

text: have

text: died

text: One

text: way

text: to

text: honor

text: the

text: fallen

text: troops

text: is

text: to

text: volunteer

text: at

text: a

text: veterans

text: cemetery

text: And

text: while

text: there

text: are

text: opportunities

text: on

text: Memorial

text: Day

text: there

text: are

text: other

text: ways

text: you

text: can

text: help

text: all

text: year

text: long

text: There

text: are

text: more

text: than

text: national

text: cemeteries

text: and

text: monument

text: sites

text: maintained

text: by

text: such

text: groups

text: as

text: the

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: and

text: the

text: National

text: Park

text: Service

text: Read

text: more

text: about

text: them

text: or

text: find

text: a

text: volunteer

text: opportunity

text: at

text: a

text: cemetery

text: near

text: you

text: The

text: Department

text: of

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: has

text: these

text: tips

text: on

text: ways

text: you

text: can

text: help

text: at

text: a

text: veterans

text: cemetery

text: that

text: you

text: might

text: not

text: have

text: considered

text: Volunteer

text: to

text: greet

text: visitors

text: give

text: tours

text: or

text: research

text: and

text: document

text: cemetery

text: history

text: Donate

text: items

text: such

text: as

text: golf

text: carts

text: which

text: are

text: used

text: to

text: transport

text: visitors

text: who

text: need

text: assistance

text: reaching

text: a

text: gravesite

text: Volunteer

text: to

text: raise

text: and

text: lower

text: cemetery

text: flags

text: on

text: national

text: holidays

text: Help

text: maintain

text: the

text: final

text: resting

text: place

text: of

text: fallen

text: troops

text: by

text: volunteering

text: to

text: prune

text: trees

text: mend

text: cemetery

text: flags

text: repair

text: cemetery

text: benches

text: or

text: sponsor

text: a

text: burial

text: area

text: or

text: flower

text: bed

text: and

text: maintain

text: it

text: all

text: year

text: long

text: If

text: you

text: 're

text: a

text: bugler

text: volunteer

text: to

text: play

text: a

text: live

text: Taps

text: at

text: veterans

text: funerals

text: About

text: veterans

text: die

text: each

text: day

text: most

text: of

text: them

text: from

text: World

text: War

text: II

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: VA

text: Because

text: the

text: military

text: can

text: not

text: provide

text: enough

text: buglers

text: to

text: play

text: at

text: such

text: a

text: large

text: number

text: of

text: funerals

text: Congress

text: passed

text: a

text: law

text: in

text: to

text: allow

text: a

text: recorded

text: version

text: to

text: be

text: played

text: But

text: many

text: families

text: of

text: the

text: fallen

text: prefer

text: a

text: live

text: version

text: if

text: possible

question: what is there all year long

answer: ways you can help

text: ways you can help

question: What can be a way to honor the fallen at Memorial Day?

answer: volunteer

text: volunteer

question: who is being honored

answer: fallen troops

text: fallen troops

question: when are there opportunities

answer: on Memorial Day,

text: on Memorial Day,


text:
(CNN) -- Television and YouTube singing sensation Susan Boyle has promised to be on her best behavior if she wins the right to sing for the queen.

Susan Boyle sings "I Dreamed a Dream" -- and becomes a worldwide sensation.

The 47-year-old Boyle, who says she has never been kissed, was catapulted into the spotlight after her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Miserables," on the television show "Britain's Got Talent" at the weekend.

The winner of the show gets to sing for the queen at the Royal Variety Show.

Boyle has a long way to go though -- having just won through to the second round after judge Simon Cowell described her first performance as "extraordinary."

Still, she was already thinking of how she would behave.

"Whatever comes my way, I am ready. It would be lovely to sing for the queen. There would be less of the carry on from me, and more of the singing.  Watch Boyle tell CNN 'it must have been a miracle' Â»

"She is a very regal lady, very nice, so I would be nice too, and just get up there and give it a bit of wellie (try)," Boyle told the show's Web site.

Boyle said she was trying to take her new found fame in her stride.

"It's a challenge. Life is a challenge sometimes but this is different. And I like to test myself.

"If it all gets too much and they lock me up, I want a great big strait-jacket with spots on it. A pink one... and a big zip on the back so I can escape."

A clip of Boyle's performance had more than 11 million views on YouTube by Thursday, and the world's media have beaten a path to her door in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. Watch Boyle's singing wow the world Â»

Cowell is reportedly already trying to piece together a record deal for Boyle, an unemployed charity worker, who lives with her cat, Pebbles.

For fans of Boyle, who attracted laughs and sniggers when she first appeared on stage before winning a standing ovation, the album cannot come quick enough.

CNN has been inundated with hundreds of messages of support for Boyle.

Simone said: "I've been so depressed all day but hearing this woman sing and reading her story gave me a pick-me-up... I look forward to hearing more of her and I hope to buy her CD as soon as it hits the shelves."

Cynthia wanted Cowell to move quickly.

"She brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. I hope Simon does get her a record contract...I'll buy her CD. Never judge a book by it's cover. Susan Boyle, you go, girl!"

Jim described Boyle's talent as "unbelievable" and "beautiful."

"I wish Susan the very best in her new life and hopefully someone has put her under contract. Thank you for such a beautiful song."

Larry wanted to offer Boyle a kiss.

"I have just heard you sing for the first time -- thanks to CNN -- and I must tell you this: You are a fabulous talent, simply amazing to me that no one took advantage of your voice and passion up until now. I am a happily married man, but if I were not, and if I was in the audience, I can guarantee you that I would ask for a kiss, and if you were gracious enough to indulge me, well that would have been one of the great highlights of my life. Looking forward to the first of many albums."

text: CNN

text: Television

text: and

text: YouTube

text: singing

text: sensation

text: Susan

text: Boyle

text: has

text: promised

text: to

text: be

text: on

text: her

text: best

text: behavior

text: if

text: she

text: wins

text: the

text: right

text: to

text: sing

text: for

text: the

text: queen

text: Susan

text: Boyle

text: sings

text: I

text: Dreamed

text: a

text: Dream

text: and

text: becomes

text: a

text: worldwide

text: sensation

text: The

text: old

text: Boyle

text: who

text: says

text: she

text: has

text: never

text: been

text: kissed

text: was

text: catapulted

text: into

text: the

text: spotlight

text: after

text: her

text: rendition

text: of

text: I

text: Dreamed

text: a

text: Dream

text: from

text: the

text: musical

text: Les

text: Miserables

text: on

text: the

text: television

text: show

text: Britain

text: 's

text: Got

text: Talent

text: at

text: the

text: weekend

text: The

text: winner

text: of

text: the

text: show

text: gets

text: to

text: sing

text: for

text: the

text: queen

text: at

text: the

text: Royal

text: Variety

text: Show

text: Boyle

text: has

text: a

text: long

text: way

text: to

text: go

text: though

text: having

text: just

text: won

text: through

text: to

text: the

text: second

text: round

text: after

text: judge

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: described

text: her

text: first

text: performance

text: as

text: extraordinary

text: Still

text: she

text: was

text: already

text: thinking

text: of

text: how

text: she

text: would

text: behave

text: Whatever

text: comes

text: my

text: way

text: I

text: am

text: ready

text: It

text: would

text: be

text: lovely

text: to

text: sing

text: for

text: the

text: queen

text: There

text: would

text: be

text: less

text: of

text: the

text: carry

text: on

text: from

text: me

text: and

text: more

text: of

text: the

text: singing

text: Watch

text: Boyle

text: tell

text: CNN

text: it

text: must

text: have

text: been

text: a

text: miracle

text: Â

text: She

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: regal

text: lady

text: very

text: nice

text: so

text: I

text: would

text: be

text: nice

text: too

text: and

text: just

text: get

text: up

text: there

text: and

text: give

text: it

text: a

text: bit

text: of

text: wellie

text: try

text: Boyle

text: told

text: the

text: show

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: Boyle

text: said

text: she

text: was

text: trying

text: to

text: take

text: her

text: new

text: found

text: fame

text: in

text: her

text: stride

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: challenge

text: Life

text: is

text: a

text: challenge

text: sometimes

text: but

text: this

text: is

text: different

text: And

text: I

text: like

text: to

text: test

text: myself

text: If

text: it

text: all

text: gets

text: too

text: much

text: and

text: they

text: lock

text: me

text: up

text: I

text: want

text: a

text: great

text: big

text: strait

text: jacket

text: with

text: spots

text: on

text: it

text: A

text: pink

text: one

text: and

text: a

text: big

text: zip

text: on

text: the

text: back

text: so

text: I

text: can

text: escape

text: A

text: clip

text: of

text: Boyle

text: 's

text: performance

text: had

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: views

text: on

text: YouTube

text: by

text: Thursday

text: and

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: media

text: have

text: beaten

text: a

text: path

text: to

text: her

text: door

text: in

text: Blackburn

text: West

text: Lothian

text: Scotland

text: Watch

text: Boyle

text: 's

text: singing

text: wow

text: the

text: world

text: Â

text: Cowell

text: is

text: reportedly

text: already

text: trying

text: to

text: piece

text: together

text: a

text: record

text: deal

text: for

text: Boyle

text: an

text: unemployed

text: charity

text: worker

text: who

text: lives

text: with

text: her

text: cat

text: Pebbles

text: For

text: fans

text: of

text: Boyle

text: who

text: attracted

text: laughs

text: and

text: sniggers

text: when

text: she

text: first

text: appeared

text: on

text: stage

text: before

text: winning

text: a

text: standing

text: ovation

text: the

text: album

text: can

text: not

text: come

text: quick

text: enough

text: CNN

text: has

text: been

text: inundated

text: with

text: hundreds

text: of

text: messages

text: of

text: support

text: for

text: Boyle

text: Simone

text: said

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: so

text: depressed

text: all

text: day

text: but

text: hearing

text: this

text: woman

text: sing

text: and

text: reading

text: her

text: story

text: gave

text: me

text: a

text: pick

text: me

text: up

text: I

text: look

text: forward

text: to

text: hearing

text: more

text: of

text: her

text: and

text: I

text: hope

text: to

text: buy

text: her

text: CD

text: as

text: soon

text: as

text: it

text: hits

text: the

text: shelves

text: Cynthia

text: wanted

text: Cowell

text: to

text: move

text: quickly

text: She

text: brought

text: tears

text: to

text: my

text: eyes

text: and

text: a

text: lump

text: in

text: my

text: throat

text: I

text: hope

text: Simon

text: does

text: get

text: her

text: a

text: record

text: contract

text: I'll

text: buy

text: her

text: CD

text: Never

text: judge

text: a

text: book

text: by

text: it

text: 's

text: cover

text: Susan

text: Boyle

text: you

text: go

text: girl

text: Jim

text: described

text: Boyle

text: 's

text: talent

text: as

text: unbelievable

text: and

text: beautiful

text: I

text: wish

text: Susan

text: the

text: very

text: best

text: in

text: her

text: new

text: life

text: and

text: hopefully

text: someone

text: has

text: put

text: her

text: under

text: contract

text: Thank

text: you

text: for

text: such

text: a

text: beautiful

text: song

text: Larry

text: wanted

text: to

text: offer

text: Boyle

text: a

text: kiss

text: I

text: have

text: just

text: heard

text: you

text: sing

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: thanks

text: to

text: CNN

text: and

text: I

text: must

text: tell

text: you

text: this

text: You

text: are

text: a

text: fabulous

text: talent

text: simply

text: amazing

text: to

text: me

text: that

text: no

text: one

text: took

text: advantage

text: of

text: your

text: voice

text: and

text: passion

text: up

text: until

text: now

text: I

text: am

text: a

text: happily

text: married

text: man

text: but

text: if

text: I

text: were

text: not

text: and

text: if

text: I

text: was

text: in

text: the

text: audience

text: I

text: can

text: guarantee

text: you

text: that

text: I

text: would

text: ask

text: for

text: a

text: kiss

text: and

text: if

text: you

text: were

text: gracious

text: enough

text: to

text: indulge

text: me

text: well

text: that

text: would

text: have

text: been

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: great

text: highlights

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: Looking

text: forward

text: to

text: the

text: first

text: of

text: many

text: albums

question: how many you tube hits grabs unexpected star

answer: 11 million views

text: 11 million views

question: star grabs spotlight with

answer: her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream"

text: her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream"

question: Which pet have charity worker?

answer: h her cat, Pebbles

text: h her cat, Pebbles

question: When do fans want Susan Boyle to release an album?

answer: m cannot come quick enough

text: m cannot come quick enough

question: Who grabbed the spotlight with more than 11 million hits?

answer: Susan Boyle

text: Susan Boyle

question: What did the performance on "Britain's Got Talent" receive?

answer: more than 11 million views

text: more than 11 million views