Barackface

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Darfur Solution: End The Dictatorship In Sudan

Darfur has been presented as a mystery problem for a long time now in the west. There is this huge humanitarian crisis, and noone seems to know how to fix it. Movie stars pay visits, and still nothing changes.

Spread Democracy

There is a major problem in Darfur, but it is not a mystery problem. We know how to fix it. We can fix it. At the risk of sounding like Republicans who think tax cuts are the solution to every problem, I would like to suggest democracy is the solution in Darfur like everywhere else.

Spread Democracy

There is a school of thought that says people make bad choices like violence. You can push that only so far. I happen to push that it is lack of infrastructure that gives rise to violence: political, social, economic infrastructure.

Spread Democracy

Some say it is lack of resources, perhaps lack of water. There is a little bit of truth to that. But lack of resources should lead to competition or migration, not violence. When there is no political, social, economic infrastructure for competition and migration, you do end up with violence.

Spread Democracy

You can blame one guy for the tragedy in Darfur.

Politics of Sudan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sudan, Politics Timeline, 21st Century
Sudan: Political situation
Wikipedia - Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir
Omar Hassan al-Bashir - The TIME 100 - TIME
Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashier Biography - Sudan
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Country profiles | Country ...
Omar El Bashir order re-opening of Popular Defence Training Camps
VIDEO : Interview with Omar Hassan al Bashir
War in Darfur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Darfur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Save Darfur
Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop
BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict
Eyes On Darfur
The Real Roots of Darfur

In The News

UN Chief: Darfur Violence Continues, Despite UN Efforts Voice of America
Darfur violence may be worse, despite UN efforts Reuters South Africa
UN Chief Urges Action on Darfur The Associated Press
UN chief says political process crucial to end Darfur crisis Sudan Tribune
Sudan: Darfur Groups Urge World Leaders Not To Attend Olympic ... African Path, MN
Darfur activists urge leaders to skip ceremony Reuters South Africa
Darfur Group Adds Olympics Boycott Call New York Sun
Farrow Going to Darfur for China Protest The Associated Press
UN Agency Appeals For $40 Million In Darfur Refugee Aid Allheadlines
"Turn It Up": Fight Against Darfur Genocide ACED Magazine, FL
George Clooney Mugged At Gunpoint In Darfur CBS 5, CA
Kristof: Don't get apathetic about Darfur The Brown Daily Herald, RI
Why China's Olympics is Good for Tibet, Darfur, and Puppies and ... Huffington Post, NY

Obama Visits Montana CBS News, USA

We Got The Mo, We Will Win

By the time the last primary/caucus is held, Hillary has to be out of the race.

Barack needs a full summer to campaign against McCain who we have to decimate, annihilate in November.
Barack needs a full summer to give us a 60 strong US Senate.
Barack needs a full summer with running mate Hillary.

How do you get Hillary out?

Spend the money. The primaries will be won through TV ads, and there money talks. Already we are giving Hillary a good chase in PA. I think we could win in PA if we do more of it.
Don't take any remaining state for granted.
Publicly keep urging the superdelegates to cast their preferences, one way or the other, now. Before the last primary/caucus, all of them must have come out of the closet. These are professionals, they must know by now which horse to pick. You pick the one with the most votes, the most delegates, the most states, the most money, the most volunteers, the most donors.

Summer

Pick Hillary immediately.
Bring in a million people for a summer rally in Central Park.

In The News

Mugabe Faces an Uphill Battle in Presidential Runoff (Update2) Bloomberg
The Comedy of Horrors: Obama vs. Clinton The Lincoln Tribune
Political Perceptions: Obama, Overflowing with Glamor Wall Street Journal Blogs
Weekend fix for poll junkies: Obama gains in Gallup, Rasmussen USA Today
Bill Clinton Earned $15.4 Million From Burkle Firm Since 2003 Bloomberg
Three bomb blasts erupt in Nepal's capital USA Today
Nepal ramps up security ahead of key polls AFP Nepal's government began air patrols on Saturday and deployed thousands of police nationwide ahead of key polls planned for next week that will likely abolish the world's last Hindu monarchy. ...... between seven to 25 police stationed at close to 21,000 voting centres ..... "The main challenge on the security front is 'booth capturing' and scaring voters into not turning up" ...... alcohol has been banned from Monday, along with carrying "swords, knife, sticks and batons ....... The lowland districts bordering India have seen sporadic outbreaks of deadly ethnic unrest over the past year, and observers have expressed fears that some of the worst election day violence could take place there.
John McCain regrets now opposing Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Los Angeles Times
McCain Gives Unvarnished View of His Past Wall Street Journal McCain, who has said he will compete for African-American votes ..... He began Monday in Meridian, Miss., near the Navy's McCain Field, named for his grandfather, and devoted most of the subsequent days to discussing his own past. ...... In Annapolis, Md., amid frigid weather and a nonfunctioning TelePrompTer, he skipped a full page of text. ...... he spoke of his poor academic record and demerits for misbehavior. He talked about unauthorized "nocturnal sojourns" off campus and "other petty acts of insubordination." He spoke of a youth spent drinking, dating and generally having a good time. ...... "I knew Fred real well," he said reading one plaque. "He was behind me at the Naval Academy," he said passing another. ..... "What did you do with the officers' club?" he asked a local official. "That's the most important thing!" he said, laughing. It was eradicated, he was told. "Oh no!" McCain replied.
Man lynched for stealing books in Bihar Thaindian.com
India: The Olympic Torch and Tibet Global Voices Online
Police Fire on Tibetan Protesters; 8 Die The Associated Press
IRAQ: Maliki vs Sadr, round 5 Los Angeles Times
The Dems, Now Dancing to His Tune Washington Post
WiMax is suffering from 'growing pains': Intel ZDNet Asia
Microsoft Said to Be Standing Pat on Yahoo New York Times “Since the offer was made, the market has deteriorated and there are numerous indications that Yahoo’s business has declined.”
Lines Drawn for Microsoft and Yahoo, and Neither Is Ceding Ground
What’s Online: At Last, Buffett’s Key to Success is patient and does his research — like most female investors ...... women trade much less often than men, do a lot more research and tend to base their investment decisions on considerations other than just numbers. ...... Men tend to be “frazzled, frenetic day traders, with their ties askew, hair on end and eyes bleary,” she writes. “Patience and good decision-making help set women apart here.” ....... As a result, women’s portfolios on average gain 1.4 percent more than men’s ..... Single women’s portfolios do 2.3 percent better than single men’s. ..... Just like Mr. Buffett, women “typically look beyond the shiniest, newest bio-techno-gadget and focus instead on retailers meeting their needs, on products that they can’t live without, and on consumer goods they buy in their day-to-day lives”
Mobile Phone Industry Takes Aim at the iPhone packing phones with multimedia and Web features. ....... 3.2-megapixel camera ..... high-speed network, includes a navigation function and eight gigabytes of memory, and has Internet radio and easy access to multimedia Web sites like YouTube and Flickr ...... more phones in the coming months were likely to combine touch screens with a keypad or slide-out keyboard
Report: Beyonce and Jay-Z Married on Friday Washington Post in New York ....... Jay wanted it to be a really private affair -- close friends and family. ...... the rapper's TriBeCa apartment ....... friend Gwyneth Paltrow ..... the roof of the building, where a white tent was erected. ..... the couple, who have been dating for several years ..... Gossip blogger Perez Hilton fanned the flames when he reported the wedding would take place Friday, then followed up by posting the address of Jay-Z's apartment as the location. ....... Jay-Z, 37 ..... Beyonce, 26 ..... onetime street hustler from Brooklyn
Verizon reveals plans for airwaves Los Angeles Times faster wireless Internet service by 2010. ..... new rules that forced the winning company to allow consumers to use any device or application on those airwaves. ..... Verizon Wireless has pledged to let customers use any device or software program on its entire network by the end of the year. ..... Having met its primary goal for the auction, Google never submitted another bid ..... the FCC's complex online auction appealed to the geeky side of the company's founders ...... "Larry and Sergey really dove into understanding the details of the auction" ..... "They wanted to be the one that pressed the button"

52 Girls Are Taken From Mormon Sect’s Ranch in Texas New York Times The compound is in Eldorado, roughly 160 miles northwest of San Antonio. ..... The breakaway group continued to teach that a man must have three wives to reach heaven’s highest realms.
In Nepal, a monarchy makes way for democracy Malaysia Star the king at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz, driving himself and his queen through the crowded streets of Katmandu. ....... Gyanendra's 269-year-old Shah dynasty has reached the end of the line. ...... His US$3.1 million (euro2 million) annual allowance and 10 of the family's palaces were taken away, as were the queen's beauticians and about half his ceremonial guard. ...... a hardheaded businessman with interests in tourism, tea and tobacco. ..... "I know the king certainly believes that he will still be the king next year, and the year after,'' Thapa said. "Maybe he knows something we don't.''
Clinton, Obama visits have Montana Democrats in a festive mood The Missoulian
Obama, Clinton Return to ND The Associated Press

Clintons report $109 million in income over 8 years MarketWatch The Clintons listed $10.25 million in charitable contributions over those eight years. ..... the former president earned more than $10 million in speeches in 2007. He also earned $4.4 million in book income in 2007. ....... the couple have now made 30 years of tax returns public, "a record matched by few people in public service."
Mugabe unleashes thugs in Harare in final bid to stay in power Times Online
Chinese police open fire on protesters United Press International
Polls: Obama Leads Clinton Nationally, Closing Gap in Pennsylvania Trailwatch Pennsylvania polls, where Barack Obama has dramatically narrowed Hillary Clinton’s lead ..... Clinton has averaged 48%, and Obama has averaged 41.4%.
Chelsea Clinton coming to Purdue Monday Journal and Courier
Why China's Olympics is Good for Tibet, Darfur, and Puppies and ... Huffington Post
Sprint Delays Commercial Launch of WiMAX Sci-Tech Today
Jaya accuses Mayawati of targeting Amitabh for cheap publicity Hindustan Times
Amitabh, Shatrughan reunite Rediff
Windows 7, Successor To Vista, May Ship Next Year InformationWeek If Microsoft is moving up the release date for Windows 7, it may be because Vista has received only a lukewarm embrace from home and business computer users. Many have complained about Vista's hefty resource requirements and lack of compatibility with their existing applications.

Despite $20 million haul, signs of trouble emerge for Clinton The Hill the stream of money flowing to the former first lady is slowing significantly ..... While her fundraising numbers would be record-shattering in any other cycle ..... an opponent who appears to have near unlimited resources to counter any attack. ..... Her absence on the airwaves in key states like North Carolina and Indiana had been seen as another indication that money woes were plaguing the campaign. ..... the New York senator’s donor base might not be able to stem the Obama tide.

Carlos Odio In The Washington Post "We came in with a huge disadvantage, and we've introduced him more and more with pretty steady progress," said Carlos Odio, an Obama operative who works on Hispanic outreach in South Texas. "If we were down here for 10 months instead of one and [Obama] could make multiple visits, I'm sure we'd do very, very well. But it just came down to a matter of time and familiarity, and I'm not sure if people got to know him well enough."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/04/AR2008030402755.html

New signs of Mugabe crackdown in Zimbabwe International Herald Tribune
Obama’s Support Softens a Bit, Poll Shows New York Times
India Tiptoes in China’s Footsteps to Compete but Not Offend New York Times
In Iraq, Maliki warns of more offensives Los Angeles Times
Poll shows tight state primary race between Clinton, Obama Indianapolis Star
Obama events bringing buzz to Indiana campaign WLFI.com
Poll: Obama, Clinton Close in US Race The Associated Press Barack Obama, 46 percent Hillary Rodham Clinton, 43 percent
McCain outlines problems to be fixed as Obama gets Carter lift The Herald
Clinton Campaign Backpedals on Richardson Comments CBS News
Clinton to Leno: Bill “Does Get A Little Carried Away Sometimes” CBS News

A Flush Obama Campaign Pulls Out All the Stops Washington Post A whole lot of airtime and office space. ...... Two Obama television ads are airing around the state ..... The Obama campaign's latest gimmick: a high school-outreach program that targets students who will turn 18 by the Nov. 4 general election, making them eligible as primary voters. Indiana students who register at least 20 of their peers by April 6 will be eligible to play three-on-three basketball with Obama, a big-time hoops fan and reputed aggressor on the court.

Jay-Z: Music's $150 Million Man Time "I've turned into the Rolling Stones of hip hop." ..... Madonna announced a 10 year, roughly $120 million deal in 2007, while U2 revealed a 12 year touring and merchandising partnership earlier this week. .... the concert industry is booming. Last year revenues were up 8% to $3.9 billion ...... With top grossing pop (Madonna), rock (U2) and rap (Jay-Z) acts in its stable, the company certainly won't be short on inventory.