Facebook And Drinking Liberally

Group:

Drinking Liberally - Rudy's on 9th Ave

Network:

New York, NY

Size:

29 members

I just might have found the best of both worlds, a screentime factime combo. I had not gone to Drinking Liberally in months, and then I went yesterday and the Thursday before. I think I was missing it. But then Drinking Liberally is quite a song and dance. Being "friends with Justin" is a status symbol. Girls ask you if you are "friends with Justin!" The correct answer is Yes.

Last Thursday on my way back I was on the F train. And Ann hopped onto the train a few stations down. I had seen her at Drinking Liberally. She was with this guy who got off the train a few stations down. Then I hollered at her. "Hey, I saw you at Drinking Liberally!" We both moved one seat closer, but still with an aisle between us.

"Are you friends with Justin?"

She lives on Park Slope. I live south of the park in Little Bangladesh. She got off one station earlier than me.

"I went to the one in Williamsburg once. There was literally noone there. I got there at nine," I said.

Ann, a Fordham grad. Yesterday she was hanging out with Devin who is the most permanent fixture at Drinking Liberally I know of. She sure drinks and has no beer belly to show for it. Justin needs to get her onto the Drinking Liberally Board if she is not already on it.

I have often wondered about progressive groups in Manhattan, or events in general. Would it not be nice if everyone got on Facebook? You should not have to exchange business cards in a Web 2.0 world.

Justin is not on Facebook. Ann is not on Facebook.

But Aaron is. That guy is the funniest guy ever. I just have to look at him and I am laughing. He does not have to say anything explicitly funny and I am laughing. And he does make wisecracks.

And Aaron has a major presence on Facebook, I just discovered.

I have asked people about him. This funny thing, is it just me, or does he do that to you as well? I would like to know.

Looks like Aaron has become quite a regular at Drinking Liberally, two Thursdays in a row.

"I don't understand people who are not on Facebook," I wrote to him. Justin Krebs, I don't understand you.

Web 5.0: Face Time
A Web 3.0 Manifesto

I failed to get Krebs excited about my company, and that is okay. He perhaps wants to keep doing full time what he is doing. He is one of the leading young progressives in America. Liberal used to be a bad word.

"I think you can do it," he said about my company.

Yesterday I bought beer. The Thursday before I did not. There's plenty going around. And I try to stick to one glass, if that. I am worried I might end up with a beer belly.

The backyard can get cliquish. There are those who are there not for Drinking Liberally but because Rudy's is such a cool bar. Cheap beer, free hot dogs, Times Square noise: you can hear it. There are those there who are drinking liberally and are Drinking Liberally. Many of them have buttons. Some don't. Justin just gave up on the idea of giving me more buttons. I have a dozen of them at home. I forget to pick one each time. I will try harder next time. I like the button.

Small groups of 3-4 get formed. When it gets crowded, it is harder to move around. I like the idea of moving from group to group, but the options are few. There is a space issue. Sometimes it can feel like white valency. Other times, it is just that the space is taken. And there are girlfriends hanging out with girlfriends, and they are a complete circle, guys need not apply.

Maybe my personality type is suited more for the Obama outdoors events. There is one big one on Saturday, but I can't make it because I am organizing a meeting of all the Nepali organizations in the tri-state area on Saturday. It is to be in Central Park, southeast corner. The idea is to launch an umbrella organization. A lot of Nepalis really struggle with me being a Madhesi. But they might not have much of a choice. They are stuck with me.

David Pollak - after I learned from Justin Krebs that the dude is now chair of the state Democratic Party - I have been "using" that guy among Nepalis. I know David Pollak, who do you know? Get over my being a Madhesi, let's earn voting rights in the city. Let's form an umbrella organization. When that is not enough, I throw Spitzer in. "He might not know me by name, but I think he knows me by face!" Hence the name Facebook. Now get off your butt, and help launch this umbrella organization. And you top it all with Howard Dean. Dean does know me. And at that point you have the floor pretty much. I ask my would be rivals if they know a single person in the city council. The question goes unanswered because the answer is too obvious: no. I don't either, but that fact has so far not surfaced.

So at one point I get up and go into a corner to make a bunch of phone calls to make sure people will show up for the Saturday meeting. When I am back to the table Stephanie wants to know why I was by myself in the corner. Maybe she did not see the phone. She thought I got outcast for being an Obama enthusiast. Did she? Hey, Obama is popular. Here, there, everywhere.

"This hairstyle inspired by Barack Obma." I wish he had something a little more fancy though.

Mario is a cook. He is from Cuba. I was shooting breeze with him before I got up to make my phone calls. He was talking about girls in the plural.

I might have pushed a few people away talking too excitedly about my company. I should take that enthusiasm to potential angel investors, the professionals. I also have a very detailed business plan still to write.

I met this guy whose uncle has won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. I am like, wow.

Aaron is Jewish. I have learned from some East Europeans that Jewish people like money. That is the stupidest thing you can say. Money is like music. I never met anyone who does not like either. I like money. What does that make me?

Like there was this one guy who kept coming in front of me so as to kick me out of the group sort of, the very first group I chimed into. I was very tempted to tell him, "You mind getting your white trash butt out of my face?"

In The News

Obama To Host Town Hall Meeting In Des Moines KCCI.com
Mrs Obama steps into the spotlight Times Online
Missouri's Clay, Carnahan Endorse Obama in 2008 NewsMax.com
Hillary Clinton: Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley Endorses Clinton All American Patriots (press release)
A kinder, gentler Clinton in Iowa Rocky Mountain News
Clinton Over Obama 56-37, "Experience Matters" New York Press
Clinton brokers deal to cut costs of AIDS-fighting drugs Amsterdam News
Nepal poll schedule soon: Koirala NDTV.com
Nepal Premier in favor of elections in November Islamic Republic News Agency
Mayawati's victory celebrated in Bihar with difference Hindu Mayawati's victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election
Journalist? Cover California from India Rediff "Due to California's public access laws, virtually all relevant government documents and meetings are available on the Internet," MacPherson said. ..... Pasadena Now has already hired two journalists at a combined annual cost of $20,800 within two days of the job posting on May 7. ..... The City Council is Pasadena's governing body and meets every Monday night and webcast of the meetings are available on the Internet.
Britain's Brown launches leadership bid MSNBC
Blair frustration with US revealed The Age
Oral Sex Spreads Virus, Might Lead to Throat Cancer (Update2) Bloomberg
Oral Sex Can Add to HPV Cancer Risk TIME
Oral sex could be more dangerous than cigars Register
Dell finds place in history museum iAfrica.com
DELL LAUNCHING COMPUTER FOR RS 10000 SDA India Magazine Dell plans to launch a computer that will cost USD 238 (Rs 10,000) in India and worldwide. .... Dell also launched three new laptops for the Indian market in the price range of about Rs 52,000-64,000. ..... CEO Michael Dell said, "We will look at broader opportunities ... sure we will look at low-cost personal computers"...... Mid-March 2007, Dell had wheeled out a low-cost PC for China. The cost of the PC ranges from 2,599 yuan to 3,999 Yuan (approximately USD 335 to USD 520) ...... Dell recently announced that its assembly unit in Chennai, India will go live by July this year and has projected USD1 billion revenues from India.
IPods may interfere with pacemakers CBC.ca
Stifling summers forecast by Nasa for US east coast Independent

Terry McAuliffe: E=mc^2

Terry Alligator McAuliffe, May 9

So I got to see Terry McAuliffe in person yesterday. When I think Spitzer, I think the word substance. When I think McAuliffe, I think alligator. The image is stuck in my mind. It will never go away. But the actual word is energy.

He is just so very amazing. He just oozes bountiful energy. He started "dozens of companies" and was retired by the time he was 35. Politics is in his blood. It is like he had a tic. "Bill Clinton is the most expensive friend I ever had."

When he came in, it was amazing to see him work the room. He went from person to person, no hurry. He was with who he was with. He has "raised more money than anyone is history."

I am sure he has told the stories many times, but he manages to pour it fresh.

He asked for a show of hands. Only five or six people had read his book. Only one other person besides him was in the "top 1% income bracket." And I doubt that other person was exhibiting the truth.

So McAuliffe is so rich, he might be a Republican! Does he feel your pain?

He poured out a few stories from his book. One was that he was in Korea with Clinton, and you know how "Bill Clinton never sleeps." So, Terry, why don't you come up with me and play cards? 10 in the evening to four in the morning, he is playing cards. Then he begs off. The following day he finds out the Korean Secret Service had cabled their head office saying a "young, good looking man" was in the Clinton room for hours. This was in 1999.

This is an amazing time to be a Democratic Party sympathizer. Good times are here. I was strongly for Hillary. Then I switched to Obama. But that does not mean I stopped liking Hillary.

First quarter fundraising showed Obama doing real well. But Hillary won the South Carolina debate and gave herself a jump in the polls.

2008 is for the Democrats to lose.

The way I am looking at it right now, one of these is going to be President, another is going to be Vice President.

Spitzer came out a few days ago saying he is going to work for gay marriage in New York. He basically walked out of the 2008 race in doing that.

So it is Obama-Hillary or Hillary-Obama. It is one of the two possibilities. Right now it looks like Hillary-Obama.

My favorite story about Hillary is when she and Princess Chelsea made this trip to India. And then went to this remote, remote village. And they got surrounded by all these women. And they said that Hillary has no idea what it means to them that she is here. I agree. Hillary had no idea. Hillary still has no idea.

Hillary as President and Obama as Vice President will mean Obama will have plenty of time to succeed and become President himself, he is more than a decade younger. Plus, people live longer these days. Look at old man McCain. Hillary's is a race against time more than Obama's is.

I like them both. And it is not just gender and race, although that it is. They are both outstandingly able. For a woman and some black dude to go up that high, they have to be oustandingly able by definition.

And they compete with each other, the way political competition should be. There is no bad blood, there are no slimeball attacks at each other. They genuinely like each other.

I am a nobody. I don't get to influence the election one way or the other. Heck, I can't even vote. But I am into it for the sports of it. And the pleasure of rooting for Obama is to realize I am playing shadow boxing with Pele Clinton. The guy does not know I exist. But he does leave footprints. And I get to organize my thoughts and offer counter strategies.

But then there is a genuine competition of ideas and organizational skills. The Clinton Machine is a creation not just of Bill but also of Hillary. Her tapping into it is very fair. She pretty much made Bill Clinton. She is smarter than him. At this point I don't know if that means she also has as good political instincts. She authored "triangulation" while Bill Clinton was floundering after the 1994 defeat.

But then Barack Obama also has many advantages. Hillary has conceded he has more charisma than she does. The guy is smart. He offers a certain freshness. And he had a dizzying first quarter success.

So although Hillary has the lead, Obama has the superior trajectory.

They really, truly are neck and neck. There is no telling which way the wind will flow. Expect Obama to give a much more superior performance at the next debate. Otherwise if he bombs at two to three more debates, he is history. History as in, he is running mate.

No matter who gets the top slot, Bill Clinton has to be sent out to work out the final map for the Middle East. He can do it like noone else can. And after he does it, he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

This is a blessed time to be a Democrat.

And Spitzer as Governor might cook up the best ideas that can then be sent to the rest of the country. I am blindsided he is taking the lead on the gay marriage issue. This is gutsy. I like him even more now.

Spitzer is a Hillary fan. That part is so very obvious.

So McAuliffe finishes his talk. And I am right in front of the stage. We made eye contact a few times. He has a magnetic personality. He lingers on the stage to meet people, sign a few books. I walk away. I take a few steps. He comes from behind me and keeps walking. One step ahead of me he says, "Buy the book!" Could it have been said to me? This is not a self-esteem question. This guy is a national legend. I am just one face in the crowd.

Before the event started, I spotted these three Indian young women. One of them was handing out flyers for the Obama event on Saturday.

"Are you Indian?"

"I am half Indian."

The next one was Sapana. The third said her name was Rachael. She had walked over earlier to the bar table next to me but did not make eye contact. Now this was a race issue. You are a brown guy who probably likes white women. It is really curious how the racial dynamic and insinuations work. In NYC, all that plays out in real small space, and specks of time. So it feels dense.

Elizabeth Caputo was in-charge. I was surprised Dave Pollak was not around. Justin Krebs did not show. Kristina Hoke did not. DFNYC notables did not. Lewis Cohen usually shows up for big wigs like this one. He did not. So I am thinking maybe McAuliffe is in town often.

"This guy is so exciting," I said to Caputo.

"Thanks for coming," Caputo said.

I have been trying to get her to get involved with my startup in some small capacity, so far with no success. My company functions in a Web 2.0 environment almost entirely. For some that is a roadblock.

Back home I pitched her again over email. I said I predicted a "French Revolution" in Nepal a few months before it happened, now I am predicting I have launched a company that will get listed on Nasdaq in five years or less. (The French Revolution And DFNYC)

He is a face time guy. He is vastly inspirational. He is a leader. He is a big catch for the Democratic Party.

My one regret is to not have had a 30 second one on one with the guy. Maybe even try to get him to learn my name.

McAuliffe thought the new primary calendar was "crazy." The contest will be over on February 5. I am so glad the big, diverse states will now matter big time to the outcome.

In The News

Ed Gillespie and Terry McAuliffe Join Campaigns & Elections ... PR Newswire (press release), NY
Q&A with Terry McAuliffe The Brown Daily Herald, RI
Fundraiser Extraordinaire McAuliffe Lives Life with Gusto Voice of America
Hillary Revamps Campaign Strategy NewsMax.com, FL
CHELSEA CLOSER TO HELPING MOM Free Market News Network, FL The New York Post reported Tuesday that Chelsea appeared with her parents at a Manhattan fundraiser Monday night. ...... “[Chelsea] has attended fundraisers in New York from time to time but is focused on her professional responsibilities and has no current plans to be out on the campaign trail.” ..... Chelsea, 27, is currently raking in the dough working at the New York-based hedge fund Avenue Capital Group and, under the likeliest scenario, she would take a leave from the firm once she hit the campaign trail. ...... Chelsea’s participation will not only reinforce Hillary’s image as a mom and a family-focused candidate, it’ll also help Hillary shore up her standing with female voters.
McAuliffe says Clinton knows she’s in a fight Providence Journal (subscription), RI
McAuliffe: Time for new approach to primaries Politics on the Hudson, NY

Long Walk To Freedom

Dear Paramendra,

For too many people, politics is a bad word. It's not surprising since for many people "politics" means talking heads screaming at each other on TV, or special interests stacking the deck in Washington.

We have an opportunity to change that. When politics gets local, when the person talking is your neighbor standing on your front porch, things change.

On June 9th, hundreds of thousands of people will have that experience as we take our campaign to the streets in all 50 states for a nationwide neighborhood walk.

We're calling it Walk for Change, and its success depends on you. I'm asking you for something extraordinary. I'm asking you to lead a group of supporters in your community in a neighborhood walk to let people know about our campaign.

If you agree to organize a walk, we'll mail you the materials you need to start a conversation with your neighbors about being part of this movement for change. But it can only happen if you're willing to take the leap and put together a June 9th Walk for Change event where you live:

http://my.barackobama.com/createwalk

It's not common these days to reach out to a neighbor.

We're more likely to nod quickly and smile when unloading the groceries or walking the dog than we are to stop and talk about the things that shape our common destiny.

But the great issues of our day shouldn't just be topics to fill time between commercials on cable news. These challenges -- ending the war in Iraq, solving the health care crisis, tackling climate change -- affect each one of us personally.

And the solutions to each one will require personal investment from all of us.

That's why it's so important to create this dialogue in your community -- to have a serious conversation about what matters most to your neighbors, and to share with them why this movement for change is personal for you.

http://my.barackobama.com/createwalk

We shouldn't be afraid. Americans everywhere are hungry for change, and waiting for someone to show them where change will come from.

On June 9th, if you organize a Walk for Change event, that change will come from your community, and the person showing the way will be you.

Thank you.

Barack Obama

P.S. -- As you read this, people across the country are planning their events using the My.BarackObama.com tools. If you're not ready to host your own walk, there may already be one in your community that you can join. Use our interactive map to search for one near you:

http://my.barackobama.com/walkforchange

Long Walk To Freedom: Just A Third World Guy Dazzled By The City

In The News

I'm off alcohol, soccer great Maradona says Miami Herald
SOCCER: Two daughters give Argentinian soccer legend the will to live U.TV
Maradona says he no longer drinks ESPN
Maradona: 'I'm alive and I want to keep living' San Diego Union Tribune, CA
Maradona: He's off alcohol, plans exhibitions FOXSports.com
Maradona says he's off alcohol, plans to play exhibition matches International Herald Tribune, France
Maradona vows to stay clean Reuters.uk, UK
Maradona vows to battle back from illness ESPN
Maradona vows to stay clean TVNZ, New Zealand
Maradona vows to stay clean ITV.com, UK
Maradona released from rehab clinic Times of India, India
Maradona leaves alcoholism clinic BBC Sport, UK
Maradona released from clinic Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Maradona leaves psychiatric clinic, goes home Reuters India, India
Maradona released from psychiatric clinic ESPN
Maradona leaves psychiatric clinic, 'doing well' Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Maradona released from rehab clinic after two-week stay Xinhua, China
Breaking News Maradona dispels death rumours Fox Sports, Australia

What the Dell? Motley Fool
Astronomers record brightest ever supernova Daily Mail
MySpace to acquire Photobucket image-sharing site CNET News.com
A CEO Pitches Universal Health Care New York Times Thirty-six companies have decided to join forces in a push to extend health insurance to all Americans ...... 18 of the companies are among the Fortune 500’s biggest firms ...... seeking universal health care “not so much out of social solidarity as out of financial necessity”
Corporate America Pushes Healthcare Reform Medical News Today
Reforming health care Washington Times
Most toddlers watching TV, DVDs: survey CTV.ca
TV toddlers 'become aggressive' Telegraph.co.uk

Barack Lost The South Carolina Debate

Poll: Clinton rebounds over Obama USA Today a 15 percentage-point lead ..... She is the choice of 38% of the Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters surveyed, up 7 points from a survey taken three weeks earlier. Obama is at 23%, 3 points lower than before.

Bad MySpace Move By Barack Obama
South Carolina Debate

The question was if another 9/11 style attack were to occur, will you retaliate? Hillary gave the correct answer. She said if it can be determined who was behind the attack, the retaliation should be swift and strong. Obama did not answer that question right. He went on a detour suggesting it is important to make sure the intelligence is not faulty, blah blah blah.

The answer was Afghanistan, not Iraq. Osama was behind 9/11, and he was in power by proxy in Afghanistan. So the attack to drive the Taliban out of power was a legitimate act of a sovereign country.

Obama has to be careful not to let the ultra left hijack his anti-war agenda.

The Mayor of New York City has to deliver crime control. That is a basic aspect of the job. Similarly the President Of The United States has to offer security. That is a basic part of the job. That is how the office is designed. You are Commander In Chief.

I think Obama got thrown off balance because he for a moment thought it was a trick question to do with his strength: his opposition to the "dumb" war in Iraq. That is not what it was. A lot of Americans do fear there might be another big attack. It might not come in the form of planes. It might be a dirty bomb, it might be something else. We know the intention is there on the part of Al Qaeda. They just have not been able to carry it out yet.

Iraq has been W's trillion dollar mistake. Obama has the right stand. But he does have to deliver on the basics of being Commander In Chief.

Obama Gameplan: Stable, Democratic Iraq
Obama Is Going To Have To Jump Into The Fray

Muscular Gender Agenda
Obama-Spitzer Vs. Giuliani-Romney

In The News

Clinton stronger, Giuliani still strong Chicago Tribune Clinton has regained a double-digit advantage after an earlier survey found a smaller – 31 to 26 percent – edge over Obama. ...... And if the name of Gore – the former vice president who ran for president in 2000 but says he isn't running this time around – is removed from the equation, Clinton gains more support: With a 45 – 27 percent margin over Obama.
Post Debate Polls: Clinton Has Momentum, GOP Race Tightens Yahoo! News

Flashback, flash forward Barack Obama's new Secret Service detail ... Houston Chronicle
Clinton widens leads in USAT/Gallup & CNN polls USA Today
Poll: Liberals moving toward Clinton; GOP race tightens CNN
Poll: Clinton rebounds over Obama USA Today a 15 percentage-point lead ..... She is the choice of 38% of the Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters surveyed, up 7 points from a survey taken three weeks earlier. Obama is at 23%, 3 points lower than before. ...... "You should expect a fair bit of bouncing around," Franklin says. ...... Clinton strategist Mark Penn attributes her boost in the poll to her performance in the opening debate April 26. "At the debate, people got the first chance to see them all side-by-side," Penn says, "and I think she is looking very ready to lead." ........ Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters chose Clinton over Obama, 56%-37%. ....... 35% of Clinton's backers cite her experience; 23% favor her positions on issues; 17% like the fact that she is a woman. Ten percent mention her husband, former president Bill Clinton. ...... 37% say either that they don't like Clinton, that she has "too much baggage" or that she is more polarizing than he is. Ten percent say he has a better chance of being elected president.
Clinton won't cede Illinois to Obama Chicago Tribune Clinton met with a group of African-American ministers Monday and said she was not conceding the black vote to her rival ...... "I am not ceding any voter, anywhere, to anyone" ...... Clinton, who had breakfast with Mayor Richard Daley, an Obama supporter. ..... it will take some time for "people to get to know me" as her friends have, to conclude that she's "a person just like everybody else." ....... "I know that I am maybe not the most charismatic person in this race.
Clinton Stumps in Obama’s Backyard New York Times
Clinton: I won't concede to Obama in Ill. Chicago Sun-Times

High Hopes for US-French Relations Forbes
Violent Protests Greet Sarkozy’s Election in France New York Times hundreds of people arrested, hundreds of cars gutted and hundreds of windows smashed in several cities across in France. ........ the square — the site of the July 14, 1789, uprising that is celebrated annually ....... slogans like “Sarkozy Fascist” scrawled on walls around Paris. ..... While Mr. Sarkozy is most despised by minority youths in the country’s poor housing projects on the outskirts of major French cities, most of the violence took place in city centers. ...... mostly white and below the age of 30
Sarkozy Wins Resounding Victory in French Vote NPR
Attorneys say Paris Got What She Deserved, Unlikely to Win Appeal Hollywood Today Newsmagazine
REPUBLICANS DEFECT TO OBAMA Free Market News Network
Republicans defect to the Obama camp Focus News
Giuliani, Clinton show popularity in Alabama poll Dateline Alabama
Democrats' 2008 Electoral Edge In Doubt Guardian Unlimited
Thousands strip off for nude shot ITV.com
Thousands strip in public as artist creates 'flesh architecture' USA Today
18000 nude volunteers help Tunick break record ABC Online
What a Microsoft-Yahoo Merger Means for Google PC World Online advertising is the fastest-growing medium in history.
McCain Stops By Google Red Herring “Most of the people I’ve met in high tech are either liberals or libertarians.”
Big B, SRK set to shoot together Times of India
Becks and Posh moving to Beverly Hills The West Australian
50 hurt in Jerusalem soccer crush CNN International
Dell's Linux Problem Forbes Linux supporters swarmed Dell after the company put up a Web site called IdeaStorm asking for suggestions. Like teenage girls voting for Sanjaya on American Idol, thousands of Linux fans wrote to Dell and “voted” for PCs loaded with Linux, making this the No. 1 request on IdeaStorm. ..... By agreeing to do business with Microsoft and Novell, Dell risks becoming a pariah in the Linux community.
Microsoft Delivers Hotmail Upgrade PC World

Sarkozy, Elected in France, Vows Break With Past New York Times
An Empty Place Where a Kansas Town Once Stood New York Times
Paris sacks publicist Sydney Morning Herald The 26-year-old hotel heiress, who parlayed her party lifestyle into worldwide fame ....... "The premise of her fame is being naughty,'' he said. ``This is a career move for her. It simply fuels the fascination. She can only win with this.''
Clinton Says She Supports Funding Troops Carlisle Sentinel
Nepal's first bishop appointed officially Mangalorean.com
Poll: Rudy Giuliani Lead Fading Fast Bayou Buzz
Buffett: Index funds better for most investors Reuters "A very low-cost index is going to beat a majority of the amateur-managed money or professionally-managed money," Buffett said ...... investors shouldn't flock to increasingly popular hedge funds, where managers typically receive a fixed fee plus a percentage of profits. ..... many investors actually fare worse in actively managed funds. He said many funds perform well when they're small, but struggle to keep up when investors chase that early performance, and pour in cash. ........ Buffett cited Fidelity Magellan (FMAGX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, a top-performing fund through the 1980s, but which has lagged S&P 500 over the trailing one, three, five and 10-year periods. ....... Berkshire estimates that its per share book value rose at a 21.4 percent compounded annual rate from 1965, when Buffett took over, to 2006, compared with a 10.4 percent annual gain for the S&P 500 including dividends.


YouTube

Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 1 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 2 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 3 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 4 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 5 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 6 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 7 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 8 of 9
Democratic Debate for 2008 Presidency SCSU part 9 of 9

Videos By The Barack Campaign

Bad MySpace Move By Barack Obama

The Barack Obama MySpace page did look like it might be something run by the official campaign itself. And so the concern was legitimate.

Barack had 150,000 MySpace friends, and now that is down to 30,000. That is a huge loss. But that is momentary. Looks like the squatter guy took away all his "friends" and the Obama campaign is having to start afresh. I used to be a "friend" of Obama. And I realized I had been delisted. I promptly went back up. I am sure many others will as well. I expect the number to exceed 100,000 very fast, in a matter of weeks.

MySpace is the leading social networking site right now. It was but natural that Obama wanted to own his own name there. But the way his campaign handled it was not cool. The self-propelled volunteer guy should have been shown more respect. He should have been compensated perhaps. Heck, he should have been hired, I think. Google bought YouTube. The guy did something the Obama campaign did not for a long time. Like Rupert Murdoch said when he bought MySpace: "Noone on my team thought of it."

Obama has a robust presence also on Facebook.

Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)

Size: 323,985 members

Barack Obama for President in 2008

Size: 67,623 members

The Obama campaign needs to stay away from these groups. Don't mess with it. These things are supposed to be bottom up. Not even that. These things are grassroots energy, synergy.

The problem is not that Obama has lost his MySpace friends, he has not, he will rebound. The problem is the way his campaign handled it. It did not show enough respect to a volunteer. That is not okay. I hope that mistake is not repeated too often.

I don't fault MySpace though. It did the right thing.

In The News

Obama: 'This is MySpace' Capitol Hill Blue, VA
Barack Obama Could Lose Some 'Friends' In MySpace Debacle Post Chronicle
Obama Takes MySpace Page From Backer MyFox Chicago
Obama Requests Creative Commons for Presidential Debates Slashdot
Obama's MySpace love >> Total Content + Media, UK
Sweet blog special: Obama and MySpace saga. Chicago Sun-Times, IL Obama is making extensive use of social networking tools in his campaign, which has a "new media" department based at the Chicago headquarters. The Obama campaign is also encouraging netroot activists to rally support for Obama and organize on their own. ..... I dug into the story behind yesterday's collapse in Obama's MySpace numbers; it's a kind of cautionary tale for the Connected Age, and also suggests the Obama campaign is more traditional top-down control-oriented than the press they've been getting for all their online social networking. ....... MySpace has said Joe Anthony can post his site, complete with all his friends, on whatever non-official URL he chooses. I think that's fair. ....... MySpaceGate! ...... What a foolish decision on Obama’s part! Paying this man for his work is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do.
Unnecessary candidate Daily Vidette
Obama's MySpace Mayhem National Journal, DC The user who once voluntarily managed his MySpace page for more than two years has accused the campaign and MySpace of taking over the Web site and deleting the former profile. ....... a 29-year-old from the L.A. area ...... The campaign, with the help of Myspace, have seized control of the profile without my consent, and are using it to refer traffic to a new profile they created. I have been blocked from having access to the profile. ........ our campaign staff wanted make sure users had direct access to the campaign. We support the MySpace communty, and look forward to building our relationship. ....... Joe Anthony gets to keep his 160,000 list under a different myspace site name. Myspace has told him to pick another name for his site and continue running it if he wants. Obama gets to use his official myspace url address which belongs to Barack Obama per Myspace rules. This is more than fair to me. ....... it seems like his "washington outsider" rhetoric doesn't apply to regular people. this is very disappointing - i'm now voting for edwards. ..... How many millions will Obama spend for a few seconds appearance in tv. He has taken for granted that 160,000 fans that this rebel page has gathered will stay with him anyway and he will spend a dime for them. ...... Regardless of the legality, I believe that this whole situation was handled very poorely by the Obama campaign, and this is just the sort of bad press that can potentially snowball, and have a real affect on younger voters. Myspace is a real community of a demographic that is very hard to reach in the traditional sense, and I think that the Obama campaign needs to be very careful about how all of this is handled.
Obama endorses effort to make debate video free USA Today Saying that the Democratic Party should "do everything we can" to encourage "citizen-generated" coverage of the presidential campaign, Sen. Barack Obama today sent a letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean asking that the party put video of its presidential debates in the public domain. ....... I am a strong believer in the importance of copyright, especially in a digital age. But there is no reason that this particular class of content needs the protection. ...... Your presidential campaign used the Internet to break new ground in citizen political participation. I would urge you to take the lead again by continuing to support this important medium of political speech.

Yahoo shares soar on bid rumours BBC News
Google tops global brand league ahead of General Electric and Microsoft ..... The total value of the Top 100 brands has increased by 10.6% in the past year to $1.6 trillion. .... The biggest riser was Marks & Spencer, which tripled its brand value to take the number 68 spot globally and fourth place in the UK. ..... combines balance sheet values with consumer sentiment ..... the past year has seen companies such as BP and Toyota boost their brand value with the promise of more environmentally friendly policies and products. ....

1 Google

2 General Electric

3 Microsoft

4 Coca-Cola

5 China Mobile

6 Marlboro

7 Wal-Mart

8 Citi

9 IBM

10 Toyota

Stock futures rise on Yahoo-Microsoft report USA Today
White House threatens to veto hate-crimes bill CNN
Barack Obama Could Lose Some 'Friends' In MySpace Debacle Post Chronicle
Obama: 'This is MySpace' Capitol Hill Blue
Lowry: The great Clinton/Obama feminist pander Salt Lake Tribune
Falling Hillary, Rising Obama, by Kang In-sun Chosun Ilbo
Clinton Takes A New Stand On Iraq NY1 is introducing legislation that would repeal the 2002 congressional resolution authorizing force in Iraq. ...... bill would require President George W. Bush to get approval from Congress before he can extend the military tour past October. Clinton says she wants all combat troops out of Iraq by March 2008. ..... The White House says it is another attempt to put a surrender date on the calendar.
Hillary's presidential formula relies on women and blacks Florida Times-Union California and New York, plus many others, on a February "Super Tuesday" .... Lately, she's been making noise about making good, practical political use of "The First Gentleman" if she's elected. ..... From Edwards to Richardson and in between, male Democratic presidential hopefuls all win just enough support among Democratic voters to prevent any one of them from accumulating enough to seriously challenge Clinton. ....... Thompson - maybe even Thompson alone - could serve as the true threat to an otherwise likely Democratic victory in November 2008.
Polls Show Clinton, Giuliani Lead US Presidential Race Voice of America
Poll: Giuliani Beats Clinton, Obama, Gore NewsMax.com
Clinton, Giuliani Slip, But Stay On Top Guardian Unlimited

Obama gets Secret Service detail Seattle Post Intelligencer The Secret Service said Thursday that Democratic Sen. Barack Obama was being placed under its protection, the earliest ever for a presidential candidate. ....... Federal law allows candidates to seek protection if they meet a series of standards, including public prominence as measured by polls and fundraising. ...... The Rev. Jesse Jackson drew early Secret Service protection because of violent threats during his campaigns for president in the 1980s.
GM Profit Down 90% From 2006 New York Times losses at its finance arm overshadowed the gains from restructuring its automotive operations. ...... described the company, which reported losses of $10.4 billion in 2005 and $2 billion last year, as “operating at or close to break even.” ....... G.M. had been the world’s largest automaker since 1931, save for brief periods in the 1970s and 1990s when strikes among G.M. workers allowed Ford to claim the top spot.
Seattle Suffers a New Major League Soccer Threat Seattlest
Major League Soccer in Seattle? Washington Business Journal
Ubuntu 7.04 Arriving On Dell Computers Portal IT
Firefox users urge Dell to preinstall the browser PC World Canada
Tobias drawn further into sex scandal Indianapolis Star Reporter Brian Ross said Tobias told him he "had gals come over to his condo to give him a massage." Ross said Tobias didn't remember who any of the women were and that it was "like ordering pizza."
Tensions worsen between Russia and Estonia International Herald Tribune, France Last week, Russia's upper house of Parliament called on Putin to sever relations, while the lower house demanded the imposition of sanctions. The Moscow mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, used a May Day festival to call for a boycott of Estonian goods. .... Russia's furious reaction recalls a public campaign of harassment against Georgians living here following a dispute over the arrest of Russian intelligence officers in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, in October. Russia deported hundreds of Georgians living and working in Russia and cut rail, air and sea links with its southern neighbor, which, like Estonia, is a former Soviet republic.
Bush: “I’m the Commander Guy” New York Times
Royal scores in heated presidential debate with Sarkozy (Roundup) Monsters and Critics.com
Britney's Stripperific Onstage Lap Dance TMZ.com
The President's Thanks, and Other Forms of Kissing Up Washington Post
Barack Obama's Achilles Heel Rears Its Ugly Head. Again. Huffington Post
Obama takes MySpace page from backer Sacramento Bee
Obama camp takes control of MySpace page Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Will Turkey become an Islamist state? Jerusalem Post
A Feel of Resurging Bihar Patna Daily
Obama Ranks at Head of Dem Field for First Time: Poll Mother Jones
Hillary, Fearing Obama, Changes Strategy NewsMax.com Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign is growing increasingly concerned about her main challenger. ....... a worried Hillary Clinton is dramatically retooling her strategy on several fronts, including fund-raising ..... Obama is beating Hillary, and her own aides acknowledge that the Illinois Senator is simply working the phones more than their candidate. ........ Terry McAuliffe acknowledged that Obama "works the phone like dog. He probably did three to four times the number of events she did” in the first quarter of this year. "No matter who I call, he has already called them three or four times” ........ Hillary is seeking to counter what Obama’s aides call "an enthusiasm gap.” ....... "So Clinton is lavishing more attention on groups like women, whom she considers her natural constituencies” ........ During most of her tenure in the Senate Hillary has avoided using her husband for back-up. But that has changed too. Hillary also plans to have husband Bill hit the campaign and fund-raising trails more often. ....... Both Clintons are using the fear factor to ward off growing support for Obama. Time says the power couple are telling potential contributors that the U.S. could very likely experience a 9/11-scale terrorist attack during the next administration, and Hillary – because of her experience as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee – is the candidate best suited to handle such a crisis.