Analysis: Obama must show he's ready CNN What is she doing that's working? She's showing some fight. ...... Democrats are tired of being bullied. They want a candidate who will punch bullies in the nose. ...... "Hillary is not the first politician in Washington to declare 'Mission accomplished' a little too soon.'' ....... "The problem was that she closed the doors. She just worked with her own people. She locked out potential allies.'' ....... "The only person who would probably be prepared to be president is Bill Clinton, not Hillary Clinton. We are all very qualified for the job. The question is who can inspire the nation to get beyond the politics that have bogged us down in the past.'' ...... "When we break out of the conventional thinking and we start reaching out to friend and foe alike, then I am absolutely confident that we can restore America's leadership in the world.'' ....... "One more time -- 'I have a million ideas. America can't afford them all.' No kidding, Hillary -- America can't afford you.'' ........ "She hasn't run a corner store. She hasn't run a state. She hasn't run a city. She has never run anything. And the idea that she could learn to be president, you know, as an internship just doesn't make any sense.''
Obama gospel tour opens, courting black voters Chicago Tribune Barack Obama's presidential campaign today begins a tour of gospel singers around this Bible Belt state to praise the Lord and offer testimonials on behalf of the candidate, a modern twist on a style of old-time politicking right out of the film "O Brother Where Art Thou." ...... The campaign sought to tamp down criticism from gay rights groups by adding an openly gay minister to deliver an invocation. ...... churchgoing African-Americans. ...... a "Forty Days of Faith and Family" initiative in South Carolina. ...... a highly publicized argument that Obama made shortly after his election to the U.S. Senate that faith should play a greater role in politics, particularly in communicating the moral basis for progressive political goals. ....... About two-thirds of active black church members are women ...... churchgoers of all races and denominations generally turn out to vote at higher rates. ..... In the 2004 South Carolina Democratic primary, 74 percent of African-American voters said they attended religious services at least once a week, as did 59 percent of all voters in the Democratic primary ........ a strong showing here will provide momentum going into the slew of primaries scheduled for "Super-Duper Tuesday" on Feb. 5, 2008. ...... the largest field staff of any candidate in South Carolina ...... initiative to organize support through barber shops and beauty salons, traditional social centers for black Southerners. ...... He kicked off the current "Forty Days" campaign by attending Sunday services at a historically back church in Columbia, S.C., and then crossed town to do the same at a conservative white Baptist church. The following Sunday, he went to services at a Greenville, S.C., church with a racially diverse congregation. ........ worship music popular with blacks. .... Obama's national religious affairs director, Joshua Dubois ...... Obama has shown greater comfort than his Democratic primary rivals in incorporating the themes and language of faith into his public rhetoric. ...... his adult conversion from a secular life to Christian faith under the mentorship of Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. at Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's South Side. ...... lay activists can be extraordinarily effective campaign volunteers when they turn their efforts toward organizing support within their churches ..... Bill Clinton, who remains a beloved figure among African-Americans clearly at ease in the black church. ....... Bill Clinton in his style, in the way he can rattle off a Bible verse to make his point." Obama hopes gospel tour will help chances with black voters Chicago Tribune, United States Obama: Role for Gore if He Wants The Associated Press Obama says Al Gore would play a key role in his administration if he wants one ....... a voter asked him to consider naming Gore as his running mate before the nomination is decided "as a way to take the wind out of Hillary's sails." .... "Obama and Gore: Experience and Youth. Obama and Gore: Wisdom and Truth." ..... having won the Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar, being vice president again would probably be a step down for him. ...... "I think people feel like I listen, and I've got some common sense and I don't have a lot of baggage" ..... "I'm not just going to have one of these press conferences every six months where I call on my three favorite reporters. We're going to have regular press conferences ....... how he would he avoid being "Swift Boated ..... "I have no doubt there will be some of that — trying to make me into this foreign, odd, clearly black person and to scare people," he said. "When people try to Swift Boat you, you have to respond forcefully, you have to respond immediately and you have to respond truthfully. ... We are prepared for whatever they will throw at us." ....... "I have a lot of trouble growing a beard. I don't have a lot of facial hair, that's a good place to start. He lives in a cave." Obama fights to overcome view he's inexperiencedUSA Today Obama and Deval Patrick share a friendship, similar résumés, a political consultant and the complicated expectations that come with being African-American politicians. ....... Patrick promised to mobilize his political network to canvass for Obama in next-door New Hampshire ...... inspirational and inclusive approach to politics ....... Obama said their way of practicing politics is "occasionally messy because we're not trying to massage and manage and work the inside game." He calls Clinton "the dominant brand" in their party. ....... Patrick, 51 ... Obama, 46 ..... "We've … fed off each other's success," Obama said. "After I won, Deval comes to my office in Washington …" "In the basement," Patrick interjected. "He says, 'I want to run for governor.' I said, 'Let's go.' " Obama said. ....... "African-American voters are really being very serious about their choice this year because they yearn for victory." ..... Two-thirds of blacks said Obama, still in his first Senate term, is sufficiently experienced to be president. Almost half of white respondents said he was not. ........ "Race is a factor in this. There are going to be some folks who don't vote for me. They may couch it in terms of experience, but they're uncomfortable with me," Obama said. "That's a very small minority." ...... the conventional wisdom of the "wise men and women of Washington," including the media, is "you haven't been there enough, you haven't gone to the Washington salon, the institute breakfasts." Poll: Clinton Leads in Maryland The Associated Press Clinton in California: Catch Her if You CanCalifornia Progress Report Clinton continuing to lead her closest rival, Barack Obama by 25 points, 45% to 20%. ...... Clinton's 45% is midway between her 49% in August and the 41% who said they would support her in March .... 14% of likely Democratic primary voters in California are undecided. ..... winnowing of the field in earlier primaries and caucuses and the results of those races could create ....... 43% of them will have cast ballots by the absentee method (now called "vote by mail" in California) and so only 57% would be showing up at a precinct on election day. ......... Clinton has a solid lead overall, and leads, often by wide margins in all regions of the state, and in all other subsets including gender, race/ethnicity, age, political ideology, union household or not, household income levels, and likely precinct or vote by mail voters. ....... 50% of the vote in Los Angeles County and San Francisco--the closest region being her 31% to 25% lead over Obama in "other Northern California (18% of the likely voters; 50% of the womens' vote to Obama's 19%, 38% of the mens' vote to Obama's 21%; her lead of 52% to 25% in voters under age 29 over Obama's 25% of that age group is the closest in that category. The closest demographic contest is in the Black vote where she still leads Obama 43% to 30%. FOX News Poll: Large Democratic Base Lifts Perceptions of ClintonFOX News Clinton is at the top of voters’ minds. More people are familiar with Clinton and her positions on the issues than any other candidate, she is the most mentioned when people are asked who they would want in the White House in the event of a national crisis and she is also the candidate seen as having the most passion and enthusiasm to be president. ..... Clinton has a 17-percentage point advantage over Obama, leading 42 percent to 25 percent .... Earlier in the month, Clinton had a 32-point edge over Obama (Oct. 9-10) .... “All the talk of Clinton’s ‘inevitability’ over the past few weeks may have pushed some Democrats away ..... they don’t like hearing that she’s already won .... Giuliani leads with 31 percent, followed by Fred Thompson at 17 percent ..... More people think Clinton (35 percent) has “the most passion and enthusiasm for wanting to be president” than any other candidate from either party; she’s followed by Obama (18 percent) .... voters say the top attributes in deciding their vote will be for the candidate to be “a strong leader” (24 percent), someone who “can bring about change” (22 percent) and someone who “shares my values” (11 percent). Obama hopes to butter up rural voters Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, IA Iowa's Butter Cow Lady Backs ObamaThe Associated Press Norma "Duffy" Lyon, known for carving life-sized cows from butter for 46 years at the Iowa State Fair, said she's backing Obama because he "doesn't believe in a lot of gobbly-gook" and spends time listening to ordinary voters. ......In addition to cows, Lyon has carved butter sculptures of Elvis, John Wayne, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper." The state fair is a must-visit for presidential candidates, and many hopefuls get their photos taken while gazing at the carvings in a huge refrigerated case. ..... "It's the first time I've done this," said Lyon, who retired last year. "He's my candidate and I want to see him do well."
Dwight Eisenhower did not like it that Kennedy got elected, defeating his Vice President, the Darth Vader Richard Nixon. So before he left office, he left Kennedy a gift. We call it the Cuban Missile Crisis: the world came to the brink of an outright nuclear war. It started with the Bay Of Pigs fiasco, Ike's brainchild.
Bush Senior did not like it that Bill Clinton, a small state Governor ("Where is it on the map?" he once said on the campaign trail) upended him. "I hated it!" he admitted during his speech at the Clinton presidential library inauguration. Bush Senior left Bill Clinton a gift, immortalized in the movie Black Hawk Down. Bin Laden claims that Mogadishu incident is what launched his career of his harm plans against the US.
Now you have a seething W. He expected a video game war in Iraq. You go in, you take the bad guy out, and the locals welcome you with joys of liberation. Lincoln had a civil war, W had a Iraq War. That is how he expected it to play out. But it is not playing out that way. He lost the Congress. He is about to lose the White House big time. A Democratic victory in White House is so certain, most people are more focused on February 5, 2008 than on November 7, 2008. And W is seething deep inside.
So he is busy plotting a Cuba, a Somalia for Obama. Bush-Cheney are at it. They are gearing to give him a huge mess in Iran. The mess will be so big, the Cuban missile crisis, Black Hawk Down, and even Iraq are going to look like picnics.
Barack Obama is going to be elected president on February 5, 2008, not on November 7, 2008. Similarly he does not have the luxury to wait until January 2009 to start acting presidential. He has to start now. If he waits until January 2009, all his political capital, all his energy is going to end up going to Iraq and Iran. He will not be able to do much on health care, for example.
He has to make a frontal attack on the Bush-Cheney-Hillary plans on Iran. Hillary has been ignoring Obama and going straight for Bush. Now is Obama's turn to return fire. Ignore Hillary, go straight for Bush.
I am no isolationist. I am anything but. But there is a right way to intervene and there is a wrong way to intervene.
An America that fails the democracy activists of Burma, that fails the forces of democracy in Pakistan is not an America that can do right in Iraq and Iran.
Hillary's daily use of the phrase "strength and experience" is a daily attack on Obama.
Hillary timed her release of her third quarter figures so as to steal away a news cycle from a major Obama speech on Iraq in Iowa. That was an attack.
When you get hit, you have to hit back. No, you don't have to engage in the politics of personal destruction, the politics of the lowest common denominator. But you do have to show the voters you saw you got hit, and you hit back.
For example, you counter the "strength and experience" phrase with the judgment and leadership phrase. That is not negative. But that shows you are alert. You can take a punch, you can give a punch.
Obama Must Engage Hillary On Iran: Exchange Part II
The last time Barack engaged Hillary in a direct exchange, his numbers went up. To engage Hillary is not to deviate from the politics of hope and a new kind of politics. It is Barack's job to inform voters of the genuine and stark differences that do exist between Hillary and him.
Hillary has gone ahead and made the same mistake on Iran now that she made on Iraq in 2002.
This recent spat on the Iran vote is a godsend. Obama 2008 must snatch it with vigor. The words judgment and leadership must be used repeatedly. The debate has to be vigorous.
Like Faulkner said, the past is not over, it is not even past. Hillary's Iraq vote in 2002 was not a deviation. That is who she is today.
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan
Because America is a state with a standing army, it keeps wanting to fight another state with a standing army. The Al Qaeda is not a state, it does not have a standing army. And it has been growing its presence in Pakistan whose military dictator is a US ally.
America's intense focus on Iran will be to say because it can not fight the Al Qaeda so it is going to fight an entity it thinks it can fight: Iran. This is dangerous thinking.
Progressive Way To Spread Democracy
My recurring theme is that being anti war is not enough. We progressives have to show we know a better way to spread democracy.
These past few days I have gone to two DL21C events, a joint Drinking Liberally and Obama NYC event, and I am hoping to go to the DFNYC anti war rally on Saturday co-organized by a whole bunch of unions. It is inspiring to see some of the leading young progressives in the city in action. It feels good to personally know many of them.
I met the Washington state Governor a few days back. "Governor, I have been to your state. It is beautiful." On Sunday, I get to meet a Senator from Louisiana, Bobby Jindal country. DL21C brings along the big wigs into town.
A lot of Indians are like, Bobby Jindal is not even Hindu, he is not even a Democrat. I don't feel that way. The Hindu thing is absolutely ridiculous. I am a Buddhist myself: I grew up Hindu, the rest of my family is still strongly Hindu. As for the Dem thing, all that means is we have policy differences. I take heritage pride in Bobby's electoral victory. The dude could some day run for president.
I love India.
They named a mountain after Schwarzenegger in his native Austria. The guy himself is a mountain. But it might also be a pride issue.
America is a different country from all the other countries.
Clinton E-mail Hits Obama on Iran New York Times Her campaign is publicly turning its guns on Barack Obama. ...... some of the strongest language it has used in public against Mr. Obama Iran sanctions rattle 2008 White House hopefulsAFP Democrats John Edwards and Barack Obama accuse front-runner Hillary Clinton of easing the path to war with Iran, and say she is repeating mistakes which led to the US invasion of Iraq. Republicans meanwhile warn of the threat of a nuclear armed Iran to avoid talking about the US entanglement in Iraq, and to pose as tough commander-in-chief material to please hawkish conservative supporters. ..... "If you give this president an inch, he will take a mile -- and launch a war." ....... Chris Dodd responded to Thursday's announcement on Iran sanctions by saying it "smacks, frankly, of a dangerous step toward armed confrontation with Iran" ........ In a recent Republican presidential debate, Senator John McCain raised eyebrows when he said a strike against Iran, which denies developing nuclear weapons, is "maybe, closer to reality than we are discussing tonight." More Obama vs. Clinton on IranMSNBC Having seen what this Administration -- with its expansive view of its executive power -- has done in the past with congressional resolutions, it is naïve to support the Kyl-Lieberman amendment without simultaneously seeking explicit assurances that the president will never cite the amendment as a legal basis for deploying US troops to counter Iranian influence whether in Iraq or Iran. ........... The Kyl-Lieberman amendment contains language that sets forth an entirely new rationale for keeping US troops in Iraq and, if need be, for attacking Iranian forces. The problematic language in the resolution says that it is a "critical national interest of the United States" to counter Iran's influence among the Shia population of Iraq. Without a doubt, President Bush can cite that language as authorizing him to maintain and use US troops in Iraq for the purpose of containing Iran, cirtailing [sic] Iran's influence in Iraq, and, if need be, to expand our troops' activities beyond Iraq's borders to pursue and attack Iranian forces. ........ Cheney in particular has been giving bellicose speeches and threatening Iran. Barack Obama thinks that, at this sensitive moment, Congress should be extremely careful. It should not do or say anything that might be used either to justify a US attack on Iran or to authorize prolonging the US military presence in Iraq. Hillary Clinton voted for an amendment that does just that. ......... Makes President Bush's case that the United States should structure "its military presence in Iraq" to counter the "capability of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to pose a threat to the security of the region" ........ describe a new mission for American troops in Iraq, and they articulate a new rationale for our continued presence in Iraq ......... Was co-sponsored by two of the most hawkish members of the Senate on Iran: John Kyl (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT) ...... Trying to Have it Both Ways: After Senator Clinton drew criticism for her vote in support of Kyl-Lieberman on September 26, she decided to support a bill that Senator Webb introduced in March that said that the President had to obtain congressional authorization before going to war in Iran. Webb told Howard Fineman that Clinton was in such a hurry to support his bill, "I found out after she announced it," he said, laughing.'" But Kyl-Lieberman had already passed the Senate; Webb's bill has not. Signing on with Webb does not undo her vote for Kyl-Lieberman. Don't call me Osama, says Barack Obama Telegraph.co.uk Obama and his team suspect Mr Romney is attempting to subliminally associate him with the terrorist. ...... In July Mr Romney was photographed smiling with a supporter holding a sign saying "No to Obama, No to Osama and Chelsea's Moma" ....... he had a grandmother in a "little African village with no water or electricity" ....... In New Hampshire, the first major primary, only 17 per cent of voters have decided who they will back, and observers note that the state has served up surprises before. For Obama, Friends Like These Mean Playing Defense Washington Post Hillary Clinton Makes Time to Celebrate 60th Birthday in New YorkFOX News CBS Poll: Majority Of Dems Back Clinton CBS News Clinton's gender poses challenge in IowaChristian Science Monitor Does Facebook Fear Google? Red Herring WWW spooked by Google algorithm tweak The Age Google Scares The Search CrowdForbes Google Earth used in rocket strikes on Israel Telegraph.co.uk INTERVIEW WITH PM GIRIJA PRASAD KOIRALA Kantipur No. The Home Minister won't be changed. Special House session will break deadlock: Home Minister the Maoists have threatened to quit the parliament and start peaceful agitation if the other parties do not agree on their demands. CA elections by mid-April next year : Peace Minister One shot dead in Sarlahi NC leader extends olive branch to Terai agitators “However, the Nepali Congress would never accept the fully proportional electoral system,” he reiterated. OHCHR lauds reservations in police OHCHR has expressed disappointment at the latest government decision to appoint 28 people to the post of secretaries where only three persons were included from the marginalized groups -- indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Dalits and backward areas. ........ In March 2007, the OHCHR wrote to the APF asking for a breakdown of its personnel belonging to marginalized groups, following violent incidents that starkly highlighted the lack of inclusiveness in police forces, the statement said. "During riots in Nepalgunj in December 2006, the NP was accused of acting partially," said the OHCHR further adding, "The issue resurfaced again in the January and February 2007 Madhesi Andolan in Terai districts." The recent violence in some western tarai districts again underscores the need for such inclusive hiring measures, it added.
Winds Ease in Battle Against Wildfires ABC News Rudy Giuliani Catches Flack for Rooting For the Red Sox FOX News Paulson sees India as key to Doha trade deal Reutersif it were willing to open up non-agricultural sectors of its economy. ...... Paulson lauded India's flexible currency exchange rate regime, adding that China and India are "two very different nations." ........ economy relies on internal consumption (and) services. There's a significant need in infrastructure, there's room for more reform in the capital markets area ...... both India and China needed to increase the pace of their reform in order to counter rising protectionist sentiments around the world. Bill affecting children of illegal immigrants fails Senate test vote Chicago Tribune Obama Learned From Failed Congress Run The Associated Press a failed congressional effort during which his opponent portrayed him as an "educated fool," more at home on a college campus than a city street. ....... down-to-earth style ..... remembers a candidate who sometimes turned voters off by emphasizing his big ideas and prestigious degrees instead of listening. ...... his campaign never caught fire. ..... Obama was seen as "the white man in blackface." ....... he took a hard look at himself after that campaign and became a much better campaigner, more at ease on the campaign trail ....... black voters were divided, with 40 percent for Obama and 38 percent for Hillary ...... Clinton has a 4-to-1 edge among all people earning $25,000 or less and a 3-to-1 advantage among people with a high school diploma or less. ...... visited Emerson's Barber Shop in tiny Marion, S.C., and spent about 45 minutes talking to customers ...... found Obama relaxed and personable despite his "Harvard preppie image." Starting Gate: Double Trouble For Clinton? CBS News "Obviously we've had challenges as everybody in the world knows," she said. "But I never doubted that it was a marriage worth investing in even in the midst of those challenges, and I'm really happy that I made that decision." ....... something the founders never anticipated. Not only two presidents, but two presidents married to each other ....... A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has Clinton with a 48 percent to 17 percent lead nationally over Obama. Giuliani leads the GOP field with 32 percent with Thompson (15 percent), McCain (13 percent), Romney (11 percent) and Huckabee (7 percent) trailing. Clinton: Despite challenges, my marriage was worth investing in USA Today Her proudest non-work "moment" is her daughter Chelsea and her favorite TV show is ABC's Grey's Anatomy ....... my deep abiding friendship with my husband. It's been enormously supportive to me through most of my life. ...... He's always bringing me back things from his trips. He brought me a giant wooden giraffe from Africa. Oh, he bought me this watch." It's a Chanel watch with a band made of white cubes. “I had dental surgery, and he said it reminded him of teeth.” Clinton Talks of Bill's Romantic GiftsThe Associated Press While sticking it out might not be for everyone, Mrs. Clinton said women should support each other in the choices they make in their marriages. China, Russia: No to Myanmar Sanctions The Associated Press The meeting of China, India and Russia is part of the revival of a loose 1950s alliance against U.S. dominance of global affairs. ..... India wants to promote its bid for a permanent veto-wielding seat on the Security Council. The joint statement said China and Russia "support India's aspirations to play a greater role in the United Nations." ....... To counter the bad impression, state media have been filled with stories suggesting that the monks taking part in the recent protests were a tiny minority and not properly religious, and reporting virtually daily on junta members visiting monasteries to make donations. China promises to support mediation on MyanmarChina Daily Gambari's China visit is part of a six-nation Asian consultation tour to find a peaceful solution to the Myanmar situation, which include Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan. China promises to support UN in BurmaBangkok Post Microsoft beats Google to Facebook stake Reuters.uk $240 million for a 1.6 percent stake in the Web phenomenon. ...... valued Facebook at $15 billion -- on par with the market capitalizations of retailer Gap ..... and hotel chain Marriott International ...... three-year-old company would be able to transform itself into a hub for all sorts of Web activity. ....... if Facebook becomes sort of the users' operating system on the Internet ...... 250,000 new users a day, 60 percent of whom come from outside the United States ....... Microsoft's belief that the site could eventually reach 300 million users, who can be targeted for advertising. It has nearly 50 million today. ........ the $40 billion market for online advertising, which the company expects to double in size within three years. ..... Microsoft was a better strategic fit for Facebook, since it knew how to work with software developers and build computing environments -- such as its Windows operating system. ........ Microsoft developed the network that is the biggest, most vibrant one out there ...... tens of thousands of developers writing Facebook applications ....... funds will go toward doubling the company's staff over the next year and other growth initiatives. ....... Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, told reporters that its pact with MySpace is performing better than originally expected. Google Takes No Prisoners InformationWeek between July 2006 and July 2007 Google's Gmail service saw its share of unique visitors in the United States grow by 79% -- compared with 6% and 2% growth posted by Yahoo Mail and Windows Live Hotmail ...... between September 2006 and September 2007, the number of unique Gmail visitors in the U.S. grew by 93%. Yahoo and Windows Live Hotmail, which can boast over four times and two times more unique visitors last month than Gmail, respectively, grew only 7% and 0%. Cisco Investing In WiMax To Bring Broadband To Developing Areas InformationWeek Telecom Body Folds WiMax into Next-Gen 3G BusinessWeek EBay: The Place for Microfinance MicroPlace.com, a Web site that lets small investors provide low-interest "micro" loans, of $50 or more, to would-be small business owners. Her hope is to create sustainable economic growth in the world's most impoverished communities—and do her part to expand the reach of the microfinance industry to more than 1 billion people worldwide, from about 100 million people currently. ......... eBay acquired the company in June, 2006, for a small, undisclosed, sum when it was little more than Turner and her business plan. ...... PayPal, eBay's online payment service, will process the loans free of charge. "There are a billion people in the world who are self-employed, hard-working, and poor, and we are hoping to scale the industry to at least a billion," Turner says. ......... Unitus Equity Fund, an $8.5 million microfinance venture investor that finances projects in Asia and Latin America. ...... Kiva, a microlending site run by former TiVo executive Matt Flannery and former PayPal executive Premal Shah. ........ fosters self-reliance and, eventually, sustainable economic growth in a way that charity does not. ......... The minimum investment for someone to get started on MicroPlace is $100 ..... Interest rates vary between 1% and 4% ....... microlending experts say recipients of microloans have a solid track record on repayment. ...... she met a four-foot-tall woman with arresting eyes who changed her life after receiving a $50 loan. The woman used the money to buy a hand loom and weave fabrics that were then sold in a major market. "In the first year, she made enough profit to repay her loan, with interest, build a house, and pay for her kids to go to school," says Turner. "She brought me through her village as proud as can be." ........... Prosper has already raised more than $7.5 million in venture capital, and has distributed tens of millions in loans at an average of about $5,000 per loan. Kiva has distributed more than $13 million in loans, at an average size of about $500, to entrepreneurs in places such as Cambodia (BusinessWeek.com, 8/15/06), Samoa, and the Gaza Strip. ........ Demand to invest at Kiva has been so strong, in fact, that after a September appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the site temporarily ran out of people to help. On average, it takes one day for businesses to get funded, and new entreprenuers are listed every day. Blogs: The Next Takeover Target? a rapidly evolving Web 2.0 world. ....... niche audience ...... blogs are growing at breakneck speed. As of September, 2007, blog tracker Technorati indexed more than 106 million blogs, 12 million more than in the previous month. ....... Boing Boing .. monthly traffic of about 7.5 million page views ....... the total audience of the print version of Wired, a technology magazine, was 1.9 million ....... The Houston Chronicle recruited 50 reader-bloggers whose commentary appears on its site. The Washington Post provides a blog roll to its site which includes a directory of links to blogs that specialize in technology, health, and entertainment, among other things. ........ Newsvine, which attracts about 1 million people, allows visitors to read and comment on news stories from mainstream media outlets. MSNBC Interactive News, with 27.3 million Web visitors as of August, 2007, hopes the acquisition will attract an audience of highly engaged news readers. Mayawati goes after UP's Big Three Rediff 'My phones have been tapped. My friends have been raided. If Sonia could not do anything to me, who is Mayawati?' demanded Amar Singh. ..... Mayawati is decisive, vindictive and ruthless. Microsoft Gets Some Face Time Forbes Microsoft pays $240m to clinch stake in FacebookIndependent Merrill Lynch Reports Loss on $8.4 Billion Writedown (Update7) Bloomberg Merrill In Peril?Forbes In fire's path, lessons learned Christian Science Monitor "They saw the fire coming and plotted it out and moved people out just in time." ..... "FEMA is doing everything right this time around," he says, pointing out its evacuation plans, and the early deployment of out-of-state firefighters, military, National Guard, and firefighting technology. ........ the people here have food, water, and even entertainment ....... The miscues and delays that characterized the aftermath of Katrina – exacerbated by confusing or nonexistent communication between mayor, governor, and federal officials – are not happening in this disaster ....... if they had loaded firefighters and engines into US military planes on large scale, they would have been available way earlier." ....... Property damage in San Diego County alone is expected to total at least $1 billion ..... As of press time 16 wildfires have destroyed some 1,500 homes and burned nearly 600 square miles in the seven-county region. One person has been confirmed dead. ..... "This is a very sad and hard time for me, but this is pretty well organized," says Michelle Christian, who fled her home in Ramona on Saturday night, taking her 18-month-old son and her dog to the stadium. ........ clowns and face painters who roamed the stadium grounds, helping to make kids laugh Facebook’s Minority Report New York Times For Facebook, this would be a great deal. .... But for Google or Microsoft, it is somewhere between irrelevant and insane. ...... Google probably overpaid for Doubleclick by as much as $1 billion. But that got Microsoft to overpay for Aquantive by perhaps $4 billion. ...... it would be in keeping with Google’s style to bluff on the price of the Facebook deal up in order to cost Microsoft more In Pakistan, Bhutto's return stirring threats and allegations Christian Science Monitor the government has restricted her ability to leave the country ...... after the PPP emerged as the largest single party in the 1988 elections — despite the best efforts of Inter-Services Intelligence to thwart Bhutto's party — the assumption of power entailed a compromise with the military-bureaucratic establishment whereby Ghulam Ishaq Khan retained his presidential post as Zia's automatic successor and Sahibzada Yaqub Khan remained the foreign minister. ....... A similar arrangement is evidently being contemplated for 2008, with the army effectively retaining control not only of the presidency, but also of security and foreign affairs. So much for democracy. ....... "closet supporters of militants and Al Qaeda . . . determined to stop the restoration of democracy because they see it as a threat to the structure of militancy they have put into place." ......... militants operating out of that country are also making the situation in Afghanistan worse. ....... the plots that we have seen in the U.K., their roots come out of these tribal areas. It is the planning and the training ground for radical jihadists in their worldwide threat to the United States. ........ Around 90,000 Pakistani troops are deployed in the lawless tribal zones where they have been waging battle against Al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked extremists. Rice: Mideast two-state solution in jeopardy USA Today Iran's recent efforts to support Palestinian Hamas militants ...... one woman who rushed toward Rice as she entered the room and waved her hands — painted red to look like blood — in front of the secretary's face. She shouted that Rice was a "war criminal" and should be taken to the Hague ....... Rice was stoic and proceeded with business as the protester was immediately spirited from the room. ...... an emergency State Department review found serious problems with the way private security guards operate in Iraq ....... Last month, the House passed, by a 397-16 vote, legislation aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran, in particular its lucrative energy sector. The bill, sponsored by Lantos, would specifically bar the president from waiving U.S. sanctions. ..... the policies of Iran constitute perhaps the single greatest challenge for American security interest in the Middle East and possibly around the world, because the combination of Iranian terrorism, Iranian repression at home and the pursuit of nuclear weapons technology. .. is a very dangerous mix Kerrey decides against Senate runMSNBC What's behind Asia's moon race? Christian Science Monitor the lingering security concerns all three countries have about one another ...... India is nervous about China's intentions, especialy in the wake of Beijing's test of an antisatellite missile last January. China worries that Japan's missile defense cooperation with the US might threaten its interests, and resents Washington's determination to remain the world's dominant space power. Japan is rattled by North Korea's ballistic-missile capability. ......... largely driven by "technonationalism; they generate pride domestically and they demonstrate prowess internationally." ....... The moon is thought to be rich in Helium-3, for example, which could one day be used for nuclear fusion to create energy. ........ "redouble efforts" toward a treaty guaranteeing the peaceful use of space.US CBO estimates $2.4 trillion long-term war costs Reuters The U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could cost taxpayers a total of $2.4 trillion by 2017 when counting the huge interest costs because combat is being financed with borrowed money ....... interest costs alone from 2001-2017 could total more than $700 billion. ....... In Iraq alone, the United States is spending about $11 billion a month, with costs escalating. ...... 170,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and another 26,000 in Afghanistan. ..... "To put it all on our credit cards with no accountability, with no plan to pay for it, I think is the height of irresponsibility" ..... of the $2.4 trillion long-term price tag for the war, about $1.9 trillion of that would be spent on Iraq. US First Lady In Breast Cancer Campaign In Middle East Voice of America Czechs say want no Russian soldiers at radar site Reuters
Tupac Shakur Center Vandalized In Georgia; Plus Barack Obama ... MTV.com on Saturday morning vandals defaced the building and placed a noose around the neck of a Shakur statue in the center's garden. In a subsequent attack on the statue, it was plastered with "handbills of garbled rants that include references to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, as well as vague threats against various record companies and rappers." ......... Britney Spears reportedly hit another paparazzo with her car on Monday, according to TMZ. The site says the singer accidentally ran into a photographer with her Mercedes-Benz as she was leaving a shopping complex in Beverly Hills, California. Spears is said to have apologized repeatedly for the incident, which the pap insisted was his fault anyway, and a photo on TMZ's site shows the singer apparently on the verge of tears ....... McClurkin is a former homosexual who detailed his "bout" with homosexuality in his book "Eternal Victim/ Eternal Victor." Obama reportedly replied with a statement in which he said gays and lesbians are "our brothers and sisters," and that he strongly disagrees with McClurkin's views.
Experts say Obama must up ante Boston Herald Obama must now launch an aggressive charge to catch a surging Hillary Clinton, who is up 20 points in New Hampshire ...... “As soon as the World Series is over, it’s got to be pedal to the metal” ....... “The issue that works best for Obama is the Iraq war,” said Fritz Wenzel, communications director for Zogby International. “He is strongly positioned with primary voters on that point, and he needs to drive it home.” In Iowa, where Obama is only 5 points behind Clinton, his campaign is taking shots at Clinton’s voting record on the war. Deval Patrick headlines Boston rally for Barack Obama Patrick and Obama share a Chicago connection — Patrick grew up there — and both were also student leaders at Harvard Law School. ....... Patrick has ties to the Clintons, having served in the 1990s as head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division under former President Bill Clinton. ...... "You know me and conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom said I couldn’t be sitting here," Patrick said. ....... the race for president "transcends friendships and party." ...... "I believe we need unifying, visionary leadership. I believe we need a president who would level with the American people. I believe we need Barack Obama" ...... The endorsement could also be a boon for Obama by supplying him with a force of campaign workers who can travel easily across the border to help his efforts against Clinton in the New Hampshire primary.
Romney Makes Obama-Osama GaffeNew York Times he twice confused Senator Barack Obama with Osama bin Laden when referring to the latter’s new recorded message. ...... “Actually, just look at what Osam — uh — Barack Obama, said just yesterday. Barack Obama calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq. That is the battlefield. That is the central place, he said. Come join us under one banner.” ........ It turns out, of course, Mr. Romney was talking about the new audiotape from bin Laden calling on insurgents in Iraq to unite. Oops. ....... It’s time to end the divisiveness and fear-mongering that is at the heart of Governor Romney’s campaign.” ...... “I don’t pay too much attention to Mitt Romney,” Mr. Obama said.
This is not a tongue slip on my part, and this is not a tongue slip on Matt Romney's part either.
These guys have to realize this is not funny.
Those who monkey around with Bin Laden's name are people who pretty much lose their security credentials forever. Do they find 9/11 funny? The Al Qaeda is stronger than ever before. If it could explode a dirty bomb in some American city, it would not hesitate for a second. The threat is very real. America has never faced a more grave threat before.
Matt Romney is trying to be racist by saying Osama when he should be saying Obama. There are very few Americans who don't know who Osama is. And most Americans know who Obama is. And most know the difference. That is extra true for someone running for president. Has to be. Otherwise you are too much of a political illiterate to run for anything in this country.
Matt Romney has better options if he is trying to sound racist. There are so many metaphors he could draw from American history itself. Why bother going offshore? Recently some racist drew the noose on some black Columbia University professor's door. As in, black people should be lynched. Romney could try that. He could go ahead and utter the n_______ word. That would be racist. He could go ahead and say Barack is biologically inferior because he is black. Or like James Watson said recently, he could go ahead and say Barack comes from a heritage - African - whose people are less intelligent as a rule. All that would qualify for racist but it would not be making light of 9/11 or America's continued threats. He would only be racist. After all, by calling Barack Osama is an attempt to sound racist. So why not do a better job of sounding racist? Why not leave the American people alone? Why not focus only on Barack and his blackness?
Arson, Terrorism, Land Mafia Or Global Warming This is the same thing that happened in Greece earlier this summer. Folks, my bet is this is global warming. Weather is not a very understood phenomenon. Slight changes in temperature can have major impact. Pollution in one part of the world could have dire impacts somewhere very far away.
Just like in Greece, people in California first suspected arson. The Greeks rounded up and jailed tens of known arsonists.
This is not arson. When patches of wildgrass or forests achieve a certain level of dryness, and temperature, they can start their own fires. That is what explains simultaneous fires erupting many different places. A perfect storm is created.
The knowledge of global warming is already here. The solutions are also known. Too bad we need Katrinas and wildfires and receding water lines in the Great Lakes to feel the urgency to bring forth the collective political will to do something.
Too bad we need a 9/11 to realize every Arab country has to be turned into democracies. We can't have the political foresight that will make us act before disaster strikes.
Fire and water retardant will not work in this case in California. The fire is too big. What will work is bombing. Yes, bombing. You strike parts of the fire like it was Iraq. I am not kidding. You can't wait for the wind to subside. Fire creates its own wind.
Added October 25, 11 PM: The line above suggesting bombing as a firefighting measure was not meant as a cynical statement to protest the war in Iraq. It is to be taken at face value. If a forest fire is about to eat up 100,000 houses, and if bombing the fire so as to break its path will help, that option has to be considered. Maybe that is not a good idea. I don't know a whole lot about firefighting. But I threw that in as an idea when little else seemed to be working.
In The News
Jesse Jackson Jr. cuts ad for Barack Obama Baltimore Sun The senior Jackson won the South Carolina Democratic primary during his 1988 campaign for president, a victory the younger Jackson recalled in the ad, which is airing on gospel and R&B stations with a predominantly African-American audience. “Once, South Carolina voted for my father, and sent a strong message to the nation,” the younger Jackson said. “Next year, you can send more than a message. You can launch a President.” ....... The younger Jackson lauded Obama for legislation he passed in the Illinois state senate combating racial profiling and for seeking to counter "the railroading of the poor in the justice system." ....... "A lot of politicians call themselves our friends," Jackson said. ...... "But Obama has a heart that beats for our community.
‘Spousal violence highest in Bihar’ Hindu Violence against women is a serious problem in India with 35 per cent having experienced physical or sexual violence. One-third of women in the age group of 15-49 have experienced physical violence and one in 10 has faced sexual violence ...... Married women were more likely to experience physical or sexual violence from husbands. Nearly two in five or 37 per cent married women have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence by their husband. The prevalence of spousal physical violence is higher among women in the poorest households (49 per cent) than among women in the wealthier households (18 per cent). ....... The prevalence of physical violence ranges from 6 per cent in Himachal Pradesh and 13 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir andMeghalaya to 46 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and 59 per cent in Bihar. ....... Other states with 40 per cent or higher prevalence of spousal physical or sexual violence are Tripura, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam. ..... one in six (16 per cent) married women have experienced emotional violence by their husband, only one per cent married women have ever initiated violence against their husband. ....... More than half of the women (54 per cent) and the men (51 per cent) agree that wife beating was justified under some circumstances ...... Buddhist/neo-Buddhist women reported the highest level of violence (41 per cent), followed by Muslim and Hindu women (34-35 per cent), and Sikh and Christian women (26-28 per cent). Jain women reported the lowest violence (13 per cent). ..... Prevalence of violence is also much higher among women belonging to the SCs and STs New Bhutto Death Threat Reported New York Times Pakistan's Bhutto Receives New ThreatGuardian Unlimited Sen. Farooq Naik, Bhutto's lawyer, said he had received a two-page handwritten letter in the Urdu language from an unidentified person threatening to kill the former prime minister ``by any means.'' The writer claimed to be a friend of al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and extremists in Pakistan. ..... Bhutto thinks ruling party chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and a head of a spy agency - both close associates of Musharraf - could be behind the attack. ...... Hussain, in an apparently sarcastic swipe at Bhutto, said Monday that her husband, working with Bhutto and other party leaders, arranged the blasts to stir up public sympathy. The proof: Bhutto went into her armored vehicle minutes before the bombs exploded and was not hurt. Myanmar: Envoy hints at bigger role for India Hindustan Times India’s response to the Myanmar crisis after it agreed to engage the authorities in speeding up the democratic process there. ...... The Prime Minister in a telephonic conversation with the UN Secretary General reiterated India’s commitment for speedy democratisation of Myanmar. Put Dumbledore Back in the Closet TIME Dumbledore himself never saw fit to come out of the closet before dying in book six. ...... I'm not defending the closet, a perilous and sad place. ...... one of the most beloved figures in children's literature. ....... Rowling was so p.c. about making her magical creatures of different races and species, incomes, national origins, and developmental abilities ........ Dumbledore/Churchill eventually defeats Grindelwald/Hitler in a 1945 duel ........ an era of pop culture when the only gay characters were those who committed suicide or were murdered Why Californians Don't Leave Research indicates that if a threat hasn't happened in our own cozy community, the human mind actually softens its threat assessment. Or worse, makes us cast a blind eye. ........ normal life intervenes, goading our brains into assessing risks based on emotional whispers rather than sound logic. ....... The Golden State? That refers to the dead, yellowed chapparal smothering the hillsides, not the sunshine. ..... They should know better. Would you live in gasoline? ...... Studies show that people can in fact train themselves to assess risks more accurately, even on the fly, by forcing themselves to estimate the frequency of events rather than simply picturing the last time they saw such an event. Alabama Picks a Bible Textbook Bush Stands by His Plan for Missile Defenses in Europe New York Times Mr. Bush would like to make missile defense a defining legacy of his presidency, though critics say the initial system, with a limited number of missile interceptors in Alaska and California, remains unproven. ...... usually criticize it for soaking up resources that might be better spent on more pressing threats or domestic needs. ....... even Mr. Bush said that intelligence agencies did not believe that Iran could build a ballistic missile capable of striking the United States before 2015 — and then only with foreign assistance. California Fires Continue Raging Out of Control New York Times Turkish Premier Renews Warning Over Rebels New York Times Raging Calif. Wildfires Make 500K FleeABC News Wildfires consumed hundreds of homes across tinder-dry Southern California on Tuesday, raising the number of people forced to flee the flames into the hundreds of thousands. ...... "If it's this big and blowing with as much wind as it's got, it'll go all the way to the ocean before it stops" ..... Tentacles of unpredictable, shifting flame have burned across nearly 600 square miles, killing one person, destroying more than 1,800 homes and prompting the biggest evacuation in California history, from north of Los Angeles, through San Diego to the Mexican border. ......... flames were threatening 68,000 more homes. ...... very dry areas, very hot weather and then a lot of wind ...... "These winds are so strong, we're not trying to fight this fire" ...... More than a dozen wildfires blowing across Southern California .... evacuation calls to 346,000 homes ...... a federal emergency for seven counties ...... Fire crews were especially concerned about dense eucalyptus groves in Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe, fearing the highly flammable trees could turn neighborhoods prized for their secluded serenity into potential tinderboxes. ......... fires whipped by gusts that have surpassed 100 mph ......... embers can be swept miles ahead of the fire's front line ........ Any flame longer than 8 feet is considered unstoppable, and even water and fire retardant will evaporate before they reach the ground ........ fingers of flame pulsed across a 10-lane freeway and raced up a hill on the opposite side in just seconds. The fire engulfed white-washed homes at the top of the ridge. ......... Groves of eucalyptus trees exploded in the heat in one ritzy cul-de-sac in Rancho Santa Fe, sending off a scattered popping that sounded like machine gun fire. ....... a blood-red sun set over a sky choked with smoke and falling ash. ...... forest packed with dead or dying trees. ...... one person confirmed dead ..... he ignored warnings to evacuate and authorities left to take care of other evacuations ....... At least twice in the last two days, firefighters have had to unfurl their emergency fire shelters small fire-resistant tents to shield them when they can't escape a fire. .......... temperatures across Southern California about 10 degrees above average. Turkey's War Drums Grow LouderTIME Sunday's attack may well prove the last straw for Turkey's hawkish military — NATO's second largest army after the U.S. ........ U.S. and Iraqi diplomats are trying frantically to come up with a non-military solution. ....... the border, where Turkey already has some 100,000 troops, backed by tanks, F-16 fighter jets and attack helicopters. ...... public events and celebrations (including a concert by the American pop star Beyonce in Istanbul) were canceled to mourn the army deaths. ....... the PKK .... wants to draw Turkey into north Iraq. Any incursion is potentially treacherous and could lead Turkey into a quagmire much like the U.S. is facing in the rest of Iraq. ......... could lead beyond fighting the PKK, to clashes between Turkish troops and Iraqi Kurdish soldiers, as well as civilian casualties. ......... "From this point on, our barrels are pointed at [Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud] Barzani," wrote Ertugrul Ozkok, chief editor of the top-selling Hurriyet newspaper. ....... it would take a major move, like a U.S. strike on PKK targets, or the capture and handover of several PKK leaders, to stop an imminent incursion. Neither appears likely. Obama Criticizes Clinton on Iran The Associated Press a measure in the Senate which declared Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, which Obama called "conventional" ..... we have to completely rethink foreign policy and diplomacy ...... That includes Iran. That includes Syria ....... a fundamental disagreement between Obama and Clinton. ...... whether you are going to nominate a candidate who is not just tinkering around the edges or can bring about real change. Romney Slip: Another Osama-Obama Mix-Up The Associated Press "Actually, just look at what Osam — Barack Obama — said just yesterday. Barack Obama, calling on radicals, jihadists of all different types, to come together in Iraq. That is the battlefield. .. ......... Romney apparently was referring to an audiotape aired Monday in which a speaker believed to be terrorist Osama bin Laden called for insurgents in Iraq to unite and avoid divisions. ........ Obama spokesman Bill Burton said, "Apparently, Mitt Romney can switch names just as casually as he switches positions Clinton Considers Giving Up Some Powers The Associated Press they have this theory of the so-called unitary executive, and then Vice President Cheney has a whole different theory about how he's a fourth branch of government ....... Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Bush and Cheney have taken steps to expand presidential authority and diminish the role of Congress and the federal judiciary. Among other things, they have pushed for warrantless wiretapping of terrorist suspects and the use of "signing statements" to justify ignoring or defying laws enacted by Congress. ....... Clinton said that during the Bush administration "we've seen an orgy of cronyism and no-bid contracts, no accountability. It's just unbelievable."
Governor Christine Gregoire
Christine Gregoire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaher mother, Sybil O. Jacob, who raised Gregoire alone after leaving an abusive marriage shortly after the future governor's birth. Gregoire grew up on a small farm in Auburn ....... As an assistant attorney general, Gregoire concentrated on child-abuse cases, coordinating with social workers to get children removed from abusive family situations and placed with relatives or foster homes. ....... In 2003, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in an early stage after a routine check-up and a mammogram. She had surgery and recovered to good health. ....... she negotiated a three party agreement in 1989 with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to clean up waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. ....... now estimated to require a total of $50 to $100 billion. ....... Chris Gregoire was elected to three terms as attorney general and was the first woman to be elected to the position in Washington. During her time in office, she worked on children's issues, reformed the state's juvenile system, led an effort to strengthen identity theft victims' rights, worked to pass a new ethics law for state government and to find alternatives to litigation in resolving legal disputes. ....... Gregoire was also heavily involved in the lawsuit against the tobacco industry in the 1990s and won the state a $4.5 billion share of the settlement, including a $500 million bonus for her lead role. ...... "There isn’t a stronger tobacco control leader anywhere in the Country than Chris Gregoire" ....... Gregoire performed relatively poorly among blacks and liberal whites ..... Washington the first state with a female governor and two female US senators ...... One notable bill that failed in the 2005 session but subsequently passed in the 2006 session was a gay civil rights bill, expanding the scope of protected classes to include sexual orientation and gender identity in cases of discrimination. The bill was signed by Gregoire on January 31, 2006. ....... Governor Gregoire signed a law on April 21, 2007 granting same-sex couples domestic partnership rights.
