Nepal Votes

Permutations And Combinations
ICG: Nepal's Election And Beyond
I Am Different
I Am A Buddhist Like Richard Gere
What Tibet Needs Is A Political Party
Confronting My Own Demons
Madhesi Movement Victory In Nepal
Message To Elizabeth Caputo: SOS Call





In The News

Obama takes aim at knockout blow in Pennsylvania is gaining ground .... could end the hard-fought Democratic presidential race months earlier than expected. ..... making gains among some voting blocs that have been her most reliable backers. ..... "If Obama wins Pennsylvania, the race is over" ....... a heavy barrage of television advertising by Obama, who has been tripling Clinton's spending in Pennsylvania, a successful six-day bus tour of the state and a few bad weeks for Clinton have helped tighten the race ...... Clinton's lead at 6 points, down from 9 points last week and 12 points in mid-March .... she is slipping everywhere ..... But Obama has closed the gap on Clinton ahead of contests in big states like Ohio, New Jersey, California and elsewhere -- only to lose. ....... Obama also was picking up support in the populous and crucial Philadelphia suburbs. ..... Obama's advertising had been effective and his week-long swing through the state showed him talking with voters in a more personal and effective style. ...... "He was talking specifics in ways that he didn't before, about health care and the economy -- it wasn't just 'turn the page'" ....... her disproven claims to have faced sniper fire in Bosnia in 1996 -- she said she "misspoke" ...... neither is likely to reach the 2,024 needed to clinch the nomination once the nominating contests end in early June. ...... "If he gets within 5 percentage points of her, he can declare victory anyway. That may not get her out of the race but it deflates her arguments"

Nepal Votes in Historic Elections amid Sporadic Violence Enews 2.0, UK
Nepal goes to polls with hope for lasting peace Guardian King Gyanendra ascended the throne after his elder brother and eight other royals were shot in 2001 by the crown prince, who then turned the gun on himself. Gyanendra went on to seize absolute power, but was forced to yield some of his privileges two years ago after street protests. Nepal's main parties have pledged to abolish the monarchy as a first step. ...... one of the world's poorest countries, where 60% of the 27 million population are under 35. Many were voting for the first time. ....... The vote itself is complex: a mix of direct elections and a nationwide proportional representation system with quotas for women and Nepal's many ethnic and caste groups. Even electoral experts from the UN and other international groups say it will be hard to sort out the results, which are not expected until late April or early May. ..... the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based thinktank, warned that the days and weeks after the vote would be dangerous. ..... Gunmen on motorcycles shot at a female candidate in the southern town of Janakpur, but she escaped unhurt. In the central village of Galkot, Maoists tried to take over a polling station and set fire to the building after scuffling with police and election officials, an official said. Police later arrested 15 men, seizing three grenades and a knife.
Nepal votes in historic election International Herald Tribune, France
EC: Voting ends for CA election in Nepal with high turnout Xinhua
Local official: Candidate shot dead in southern Nepal People's Daily Online
117-yr-old woman votes in Nepal election Hindu
On the eve of election, violence continues in Nepal Philadelphia Inquirer, PA
Nepal voting under way after burst of bloodshed Seattle Times
Violence mars Nepal's run-up to historic vote Times of India
Nepal Gears Up for Historic Election The Associated Press
Violence mars historic Nepal polls Sify, India
Nepal votes in landmark poll to seal monarchy’s fate Newindpress, India
In pictures: Nepal votes BBC News
Nepal´s 17.5 million voters ready to cast their democratic vote in ... American Chronicle
Nepal as a republic has a bright future: Jimmy Carter CNN-IBN, India
After 2 Delays, Nepal Holds National Election Voice of America
Carter terms Nepal elections as a groundbreaking event DailyIndia.com
Former US President Carter Believes Serious Violence Not Derailing ... Voice of America
Nepal goes to vote, monarchy on its way out CNN-IBN, India
Booths captured in three districts of Nepal Thaindian.com, Thailand
Election Preparation, Nepal Style: Bomb Making, Beatings, Killing ... NewsBlaze
Nepal concludes historic poll, world hails Thaindian.com, Thailand






Nepal's Election Sets Course for Abolishing Monarchy (Update2) Bloomberg
Voting suspended at 6 polling booths during CA polls in Nepal Xinhua, China
One killed, 2 injured in polling booth firing in C Nepal Xinhua
13 injured in blasts in Nepal Xinhua
Nepal turns out in force for historic poll Times Online, UK a historic election — the Himalayan nation's first in nine years — that could lead to the abolition of the world's last Hindu monarchy. ...... a spate of bombings and shootings in the days before the election. ..... further violence today, with Maoists burning down a polling station in the central village of Galkot and gunmen on motorcycles shooting at a candidate in the southern town of Janakpur ...... 20,000 polling stations around the country, some of which are a seven-day walk from the nearest paved road. ...... deployed 135,000 police and invited 100,000 local and foreign election observers, including British MPs and Jimmy Carter, the former American President. ...... Most expect the Maoists to come third behind the centrist Nepal Congress and left-wing Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) ...... expect the biggest problems to occur after the results
Nepal votes in historic election GulfNews, United Arab Emirates
Nepal border sealed ahead of poll BBC News
Nepal's Terai picks ballots over guns in peace hope Reuters had been one of Nepal's biggest troublespots, but the people of the country's southern plains ...... new hope for peace in the Terai or Madhesh, Nepal's agricultural and industrial heartland bordering India, home to half the country's 26.4 million people ..... there has been regular violence and many protests over the past year. ....... Just a few weeks ago, there were widespread fears the elections would not even take place in the region, but a last-minute deal brought most of the political parties in the area on board with a promise of autonomy after the vote. ....... The Madheshi people are closely linked in language, dress and culture to neighbouring India and complain of discrimination by successive governments dominated by Nepal's hill people. ...... but the vote passed off much more peacefully than most had hoped. ...... "We have been terrorised by political parties and had locked ourselves in homes for weeks," Shankar Prasad, a grocery shop owner said, queueing to vote in the town of Janakpur...... Hundreds of people prayed for peace in an ancient Hindu temple in Janakpur after casting their votes. ..... Not only does the new government have to reverse decades of discrimination against the Madheshis .... Leaders of a radical faction of the Madheshi People's Rights' Forum were fuming after failing to stop voters.
Two dead in Nepal violence as landmark election ends - Summary Earthtimes, UK
Nepal border sealed ahead of poll BBC News
Nepal's election - an opportunity to recover from a lost decade ... Reuters AlertNet, UK an historic opportunity for the country to put behind more than ten years of bombs, bullets and bandhs .... whereas the average Chinese person earns US$1,740 a year, and the average Indian US$720, in Nepal it is only US$270 ..... one quarter of Nepali people live on less than a dollar a day
Special security enforced in Nepal-India border Gorkhapatra
Indian intellectuals keep vigil on CA polls Gorkhapatra
Poll signals end for Nepal's monarchy The Age, Australia
Moaist fighters vote in Nepal The Times, South Africa

Pre-election violence flares in Nepal CNN International
Violence flares ahead of Nepal election CNN International
Election Candidate Killed In Nepal Allheadlines
Candidate Killed Days Before Nepal Vote The Associated Press
One dead as political rivals clash in Nepal RTE.ie, Ireland
UN chief urges restraint on violence in Nepal Xinhua, China
UNMIN Chief shocked over Dang killings, UML candidate muder Kantipur Online
Another Massacre in Nepal World Student Press Agency, Canada massacred at least eight ..... another anti-peace process massacre after the heart-pounding Gaur massacre in March 2007 when 29 civilians were killed in cold blood by Upendra Yadav-led criminal gangs from India and Nepal. ....... the number of deaths might go up since it was a sudden and one-sided firing with a latest automatic weapon. ....... They have spread rumor among such ignorant people that electronic devices installed underground will record whom they vote. The election commission has issued a public notice that the voting will be secret and nobody will ever know whom one votes for.
Nepali voters undeterred by violence in historic poll The Australian, Australia

Independent Candidate Shot Dead In Sarlahi Himalayan Times
High Turnout as Voting Ends For CA Election
1 Killed, 7 Injured as NC, Maoist Cadres Clash in Sunsari
YCL Captures 3 Polling Booths in Lalitpur, 8 Abducted
15 Hurt in Rautahat Clash, Maoists Attack UML in Bajhang
15 Injured as NC, Maoist Cadres Clash in Sunsari
Leela Koirala Escapes Unhurt in Dhanusha Firing A group calling itself LTT opened fire targeting NC leader and candidate for CA polls from Constituency No 4 of Dhanusha Leela Koirala near Saraswoti Secondary School polling centre in Janakpur this morning. ..... she was attacked during a visit to the polling centre. She managed to escape unhurt, but her vehicle was partially damaged
Voting Postponed As Maoists Torch Ballot Boxes in Arghakhanchi
5 Hurt in Clash, Voting Postponed in Sunsari, Sarlahi Booths
Maoists Capture Booths in Gorkha, Sindhupalchowk
One Killed, Two Injured in Mahottari Polling Booth Firing
Voting Postponed in 7 Booths in Chitwan, Siraha
Police Foil Maoist Bid to Capture Booth, Candidate Hurt in Rautahat
Voting Postponed at Two Mahottari Polling Booths
YCL Captures Ramechhap Booths
YCL Men Bar RPP Prez Rana From Voting in Sindhupalchowk a group of YCL cadres wielding lathis and khukuris barred Rana from visiting Thankpalghat polling booth at around 7: 10 am. Sapkota added that Rana returned to Thumpakhar area after YCL cadres misbehaved
PM Casts His Vote in Biratnagar, Prachanda in Chitwan

Voting concludes; most districts see over 60 pc voter turnout NepalNews voting has ended successfully and the officials are preparing to bring the ballot boxes to the district headquarters for counting. ....... Kathmandu constituency No. 1, where electronic voting system was introduced for the first time in Nepal ...... majority districts saw over 60 percent voter turnout. ...... Arghakhanchi district had over 70 percent turnout .... The balloting went smoothly in Terai and eastern districts like Morang, Sunsari, Bara, Prasa, Rautahat and Jhapa while it has been postponed in nearly a dozen stations in Chitwan, Siraha, Saptari and Mahottari districts.
India hails election as 'welcome and historic step'
Booths 'captured' in Lalitpur, Dolakha and Baglung; clashes in some districts
Voting postponed in seven polling centres; one killed in Mahottari voting has been postponed in Sajhapur centre and Janaki Secondary School centre in Meghauli Chitwan district, Sugabhawanipatti centre in Saptari-3; Balara centre in Sarlahi-3, Tetnahapatti High School centre in Siraha-2 and Banauli Danauli centre of Mahottari district have been cancelled. ...... Polling has also been cancelled at Balkot centre in Arghakhanchi district after the Maoists reportedly tried to capture booth. ...... Rastriya Janamorcha cadres have captured a polling booth in Rangkhni of Baglung constituency-2 ...... reports from Siraha district said the Nepali Congress cadres attempted to capture a polling booth in constituency No. 2. In the same constituency, Young Communist League (YCL) cadres and police opened fire at each other ....... one person was killed in a stampede after unidentified persons opened fire near a polling centre in Parsapatauli of Mahottari district. ..... The victim was hit by a jeep when the terrified voters were rushing for safety after the shooting incident. ..... cadres of Maoist-affliated Young Communist League barred Rastriya Prajatantra Party chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana, a RPP candidate from constituency no 3 in Sindhupalchowk district from visiting a polling center this moring to cast his vote
Independent candidate gunned down in Sarlahi
Carter says he is very satisfied with the 'revolutionary election
Three killed in explosion in Rautahat

'Life and death situation' at the polling centers

NC cadre dies in clash with MJF men in Sunsari-5; Sujata demands re-polling Ganga Das, 38, succumbed to injuries he received during a violent scuffle with the MJF men at the polling station in Bhutaha. Das was attacked with sharp weapon. ..... has demanded re-polling, accusing MJF chief and her main rival Upendra Yadav of rigging the election ..... During the election campaigning also, cadres of the two parties had attacked each other’s election rallies in the constituency.






American Airlines cancels 1000 more flights for inspections Los Angeles Times for another round of maintenance checks. ..... The disruptions rippling through the nation's air traffic system today are the latest and most dramatic fallout from the rash of maintenance-related problems that have hit U.S. airlines in recent months.
Nepal set for historic elections NDTV.com Opinion polls also show the Maoists don't have as much support as Nepal's other political parties ...... 'We have to have a coalition and in the coalition Maoists have to be there, other wise we will not be able to take the peace process to its logical conclusion,'' said Madhav Nepal, President, CPN-UML.
Missteps Mar Clinton's Competency Message CBS News

India, Africa to back each other for UNSC seat Financial Express
US Lawmakers Condemn China's Crackdown in Tibet Voice of America
China doctors the news of Olympic torch San Francisco Chronicle
Zimbabwe emergency talks called BBC News
Bill and Hillary Clinton disagree on Colombia free trade issue Muckety
Clinton: I Differ With Bill on Trade The Associated Press Democratic voters who fault international deals for U.S. job losses. ...... "I don't think any married couple I know agrees on everything. And we disagree on this." ...... "Oh, we talk about everything." ..... In 2005, the former president was paid $800,000 by Gold Service International, a Bogota-based business development group, for four days of appearances in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil.
Obama's Emerging Economic Message Washington Post sought to fuse a laundry list of economic policy proposals, many on the table for months, to his broader post-partisan governing philosophy ........ reflects working-class pocketbook concerns, from gas prices to declining wages ...... an erratic, sometimes clumsy process, with blocks of new text dropped into a free-flowing and high-minded stump speech, as conspicuous as weeds. ....... Obama said the broad goals of his "new direction" would include paying down the national debt, narrowing the income divide (in part by raising taxes on wealthy people), and minimizing the role of special interests in the legislative process.
Wolfson: Obama Must Win Pennsylvania RealClearPolitics Blog Outspending Hillary Clinton 3-to-1 in Pennsylvania
Obama May Bypass Public Financing The Associated Press
Clinton zeros in on Iraq Los Angeles Times Obama has a new commercial pitching his ties to women, which features his wife Michelle and their two children, along with his half-sister and grandmother. ...... "The person you want answering the phone at 3 a.m. is the person who's read the intelligence report . . . and is asking the tough questions," he said. Noting that voters want a president who has the judgment to say no to misguided wars, he added in reference to both Clinton and McCain, "There's only one out of the remaining candidates who qualifies on that front." ...... no country with a weak economy can maintain a strong military ...... the $10 billion a month the United States is spending in Iraq could be better used at home building roads, bridges and installing broadband technology.
McCain Set to Take the Federal Financing Plunge FOXNews

Some Reflections: Three Years In NYC

My Back Against The Wall



Came To Launch Company

A Web 3.0 Manifesto

I moved to NYC summer of 2005 to launch my company, but I got distracted by urgent Nepal work. I got sucked into it. I was actually surprised that I cared about Nepal so much. It also felt like cutting edge work. It was not journalism, it was not in-your-pajamas blogging, it was cutting edge work, political work. What ended up happening in April 2006 was sheer magic. It was all over the NYC media, for one. I functioned in a cloud group dynamics environment. But my presence was felt. Let me share a story.

In February 2006 Madhav Nepal, then leader of the largest party in Nepal, was put under house arrest by the royal regime. A month later he managed to smuggle wireless internet access into his residence. It helped that his brother lived in the house next door. The first person he contacted was me. We chatted on Google Talk.

But during those first few months I did meet a guy who was about to launch a hatchery somewhere upstate. He claimed he met Bill Gates before Gates took his company public.

The Nepal work was intense: days, nights, weekends. It was a zombie existence. Best work I have done so far. April 2006: in a country of 27 million, the poorest country outside of Africa (we are the Arkansas of the world), a total of eight million people came out into the streets at one time or another over a period of 19 days to completely shut the country down until the royal dictatorship toppled. It was not easy. The king had issued shoot at sight orders.

The First Major Revolution Of The 21st Century Happened In Nepal
The French Revolution And DFNYC

There were two follow-ups: in January-February 2007, and more recently in February 2008. This was the civil rights movement for us Madhesis inside Nepal. We got our own state in a to be federal Nepal.

Most important, I think a formula has come out of Nepal that has to be shared with all those countries that are not yet democracies: Democracy Spreading Mechanism. I desperately want to sell this formula to the progressives in New York City and beyond. That is how you beat the neocons.



Weak Social Muscles

My natural self is I am bubbley and excited socially. But the zombie existence necessitated by the Nepal work and the subsequent Obama work came with a price. At the low points I would show up for events, I would find it is hard for me to connect to any one person for more than 30 seconds or a minute or two at most. It felt almost like a medical condition. It is an occupational hazard of the 2.0 workers like cabbies who don't exercise end up with backaches.

2.0 is not about to go away. Nepal work was followed by Obama work has been followed by a young startup. But the biggest lesson I have learned so far in the city has been that there is no 2.0 without 5.0. Got to strike a balance or you will go nuts. (Web 5.0: Face Time)

Barack's Mother Makes An Appearance
Barack Has To Talk Much About His Mother

During the Nepal work, I did not much notice, it felt like being in a trance. But I have noticed after that.

New York City's Progressive Galaxy



Politics, Business, Media, Academia

2.0 makes Nepal work and Obama work seamless. 2.0 also makes it possible to dip into a few different domains seamlessly: politics, business, media, academia.



Internet, Race, Gender

Internet access is the voting right for this century. That is why I can't imagine running for any office locally. That would be such a diversion from what I want to do for my people, my Global South people. My tech startup is really the 21st century NAACP, if you will. I am very political, true, but I think I would be a lousy legislator. It is the executive branch that gets me. A CEO is an executive. My digital democrat ways suit me perfect: I get to skip the shaking hands part.

The last was the American century. This is the Internet century. You can't bring everyone to America, but you can take America to everybody. The Internet is how you do it.

Internet is technology, but race and gender are social issues. How are they related? The Internet is a social technology, that is how. The Internet is the only way to bridge the gap between the West and the Global South.

So the jump from Nepal to Obama to tech startup is a progression. It is not like I jumped ship, quit politics, and went for a whole different career altogether. Think seamlessness.



Race, Gender

If you are not comfortable talking race and gender, you are not a true progressive in my book. That is the best way to make progress on both.



Love

Love is a mysterious thing. It is my social observation that most people stick to their own kind, and that is all cool. If shared interests is a good enough reason, perhaps shared culture is also a good enough reason.

Confronting My Own Demons

But all that mumbojumbo is until you find The Person. I have dropped the ball many times with the person I like. The mandatory coat check was only the latest trigger that threw me off balance. There were a few before that. But I believe I am past the obvious triggers by now. I still have a past to deal with. And race is part of the social reality. But I feel like I might be at the cusp of a new beginning. We will find out.

I Am Different

What excites me, what fascinates me is the future. Shared culture does not get me. The Nepalis in NYC are so full of social ills - ethnic prejudices, sexism, internalized racism - that they are like medical patients to me. 99% of them are from a very different ethnicity, it is like they were white, I were black. Same with my Indian heritage. I am Bihari. Most Indians in the US are Gujarati, Maratha and Tamil.

It is no accident that most people I have got to know and like in the city are political junkies. (Progressive Political Religion: No Place For Superpowers) I feel like I share a religion with them, nothing less. DL21C is the crown jewel among the organizations in the city. It has to grow fast and wild: Blueprint For DL21C: Party Inside A Party.

My closest friend in the city is my business partner, Adam. He is amazing. We are going to do big things together. Right now he is in Romania with his fiance and her family. I have asked Anna and Adam to pray for me Wednesday in Romania. The dude proposed to her towards the end of their cross country road trip last month. I believe they were up in the mountains.

Montana

Facebook Friends With Chelsea Clinton

Paramendra and Chelsea Clinton are now friends.10:58am

In The News

Analysis: Google App Engine alluring, will be hard to escape Ars Technica Aimed almost squarely at the loosely-coupled Amazon Web Services, Google is betting that developers and startups will opt to host their applications in Google's cloud, taking advantage of Google APIs, and leveraging the nearly unlimited processing power and storage capacity of Google's servers. ..... it allows you, the developer, to begin coding without having to worry about all the nitty-gritty issues involved with hosting, buying expensive hardware, and scaling your code. ..... Amazon's more open-ended EC2 service

Officials extinguish Olympic flame amid heavy protests in Paris CBC.ca
India joins queue for Africa's resources Guardian
Tibetan leaders struggle to speak for split populace Christian Science Monitor In the past 20 years, the Dalai Lama has transformed the Tibetan government in exile from the semitheocracy he brought from Tibet to a relatively independent democracy. In doing so, he has invested it with more responsibility. ....... 80 schools and 40 refugee settlements across South Asia .... 110,000 Tibetan refugees worldwide ...... more than 140 Tibetans have been killed in the crackdown. ....... embassy-like missions in 13 cities from New York to London to Tokyo ...... "He always says, 'You should work as though there is no Dalai Lama' " ...... 43-member parliament, which are held every five years in the subcontinent, Europe, and North America.
Barack Obama Opens Campaign Headquarters In Lexington WYMT
Clinton's Mark Penn Problem TIME Burson-Marsteller, one of the largest firms in the world of public relations ...... Penn's private blog for his Burson-Marsteller colleagues
Help for Sex-Starved Wives a desire gap ..... one out of every three couples experiences this difficulty ...... the kinds of hills and valleys that all couples go through, even when they have a really healthy sex life ..... what becomes the main issue in their relationship. ...... the person with the higher desire just lives their life in lonely misery ..... Low desire in men has got to be America's best-kept secret. ...... the vast majority of men who experienced low sexual desire were completely unwilling to talk with their wives, go to a doctor or go to a therapist ..... it is very, very common for people to be mismatched in their sexual desire ...... the person with the lower sex drive controls the sexual relationship ...... they have veto power. .... biological, emotional or relationship-oriented ....... most antidepressants dampen desire and the ability to be aroused. A cardiovascular disease of any sort is a problem too ........ depression is rampant ...... if he has a childhood history of sexual abuse, or if he grew up in a dysfunctional family and has low self-esteem ....... underlying, unresolved relationship problems ...... wives are critical or nagging ....... criticism and nagging are not aphrodisiacs. So, many men just go into a cave. ...... she has totally let herself go. She doesn't eat well. She doesn't exercise. All she ever wears is sweatpants ....... attraction is a very basic, animalistic thing ..... Men are more visually oriented ...... anyone wanting a more robust sex life can have it. It's never too late to have a great sex life.

Situation unfavourable for polls in five districts: NEMA NepalNews Dhankuta, Dhanusha, Dhading, Jumla and Kalikot ..... out of 290 incidents of code of conduct violations recorded over the last two weeks, Maoist have their involvement in all except for one in Doti

Violence-hit Nepal ups security ahead of polls AFP
The Life of a Polygamous Woman ABC News largest child abuse case in the nation's history ..... some wonder how and why women in the cloistered community led by the jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs were silent for so long. .... The women spend much of their days caring for children on the compound's 1,700 acres. The women till gardens, quilt and often were forced to marry while still in their teens. ..... it's the power of persuasion and control that keeps the women captive. ...... Women wear hand-sewn garments, their extremely long hair pinned up in braids, and don ankle-length dresses, as if from another century. ....... He allowed no television, radio or Internet access. Even laughter was forbidden. ....... he did allow iPods, which people could use to listen to hours of his sermons, and his control extended beyond what people could read, see and wear. He also controlled who married whom and, he claimed, who got to go to heaven. ........ You don't do anything except do what you're told ...... many women remain loyal to Jeffs ...... "I have a right to worship any damn thing I want; wear any damn clothes I want," said one female follower.
ANALYSIS: Asian giants India, China prepare to compete in Africa Monsters and Critics.com
Iraqi cleric cancels plans for massive protest march Los Angeles Times Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr abruptly canceled plans for a massive anti-government and anti-U.S. march on Wednesday after accusing security forces of blocking followers from reaching the capital.
Why The Clintons Held Onto Mark Penn CBS News
Clinton Punches, Obama Bowls, and McCain Reminisces Media Channel
Obama to Question Petraeus This Afternoon CBS News
Obama visited Pakistan as a college student Thaindian.com
Strategist's behaviour may rob Clinton of weapon against Obama Globe and Mail

Clinton campaign wobbles after top strategist quits AFP Penn's departure had been rumored as early as January, when Clinton lost the leadoff nominating contest in Iowa to Obama, in what has evolved into a furious confrontation for the nomination. ..... But Clinton's win in New Hampshire a few days later staved off a shakeup and left internal rivalries simmering
Obama Raises Cash, Clinton Shakes Up Staff KCBS Obama raised more than $1 million at four private fundraisers
Clinton: ‘The Boys’ Made Me Tough New York Times all those years fighting off the “boys” that gives her the strength to resist calls to drop out ..... “Well, I have not bowled since I left the White House,” Mrs. Clinton said. ..... She didn’t fare much better than Mr. Obama. Her first try was a gutter ball. On the second try, she knocked down a lone pin.
Campaign to highlight Clinton's humanity after Penn's departure Guardian, UK clashes over his outside work for other clients - notably the government of Colombia, screaming matches with senior campaign staff, and withering criticism of his strategy. ...... Clinton would gradually try to shift the focus from experience and readiness to lead - Penn's vision for her candidacy - towards highlighting her more human side. ...... Penn would continue to provide polling for Clinton. ........ Penn's latest blunder had merely been a pretext to end a relationship that was no longer benefiting the Clintons. ...... Penn has earned $13 million for his work for the Clinton campaign - while maintaining his corporate jobs. ...... Garin describe him as a solid, data-driven strategist with a command of intricate polling data. ...... a more personable character than Penn, and is less likely to be a part of publicly aired infighting
Dean: Clinton or Obama Will Be Firm Leader for Nomination by July U.S. News & World Report, DC Once the Democratic primaries conclude in early June, the superdelegates will make their final decisions and put either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama on a clear path to the party's presidential nomination, says Howard Dean ....... he expects the unpledged delegates to clarify their positions by July 1 ...... will make the national convention in Denver much less contentious than is now feared. ..... Florida and Michigan ..... seat the delegates in some way ..... Puerto Rico, Montana, and South Dakota in early June .... the long fight for the Democratic nomination has been good for the party because it has generated intense excitement and drawn hundreds of thousands of new voters to the party ....... he liked an extended primary season because it allows candidates to build excitement, recruit supporters, and show their mettle over a long time. ....... the Texas Democratic Party has had a "rebirth"
Poll: Obama widening lead over Clinton Kansas City Star
Gallup Daily: Obama Moves to 9-point Lead Over Clinton Gallup Poll News









Tibetan Buddhism's next leader? International Herald Tribune In a thriller that is already a legend among Buddhists, the Karmapa and two fellow monks drove in secret from Tsurphu Monastery, north of Lhasa, to the remote and rugged border of Mustang, a former Buddhist kingdom now part of Nepal. From there he and his companions made a dash by horseback to the nearest Nepali airport, from which they were able to fly unnoticed via Katmandu to Delhi. The Karmapa, born Ogyen Trinley Dorji, arrived unannounced in Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama's base, in January 2000, and has remained under the watchful eye of the Tibetan leader since. ...... The Karmapa's American followers would like to have him establish his base in the United States, making him the first Asian religious leader of that magnitude to live in the West. ..... the wise older man and the vigorous young lama



McCain Calls Plans to Withdraw From Iraq, ‘Reckless’ New York Times
McCain rebukes Democrats' views on Iraq withdrawal Los Angeles Times
McCain says Iraq approaching normalcy MSNBC
Protest Disrupts Torch Relay in Paris New York Times
Olympic torch relay again met with protests Sports Network

Princess Diana unlawfully killed BBC News the "gross negligence" of driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi ...... Mr Paul's drink-driving and a lack of seatbelts contributed to their deaths. ....... unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving - or gross negligence manslaughter...... The total cost to British taxpayers of investigating Princess Diana's death is expected to top £10 million. ....... "For 10 years I have endured two police investigations. The French and the Scotland Yard inquiries were wrong. These inquests prove it. They said it was an accident and their findings are now dismissed." ........ there is no conspiracy



Hillary Clinton strategist quits amid Colombia trade flap Reuters
Top Clinton Aide Leaving His Post Under Pressure New York Times
Hillary's chief strategist is ousted Newsday
Penn Out As Clinton Senior Strategist The Associated Press
Campaign Memo Up Close, Montana Compares Clinton and Obama New York Times
Obama's trip out West MSNBC

Can Ed Rendell Deliver for Clinton? Time "I am the best messenger to Philadelphia and Pennsylvania about the 1990s," Rendell boasts. "What part of the 1990s didn't you like—the peace or the prosperity?" ...... "It's stunning. Does Keith Olbermann get checks from the Obama campaign?" ..... grew up on Manhattan's Upper West Side ..... "I like Barack," he says. "If he's the nominee, we'll bust a hump for him."
Being American — and Muslim Wearing the hijab is first and foremost an act of worship and obedience ...... In Saudi Arabia, there was easy access to mosques — almost every street or neighborhood had one. While out shopping, I didn't have to plan around prayer times: shops closed at each prayer, and we would simply walk over to the closest mosque, pray, then resume our shopping. It's different in America. ...... I have a husband who can't understand how I spend so much time at the mall; I have big dreams for work; I play sports; I love to run. ..... Shireen Khan is a producer for Time.com

Texas removes 183 women and girls from sect ranch Reuters
Zimbabwe Opposition Reluctant on Runoff The Associated Press
Rival Resists Zimbabwe Runoff, Saying He Won New York Times
135000 police on the streets as Nepal waits for vote that could ... Scotsman
Roles Collide: Adviser To Clinton Campaign Loses Job for His Firm Washington Post The two roles collided last week when Penn met with Colombian officials to discuss a pending trade agreement
In Tibetan Monasteries, the Heavy Hand of the Party Washington Post After widespread protests swept the Tibetan plateau last month, Chinese leaders responded with a combination of arrests, interrogations and vigorous education campaigns. ....... For Tibetan Buddhists, the education campaigns undermine their core beliefs and are a hated humiliation. For the Chinese, the campaigns boil down to a simple loyalty oath. ...... the two years since tough-talking Zhang Qingli took over as party secretary for the Tibet Autonomous Region ...... China liberated Tibet from oppressive feudalism in the 1950s ..... officials insisted the only problem in Tibet was that a small group of "splittists" had incited people to riot and that the monks needed more education. ....... The campaigns intensified in 1995 after China named its own Panchen Lama, the second-most-revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and the Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama disappeared. ...... so many monks have fled in the past five decades that there are no more senior monks living in Tibet itself. That makes it nearly impossible to pass on core Buddhist teachings and provides little buffer between Chinese government officials who control the monasteries and the increasingly restive young monks attempting to study there.
Crushing New Poll For Clinton: Obama Leads By 23 In NC 411mania.com After days of Pennsylvania polls showed Hillary Clinton crumbling in the state .... just one month ago, Rasmussen's NC poll had Clinton not far behind in the state, trailing by 7%, 47% to 40%. .... The huge drop also gives more credibility to her huge drops in PA. ..... Obama leads 86% to 9% among black voters while Clinton is holding on to a slight lead among whites, 47% to 38%. A month ago, Clinton led by 20 points among whites. ...... Obama is flooding states with ads which he can afford because of the massive amounts of money he's raising .... she is basically out of money ..... The end is near.
Casey’s backing may be Obama’s key to win Lebanon Daily News It positions the junior senator against virtually the entire Democratic political establishment in the state — while it pits him even in his home town of Scranton against Hillary Clinton, the “hometown girl.” .... Casey, who won his Senate seat with almost 60 percent of the vote .... Casey, who will travel to many campaign stops with Obama and help him navigate through the often-byzantine world of state politics ... Of the state’s 29 supers, Casey becomes only the fourth to side with Obama.
Clinton Ramps Up Call to Count Fla, Mich The Associated Press
No Re-Vote in Michigan a Blow to Clinton Washington Post

In Anticipation

Darfur Solution: End The Dictatorship In Sudan

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

Spread Democracy

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

Spread Democracy

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

Spread Democracy

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

Spread Democracy

You can blame one guy for the tragedy in Darfur.

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




In The News

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

Obama Visits Montana CBS News, USA