The key term is global. America can't do it alone. That admission has to be the starting point for the building of a new architecture for the trillions in global finances that move around like data on the internet. The internet is global.
America is lucky to have Barack Obama for president. That is a global person. He is a Hawaii guy. He was 11 when he first got to see the continental US, and he saw it on a Greyhound bus. He was raised by a white mother, white grandparents. I have always thought of him as white.
The current crisis is a lesson in humility for America. Yes, we can. That is a call for humility. And a touch of boldness. Humility itself is a bold act.
The problem with American banking is not that the banks have not had enough money. That is why the bailout can not be the number one thing you do, the stimulus package can not be the number one thing you do.
The problem was the banks had too much outside money and did not know what to do with it, so they gave it out like it was nobody's business. It was not a case of demand and supply. Money did not go where the demand was the greatest. The demand is the greatest in the Global South, the demand is with poor women who need just a little bit of capital to start small businesses. But the warped global financial architecture sent the global money to inflate the prices on American houses. Instead.
The house is on fire. America and the world can not afford a meltdown of the American financial infrastructure. The bailout is water. The stimulus package is water. Putting out the fire is important. But the real task is going to be to build a new house, a new tower. The Twin Towers will be gone when the dust settles.
It is going to be a major challenge to draw the outlines of a new financial architecture. How do you institutionalize transparency, and accountability, and stay as close as possible to the fundamental market ethos? As in how do you not overreact and end up restraining the market forces? On the other hand, how do you make sure you don't sit back and hope things will take care of themselves? There is major work that needs to be done.
People, voters did not realize when he first started saying it, but Barack's bringing people together dictum is what is going to do the trick. You bring world leaders together. You bring together the titans of global finance. You bring together disagreeing politicians. You bring along the powerless and the neglected to the table, you bring them together with those who might always have excluded them, knowingly and unknowingly.
The stimulus package jacks up spending on education. That probably is my favorite part. That is the knowledge economy way. That is the 21st century way.
The last major tinkering with global finance was when the World Bank and the IMF were created. But this crisis is bigger. So minor tinkering with those two institutions will hardly do the trick. The Twin Towers are gone. It is not like they lost a few floors, so you are going to do repair work. They are gone.
A new tower is going to have to be built. A Freedom Tower. A Prosperity Tower.
No piecemeal approach will work. All three big challenges ask for holistic approaches. And because they all do, you can learn from one to the other. If you can make peace in the Middle East, perhaps you can also fix global finance, perhaps you can also tackle global warming.
That is why it is so important to work on Middle East peace. Permanent peace is possible. Has to be. Global warming can be reversed. Has to be. Global terrorism can be defeated. Has to be. Or we are doomed.
Barack's autobiography is Dreams From My Father. I have always thought of Barack as black. President Barack is black.
He has a sister with an Indian name, I have met and talked to one on one, no time pressure. That is how he is my cousin, distant, but still.
That sister is married to a Chinese Canadian. China will not go to war over Taiwan. I am not worried.
While he was running, some neocons tried to emphasize his middle name. Barack was Barack HUSSEIN Obama.
That he is. White, black, Indian, Chinese, Muslim. I am going to argue he gets along a little too well with Rahm Immanuel for my comfort. That makes him part Jewish too.
Barack Hussein Obama is global, yo.
Global Finance, Global Terrorism, Global Warming, Global President.
There are reports Bush-Cheney started looking for excuses to declare war on Saddam as soon as Bush got into office. It has to be noted Saddam attempted an assassination on Bush Senior some time in the 1990s when Bush Senior went on a visit to Kuwait. It was a plot that went nowhere, but Clinton did send in a few missiles in retaliation. "Not enough," Bush Junior said while campaigning for president in 2000.
The direct and indirect costs of the Iraq War have been estimated at three trillion dollars by the likes of Joseph Stiglitz. That is a ton of money. I am going to argue that sum played a key role in sending the US economy into the tizzy that it is in right now.
The verbal assaults by the Al Qaeda on Barack, the US drone strikes inside of Pakistan, neither have surprised me. The war the Al Qaeda declared on America a long time ago was an ideological war. Two vibrant, opposing ideologies continue to be very much at loggerheads.
Barack immediately started doing what he said he will do. On Guantanamo and torture, on Pakistan. The biggest downside of the misadventure in Iraq has been the Al Qaeda got pretty much a free reign in the stateless parts of northwest Pakistan from where they continue to plot. In his latest tirade Bin Laden has talked of going into "new directions." As far as Bin Laden is concerned, the entire world is a stage. He does not have to strike inside America to prove the resiliency of his organization.
It is hard to fight an unconventional war with a conventional army, with conventional tactics. Iraq was Looking Tokyo Going London, but it was also conventional. You were in a hurry to bring down a state. The Al Qaeda is stateless.
Barack might end the war in Iraq, and he might close Guantanamo, and he might end torture as a tactic, and he is hugely popular in the Arab world, and he might get the geography right in terms of a renewed focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan, but I fear he might get the details wrong.
A big chunk of the work in Pakistan is political. How do you bring the Pakistani army completely under the parliament? How do you bring the Pakistani intelligence agency, the ISI, usually called a state within a state, completely under the Pakistani parliament? The ISI gave birth to the Taliban, but back then that is what the US wanted, the Soviets had gone amok in Afghanistan.
And it would be a mistake to think the Al Qaeda exists only in a particular, rugged province in Pakistan. It is stateless, it is global. It is an ideology seeking converts, seeking the disenchanted, the angry few. They don't even need direct communication half the time to do what they need to do, which is to stage "spectacular" attacks, like the one in Mumbai, London.
I have long maintained the only way to conclude the War On Terror is by bringing about a total spread of democracy in the Arab world. There is a progressive, proactive way to do that that is nothing to do with the Al Qaeda, an organization of a few thousand individuals in an ocean of a billion Arabs/Muslims.
As in, there is not a Bush way to build democracy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, just like there was not one in Iraq. There is a progressive alternative.
Harassing Arab Americans have been a bad idea. Talking disrespect of Islam as a religion is a bad idea. And the Palestinian plight is a permanent thorn. That has to be resolved. It is a good sign that the first foreign leader President Barack called up was Abbas.
Three major world religions clashing is not a pretty sight. There are complex emotional threads entangled. The situation is volatile, has been for decades. The task is tough. The communists claimed godlessness, the Islamists claim God. At some level that makes their ideology more challenging.
The idea remains to help make the mainstream Muslims feel their destiny is in their own hands. The hard work of peace, the hard work of state building, the hard work on education and health, the hard work of prosperity.
It is not going to be easy. It is not going to be swift. Moments might feel like reverse progress. But it is necessary work, the central challenge in global politics today.
If and when we start seeing more democracies in the Arab world, you can expect the largest political parties to be as steeped in Islam as you could argue the Republican Party in America is steeped in Christianity. Turkey is a case in point.
What the Palestinians are going through right now is worse than apartheid. It feels like a case of child abuse. The Germans abused the Jews so the Jews are going to abuse the Palestinians. Where is the logic in that?
President Obama 'orders Pakistan drone attacks'Times Online Security officials said the strikes, which saw up to five missiles slam into houses in separate villages, killed seven "foreigners" - a term that usually means al-Qaeda - but locals also said that three children lost their lives. ....... Dozens of similar strikes since August on northwest Pakistan, a hotbed of Taleban and al-Qaeda militancy, have sparked angry government criticism of the US, which is targeting the area with missiles launched from unmanned CIA aircraft controlled from operation rooms inside the US. ........... Mr Obama has made Afghanistan his top foreign policy priority and said during his presidential campaign that he would consider military action inside Pakistan if the government there was unable or unwilling to take on the militants. ........ Since September, the US is estimated to have carried out about 30 such attacks, killing more than 220 people. Maoists wreak havoc in Bihar The Statesman India revels in acclaim for 'Slumdog Millionaire' Christian Science Monitor Dharavi, a grubby slum in Mumbai (Bombay) that is touted as Asia's largest ....... "Slumdog ... is Boyle's gift to Mumbai," Shobha De, a socialite and author ....... More than 60 percent of Mumbai's citizens are known to reside in slums. The most visible of them is Dharavi, a labyrinth that is home to more than 1 million people. ....... one toilet for every 1,500 people ...... Many of Mumbai's elite view Dharavi as a blight that must be purged if the city, India's financial and entertainment capital, is to achieve stature as a world-class city. Local politicians have long dreamed of transforming Mumbai into "India's Shanghai." Windows 7 vs. Mac OS X Snow Leopard: Apple ups the ante Apple Insider Jindal gets top GOP speaking slot Politico Jindal will headline the National Republican Congressional Committee’s March fundraising dinner ....... will take the speaking slot that in years past belonged to President Bush. ..... Jindal has said he is only focused on running for re-election in Baton Rouge in 2011. Obama's approval opens high, standard The Swamp - Tribune's Washington Bureau Barack Obama orders closure of Guantanamo Bay prison The Australian Clinton shines on first day as secretary of state Newsday With a broad smile, Clinton won excited, almost giddy, applause and cheers from hundreds of diplomats, foreign service officers and staff as she worked a rope line in the department's packed main lobby yesterday morning. ....... Obama and Vice President Joe Biden paid an unusually early visit to Foggy Bottom ....... "I've given you an early gift: Hillary Clinton. ....... She then took an intelligence briefing and toured the building before holding a closed meeting with Obama, Biden and national security advisers. Hillary Clinton Brings Change to the State DepartmentU.S. News & World Report Key appointments mark Clinton's first day at State Dept. USA Today Former NY Senate leader Joseph Bruno indictedThe Associated Press Obama to lift restrictions on abortion funding Reuters India PM Singh to miss months of election campaign due to heart bypass Telegraph.co.ukspeculation that Rahul Gandhi, the son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and great- grandson of Nehru, will lead the Congress Party campaign. ........ The economist is 76 and this will be his second bypass and third heart operation. He also suffers from diabetes, which is expected to delay his recovery from surgery. ....... Sources close to the Gandhi family say they want Rahul to assume the party leadership as soon as possible. "It is his destiny" ...... he will also replace his father as India's youngest prime minister. China's Economic Growth Slows Forbes Feeling Lucky: All Things Google Washington Post Google CEO Hints at Semantic, Contextual SearcheWeek Last.fm Arrives on Google-Powered Cellphones Wired News Google writes down Clearwire investment, confident about AndroidFierceWireless Google reported a net income of $382 million, down 68 percent from the $1.21 billion in the year-ago period, but that was primarily due to write downs of its investments in AOL and Clearwire by $726 million and $355 million, respectively. Google, along with Intel, Comcast, Time Warner, Brighthouse and others invested $3.2 billion in the new Clearwire. Oscars not ultimate recognition, says Amitabh BachchanTimes of India Bachchan said he was very happy as Indian films were catering to amount 2.5 billion people ..... Describing cinema as a uniting medium, the actor said there was no better example of an integrated India than a cinema hall. Bollywood's Bachchan apologises to 'Slumdog' director AFP Despite having a British director, producer, writer and studio, India has claimed the film as its own because of its Indian cast, crew and location and is eagerly anticipating next month's Oscars. An open letter to Amitabh BachchanLivemint Filmmakers dogged pursuits earn Oscar's attention Los Angeles Times `Button' vs. `Slumdog': A study in contrastsMSNBC Gillibrand Is a Centrist With a Tenacious Style New York Times
I was rooting for Caroline Kennedy, but she chose to take her name out at the last minute for personal reasons, and I respect that. But Caroline would have been a great choice.
I am glad I rooted for Caroline, because Caroline rooted for Barack when it was not obvious he will win. The primary fight was tougher than the general election fight.
I was scared the seat might go to some guy. I have nothing against Cuomo, I hear he has been a good Attorney General, but there are already too many guys on Capitol Hill.
Kirsten Gillibrand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Paterson Picks Gillibrand for Senate - NYTimes.com known for bold political moves and centrist policy positions ....... considered an up-and-coming and forceful lawmaker in her district and has gained considerable attention from Democratic leaders in Washington. ...... Mr. Paterson made his final decision shortly before 2 a.m. Friday after a marathon series of phone calls and deliberations with his top aides ...... One of Mr. Paterson’s preferences had been to select a woman to replace Mrs. Clinton. ..... The choice reflects Mr. Paterson’s thinking that his selection should be someone who can help him attract key demographics — in Ms. Gillibrand’s case upstate New Yorkers and women. ....... (Ms. Gillibrand received a standing ovation on the floor of the House from her colleagues for working right up to the day she gave birth to Henry.) ....... a day of anonymous and often bitter sniping over Caroline Kennedy’s mystifying departure from the Senate field ...... Paterson “never had any intention of picking Kennedy” because he had come to consider her unready for the job. ...... the governor told Ms. Kennedy last week that she was the choice but that he would use the next few days to do “a little misdirection to keep the suspense up.” ......... and released a statement by e-mail at 12:03 a.m. Thursday, saying, “I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate.” ..... several people who are longtime allies of the governor warned that he was unpredictable.
Britannica Goes 2.0, Prez Slams Wikipedia/GoogleWebProNews Wikipedia, the fourth-most visited website in the world with 2.7 million articles in 250 languages. Conflicting accounts offered on Caroline Kennedy's pullout Boston Globe Aide: Kirsten Gillibrand picked as next NY senator USA Today42-year-old Gillibrand India celebrates 10 'Slumdog' Oscar nominationsThe Associated Press The movie got the second highest number of Oscar nominations Thursday, including best director for Danny Boyle, best picture and — generating the most buzz in India — three music nominations for Indian composer A.R. Rahman. ...... "I'm at the top of the world," Rahman told the Times of India. "Everything is a blur." ..... The gritty movie, which features prostitution, religious violence and maimed beggars, has sparked great debate over whether the film is a blow to India's international reputation. ..... Calling it "a piece of riveting cinema," the paper praised the movie as "a Cinderella-like fairy tale with the edge of a thriller and the vision of an artist." ...... The movie was being released both in English and in Hindi and many predicted it to be a monster hit. ..... The film was also nominated for best adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing and film editing. Rahman nominated for three Oscars, Slumdog for 10 Indian Express, India 10 Oscar nominations for Slumdog Sify, IndiaThe film has got 10 nominations, of which three are for the film's music - one for best original score and two for the best original songs - “Jai ho” and “O saya”, for the 81st Annual Academy Awards. The lyrics of 'Jai ho' have been penned by noted lyricist Gulzar. ..... best motion picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, best film editing, best sound editing, best sound mixing and best cinematography. ..... the movie has already raked in $43 million at the US box office and jumped itself back to the US Top 10. ...... “The Bollywood dance scene that explodes under the closing credits feels both incongruous and earned: Young India kicking up its heels. You may even feel like dancing in the aisles yourself ....... "Boyle brings down the curtain with a musical number that registers as a gift from movie heaven. He breaks your heart, then heels it - and sends you out with a song." ....... The movie triumphed at various awards across the globe. Screen Actors Guild Awards, London Critics Circle Award, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, Satellite Awards, Toronto Film Festival, British Independent Film Award - to name a few. ........ Brad Pitt starrer reverse-ageing drama "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" leads the race with 13 nominations.
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.
I thank President Bush for his service to our nation as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.
The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less.
It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died in places Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed.
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.
The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.
We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.
We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's qualityand lower its costs.
We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.
All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched.
But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.
Our founding fathers faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.
Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.
And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.
They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy, guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We'll begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard- earned peace in Afghanistan.
With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense.
And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, "Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.
We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth.
And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet, at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.
It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break; the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours.
It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.
These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.
What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled.
In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river.
The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.
At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you.
And God bless the United States of America.
In The News Obama pledges 'era of openness' BBC News telephoned four Middle Eastern leaders - President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, King Abdullah of Jordan and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. .... Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary and Steven Chu as energy secretary. Geithner urges bailout reforms, apologizes on taxes Reuters Obama Orders Halt to Prosecutions at Guantánamo New York Times Obama takes on daunting crises on Day One AFP Obama made his first foreign leader call as US commander-in-chief to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas..... The Obamas sat in a high-powered front pew alongside Vice President Joseph Biden and his wife Jill and former president Bill Clinton and soon-to-be secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama: New US president wastes no time on first full day guardian.co.uk Gov. Jindal addresses chamber Slidell Sentry News Applause broke out several times during Jindal’s address, most notably when he announced his intention to continue pursuing the adoption of the toughest child predator laws in the nation. ....... “It’s easy to say this mess was created by Wall Street bankers, Washington lawmakers being asleep at the wheel or the big national banks,” he said. “While those things may all be partly to blame, the number one reason is our addiction to debt.” Barack Obama: New US president wastes no time on first full day guardian.co.uk EU welcomes Obama decision to suspend Guantanamo trialsHindustan Times I-10 Jindal’s priority2TheAdvocate The work will add one new lane in each direction and cost $86 million. ...... The state has submitted a $1.3 billion roads wish list for any federal stimulus package ..... widen I-12 from South Range Avenue to Walker. It would cost $120 million. After a Day of Crowds and Celebration, Obama Turns to Sobering ...New York Times Tuesday saw him in the public eye for more than 15 hours, from a prayer service at St. John’s Church near the White House early in the morning to the inauguration and subsequent parade in blisteringly cold weather, and then his attendance at all 10 official inaugural balls. ...... the president vowed “his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term India admits failed cruise missile test AFP Obama Plunges into Middle East Affairs, Economy Washington Post expand releases of documents under the Freedom of Information Act and find new ways to tap into the knowledge and experience of ordinary Americans ....... "If our policy response is tentative and incrementalist . . . then we risk greater damage to living standards, to the economy's productive potential, and to the fabric of our financial system" China Censors Part of Obama Speech New York TimesChina Central Television, or CCTV, the main state-run network, broadcast the speech live until the moment President Obama mentioned “communism” in a line about the defeat of ideologies considered anathema to Americans. After the off-screen translator said “communism” in Chinese, the audio faded out even as Mr. Obama’s lips continued to move. ....... “Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.” Transcript: Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address Michelle Obama wears it well Boston Globe The Obama Effect: Google Says President Changed Search ActivitySearch Engine Land The perils of plunging oil prices MarketWatch Stocks re-ignite their rally CNNMoney.com IBM Beats Street, Lifting StocksForbes Dell: Can It Still Grow? Barron's Blogs“Dell’s manufacturing and logistics advantages have largely been eliminated" ....... we see little that will separate it from competitors in new markets ....... the increased adoption of mobile Internet devices - netbooks - poses a serious threat to Dell. “These devices are simple and inexpensive to make by their nature, which could further commoditize the PC market and threaten Dell’s future profit growth ...... the company is “structurally challenged.” Bill Gates, others pledge $630 million to beat polio Reuters The Day Live Web Video Streaming Failed Us Washington Post Like never before, inauguration experienced onlineThe Associated Press Inauguration Is Biggest Test for Online VideoABC News Warming in Antarctica Now Looks Certain New York Times
Will Obama give WiMAX a boost? Telecoms.com The House Appropriations Committee is reportedly to have said that "for every dollar invested in broadband, the economy sees a tenfold return on that investment". WiMAX eyes $6bn grants program to boost broadbandRethink Wireless Though $6bn of this could go on improving broadband and wireless services in underserved markets, this figure is lower than many had hoped. ...... at the heart of the WiMAX argument for being the broadband wireless system of the future in north America. .... Intel is one WiMAX supporter that has started to set out the benefits of basing a new approach to wireless and broadband around the technology, on the basis that it has been devised around open access and PC-style economics, and is the most modern wireless platform with equipment currently available. Economic Stimulus Package: $6B for Broadband, Wirelessxchange Magazine The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation has said a $30 billion broadband program to close the digital divide would create about 950,000 new jobs. ...... “As the only broadband platform that is capable of providing access everywhere, all the time, wireless broadband is essential to achieving universal broadband connectivity” ........ Funding wireless broadband will spark a revolution in productivity and enable the innovation that is so essential to strengthening our economy now and in the future
I was hoping for more like $30 billion. Wireless broadband is the interstate highway of tomorrow, today and tomorrow. Suddenly the auto industry bailout feels unwise. What? You gave tens of billions to the auto industry and only six billion to Wimax? Houston, there is a problem.
Wimax is fundamental. As in, you want to break the cycle of chronic poverty in the inner cities? Bring along Wimax. You want to push lifelong education? Bring along Wimax. You want to cut costs in the health care industry? Bring along Wimax.
The stimulus package was always going to be so big, you needed to ask, is this going to be a tax and spend liberal way, or the invest and grow New Democrat way? It has to be invest and grow. It can not largely be about preserving the old industries, and the old ways.
In The News
Paterson to name Clinton successor after inauguration Newsday Obama begins train journey to Washington for inauguration Los Angeles Times "What is required is a new declaration of independence, not just in our nation, but in our own lives - from ideology and small thinking, prejudice and bigotry - an appeal not to our easy instincts but to our better angels.'' ........ Obama's train will carry his traveling party of supporters through stops in Wilmington, Del., where they will pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden, and Baltimore, Md., along the way to Washington. They will arrive in the capital on the eve of a start-studded inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial. ......... an official inaugural luncheon featuring favorite Lincoln foods. ........ whose barrier-breaking election can be viewed as the fulfillment of the long struggle for racial equality begun by Lincoln's emancipation of the slaves........ Obama confronts dire economic circumstances, two wars and the threat of terrorism ....... Since his election, Obama also has encouraged analogies to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II. Obama has told reporters he was reading a biography of Roosevelt and aides have let it be known that Obama is studying Roosevelt's first 100 days, even the words and tone Roosevelt struck. ........ made no fewer than three references to Lincoln in his victory speech at Chicago's Grant Park. ....... what book besides the Bible he would find most essential in the Oval Office, he answered with a Lincoln biography: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. ......... "Lincoln didn't even become Abraham Lincoln, at least as we know him, until he was president." ...... Lincoln used the very train trip that Obama is re-tracing to do the same thing, traveling during a stop in Philadelphia to Independence Hall to give a speech connecting his vision for the country to the principles of the founders. Lincoln often invoked Jefferson, a favorite of his Obama pitches nuts, bolts of stimulus Los Angeles Times No White House Food Fight Newsweek A leader who feels our pain about the skyrocketing price of arugula! Will Obama give WiMAX a boost? Telecoms.com The House Appropriations Committee is reportedly to have said that "for every dollar invested in broadband, the economy sees a tenfold return on that investment". WiMAX eyes $6bn grants program to boost broadbandRethink Wireless Though $6bn of this could go on improving broadband and wireless services in underserved markets, this figure is lower than many had hoped. ...... at the heart of the WiMAX argument for being the broadband wireless system of the future in north America. .... Intel is one WiMAX supporter that has started to set out the benefits of basing a new approach to wireless and broadband around the technology, on the basis that it has been devised around open access and PC-style economics, and is the most modern wireless platform with equipment currently available. Economic Stimulus Package: $6B for Broadband, Wirelessxchange Magazine The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation has said a $30 billion broadband program to close the digital divide would create about 950,000 new jobs. ...... “As the only broadband platform that is capable of providing access everywhere, all the time, wireless broadband is essential to achieving universal broadband connectivity” ........ Funding wireless broadband will spark a revolution in productivity and enable the innovation that is so essential to strengthening our economy now and in the future Comstar Debuts Mobile WiMAX Network in Russia WiMax.coma fully commercial WiMAX network in Moscow in the second quarter of 2009. Comstar has already invested approximately US$20 million in the network project in 2008 alone. ....... in the 2.5 GHz to 2.7 GHz range ..... Enforta is already serving several dozen Russian cities and has more planned. Other companies have also moved strongly to secure footholds in the Russian marketplace. Vote if you want WiMax Malaysia Star Can't forget women's soccer Seattle Times The devil is in the netbooks' details guardian.co.ukThe fourth quarter figures for PC unit sales showed a decline (compared to 2007) of 0.4%; worse, it forecast a 5.3% decline in sales for 2009 ..... Only laptops, netbooks and flatscreen TVs kept things afloat. ...... the clue for the problem that the PC industry faces in 2009, which is very likely going to be ugly. The problem is those little things that weren't there at all a year ago: the netbooks. ....... They're cheap as chips (around £200 for a Linux-based Eee PC). The margins on them are so thin ....... (the netbook supplements, rather than replaces, your ageing machine) ....... Netbooks, in other words, are going to start eating the traditional PC makers' businesses like termites discovering a wood-framed house. ....... Intel needs to sell three times as many processors for netbooks to make the same profit it does on a single laptop processor sale. ....... Netbooks are now as capable - or better - than computers of five or six years ago. ...... netbooks offer good-enough performance, especially if your internet connection is fast enough Apple loses US market share as sales slide 23%Computerworld Acer was easily the big winner last quarter, said Gartner, as it pushed Apple out of the No. 3 spot to capture 15.2% of the U.S. market and year-to-year gains of 55%. ..... attributed Acer's success to sales of inexpensive mini-notebooks. Those laptops, often dubbed "netbooks," and characterized by their small size, light weight and low price ...... Netbooks, meanwhile, typically sell for under $500, and often for considerably less. Amazon.com, for instance, sells Acer's popular Aspire One 8.9-in. netbook for under $350. ..... "The value of the market shrank as a result of competitive pricing and the introduction of lower-priced mini-notebooks" Netbooks ate 20% of regular notebook sales last yearCrunchGearfoolish laptop manufacturers have been gunning for that sub-$999 price point for years now and now that they finally hit it they can’t bring it back up to sane levels thanks to sub-$500 netbooks. Netbooks Take a Toll on AppleMotley Fool Digital TV Delay Runs Into Protest New York Times 7.8 million households were not ready for the switch. ..... our most vulnerable citizens — the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and those with language barriers Fearing Crowds, Some Avoid Inauguration Political Memo: The Making of a New Washington Insider Mr. Obama’s pivot from anti-Washington candidate to ultimate Beltway hobnobber is not surprising. Politics, if nothing else, is a game of knowing your priorities and constituencies — neither of which are static. ..... social grace notes will not save a failed presidency, and a lack of them will not ruin a successful one. “So the idea is, to be successful”
The New York Governor might like the idea of a New York Senator who is a family friend to the First Family, especially in these trying times when even the state of New York is angling for some major federal dollars.
I don't know much about Andrew Cuomo. When Bill Clinton started thinking about running for president, he saw a big gorrilla standing in his way, then New York Governor Cuomo. Good thing Gulf War I happened, and Bush I looked so popular Cuomo decided not to run. Otherwise Clinton was running scared. So I guess you could argue Andrew Cuomo is from a political family.
And the junior ended up in Clinton's cabinet. Then he famously shared a stage with Bill Clinton where the retired president said the only person on stage who did not have a political future was Bill Clinton. Cuomo ran then did not run for Governor. He became Attorney General. When he did, he had big shoes to fill. Spitzer had been a stellar Attorney General.
But like JFK said when people argued Lyndon Johnson had been great in the Senate. I agree, he said, and that is why I think he should continue in the Senate. New Yorkers elected him to be Attorney General, not Senator. I hear he has been doing a good job. So why not keep him in the job?
Caroline personifies access to the new president, sheer access. These are trying times. New York lost two of its four major banks. The finance sector is in a major league mess. The tax base stands depleted. Federal help is needed.
Cuomo looks a little more comfortable in front of the TV cameras. Is that good or bad? Neither. The dude has been in front of the press more often. That is all that means. But this is no popularity contest. I am not pushing Caroline for American Idol. I am pushing her for US Senator. That is some somber responsibility. Especially in these trying times.
I guess I have a soft spot for Caroline because she endorsed Barack at a time when I was running a little nervous on his behalf. But I am allowed that. But I would not be pushing her name if I did not think she was qualified. Bloomberg is Mayor, and he thinks her plenty qualified. (Independent For Bloomberg)
I am supporting Caroline. But then I am also supporting Blommberg for a third term. You can't be Governor and not want to get along with the Mayor of New York City. Bloomberg wants Caroline.
Barack is for Caroline, it is just that he can't say it. Harry Reid is for Caroline. Now that guy knows the US Senate. Obviously he thinks Caroline is plenty qualified. I think Charles Schumer also wants Caroline.
While the credit flow in economies like that of the US and the major European countries got mugged up, looks like the same in China went the other way and heated up, and will drive up domestic demand just when China needs it.
News is China is now officially the third largest economy, set to take the number two spot from Japan in a few years.
The Chinese success story is remarkable. China as a nation has a long collective memory. 800 years ago China was the number one nation on earth, it was not America. To the Chinese it is not about claiming the prize, it is about reclaiming the prize, reclaiming what was once theirs.
But America has democracy, America has diversity. Take the Bush Brain out of the equation, and this economy will sizzle again.
But if there is competition, it is not a race to the bottom. It is to be a win win situation. I just wish China did lend more of its money to the poor countries, and less to a country wanting to wage war.
But then China has put a major focus on Africa recently.
Even on democracy I don't see China copying America. There is a middle ground somewhere where the two need to meet. The democracy in America is not one person one vote. Loot at all the White Males in the Senate. These are Greek Gods. These are not democrats.
But the Chinese did beat the Americans at the Olympics. They got the most gold for the first time. It is as if they were saying, we know how to get organized.
And as to democracy, it is near impossible to meet Chinese in America who think China needs a different political arrangement to what it has now. These are not people in fear of the Chinese Communist Party. They are in America. The CCP is their own NAACP, making them proud.
In The News
China overtakes Germany in terms of GDP China Daily The revised growth estimate for 2007 - from 11.9 percent to 13 percent, the fastest rate since 1994 - raised the country's GDP to 25.7 trillion yuan, ($3.5 trillion) at 2007 exchange rates ..... "I think it will take only three to four years for China to overtake Japan as the second-largest economy. The US is by far still the largest economy. China overtakes Germany as third-largest economyDeutsche Welle China revises 2007 GDP growth rate to 13%Xinhua the industrial sector achieved the fastest growth followed by the service and trade sector and then agriculture. China's 2008 customs revenue up 21% to record high China Daily China’s tradeEconomist in 2007 China overtook Germany to become the world’s third-biggest economy .... China’s trade surplus rose to a record $457 billion ..... The best way for China to support its economy—and to help unwind global trade imbalances—is instead to bolster domestic demand. .... Thanks to the healthier state of its banking system, China is perhaps the only big economy where credit has heated up rather than frozen in recent months. If sustained, this could help to support domestic spending—and hence imports. China’s economy certainly can not depend on exports over the next year. China's exports, imports dropCNN International falling demand in the United States and the European Union. Can Google Challenge Microsoft In The Channel? CRN Google conquers 2008 search market in US CNET News Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan rubbishes Slumdog Millionaire guardian.co.uk the film was a big winner at Sunday's Golden Globes and is seen as a frontrunner for the Oscars .... The film is based on a novel, Q&A, by the Indian writer and diplomat Vikas Swarup ..... an Indian director making a western-style film might not meet with the attention lavished on Slumdog Millionaire: "It's just that the SM idea, authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a westerner, gets creative globe recognition. The other would perhaps not." .... he was the original host of the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, a show that resurrected his career. Film review: Slumdog Millionaire the 2005 novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup Amitabh blasts 'Slumdog Millionaire' on blogEconomic Times Report: Dell Readying Smartphone InformationWeek Obama warns of long recession without quick action International Herald Tribune Saviour of the Republicans New Statesman the best prospect for revitalising a Republican Party .... His rush of words is likely linked to the rush of his ambition, and his ambition - at 37, just two years above the minimum to be president - appears beyond restraint. ..... To understand why Republicans are so excited about Jindal (the conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh calls him "the next Ronald Reagan") .... white people are expected to become a minority by 2042. .... When John LaBruzzo, a Republican legislator in Louisiana, once asked a Jindal aide what the governor's hobby was, he says he was told it was "to read information". ...... Jindal's wonkishness could be as much a novelty as his ethnicity. ...... he has that technocratic edge to him that makes him palatable to moderates and independents ....... Jindal has sought more to find common cause with white Americans ....... some relatives in the Punjab complain that he downplays his ties to his ancestral homeland. ...... at 5ft 8in and 135lb, offers little in the way of physical presence. ....... earnest air and obvious intelligence Louisiana, Joseph Cao, Bobby Jindal and David Duke Bayou Buzz having a Indian American as our Governor and a Congressman formerly from Viet Nam as our Congressman does not mean that Louisiana would automatically vote for a black person as Governor. Clinton Is Moving to Fill Senior Posts at State Dept. New York Times Clinton Confirmation Tuesday: Caroline D-Day Next MSNBC Paterson: Kennedy lacks some experience for SenateThe Associated Press Kennedy has many positives despite never holding elective office. .... New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi of Long Island, and Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Steve Israel, Jerrold Nadler, Kirsten Gillibrand and Brian Higgins. Billions pulled out of China Financial Post Daschle vows aggressive reform as US health leader Reuters Motorola Combines WiMax, WiFi, Ethernet, VoIP In One Device InformationWeek Maybe it was love at first sight with Amitabh: Jaya Bachchan Hindustan Times“I first saw Amitji in an institute. I saw him, I liked him and I told my friends that you know he has got a personality. And they said what...he looks like a stick!" “He was very thin and his face was full of his eyes. I remember I fought with my friends and said he is different.” Obama asks Congress to delay digital TV switch Los Angeles Times Bride Wars (2009) New York Times New Voices in Congress Will Change the Tone of the Democratic Majority New York Times “You’re not going to see any wild, left-wing policymaking,” he added. “You’re not going to get the Berkeley wish-list out of this crowd.” ..... taxpayers have grown increasingly impatient with bailout after bailout. “There’s a level of frustration from people saying enough taking care of fat cats, the executives, the stockholders” ....... Steve Austria, a Republican from Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, is the first Filipino-American...... Anh (Joseph) Cao, the Republican who defeated William Jefferson in Louisiana, is the first Vietnamese-American ...... Jared Polis of Colorado is the first openly gay male candidate ...... Jews make up 13 percent of the Senate and 7 percent in the House, while Mormons are 5 percent in the Senate and 2 percent in the House. ........ The House now includes two Muslims
I can see the rationale behind the trillion dollar stimulus package. If you don't do it, you risk a deep recession, a global recession. Better a trillion now than two trillion tomorrow.
But to rely totally on the stimulus package would be to miss the mark. White collar crime style irresponsible behavior brought this about. The number one would be the Iraq War. The Iraq War has been the biggest white collar crime in history. Hitler killed six million Jews, Bush killed a million and a half Iraqis. After a half century of further civilization, a million and a half today probably is equivalent to six million back then. The white collar crime of the Iraq War - a trillion or so dollars - got mirrored in bad Wall Street behavior.
But the number one lesson to be learnt is that global finance is just like global warming, just like global terrorism, there is no national solution, not even by the mighty power of America. So the number one solution can not be the trillion dollar stimulus package, necessary as it is. The real challenge is, so how do you create a new global financial architecture? Minor tinkering with the IMF and the World Bank will not do.
When the dust on this financial mess settles, more of the global power is expected to have shifted to China. There is no free lunch.
What is Apple Inc.'s plan if CEO Steve Jobs dies? Los Angeles Times No American CEO is more intimately identified with his company's success. Jobs is deeply involved in every facet of Apple development and design, and he's justly admired for his instinct for the human-factor engineering of Apple products. He is Apple's visionary and carnival barker. ..... The Jobs role that Apple may find hardest to fill is that of one-man Supreme Court, settling disputes between warring engineering camps by decree. There have been countless battles at Apple over such things as how many buttons a mouse should have and what keys should be on its keyboards. The ultimate authority belongs to Jobs. ..... Google and its Android mobile phone operating system. ......... a CEO whose talents and personality are so inextricably entwined with a signature American brand. Writing the Web’s Future in Numerous Languages The next chapter of the World Wide Web will not be written in English alone. Asia already has twice as many Internet users as North America, and by 2012 it will have three times as many. Already, more than half of the search queries on Google come from outside the United States. ....... Quillpad, an online service for typing in 10 South Asian languages. Users spell out words of local languages phonetically in Roman letters, and Quillpad’s predictive engine converts them into local-language script. ...... India, whose online population Jupiter says is poised to become the third-largest in the world after China and the United States by 2012 ....... Wikipedia now has more entries in Indian local languages than in Korean. ...... Even among the largely English-speaking base of around 50 million Web users in India today, nearly three-quarters prefer to read in a local language ..... “Localization is the key to success in countries like India" ....... Google engineers are also plugging away on voice recognition, translation, transliteration and digital text reading that it plans to apply to other developing countries. Obama says got "choked up" leaving Chicago Reuters Sprint WiMAX misses Chicago launch, now aiming for 2H 2009 Boy Genius Report Think your WiFi is fast? WiMax is coming to Chicago The Windy Citizen Google Hopes to Open a Trove of Little-Seen Books New York Times Revenue will be generated through advertising sales on pages where previews of scanned books appear, through subscriptions by libraries and others to a database of all the scanned books in Google’s collection, and through sales to consumers of digital access to copyrighted books. Google will take 37 percent of this revenue, leaving 63 percent for publishers and authors. ........ The settlement may give new life to copyrighted out-of-print books in a digital form and allow writers to make money from titles that had been out of commercial circulation for years. Of the seven million books Google has scanned so far, about five million are in this category. ........ Even if Google had gone to trial and won the suits, said Alexander Macgillivray, associate general counsel for products and intellectual property at the company, it would have won the right to show only previews of these books’ contents. “What people want to do is read the book” ......... When the agreement was announced in October, all sides hailed it as a landmark settlement .......... In May, Microsoft ended its book scanning project, effectively leaving Google as a monopoly corporate player....... Students and faculty at universities who subscribe to the database will be able to get the full contents of all the books free. ......... a lot of reading is going to happen on screens Google Unlocks G1 Android Mobile Phone NewsOXY Bachchan's aura built on sheer talent, performances: Amir Press Trust of India Russians Raise Ukraine Gas Bill New York Times How the SEC Can Prevent More Madoffs Wall Street Journal Dell Elevates Insiders in Strategy Change Wall Street Journal 'Marley & Me' stays No. 1 at box office Los Angeles Times
The house is on fire. America and the world can not afford a meltdown of the American financial infrastructure. The bailout is water. The stimulus package is water. Putting out the fire is important. But the real task is going to be to build a new house, a new tower. The Twin Towers will be gone when the dust settles.
No piecemeal approach will work. All three big challenges ask for holistic approaches. And because they all do, you can learn from one to the other. If you can make peace in the Middle East, perhaps you can also fix global finance, perhaps you can also tackle global warming.
