Jobless claims surge to a 16-year high

Initial unemployment filings rise to 542,000 and number of Americans continuing on benefits nears 26-year high.

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Einstein's Formula Finally Proven

It's taken more than a century, but Einstein's celebrated formula e=mc2 has finally been corroborated, thanks to a heroic computational effort by French, German and Hungarian physicists.

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Obama Team Springs Leaks

Obama Campaign Was Tight-Lipped, But Rumors Are Now Disrupting Plan For Announcing Cabinet Nominees

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U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukaseyl Collapses During Speech

U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed while delivering a speech on national security at a hotel in Washington on Thursday, CNN reported.

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iPhone 2.2 firmware update available now

It's here. Google Street View, over the air Podcast downloads from iTunes and much more.

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What Recession? Bentley Debuts Its Most Opulent Car Ever

The economy has tanked, no one's buying cars anymore and the entire auto industry is in a tail-spin. But such things don't matter when you build cars that cost more than your neighbor's house, and Bentley's pulled the silk sheet off a convertible that brings new meaning to "over the top."

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Roger W. Ferguson For Treasury Secretary

Many Americans have lost confidence in our government and the actions of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulsen are a key reason why. Paulsen does not understand the system of relationships between financial institutions, companies, and their employees who are losing jobs. So he does not know where to apply the bailout money.

Many Americans have lost confidence in our government and the actions of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulsen are a key reason why. Paulsen does not understand the system of relationships between financial institutions, companies, and their employees.

The person I recommend to replace him and to serve President Obama, is Roger W. Ferguson. Dr. Ferguson was Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. During 9-11 it was he who steered the World's financial system out o collapse by working with the G-7. Ferguson was at one point mentioned to be the President of Harvard University. Currently, he is CEO of TIAA / Cref and on President-Elect Obama's Transition Team.

McClellan: George W. Bush Outed CIA Agent Valerie Plame

11/15/08 Scott McClellan on C-SPAN Book TV

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Dick Cheney , Alberto Gonzales indicted by Texas grand jury

A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County's federal detention centers.

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Al-Qaida No. 2 insults Obama with race epithet

Speaking in Arabic, al-Zawahri uses the term "abeed al-beit," which literally translates as "house slaves." But al-Qaida supplied English subtitles of his speech that included the translation as "house negroes."

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Pamela Anderson Wants Obama to Check Out Her Huge Ideas

Pamela Anderson has written an open letter to Barack Obama, outlining ways to make the country better. She wrote on her official blog: "I think we should legalise marijuana, tax and monitor - farm hemp etc. This would make our borders less corrupt and then I think eventually this will be a more secure option and save children in the long run."

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Apple developing always-on iPhone status indicators

Apple has conceptualized a means of displaying icon-like status indicators on the iPhone's displays even when the handset is locked and the backlight turned off, a new company filing shows.

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Man cut off his own head with chainsaw after losing eviction

The last resident in a block of flats due to be demolished cut his own head off with a chainsaw to highlight the 'injustice' of being asked to move out, an inquest heard today.

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President Bush At G-20: No One Shakes His Hand

This is both disturbing and amusing because it seems to show how unpopular President Bush is. On the other hand, he's not shaking hands either. Regardless, the video speaks volumes about the U.S. reputation around the World under Bush II.

UPDATE: According to CNN's Jeannie Moost, the Bush White House says that the President already shook all of the hands of the leaders twice.

The Situation Room, Wolf Blitzer and The CNN iReport

This is my video based on an email I received from Nicole Saidi, CNN.com's Senior Assistant Producer, requesting a video on my thoughts on how iReport was used on The Situation Room's Mike Hukabee segment.  

Home Depot Founder: Retailers Who Don't Support GOP should be SHOT!

"If a retailer has not gotten involved with this, if he has not spent money on this election, if he has not sent money to Norm Coleman and these other guys," Mr. Marcus said, apparently referring to Republican senators facing tough re-election fights, then those retailers "should be shot; should be thrown out of their goddamn jobs." Evidently the current economic down-turn is no concern at Home Depot: he's willing to write off the majority of the voters in this country. Can you smell pride? Will the growing boycott bring down a retailer?

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Ann Curry Of NBC News Today Show Climbs Mt. Kilaminjaro

Thanks to Rachel Sklar's tweet on Twitter I saw this interesting video on NBC News' Ann Curry's effort to climb Mt. Kilaminjaro to "inform Americans on how conditions there have changed," according to NBC News Anchor Brian Williams.  

Jane Tyska v. Art Michel - Michel Gets "Class Five Schmuck Alert"

There's a blog called "Schmuck Alert" that got wind of our Oakland Focus Blog posts on the way Oakland Police Chief Art Michel treated Oakland Tribune photographer Jane Tyska a few weeks back. Schmuck Alert wrote that in Michel's behavior, they've seen "calmer reactions at school bus collisions."   Today, the Alameda County, California DA elected not to file charges against Tyska. 

Jane Tyska v. Art Michel Alameda County DA Does Not File Charges Against Tyska

Today's Oakland Tribune contains happy news for Oakland Tribune photographer Jane Tyska, myself, and others in the media.  The Alameda County District Attorney has declined to file charges against Tyska, who was wrongly accused of vadalism and inciting a riot by irate Oakland School District Police Chief Art Michel.  Were it not for Tyska's quick thinking to video the entire interaction with Michel,  the officer would have gotten away with filing a false police report and defaming Tyska's character.  


I for one and very happy for Jane, almost to tears.  I don't care how that reads, it's not appropriate for anyone in a position of authority, and especially carrying firearms to act in the way Michel did, who reportedly has mistreated Tyska before .  If you hav not seen the video that was "seen round Oakland" and part of the World, here it is:





The next question is what's next? Will the Oakland Tribune file charges? Will Jane? Or is this the end. Time will tell.

Frappr Map - Trying It Out

Robert Scoble On China's New Disruptive Manufacturing Techniques

I am a frequent reader of Robert Scoble's blog "Scobleizer" and it's seldom without a great tip or observation.  While Robert's political views may be more to the "slight-right" on mine, it's no matter for he always has his finger on the New Media and Tech pulse.  Moreover, he's always ready with great advise, as he gave in my TechCrunch party video, which is long, but worth another look if you have 41 minutes to spare:












In this case, it's Tech.


In his  blog , Scoble discusses the new developments in Manufacturing Tech, and the work of a man named Liam Casey, who's the founder of PCH.   To avoid stealing thunder from Scoble, I'll report that it means you can go to a website and special order a car or computer, rather than the "one-car-fits-all" approach we have today.


That's of no surprise to me.  It's a direction the industrialized World has been on path toward this kind of development every since Dr. McCoy put in a card and out came instant hot chicken soup in a bowl on the Enterprise, and that was in the '60s.


But what's interesting is the kind of businesses that Scoble says we should be in:

"Now, get over your fears, because there are tons of new jobs in this new world, too, you just need to see how this changes everything and then take advantage of the new opportunities. Where are the high value bits in this whole process?

Not the manufacturing.

The real value and profit is in two places: R&D and coming up with new businesses and new ideas. Take, for instance, the Chumby which was designed at a Tim O’Reilly Foocamp and who’s company still has less than a handful of people. Chumby is the new post disruptive business model. Want a job? This is how to do it. Hang out at Foocamp. Come up with an interesting business. Get funding. Go see PCH. Profit! Well, yes, there are a few details involved there.

Other jobs that’ll open up? Anything involved in building brands. Marketing, PR, blogging/Twittering/FriendFeeding, building web experiences, videos, going to conferences to show off new products to audiences, etc."

Obama's Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy

In the first two weeks since the election, President-elect Barack Obama has broken with a tradition established over the past eight years through his controversial use of complete sentences, political observers say.

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Zennie Abraham's Visit To CNN Atlanta HQ and iReport Team

This is a video of my visit to the CNN Atlanta Headquarters and to meet the iReport and CNN International people who've been so good to me. I took my Mom as I thought it would be a treat for her as well, especially since she keeps her TV on CNN.  


The iReport staff is pretty much like one would see at any Bay Area Internet startup and so I fell right in with their culture. Fun people. Jessica Ellis of CNN International who "discovered me" for the iReport coverage at the Democratic Convention, gave us a great tour of CNN from a behind the scenes view -- not the standard tourist tour.


Thanks to Jessica, Errol Barnett, David Washington, and the iReport and CNN International staff for being so great.

This Thursday Night on Football Reporters Online

Another Informative show this Thursday night at Football Reporters Online! Professor Leonard Marshall Joins us! He is Currently an Instructor and executive in residence at Seton Hall University's Stillman School of Business, but most Football Fans will Remember him as #70 for the NY Giants during the 1980's and early 1990's, the Man who put the hit on Joe Montana in the 1990 NFC title game that eventually would put off the 49ers squad. He will Join us to discuss why the Retired NFL players aren't getting what they deservefrom the Union, His own GPF(Game Plan Foundation) andhis Youth Football Camp in Florida each summer.
Hear the Show at www.blogtalkradio.com/Football-Reporters

A Sneak Peek at 4 Scenes from 'Star Trek'

Paramount Pictures had a special presentation of some really cool footage from J.J. Abrams "Star Trek" here in NYC. Overall, the footage was really REALLY hot and there looks like there are gonna be some stand out performances. Here is a breakdown of what was shown

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Mayor Mark Begich Wins Alaska Senate Race, Beats Sen Ted Stevens

According to the blog "Clintonistas for Obama ", Anchorage, Alaska Democratic Mayor Mark Begich has beaten Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.  Begich is ahead by 3,724 votes, with fewer votes than that to be counted.  


This means that there are now 58 Democrats in the Senate.  President-Elect Barack Obama needs just two more wins to reach the "filibuster-proof" mark of 60 Dems.    Two races remain: Republican Georgia Senator Saxby Chambiss in a runoff against Democrat Jim Martin, and Republican Norm Coleman vs. Dem Al Frankin in Minnesota, in a vote recount too close to call.  

Phil Tagami's Bay Cruise and Oakland Talk - August 31, 2008

I finally got the chance to edit, compress, and upload this boat ride I took with my friend Phil Tagami on August 31st of this year. Phil's a real estate developer and managing partner of California Commercial Investments / California Commercial Group.  He also has his own video show here called "Tagami Vision."


He successfully redeveloped the Oakland Rotunda, in downtown Oakland, CA, and is now working on the recreation of the Oakland Fox Theater. Listen to this video because Phil gives a great view of the economic state of development not just in Oakland, but in the United States.


Also, keep in mind this video was before the election and just after John Edwards annouced that he had been in an affair. Tagami supported Edwards, but later and through the election threw his support to now President-Elect Barack Obama.

Al Davis, Jim Fassel, and The Oakland Raiders Need For A Head Coach

Jim Fassel says he wants to coach the Oakland Raiders. I think he should hold off on that before he hears my take. To make it work, Mr. Davis, the Manager of the General Partner of the Raiders, needs to really give the head coach power to be...head coach. 

Al Davis, Jim Fassel, and The Oakland Raiders Need For A Head Coach

Jim Fassel says he wants to coach the Oakland Raiders. I think he should hold off on that before he hears my take. To make it work, Mr. Davis, the Manager of the General Partner of the Raiders, needs to really give the head coach power to be...head coach. 

President-Elect Barack Obama On 60 Minutes

My take on President Elect Barack Obama's appearance on 60 miniutes Sunday.  He and Michelle -- First Lady Elect -- performed very well.  Well, performed is the wrong word, because they didn't seem to be putting on an act.  They were honest and forthright.  My only advice at this point is for Obama to tuck his suit in as he sits to do a YouTube presentation.  

The un-Obamesque "Clinton as Secretary of State" Leak

Remember how little drama came from the Obama campaign? Almost no leaks, a tight ship unlike anything in politics previously? "Leave the speculation to somebody with a crystal ball: live in the present, and enjoy the way the Obama administration takes shape." Good advice from a political observer who's avoiding speculation on even WHY it leaked...

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Star Trek Trailer Reveals Hit Star Trek Movie For J.J. Abrams

 Well four days ago I had this music in a dream then in my head I could not figure out how it got there. It was sci-fi like and could either be in a horror movie or a sci-fi flim. Then I saw the second Star Trek trailer, and it was that music.

I kid you not.

The second Star Trek trailer reveals a movie that will be a sure-fire hit. J.J. Abrams, who directed the movie and co-produced it, and his staff aimed for a mix of realism and Star Trek and hit it right on the money.

I do hope we can see William Shatner in it, but I understand why he made this difficult -- he'll be sorry. But I hope he's in it with Leonard Nimoy.


Zennie On CNN  

Si Port's Jing Hua Wu Who Shot Three Co-Workers, To Be Arraigned Wednesday

In what has to be the most unfortunate case of temporary insanity, Jing Hua Wu, who went berserk and shot three co-workers at the radio chip maker Si Port, is going to be arraigned in San Jose this Wednesday.

I certainly hope this is the only case of it's kind for a long as there's a poor economy. Wu killed his fellow employees, Marilyn Lewis, 67, of San Jose, the company's head of human resources; Brian Pugh, 47, of Los Altos, vice president for operations; and Sid Agrawal, 56, of Fremont, the company's co-founder and chief executive, after he learned he was going to be fired.

I don't understand why this father of three would do that, but as TechCrunch' Michael Arrington put it , it's a sad day in Silicon Valley.

Si Port's Jing Hua Wu Who Shot Three Co-Workers, To Be Arraigned Wednesday

In what has to be the most unfortunate case of temporary insanity, Jing Hua Wu, who went berserk and shot three co-workers at the radio chip maker Si Port, is going to be arraigned in San Jose this Wednesday.

I certainly hope this is the only case of it's kind for a long as there's a poor economy. Wu killed his fellow employees, Marilyn Lewis, 67, of San Jose, the company's head of human resources; Brian Pugh, 47, of Los Altos, vice president for operations; and Sid Agrawal, 56, of Fremont, the company's co-founder and chief executive, after he learned he was going to be fired.

I don't understand why this father of three would do that, but as TechCrunch put it , it's a sad day in Silicon Valley.

Prince Was Pro-Prop 8 - Rocker Turning Christian Conservative

In what has to be the shocker news item of the day, Gawker reports the famous Rocker Prince has said he's against homosexuality. He's reported to have said this:


When asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage, abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’


Funny, because a number of people thought Prince was Gay; not me. But I'm just saying. Still Prince seems to fall in line with the majority of voting African Americans in California who supported Prop 8. I write that because Prince did not say how he voted on Prop 8.

Chevron Nigeria: Niger Delta Pipeline Shutdown May Be Work Of Rogue Militant Groups

In the ongoing set of problems that is the relationship between Chevron and Nigeria, and as the trial of Bowoto v. Chevron, continues in San Francisco, we have this latest report from Saturday, November 15th, where the pipeline facility in the western part of the Niger Delta was shut down and while the actual reason for this was not reported, speculation was that a militant group was responsible for the damage.

The relevance to the Bowoto case is the organization responsible seems to have ties to the organization Bowoto belonged to. But the real problem is the poor state of Nigerian economic development.

The speculation for this is based on an incident of June 23, 2008, as reported in All Africa.Com.

In that account, Cynthia Whyte, the representative of the militant organization The Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), said that her organization took responsibility for the act of terrorism:

Spokesperson for the Joint Revolutionary Council, Cythia Whyte who disclosed this yesterday in Port-Harcourt in an on-line message said attacks on key oil installations in the region will continue as long as the federal government continues to short change the people of the oil-rich region.

Only last, Saturday, Chevron suffered a big loss in its Abiteye Olero crude oil line near Escravos resulting in the shutting down of operations at the terminal which produces more than 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

"More of such attacks will continue as long as our people continue to be short changed in the affairs of the Nigerian state", the Whyte said, adding that. "Violence begets violence. If they attack us, then we too would follow that option. No one has the monopoly of violence. Rebellion against tyranny is righteousness before God. We have suffered enough.

"If the armed forces of the Nigerian state attack our people, then we too will attack their people. It will be a war between David and Goliath. Our strength is in our belief in the Almighty God and in the fact that the people of the Niger Delta deserve a better deal."

But while the JRC was the culprit in the June pipeline attack, it appears that the Saturday pipeline damage may have been caused by a rogue organization. I found this account, again by Ms. Whyte in Sahara Reporter, that was posted just on Friday, November 14th, and regarding a kidnapping of a person -- Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs -- who was described as "a peacemaker."

Whyte said:

Dear People,

It is with great shame in our hearts and with deep apologies to key stakeholders in this sojourn that we have borne thus far, that we announce that in the early hours of yesterday, at about 1.30 am and thereafter, renegade gunmen and outlawed units of the Joint Revolutionary Council (comprising of the Reformed Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta and the Martyrs Brigade) in a rare show of shame attacked the residence of a honored son of the Niger Delta, peacemaker, philanthropist and hardworker, Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, taking into captivity his wife Sienye.

While we mourn this misadventure by a band of misguided and mis-informed youths, we plead with the family of Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs to please forgive this wickedness that had been done to them. It was an act of the devil working gladly in the hearts of men.

Let us also announce herewith that the Movement of Niger Delta People (MONDP) is no longer a member of the JRC alliance. The struggle for the liberation and emancipation of the people of the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory must never be tampered with criminality and banditry.

Only a few weeks ago, in a usual show of rare philanthropy and with the guidance of the President of the Ijaw National Congress and Pro-Chancellor of the Niger Delta University Professor Kimse Okoko, Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs had given the go-ahead for the construction of a 500 room hostel facility for the Niger Delta University. It is evil to repay good with evil.

Let us however assure all that Mrs. Lulu-Briggs will be safely returned to her family in the next few hours. She has already been released but is currently in transit to safe grounds.

Make no mistake, justice will be done.

Thank you very much.

Cynthia Whyte

Spokesperson, Joint Revolutionary Council

Chief Lulu Briggs is more than just a peacemaker, he's in the oil business and is the CEO of Moni Pulo , an oil producer in the region. His direct ties to Chevron are not exactly clear, but Moni Pulo, like Chevron, is a major tax-paying oil company in Nigeria. The Chief's kidnapping undoubtely is related to his oil business. Where he's represented by Nigeria's top law firms.

More to the point, because he's Nigerian and successful, it's possible that the rogue group sees him as part of "the problem" of poor Nigerian economic development.

But that action is further evidence that Chevron's problems in the region are more complicated than the "Black v. White" veil that the Amazon Defense Coalition paints. Indeed, with such actions as this kidnapping, it's clear that there are warring militant factions with different agendas.

Why did Whyte not reveal that Chief Lulu-Briggs was a major player in the oil business? Are they being paid by his company? Whatever the case, the situation is a muddled one, and such that the attack on Chevron pipelines in June delayed the annoucement of these jobs, which were only now just posted two weeks ago from this writing in November 5th in AllJobs Nigeria:

Chevron: Vacancies @ Escravos Terminal!
« on: November 05, 2008, 12:05:34 PM »
Warehouse Superintendent - Escravos - Nigeria
Employer: Soul Resources Limited
Desired Expertise: Mechanic
Experience: 4+ years
Education: Some College
Salary: Negotiable
Location: Escravos, Nigeria
Date Updated: 10/29/2008

Job Description:
Soul resources requires a Warehouse Superintendent for their clients projects Natural Gas Conversion Project located in Escravos, Nigeria.

Warehouse Superintendent
Location – Escravos – Nigeria


Mission:

To ensure efficient and cost-effective management of warehouses, guaranteeing constant, optimised service in the fulfilment of projects and work orders

Tasks:


* To co-ordinate the organisation of storage facilities, and to ensure their optimal positioning in terms of cost-efficiency and geographical coverage.
* To ensure efficient and cost-effective management of warehouses, guaranteeing reception, storage, preservation and distribution of consumable materials.
* To ensure prompt distribution of materials on request of operative work orders or maintenance, guaranteeing the optimisation of services provided to projects.
* To guarantee monitoring of deadlines and the notification of delays in the delivery of materials by suppliers, to request intervention of the organs responsible.
* To guarantee that materials are checked in compliance with established specifications.
* To guarantee the structuring of inventory procedures regarding stored equipment and spare parts and of updating procedures.
* To ensure correct taking of inventories and the notification of obsolete spare parts or materials for elimination.
* To guarantee that samples by checking at least 2% of coded goods in loading are taken
* To guarantee that samples to check the correctness of handling operations are taken
* To locate warehouse stocks subject to slow handling, obsolescence and/or in excess of normal requirements
* To organise the warehouse, checking that the company procedures are implemented correctly, and ensuring training of warehouse personnel as regards accounting and IT procedures
* To identify and prearrange material storage sites, and to co-ordinate the physical depositing of spare parts and materials
* To guarantee / carry out audits / inspections in the stores in accordance with the company procedures.


Terms:

Role: Warehouse Superintendent
Location: Escravos - Nigeria
Rotation: 56 / 21
Flights: Provided
Contract duration: 25 months
Salary: Negotiable
Monthly overseas allowance: Available
Overtime: Paid
Completion Bonus: Available
Retention Bonus: 10% of total earnings after completion of work and/or contract.
Accommodation: Camp accommodation with full boarding
Start date : Asap


If you are interested in this position please forward your resume to gursh@soulresources.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E/I Supervisors FPSO
Employer: Soul Resources Limited
Desired Expertise: Electrical Engineering, Instrument Engineer, FPSO experience
Experience: 3+ years
Education: High School/Secondary
Location: Nigeria and Brazil,
Date Updated: 10/30/2008

Job Description:
Soul Resources is urgently seeking to recruit an two E/I Supervisor for offshore Brazil and Offshore Nigeria onboard an FPSOs as follows:


* Locations; Offshore Brazil and Offshore Nigeria- FPSO
* Start date: As soon as is possible
* Duration;12 months renewable contract
* Rotation; 28 days on and 28 days off
* Salary; Negotiable x 12 months paid net of local taxes
* Flights; Provided by the client
* Insurance/Medical; Provided by the client


If you wish to be considered for the above position, please send an updated copy of your CV/Resume to recruit@soulresources.com

From this, it's clear that the real problem is between the Nigerian government and wealthy Nigerians, and Chevron and other organizations are caught in the middle, dealing with a very complex set of cultural economic issues and relationships than defy simplicity. To paint this as the Amazon Defense Coalition has is just plain intellectually sloppy at best, and ignorant at worst.

One should look at the very government of Nigeria itself. But the relationship to Bowoto v. Chevron is clear to me: what relationships did Mr. Bowoto have to these organizations -- or their variants -- at the time of the events that led to the lawsuit? Was Bowoto with an organization that was the precursur to the Joint Revolutionary Council? What about the rogue groups within the JRC? Why? Because if he was in some way, it could be that he's partcipated in such acts as kidnapping in the past.

But this is not to demonize any one person but an organization: Nigeria's Economic Development efforts have been an abysmal failure, and African Scholar Ukoha Ukiko has pointed to this problem of not just the oil companies, but the state itself. Interethnic violence is the rule of the day, and Militant groups have successfully shut down oil production on several occastions since the turn of the 21st Century. An article referenced here -- "Alienation and Militancy In Nigeria and The Niger Delta - 2003" -- summed it up best:

This history of conflict notwithstanding, the Ijaw violence of March and April departs fundamentally from prior patterns.First, although Ijaw grievances still include significant local concerns, their focus is increasingly at the national level,directed at flaws in the national electoral process, resentmentof Nigeria's national army, and most notably inequities in the national formula for allocation of oil wealth. This last grievance has intensified significantlysince the Federal Court decision determining that off-shore oil production is a national asset and hence not subject to the 13 percentderivation formula for Delta communities (which holds that 13 percent of the revenue derived from natural resourcesshould be paid to the states where it is produced). Inaggregate, Ijaw mobilization now extends well outside the Delta region and can no longer be dismissed as an outlier issue limited largely to localized concerns that are relativelyeasy to contain. President Obasanjo, now in his second term,will need to confront Delta grievances reflecting broader national concerned ”resource allocation, political access,corruption” for which he will bear ultimate responsibility.

In closing, I've installed my video interview with Don Campbell of Chevron who explains the oil companies.

Obama Will Reach Out To The "Other 46 Percent" - Reacting To Brian Solis

I just read Brian Solis otherwise well-considered blog post entitled "Barack Obama, The Social Web, and the Future of User-Generated Governance", and I have to totally disagree with his central idea that because of Senator Obama's huge win -- a landslide in the electoral college -- that the "losing side" of the coin of the election will not be reached. 

I take issue with this for two reasons: the failing economy and the need for government aide will cauuse a good portion of "the other 46 percent" to pay attention to President Obama.

I remind Brian and others that the reason Barack Obama won the 2008 election is 1) the failing economy, and 2) the fact that the Republicans' expressed reliance on "the free market" (the adherence to the belief in the existence of such which I take for intellectual laziness because it's a reason to do nothing), as well as 3) market failure is in part what helped Obama "over the top". (Solis is right about the other aspect components of Obama's victory.)

But my assertion is that the economy's continued deterioration will cause even Obama's detractors to look to hear and see what he's going to do about it. Our economy is tanking. Citicorp is set to lay of 9,000 people. Google's feeling the crunch. American Express wants a cut of the Bailout money.

We're in trouble. The "free market" is too sick to get us out of it, and it's actually under the influence of a confluence of international government actions. Everyone in America is waiting for us to act, and those who didn't support President-Elect Obama will watch on television and discover YouTube to see what he does.

Enter Barack Obama.

First Glimpse of the Star Trek Trailer (video)

You can see the glorious (and surprising) Star Trek trailer if you check out the new James Bond flick this weekend. Some people have already had this privilege, and they managed to upload the contents of their memories via a mobile device. So now we have the trailer right here! Cautious optimism. It looks fresh and cool.

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Activists throw flour on fur-clad Lindsay Lohan

U.S. actress Lindsay Lohan has been pelted with a flour bomb on arrival at a Paris nightclub wearing a fur stole.Animal rights activists showered the 22-year-old actress with flour when she went to the VIP Room Theater in the early hours of Saturday with her friend, disc jockey Samantha Ronson.

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20 Great Online Image Editors

The online image editing space has grown rapidly in the past year, providing great free and subscription-based options for users of all levels. These well-rounded services let you import images from your social networks, touch up photos, promote your work, and more.

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Are Our Brains Becoming “Googlized?”

Are our brains being rewired by using the Internet? The evidence tends to be pointing that way. With internet usage, a significantly bigger piece of neural real estate lit up on the fMRI indicating that more parts of the brain were engaged.

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Michigan Football-Worst Season in 129 Years!!!

Michigan sank to an all-time low on a day as miserable as its season. C.J. Bacher threw touchdown passes on his first two drives of the second half to lift Northwestern to a 21-14 win Saturday over the Wolverines, handing them eight losses overall and five at home for the first time in the storied program's 129-year history.

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The Center-Right Political Myth

We have been hearing pundits saying this is a center-right country on television for the last couple of weeks, despite all available evidence. CNN even did a poll a week after the election to ask people if they wanted the country to head in a Democratic direction. We already had that poll - it was called Election Day!

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T. Boone Pickens Expects Obama to Implement Pickens' Plan

Billionaire American entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens is optimistic that the Obama administration will bring the United States’ energy infrastructure into the new millennium by implementing his plan for energy independence.

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Berkeley's Robert Reich Blog Seems To Point To Bailout Of The American Taxpayer

Berkeley Professor of Public Policy Robert Reich became famous for a book called "The Next American Frontier" where he favored a kind of American Industrial Policy while at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. That book, and "American Industry in International Competition" and "The New Industrial State" by John Kenneth Galbraith, plus a healthy practice of system dynamics modeling, helped to form my current economic view.


Currently, Reich serves as what he describes as an "informal advisor" to President-Elect Barack Obama.  In his blog, which I'd wish he'd break up into subject portions for linking, Reich points to the big "C" - Consumers -- as being at the heart of the economic problem. He writes:

The real problem is on the demand side of the economy.


Consumers won't or can't borrow because they're at the end of their ropes. Their incomes are dropping (one of the most sobering statistics in Friday's jobs report was the continued erosion of real median earnings), they're deeply in debt, and they're afraid of losing their jobs.


Introductory economic courses explain that aggregate demand is made up of four things, expressed as C+I+G+exports. C is consumers. Consumers are cutting back on everything other than necessities. Because their spending accounts for 70 percent of the nation's economic activity and is the flywheel for the rest of the economy, the precipitous drop in consumer spending is causing the rest of the economy to shut down.


I is investment. Absent consumer spending, businesses are not going to invest.


Exports won't help much because the of the rest of the world is sliding into deep recession, too. (And as foreigners -- as well as Americans -- put their savings in dollars for safe keeping, the value of the dollar will likely continue to rise relative to other currencies. That, in turn, makes everything we might sell to the rest of the world more expensive.)


That leaves G, which, of course, is government. Government is the spender of last resort. Government spending lifted America out of the Great Depression. It may be the only instrument we have for lifting America out of the Mini Depression. Even Fed Chair Ben Bernanke is now calling for a sizable government stimulus. He knows that monetary policy won't work if there's inadequate demand.


So the crucial questions become (1) how much will the government have to spend to get the economy back on track? and (2) what sort of spending will have the biggest impact on jobs and incomes?


The answer to the first question is "a lot." Given the magnitude of the mess and the amount of underutilized capacity in the economy-- people who are or will soon be unemployed, those who are underemployed, factories shuttered, offices empty, trucks and containers idled -- government may have to spend $600 or $700 billion next year to reverse the downward cycle we're in.

The solution, in my view, is to give the American Taxpayer a $4,200 per-person check, each. Then form a plan to subsidize labor costs in selected export industries and rather than pick the firms, let them fill out an online application for assistance and make it so everyone knows who's applying for it and who got it. Finally, the massive infrastruture reinvestment program is part of this, too. But the idea is that the check will help American workers during this time of economic adjustment and even reach those -- like Joe The Plumber -- who can't file for unemployment insurance.

President-Elect Barack Obama's Video Adress For Saturday, February 15, 2008

Here, President-Elect Obama calls for Congress to act swiftly on economic relief for the Auto Industry.

Barack Obama's Radio Address, November 15, 2008

Get your own at Scribd or explore others:  Politics    Campaigns and Electi    radio address    Barack Obama  

Barack Obama Collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian Comics - Fun Facts About Barack

Ok.  So you're wondering what President-Elect Obama's weird and little known likes and interests are? Here's a list just presented by Denise Hawkins on the Obama listserv:

He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics

• He was known as "O'Bomber" at high school for his skill at  basketball

• His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili

• His favourite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini

• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir,  Dreams

   From My Father

• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be  left-handed

• He has read every Harry Potter book

• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali

• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and  now

   can't stand ice cream

• His favourite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars

• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while  living in

   Indonesia

• He can speak Spanish

• While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had  sports

   channels on instead

• His favourite drink is black forest berry iced tea

• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for  president –

   he didn't

• He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia

• He can bench press an impressive 200lbs

• He was known as Barry until university when he asked to be  addressed

   by his full name

• His favourite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

• He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his

   half-sister's fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived

• His desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy

• He and Michelle made $4.2 million (£2.7 million) last year,  with

   much coming from sales of his books

• His favourite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the  Cuckoo's Nest  

• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet  belonging

   to a soldier in Iraq for good luck

• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at  Harvard, but was

   rejected by the all-female committee.

• His favourite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and  The Fugees

• He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing  on their

   first date

• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker

• He doesn't drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol

• He would have liked to have been an architect if he were not a politician

• As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and cocaine

• His daughters' ambitions are to go to Yale before becoming an actress

   (Malia, 10) and to sing and dance (Sasha, 7)

• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the  backside

• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing  his book deal

• His house in Chicago has four fire places

• Daughter Malia's godmother is Jesse Jackson's daughter Santita

• He says his worst habit is constantly checking his BlackBerry

• He uses an Apple Mac laptop

• He drives a Ford Escape Hybrid, having ditched his gas-guzzling  Chrysler

   300 SUV

• He wears $1,500 (£952) Hart Schaffner Marx suits

• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes

• He has his hair cut once a week by his Chicago barber, Zariff,  who charges

   $21 (£13)

• His favourite fictional television programmes are Mash and The  Wire

• He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service  handlers

• He was nicknamed "Bear" by his late grandmother

• He plans to install a basketball court in the White House  grounds

• His favourite artist is Pablo Picasso

• His speciality as a cook is chilli

• He has said many of his friends in Indonesia were "street  urchins"

• He keeps on his desk a carving of a wooden hand holding an egg,  a Kenyan

   symbol of the fragility of life

• His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan  government

"Lost" Inauguration Hotel Reservations Prompt New Facebook Page

Are you one of those who had the presence of mind to make your inauguration reservations earlier this year, only to have recently gotten a call from a hotel representative stating that your well-earned hotel room was "lost" are undoubtedly irate -- but not alone. 

Such reports have spawned this new Facebook Page called "Hotels "Losing" Reservations for The Inauguration".   This is what it's creator reports:

Have any of you who may have booked hotel rooms in the DC area for the inauguration months and months ago, suddenly received a phonecall from the hotel informing you that due to some sort of "computer malfunction" you no longer have a room reserved?

This just happended to me yesterday, and I'm trying to find out if this is starting to happen to many supporters. As I'm sure you're all aware, they are estimating there will be well over a million people coming to DC for this inauguration, and hotels that weren't already booked solid jacked their rates to rape people. That's bad enough, but now...I'm trying to get a feel for whether they are also now starting to "lose" reservations for people who booked months ago at lower rates, so they can resell those rooms at the rape rates.

As you might imagine, I am RAGING over this. I booked 2 rooms (for 6 of us) at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Greenbelt, MD back on May 11th, before Obama even won the primary! I have email confirmations on my reservations. In addition, I called the hotel directly 2 days after the election to reconfirm verbally they still showed my reservation, which they did. And now....magically....they tell me that the reservation never made it from the Hilton central system into their property system. I've spoken with a friend of mine in the hospitality industry, and she assures me they are blowing smoke up my skirt.

So, while I continue to call the hotel every hour on the hour, demanding that the general manager do something to rectify this situtation, I am attempting to find anywhere to stay. I worked 2 years on this campaign, and I'm heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to attend this historic event. There truly are zero hotel vacancies within a 250 mile radius of DC. I've been searching house rental sites, but I'm not having any luck there either. I'm livid.

If any of you have reservations, I would HIGHLY recommend you contact your hotels and reconfirm that they really do show you with a room...and somehow get them to confirm that in blood.

If any of you are experiencing the same problem that I have, please let me know. I think if we discover this has turned into an epidemic, we need to somehow get this out as a major story in the MSM and on the web. I would think a story about grassroots supporters getting screwed by corporate hotel chains would be a story that journalists would love. At the very least, I need to find a way to make Hilton pay dearly for this.

Also....if anyone is aware of someone in the DC area who would be willing to rent their house to a group of 6 of us, please contact me.

If you have been screwed by your hotel, please contact me with your story. I do NOT want to let them get away with this.

How Blogging Is Like An Election Campaign - A Set of Tips 1. You need a story

I saw what is an interesting take on Blogging and how it's like an election campaign, and since we just experienced and participated in one, I thought it was appropriate.  I found it at Problogger and it's by "Trish" of "Ideas for Women."

I disagree that a Blogger should take a break, not that Bloggers should not, but one has to make sure there's a constant churn of information -- posts -- daily.  I read somewhere -- I think here at Technorati -- that the most successful blogs had between four and 30 posts a day.  That's work. 

Here's an excerpt:

I followed this year’s U.S. presidential election pretty closely on T.V. and also volunteered for one of the candidates. Over I time I began to notice some parallels between running a successful campaign and a successful blog.

I don’t plan to ever run for president - but I would like to have a more successful blog. I would also like to share what I learned and hope that it will be helpful to other bloggers.



1. You need a story

Both of the presidential candidates and their running mates had a story. John McCain was a P.O.W., Sarah Palin, a hockey mom. Joe Biden was from Scranton, Pennsylvania and stuttered as kid. Barack Obama’s story is that he is the “son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas”.

The details of the stories don’t really matter. What matters is how they /framed/ their story - their story had to be everyone else’s story - a story people could relate to.

Editorial: Abusive police chief needs to go

THE OAKLAND SCHOOL district should fire the chief of its small police force for his abusive behavior caught on tape as he inappropriately detained an Oakland Tribune journalist during a student protest against immigration raids after striking her with his car.

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