So, who’s the President?

When the time comes, America will choose the president it wants. The presidential elections are being followed over here. Last time they followed the French ones as well, which are on again, but I have seen nothing about those this time. At this point I have to say the presidential elections in both countries are nothing like the last time. It is not as interesting for us and it is not as dynamic. For both countries  it was a very trying but important time. The same applied to us. In the end Twitter went off like a rocket and the whole world welcomed Barack Obama. This doesn’t seem to be being taken into account this time. What the world thinks doesn’t seem to be important this time. The Americans can choose who they want and they will. What matters to us is what has occurred with Barack Obama. The world has embraced him. They genuinely like him and his wife, Michelle. Everyone is talking about how fit she is now and how natural and then how she did all those push ups on TV. We watched it or we caught up with the video. This is a very likeable first lady who has a lot of personal strength.She is part of the presidential image in a very real way. Kids know Barack Obama and they like him. While they are focussing on who to pick, the Americans may well forget that who they pick has an impact on us. America sees itself as a world leader. People tend to think of it as a country which can have good leadership qualities. They can also think of it as a country which pushes its weight around. Barack Obama has done so much to soften this approach because people warm to him, can relate to him and they can relate to his family. The only time they don’t relate to him is when he comes in as the talking suit on some predecided governmental position. He sounds very ordinary. When he is himself and he can talk as himself he gets through. He is a communicator and so many nations and so many age groups can identify with him and where he is coming from. We know he isn’t perfect and we know he is not always right but he is someone we like a lot and we value his approach. If Barack Obama is not re-elected I shall actually miss him. He has made a significant impact on world politics and has started to draw nations together because he knows how to work with different cultures. So far I have seen no other candidate who would suit the 21st century and that has to be someone who can have a good global impact as well as a good impact on their home turf. I wish him well in his campaign.

Palin lays low as requests pile up

“Palin is coming off a whirlwind nine weeks of almost non-stop travel and campaigning since becoming John McCain’s running mate in late August.”

Yes, she was there for 9 weeks, she was in the limelight and spotlight and now needs to be back home. I’d hate to see her cop all the blame for a failed election on the part of the Republicans. She helped initially and then she became a liability. I heard someone say on the radio that had John McCain spoke as he did in the speech to concede the victory to Barack Obama , maybe things might have been different. Maybe. I think America does need this complete change. I think it’ll make them clean out their closets and get everything out in the open. They need to understand it is important they at least have a President now that the world can relate to. I heard that 87% of Americans had not been out of their country, so they maybe don’t get the world perspective on this. They need to. We don’t want to watch them implode and they will have to have a few open and heated discussions because there is a lot of air to clear and a lot of discussion to be had. They’ll love it in the end…they are like us. They are not good at keeping quiet and sober sided. Sarah Palin has had her time in the sun and entertaining prospects of her being a President have been put to rest I should have thought. I don’t actually doubt she gave it her best shot. She needs to get on with her job now and be left alone to do it.

Palin lays low as requests pile up : thewest.com.au

Impeach Obama’ groups pop up on Facebook

“On Facebook , an “Impeach Barack Obama” group has attracted more than 700 members and a lively debate about the Democrat’s election victory on Tuesday over Republican John McCain.”

Oh my goodness. So much for democracy …or is it democracy? They have a vote and lose so then they plan to take down the nation’s vote. Facebook does and can stir views and it’s all healthy and basically what America needs right now. They are like we were. We needed some time to get used to thinking for ourselves again and finding out what we wanted. Initially we had a lot of squabbles and arguments but now we have learned to handle our capacity to make decisions again and we are thriving on it. We have been alive, alert and interested. The fact we took such a huge interest in the American election was a very healthy sign for our country. I should hate to see America implode because they cannot embrace change. It’s not always about what you want. Sometimes it’s about what you need and if the Facebook group is creating some healthy debate and getting the issues out in the open, then it will help Americans take hold of their own hearts and minds again. The Facebook group which wanted to bring the old Facebook back got quite a lot of airplay and was allowed the time of day, but the new Facebook is what a lot of us know and understand so the discussions were interesting and that in itself brought about some peace on Facebook….and the Facebook organisers took some of it onboard and ignored other bits of it.  What is vital is that the discussions are had and the ideas are out in the open.

Impeach Obama’ groups pop up on Facebook – Yahoo!7 News

Happy New Era

We are still going off. We still cannot believe it. Some people gathered to watch the acceptance speech by Barack Obama and some people here cried when it was being delivered. We acknowledge that John McCain has been the statesmen through and through and is to be valued for that…but for Barack Obama to be the new president of America has brought so much joy and hope. He is someone we can relate to. Someone we believe can help the world be a better place. Someone we think who will get America on the right track again. The thing which most impresses us is how the Americans got out there in force and stood in longs queues if they had to and just did their bit to bring such a good change.Happy New Era!!

Obama in Halloween dust-up with press

Obama in Halloween dust-up with press | The Australian

“They were followed attentively by members of his traveling press corps plus a cameraman and reporter who said they were from Polish station Wydarzenia – too closely for the candidate’s comfort.”

Obama is really getting the pressure put on him now because the election is on Tuesday. This whole run up to the election has been fascinating and as electric as the French election and our own won. it is going to be tough and Obama Barack is going to need to be tough at the end of what has been a very arduous run for him. They won’t let up though because now they have got Arnie out of the bag criticising Obama’s physique. That is not manners.I get tired of how people pull apart how people look. Do you know what? It’s nice to see a man who looks healthy, well and trim. Obama looks pleasant and relaxed. He has a good image as a man because he is neither the gym junkie nor the meterosexual nor the fashion flop. He dresses in an understated , well groomed way. He looks and sounds modern. On the ball. This last bit of the campaign will be a testing time and we are all rivetted to it. There is a lot riding on this.

World loves Obama

World loves Obama – but they can’t vote | The Australian

For them, Senator Obama represents “a young, hopeful, multiracial society, an international creative child of Europe; useful, energetic”.

I think perhaps that the criticism of us in America is unwarranted. There seems to be a belief, according to this article, that we don’t actually know what we are talking about. The world is very clued up politically at the moment and so it should be. We need to be clued up. We have woken up to ourselves and that can only further us. So we have done our homework and we have done a lot of thinking and discussing. This is as a result of having first Hillary Clinton there as a candidate and now Barack Obama. He is American. We know he is American but he at least represents an intelligent, animated, thoughtful, international and modern America. He is refreshing. He is also very inspiring. What America needs to know from us is that he has the capacity to change the image of America and already has. America needs a different image internationally because although we have good ties and relations with a lot of Americans, its image internationally  is not a good one and that is not because of its people , it is because of its government. We see Barack Obama as someone we can relate to and talk to and his popularity spans all age groups. That is pretty amazing.

Manuel Uribe gets married

He may have had to haveen be carried by a crane on his bed, but at 43 the fattest man in the world 2007 has  married and seems to be finally on the road to happiness. The wedding breakfast was low in calories, his new wife, Claudia Solis, will probably keep him on the right path and the loss of  230 kilos tends to suggest he has finally made the decision to live. It has been televised and I should like to think that the country will stay behind him and get him the help he so desperately needs so that he can get off that darn bed and just walk around and be a normal, happy person. In a way it’s good it’s going along slowly because he will have some massive psychological adjustments to come back to a life where he can just walk around and be free. The freedom to go shopping, for walks in the park, a day at the beach…trip to the cinema. I can’t wait to see that part of his future televised. maybe The Biggest Loser can pick him up and mentor him.

Mr. Bush wants us to recommit.

Image via Wikipedia“As we focus on responses to our short-term challenges, our nations must also recommit to the fundamentals of long-term economic growth – free markets, free enterprise and free trade,” Mr Bush said.

I don’t think so. Judging by the article, no one else thinks so either. We need an international response and the best financial brains in the world to work this lot out. I should like to think we have sufficient brainpower on the planet to haul us out of this but it will take a complete commitment to international co operation to build some solid , global financial foundations so going down the old road is out of the question.

Does retail therapy work??

I know image is everything, but we are in the middle of a financial meltdown and people are hitting the wall. I cannot imagine it would go down well that Sarah Palin has spent nearly a quarter of a million dollars on making herself over, even if the things are likely to go to charity afterwards. If the Americans need Sarah Palin to be done over in order to give her a chance then I think they have been done over. Okay, so people have contributed to Republican coffers for the campaign. Do they actually expect that money to be spent on frippery? Maybe they do. Maybe we have become so vain we won’t look into the contents unless the packaging looks good. Shiny! I look forward to the day where we have campaigns which run on substance and content. Women of substance are really something we could all do with. Where are they? We used to have them. That said, I have to confess this has been an interesting election. With Mr. Obama rightfully taking time out to visit his ailing Grandma and Sarah Palin spotlighted for doing the sterotypical thing of breaking the bank balance with retail therapy, you just never know what is going to turn up this election. Two weeks!

Financial Crisis

EU leaders to discuss global financial crisis – ABC News )

He has raised a number of ideas including a banking watchdog, cuts on executives’ and traders’ pay and a European bank rescue fund.

Well, they are all talking about bail outs. The American bailout announcement hasn’t calmed the US stocks. I am more than grateful that the Internet and our radio has brought me information which I can use to think about all of this and then manage these crazy times. it was going to go bang. That’s what happens when you keep inflating things. So we have had our fun and now we need to get on with it. it is important for the whole world to talk about this and it is important to find out whether we have the knowledge and expertise to manage it. When people look calmly there are some benefits which we hear little of. UK is apparently going back to t he tea houses which were so popular before take away. Tea and chocolate are the go. There will be some good things for us to focus on and that is important…to remain focussed so that you can calmly think because a lot of people have their retirement plan tied up in shares and this will make them a bit frantic. My opinion is George Bush has already spent so much money that America cannot see how this will help to go into even more debt and tax paying. I think George Bush has lost all his credibility. The financial experts in America will have to do a lot of talking to convince their public and reassure them I should think. Hard to judge when you’re sitting over here.

Barack Obama

Image via Wikipedia

Aussie bets $50,000 on Obama win | The Australian

Mr Obama’s odds have shortened as polls put him further in front and big money continues to come in support of the Democratic candidate, the bookmaker said.

The world is changing and we need to be looking at new leadership models to fit in with our changes. People are more open and want to connect. From where we sit, Barack Obama is someone we can relate to. He is human, he is engaging and he talks a lot of sense. He is not cobwebby and dusty. America does need to create a friendlier international face which other countries feel they can deal with. We want a world where we can all negotiate. We want a world where we can discuss and debate and participate as equals. There will always be a dominant culture like there is always a person who dominates a group, but we want to so operate as nations. We are so over the adversarial stance and Barack Obama is able to build relationships just by being himself and that is so important. he has international appeal. He is someone we feel we’d like to meet.