Obama’s Latest Overseas Tour

President Barack Obama will embark on another major overseas visit this week, including a second visit to Europe as President. Although this visit is symbolically loaded – Obama will visit the Buchenwald Concentration Camp and commemorate the D-Day landings in Normandy, France – there are still things that the President needs to achieve. America’s image to the rest of the world is important, and trips like this set the stage for our diplomatic policy in the War on Terrorism.

First Stop: Saudi Arabia

The President met with King Abdullah in Riyadh to discuss the growing threat posed by Iran, cooperation in fighting terrorism, and how to revive the stalemated Arab-Israeli peace negotiations. The Saudis likely pressed Obama to accept their own peace plan, which calls for Israel to withdraw from territory occupied since 1967 and gives dangerously inadequate security guarantees to Israel. Instead, the President hopefully pressed the Saudi King to show greater flexibility on peace negotiations and take stronger action against terrorism and Iran.

Second Stop: Egypt

President Obama delivered a speech in Egypt on U.S. relations with the Muslim world. He has already injected a new tone in U.S. foreign policy and distanced himself from the policies of the Bush Administration, as his January 26 interview with Al Arabiya demonstrated. This week’s speech followed along the same lines. The President missed an opportunity to celebrate America’s defense of freedom around the world for people of all religions. The President should have reminded Muslims that the United States liberated Kuwaiti Muslims from Iraqi occupation in 1991, fed starving Somali Muslims in 1992, protected Bosnian Muslims in the mid-1990s, liberated Kosovo Muslims in 1999, liberated Afghan Muslims from the Taliban’s repression in 2001, and liberated Iraqi Muslims from Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship in 2003.

Third Stop: Germany

The President will also visit the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Landstuhl Regional Medical Facility, and the city of Dresden. His visit to Dresden will be intensely controversial. Dresden is most famous for the Anglo-American bombing raid against it on February 13, 1945, which caused serious loss of life, but in the Second World War it was not unprecedented or unusual. The myths that have grown about the raid were fostered by the Nazis and spread by post-war Soviet propaganda. The President must absolutely reject any equation of the Western Allies and the Nazis during his visit and instead defend the Anglo-American air campaign, which served vital military purposes.

Obama must also use this opportunity to press Germany to join him in ramping up sanctions against Iran, which continues to thumb its nose at the international community as it advances its nuclear enrichment and ballistic missile programs. As he commemorates one holocaust, he must take serious action to stop another. He must press Germany to end its massive and growing exports to Tehran, which serve to prop up an odious regime committed to Israel’s destruction.

Last Stop: France

On a poignant and symbolic visit to Normandy, France to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings, where 73,000 American troops descended on Normandy, Obama must take the opportunity to celebrate America’s long history in defense of freedom and liberty. Just as American and British troops gave their lives in defense of France 65 years ago, President Nicolas Sarkozy must commit additional French combat troops for the mission in Afghanistan, to ensure the freedom of the millions of Afghanis who have been liberated from the authoritarian rule of the Taliban. At the NATO summit in April, France was given one of NATO’s two supreme commands and in exchange for this bigger seat at the alliance’s table, Sarkozy must step up to the plate to ensure the defeat of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Barack Obama’s Top 10 Apologies: How the President has Humiliated a Superpower

Cash for Clunkers is Another Bailout for the Auto Industry

A Citizen Who Will Not Stay Silent

Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” —Ronald Reagan

Apparently Ronald Reagan had it right when he said" if it stops moving subsidize it". The "IT" he was refering to was not the it that is being subsidizes(aka given), but money given to the non-earners from hard working tax payers.

When you compare the billions given to Wall Street bankers with the amount that is now given in Detroiy,15 million dollars, it is insignificant. But when you realize that 99% of the recipients are minorities who will vote for Democrats in 2010, and the bankers will not only vote but contribute large sums of money to re-elect those who gave them the money. You can understand that this is just another example of reditribution of wealth only to those who support Obama and the Democrats!

The stimulus bill was sold to the public as a "shovel ready program" that would put people back to work, but with the unemployment hovering around 10% it appears that all the stimulus is doing is reassuring that Obama and his Congressional sycophants get re-elected!

The assistance in Detroit, announced by the media today, is from a 15 million dollar pile of money coming to Detroit, Michigan as part of the stimulus package.
I believe in charity for the homeless in the form of food kitchens and temporary housing for the really homeless, but it should come from the private sector via the Churches and Community organizations like San Francisco's Glide Memorial Center, which has been doing GODS work for decades. Not from the tax payers!

The thing that is going on Detroit has two fatal flaws that make it a non-starter before it began. One is that if you give money in the form of cash or check how do you know that the people whom you are giving it to will spend it on the intended purpose for which you gave the money?
The second is the final qualification sentence in the list of things that woul qualify a person or family for the assistance. "That they must be able to maintain housing after receiving assistance. How can a homeless person do this?And by the wat how will those giving away the money determine that those who apply as homeless have bee residents of Detroit for at least six months. Will they evn try?
Also, a resident must make 50 percent less than the median area income, which would be less than $24,850 for single Detroit residents and less than $35,500 for a family of four.

All this is accomplishing is redistributing the wealth as we know Obama has promised he will do.
But there is a brewing problem with this seemingly good deed. The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center recently disclosed that close to half of all households will pay no income tax this year. Some will pay less than zero -- that is, they'll get money from those of us who do pay taxes.

The Tax Policy Center adds that this year the average income-tax rate for the bottom 40 percent of earners will be negative and that their cash subsidy will equal 10 percent of the total amount the income tax brings in, thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit and President Obama's "Making Work Pay" program.

The view from the top also shows the lopsidedness of the tax system. The top 20 percent of earners makes about 53 percent of the income in America but pays 91 percent of the income tax. The top 1 percent pays 36 percent. The IRS says the bottom half of earners pays less than 3 percent.
This presents a serious problem because government has such vast powers to dispense favors. As Shaw suggested, people who pay no tax will not hesitate to vote for politicians who promise big spending. Why not? They will get stuff without having to pay for it. Source:PatriotPost.com



And to the insult of the tax payers. The City of Chicago was visited today by the U.S. Attorney General and the Secretary of Education to meet with officials of the Chicago leadership. The meeting was held because of the national outrage from the TV pictures of an honor high school student being beaten to death with large boards.Why did they not visit Los Angeles or New York where crime is rampant?
Why now? I believe that the Obama administration lost the bid to bring the Olympics to Chicago which would have brought millions to Chicago politicians. So now they are going to get money from Obama that will be handed over in the name of reducing the killing of teens, but will in fact be used to buy continued support for Democrats and Obama.
The amount is unspecified as is what they will use it for. Clinton when he was president sent millions to major cities including Chicago to establish midnight basket ball. But the plan failed to stop the killing!

Not one of the participants in the "meeting" mentioned increasing law enforcement and severe punishment for offenders. This is a dirty thought for Liberals who believe, as they have for decades, if you throw money at problems they will fade away. As Thomas Sowell says; ".the problem with the political left is that they seem to have no sense of the tragedy of the human condition. All problems seem to them to be due to other people not being as wise or as noble as they are".
So unknown millions will go to Chicago and it will still have a crime rate among the youth unless the law enforcement people begin a war against the gangs!.

Don't hold your breath until that happens, as long as the Daley machine and the Obama machine believe in spending other peoples money will stop crime and solve all of societies problems!

The Details Of Your Abortion

A new Oklahoma law is set to go into effect Nov. 1 that would collect detailed data about each abortion performed — and post it all on a public Web site. The posts will not include the name, address or “any information specifically identifying the patient.” But opponents argue that the first eight questions alone would be enough to out any woman in a town of 200 or smaller.

“They’re really just trying to frighten women out of having abortions,” Keri Parks, director of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma, told Broadsheet.

Taking Things Slow

This Monday I had the privilege of listening to myself play Viola. It was a weird experience for me-not cause I've never heard myself play before-because I had forgotten I let Jacob record me. This particular performance for my friend occurred within the first month of college life at TLU. It was interesting to listen and see myself play. I was surprised to find that it sounded quite nice, especially after my summer break without any practice. :O But it made me feel accomplished.
College life is tough-REEEALLLY TOUGH-but it's manageable. We have a lot of readings and studying to do, all while trying to fit in time for our friends. To say the least, it's unpleasant. But you have to push through. You don't need to warp your brain cramming in information non-stop, we're not machines you know. If you're like me, you've made some changes to adapt to the flow of college and are doing pretty well for the most part. So now I believe it's time for you to take things slow. Gaze out onto the campus-if it's not raining-and admire its beauty. Go for a walk, get some fresh air. Most of all, take time to look at how far we've all come this past month adjusting and pursuing our education. Stop and see the work you've put in since the start of this semester, how it's payed off, and how we're almost halfway there! Remember you've worked hard to be where you are, and we must continue working hard to move forward. Sometimes, like this Monday, you'll catch a glimpse into performances from your past and boast of your success, realizing its a constant slope upward to improvement. We're all doing well, and only 4 more years to go!

Cheap Auto Insurance For Young Drivers

Cheap vehicle insurance for young drivers is one of the main problems for many parents and young drivers. By taking a few simple extra steps a parent and young driver can insure that they are buying Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers. Our counselors are waiting for you to visit today to receive your quote for inexpensive car insurance for young drivers.

Getting cheap car insurance for young drivers requires planning and effort for both parents and young people. It is vital that the people understand that cheap vehicle insurance for young people is only available if the young driver has met several requirements. Students must take workshops that are given by most major insurance groups. These classes provide the training necessary for the young drivers to be safe in any event. They instruct students about driving through oil, water, and other hazards on the freeway as well as how to maneuver past hazards in the freeway. In addition, students are trained how to drive in heavy traffic and what hazards to be aware of when motoring at night. These seminars also teach young people how to react when vehicles or motorcycles suddenly pull in front of their auto. This is important when a young person will be traveling in a large urban area or on busy streets.

Some large insurance companies also give cheap auto insurance for students to young people who keep a certain grade point average. As long as the grade point average is sustained, young drivers are awarded a significant reduction in their insurance costs and this reduction will get carried through to adulthood. The grade point average is based on the national average for grades and in some areas will be well below what the actual grade point average of many students are. This makes if much easier for average young drivers to qualify for this rate reduction.

The least complex way to acquire low cost car insurance for young people is to add them to their parent’s standard insurance policy. When the young driver is added to their parent’s in-place insurance policy he~she gets all of the conveniences of the primary insured and can drive in any of the cars on the insurance policy, but they do not have to pay the increased premium that it would cost a student to get the same insurance on their own. Many young people stay on their parents’ insurance policy until they either leave home or graduate from school. Many insurance companies make provisions for students to attain low cost auto insurance for students as long as they live at home or remain in school. This is a advantage for both the young person and their parents who would normally pay for their young driver’s auto insurance when they were away at school.

Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers is a necessity that cannot be delayed. All cars on the highway must have insurance to be driven legally. When a young person begins traveling they need to have the protection that insurance offers.

The Benefits of a Secured Loan

A secured homeowner loan is, as its name suggests, a loan secured against your property. Secured loans require no upfront survey, legal or other fees. The loan can be used for many uses, including paying off outstanding loans or credit cards and reducing your monthly repayments. Also, the loan can be used for home improvements, a new car, a wedding, a holiday or to inject cash into your business.

There are various specialist lenders willing to advance finance secured by way of a second charge against the your home over a term of between 5 and 25 years. Generally speaking, the maximum combined loan-to-value (LTV) of the existing mortgage, plus the proposed extra secured loan, should not exceed 90%. In fact, some lenders will restrict the maximum LTV to 80% if for business purposes.

As the finance lender would be second in the queue for security, this involves a slightly higher risk which means that a higher interest rate would be charged, the interest rate depending upon the applicant’s credit history. Although secured homeowner loans might be more costly in terms of the interest charged in some cases, the following advantages may apply.

• A secured loan may usually be raised much faster than finance using a remortgage. Whereas it might typically take three weeks to arrange finance via a secured loan, it usually takes at least six weeks to remortgage.
• The applicant may be tied to a mortgage lender offering a low interest rate for say 3 or 5 years, which might involve early redemption charges if the mortgage is redeemed prematurely. In using a secured loan, the mortgage can remain in place to avoid this charge.
• Whilst the applicant may have a 25 year mortgage, they may not wish to extend his business finance for such a long term, which would be the case if they remortgaged.
• Finance raised via remortgaging cannot be offset against the future profits of a business for tax purposes. However, a separate secured loan can be clearly identified as being for business use and offset against tax accordingly.

When thinking about applying for a secured homeowner loan, it is wide to consult with a professional loan broker who will search the market and source the best secured loan for you from a wide panel of lenders.

The Role Of IT Operations In Archiving

IT Operations In Archiving

Yesterday IBM announced the availability of their new IBM Information Archive Appliance. The appliance replaces IBM’s DR550. The new appliance has significantly increased scale and performance because it’s built on IBM’s Global Parallel File System (GPFS), more interfaces (NAS and an API to Tivoli Storage Manager) and accepts information from multiple sources – IBM content management and archiving software and eventually 3rd party software. Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) is embedded in the appliance to provide automated tiered disk and tape storage as well as block-level deduplication. TSM’s block-level deduplication will reduce storage capacity requirements and its disk and tape management capabilities will let IT continue to leverage tape for long-term data retention. All these appliance subcomponents are transparent to the IT end user who manages the appliance – he or she just sees one console where they define collections and retention policies for those collections.

It’s a solid (albeit a few years late) announcement from IBM. As a leader in content management and archiving software, it was always puzzling that IBM lacked an attractive archive storage platform to complement these offerings. In addition, archiving is still a priority for both the business and IT. Business leaders remain concerned with archiving data appropriately for regulatory compliance and legal discovery. IT struggles to keep up with storage growth which continues to grow at 30%-40% each year and to control storage costs. IT has always wanted to archive infrequently accessed data from expensive production storage platforms to less expensive archive disk and tape but their hands are tied unless business owners, legal and knowledge management professionals define appropriate retention policies as well as their functional requirements in a solution.

Which leads to a question that I’ve always struggled with myself? What is the role of the IT operations professional in archiving? It’s clear that IT operations professionals are not responsible for defining the actual retention policies but what are IT’s responsibilities and how can IT influence business owners, legal, internal auditors and knowledge management? I’m still fleshing out the list responsibilities but here’s what I have so far:

1. IT can recommend a retention policy for certain data sets based on an analysis of the storage environment. For example, if you’ve examined your environment and you’ve determined that users have not accessed 60% of your files in two years, these file are good candidates for archiving.


2. IT researches, shortlists, and participates in the evaluation of archiving software or service based on the functional requirements that business, legal, audit, and knowledge management professionals define. This could include the evaluation of on-premise solutions, cloud-based solutions or a hybrid of both.


3. IT researches, shortlists, and selects the appropriate storage archive to physically store the data. This could be a generic disk storage system or a purpose-built storage system and it also includes tape and even cloud storage services.


4. IT defines the architectural requirements, scalability requirements, and performance requirements of the archiving software or service. At the end of the day, IT operations will manage the archiving solution end-to-end. IT operations will be responsible for maintenance of the archiving software, the database, operating system and the virtual or physical server that it runs on and of course, IT is responsible for the disk and tape that physically stores the archived data. This is one area where IT operations must really exert itself influence and its own requirements. Too often, performance, scale and system manageability are not taken into the selection of the archiving software or the determination of the total cost of ownership. When a software solution doesn’t scale or perform IT ops answers the calls from the help desk and is on the hook to solve it.


5. IT is partly responsible for maintaining the long-term accessibility of the data in the storage archive. This issue here is the backwards compatibility of tape formats. Tape formats such as LTO are only backwards read compatible with the previous two tape format generations. This means that you’ll need to periodically recall tapes from the deep archive and migrate the data to the latest generation. This address tape media deterioration and tape format obsolescence but it doesn’t address the obsolescence of the application that generated the data. Call the knowledge management team for that one.

This is just a starting list. I’m interested to hear from other IT ops professionals if I’ve missed something or if you disagree with anything on my current list. I’m also interested to hear the struggles you have with archiving.

M.Q.M Altaf Hussain is a bad man

M.Q.M Altaf Hussain

Search engine news of the week

Google agrees to acquire Urchin

"Urchin is a web site analytics solution used by web site owners and marketers to better understand their users' experiences, optimize content and track marketing performance.[...]

Google plans to make these tools available to web site owners and marketers to better enable them to increase their advertising return on investment and make their web sites more effective."


Gigablast search engine now offering related pages
"Gigablast Inc [...] announced its new Related Pages feature which is available to the public via the company’s website,. [...] Related Pages are highly relevant search results which do not necessarily contain the searcher’s query terms. A lot of these related pages are never even returned by other search engines for that reason."


Ask Jeeves gets Diller's cash, keeps staff
"Ask Jeeves Inc.'s acquisition by media mogul Barry Diller's IAC/InterActive Corp. this week for $1.85 billion in stock will lead to some layoffs at the Oakland Web search engine but it will also bring more resources for Jeeves to compete with market leaders Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc."


Yahoo adds search for 'flexible' copyright content

"Yahoo has added a feature that lets people search content that's been licensed through Creative Commons, a nonprofit group that specializes in copyrighting material so that it's available for some reuse."


Search engine newslets
Google opens a new office in India.
ZoomInfo is a people information search engine.
Take a look at the sources for Google news.
Play Google's Easter game.
Queryster released a meta search engine with a Mac OS X look.
Google to support universities.
Google's 1999 "Tell a friend about Google" page is still online.
The Google store has added many new products, including a marble blaze.