If the arrival of The Beatles in the 1960s helped boost the backpacker traffic to India, it is now the turn of Americans to help in increasing, what is described as, 'executive tourism' to India. "India is now nearly as popular a destination for Americans as Spain," reports The Canadian Press. "Travel to India from the United States increased 10 per cent between 2006 and … [Read more...] about Americans For ‘Incredible India’
Jesse Helms’ myths. The party was right before it was wrong.
Facing South says the collective reaction to Jesse Helms' death speaks volumes about the state of race relations and social progress in our country. They set the record straight in three myths about Jesse Helms (and what they say about us): To say Sen. Helms held deep prejudices against many -- especially African-Americans and gays and lesbians -- isn't a matter of opinion; … [Read more...] about Jesse Helms’ myths. The party was right before it was wrong.
Quote Of The Day: On Obama, Al-Maliki And McCain
The Quote of the Day from Marc Ambinder: This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: On Obama, Al-Maliki And McCain
From Argentina’s Clarin newspaper: Resurrected U.S. Fourth Fleet Creates Suspicion Across South America
Why has the United States decided to resurrect the U.S. Navy's Fourth Fleet, which has been in mothballs since the 1950s? And why has it chosen to do so now? People in South America have been debating these questions for months now. Here WORLDMEETS.US presents an analysis that has been quoted widely by Latin American newspapers and politicians like Hugo Chavez and Fidel … [Read more...] about From Argentina’s Clarin newspaper: Resurrected U.S. Fourth Fleet Creates Suspicion Across South America
Vanity, Thy Name is Krauthammer
It's all part of the Republican Smear Machine's ongoing efforts to brand/label Obama. Hillary helped out during the primaries, desperately trying to make the case that he isn't ready to be president, but the Republicans are on to the next stage of the game. The Rev. Wright story had some staying power, though Obama diffused it both with his brilliant speech on race and by … [Read more...] about Vanity, Thy Name is Krauthammer
The Iraq War Department Of “Oops”
If a picture is worth a thousand words, so is an email... … [Read more...] about The Iraq War Department Of “Oops”
Bush’s Aspirational Words on Timetables, and Torture.
Whether the Bush administration, after years of vicious attacks on anyone who would dare to mention timetables for the U.S. disengagement in Iraq, is caving in to Maliki’s demands and is now itself discussing timetables, is debatable. But what is not debatable is the pains the administration is taking to avoid giving the impression that it is in fact discussing … [Read more...] about Bush’s Aspirational Words on Timetables, and Torture.
Identity Matters: The Nature of Nations
Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir once famously stated that there is "no such thing as a Palestinian people." Was she right? In what way can one judge the legitimacy of a claim to nationhood? … [Read more...] about Identity Matters: The Nature of Nations
A San Francisco Honor For President George Bush?
Voters in San Francisco are pondering it. Some voters there (and perhaps beyond) think it is fitting. … [Read more...] about A San Francisco Honor For President George Bush?
Iraqi PM Maliki Endorses Obama’s Withdrawal Plan
Lost amidst the hoopla of Obama's overseas trip is a statement issued by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to the German magazine Der Spiegel . "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes." To understand how significant this is, consider for a … [Read more...] about Iraqi PM Maliki Endorses Obama’s Withdrawal Plan
24 Hours Of John McCain Political Missteps
This hasn't been the best 24 hours for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain. But the good news is that after 24 hours of news of stories that are unlikely to help him gain new voters, Democrat Barack Obama will now be under the media's vetting microscope in Iraq -- and McCain is unlikely to make the same number of blunders. And if he does, they won't … [Read more...] about 24 Hours Of John McCain Political Missteps
Obama’s Magical Mystery Tour
He's in Afghanistan today and will go on to Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and England on what his campaign hopes will be a 21st century reprise of the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour with its theme of "All You Need Is Love" but at the same time has the potential to be a gauntlet of political minefields and security nightmares. Despite the advance secrecy, John McCain … [Read more...] about Obama’s Magical Mystery Tour
Obama’s Skin
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune … [Read more...] about Obama’s Skin
Gas: All Eyes On the Price
Dan Ariely thinks we're paying paying too much attention to the price of gasoline. He says we can't help it because the price is plastered on every street corner, reported in every newscast, and we stand there day in and day out filling up our cars while staring at the meter: For the several minutes that I stand at the pump, all I do is stare at the growing total on the meter … [Read more...] about Gas: All Eyes On the Price
Daniel Gordis: When Mistakes Are Worth Making
A Look Inside An Israeli Daniel Gordis: Dispatches from an Anxious State 18 July 2008: When Mistakes Are Worth Making For some strange reason, I remember the scene with clarity. I was in the kitchen, early on a Friday afternoon about a month ago, cooking Shabbat dinner. Micha, our youngest, now 15, was hanging out in the living room. The radio was on in the background, … [Read more...] about Daniel Gordis: When Mistakes Are Worth Making
The Barr Factor in all fifty states?
From the beginning, Bob Barr's campaign admitted that it would be a serious challenge to get on the ballot in all or even most of the fifty states. According to a recent communication from Barr's people, they feel they are on track to be on the ballot everywhere except West Virginia and Oklahoma. There are campaign representatives on the ground in West Virginia, but it seems … [Read more...] about The Barr Factor in all fifty states?
Obama is Right: U.S. People Need Spanish Lessons!
When Barack Obama pointed out recently that Americans should - in their own interest - teach their children Spanish or some other second language, many were quick to pounce. But, not surprisingly, people in South America wholeheartedly agree with him. Andres Oppenheimmer writes for El Periodico of Guatemala: "The percentage of people in the United States who master a … [Read more...] about Obama is Right: U.S. People Need Spanish Lessons!
India’s Train Route: World Heritage Site
It is celebration time at my in-laws house in the hill State of Himachal Pradesh in India. A century-old Kalka-Shimla rail line that passes through their sprawling ancestral lower Himalayan farmland, has been finally chosen by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) as a world heritage site. More here... During holidays I often walk along part of … [Read more...] about India’s Train Route: World Heritage Site
Phil Gramm Resigns from McCain Campaign. Finally.
More likely pushed out I imagine, and allowed to resign to save face. What damage Phil Gramm did to Senator McCain's campaign, with Gramm's archaic and out of touch epithets about American families who struggle so with sudden and huge inflation regarding food, transportation, ARMs, health costs... a 'perfect mess of an economic storm-- while Gramm is a coddled … [Read more...] about Phil Gramm Resigns from McCain Campaign. Finally.
Gramm’s Gone
AP via MSNBC: Phil Gramm, a top adviser to presidential candidate John McCain, said Friday he is resigning from the role as campaign co-chairman after his comments that the United States had become a "nation of whiners" who constantly complain about the state of the economy. … [Read more...] about Gramm’s Gone