Visited my blog today, after months of no posts and weeks of no visit.
I realize there’s so much to edit on my previous posts. I would — gradually,
and my subsequent posts — that should start in weeks — would show
improvement.
I blog with an organization — for the time.
Cheers!
The presumptive nominee for the GOP in this year’s US presidential election, former Mass. Governor, Mitt Romney, is a smart bloke, who is largely accomplished as a player in the private sector and in government. He had had records of success and of how he grew things and made them better when in charge.
He was from the beginning of the GOP race a major contender and withstood the wind while other fell by the wayside. He is more determined this time, more organized, seen as appropriate and better backed by his connects, relative to factors that made him drop out of the race in 2008.
Gov. Romney understands much about finance management, and believes it will help him contribute to recovering the US economy if elected. He understands how the economy dipped for the global recession, and pains in many hearts for unemployment, still above 8%.
Gov. Romney’s critical message in his campaign is the economy, which if stabilized, can help America fare better in other areas. His message and the way he conveys it appears he really can. He recently promised to get the unemployment rate below 4% if elected and also promised deficit reduction by spending cuts.
He also promised tax reforms and how the tax code from different economic class can contribute to growing the economy. Gov. Romney believes the economy should be revived speedily and that some of his programs and others from the GOP circle can effectively do that. He supports the budget proposal of Rep. Paul Ryan, which presented steps for the way the economy should go.
He constantly bashes President Obama for what he believes are failed economy policies and promises to do better. He might keep his promises as president, as some of his successes in the past when in charge shows, but as economic growth is slow but steady, and a President Romney next January will meet a recovering economy with consumer spending further up and unemployment around 7.5%, it may not be a totally rigorous move for him.
His fresh ideas and new experiments might further grow the economy, and his vision might see the light. Some economists however are criticizing some of his proposals and their ability to weaken rather than grow the economy. He also has been criticized for unrealistic proposals and disconnected policies especially for the middle class and elderly.
Forward in a right direction, however is what President Obama believes his works are to, amidst political and public opposition. He has some things he can boost of, comparing the time of his entry as President and this last lap of his four years term. He admits some of his projections that didn’t make the mark, and understands that a person who is not president (with the knowledge of all the situations surrounding the position) can bluster about anything from without.
He doesn’t see a magic policy in recovering the economy, and believes his programs are in the right direction. His FY 2013 budget touched on tax reforms and spending cuts for deficit reduction, and he wants Congress should pass it. President Obama knows that the economy is a priority but pays attention and has programs for other concerns.
On defense, health care, immigration and foreign policy, President Obama works to maintain a balance, with an understanding of development and changes that have come with time. President Obama and his team approach issues with calculations and adopts the best possible option. On defense, the president has been very careful and had to budge for Libya, because it was a ‘programmed’ war waiting to be won. There were no ground forces but continuous airstrikes to weaken government forces, and President Obama was lauded after the victory.
The president is cautious with engaging any nation, because of economic and stability implications, and because of the Afghan war & the just concluded Iraqi war. Iran and Syria for their nuke and suppression issues respectively, are seen as eligible for a US fight according to some from the GOP circle including Gov. Romney.
Diplomacy according to President Obama is seen as the appropriate option for now especially for a ‘listening’ Iran, and a UN-led diplomatic peace committee for Syria. A preemptive strike for Iran could encourage them further to pursue nuke development, it will send oil prices up, drag the world back to recession and have them court sympathizers that will make the world polarized even more.
Syria is backed by Russia and China against possibilities of removing President Assad or a military strike, by readiness to veto any resolutions in the UN Security Council that pushes this. The Syrian President appears to be cooperating with the UN with respect to attention for talks, and the UN is preferred to continue its lead, until it becomes clear that military action by the US is necessary.
Gov. Romney is not with the White House in dealing with these nations, and he believes that Iran will have nuclear weapons if Obama is reelected, but won’t if elected. He clearly wants to engage and sees the US military capabilities as means to rout troublemakers.
Gov. Romney appears to be a person that takes decisions fast – and the possibility of what can be termed ‘mistake war’ maybe likely in his White House. Engaging presumptuously in this time may be a misstep by any president. The option of war, for example, with Iran according to President Obama is not off the table, but should go under for now.
Sanctions have gone, and it is said to be biting and disadvantageous for Iranians and their government, rounds of six party talks are started and ongoing, Iran is predicted to flinch and the possibilities of a strike are unlikely. This clearly shows why a war can wait, even as senior administration officials know that Iran is yet to acquire nuke capabilities. We truly may have an economy-awakened Romney, but a probable quick-jump in defense may plunge his recovered economy into abyss.
Samsung was the highest selling mobile phone in Q1 of 2012, sending Nokia to second place after a straight 14-year lead. Samsung’s sales forecast for the coming quarters this year is also high, and appears may stay longer in this position. Samsung has been able to achieve this largely because it aimed at Apple, seen as classy in smart devices, than at ‘conventional’ Nokia.
Samsung’s steady rise and stay ‘atop’ in the mobile market came from efforts that include creative innovation, software adoption and some other steps, part of which led to clashes with Apple for similarities. Samsung marketing also helped sales. And their prices are generally competitive against phones of similar capabilities from other manufacturers.
Samsung, in the mobile market, has been rivals with Nokia. Nokia squirmed in the emerged smartphone market with touch screens and blackberry topping sales in the last decade. Samsung also overtook Apple in the smartphone market and is getting stronger in the tablet market.
Samsung unveiled its Galaxy S III, a smartphone with lovely features, at a media event recently in London. The phone comes with newer features and can be termed ‘smarter’ with some automatic action it will take by simple jolt by a user. The phone is sleek and has a rival in the market already, iPhone 4S. Sales may grow until the next iPhone is launched but the Galaxy S III appears will take the smartphone market.
Samsung is working hard across the board for most of its products, sales from its TV division overtook Sony recently and its camera division and others are doing fine also. Samsung is also looking at extending its lead in new technology areas.
Samsung saw loopholes in the world phone market and didn’t see the manufacturers at the top as indomitable. It pushed for new designs and was fast to adopt the new OS in Android. Samsung has also announced that it will adopt Windows 8 OS for its devices including PC’s in the second half of 2012.
Nokia’s hope of rising in rising in the smartphone market was placed on adoption of Window mobile, this rise will come with the existing Samsung challenge. Samsung executive promised a very clear strategy to outpace Nokia in sales of Windows mobile smart devices. Nokia unlike blackberry coming with blackberry OS 10, won’t have the Windows OS exclusive to it. Nokia will need to push hard to surge past Apple and Samsung as competition gets stiffer.
Samsung’s lead will likely continue in the years ahead even as devices are expected from Google and a revamp from HP and other technology giants are expected, but Samsung’s lead will further tear into its existing market, for businesses and young people.
The sync with having the same class of sleek devices from the same manufacturer will encourage many to stay with Samsung. Some may also want what they will personally term the Samsung series going from one type to another. The Samsung flub may however begin if Samsung refuses to project worst case scenarios with sometimes unstable software licensing issues with OS makers, and go unchanged with the regular touch screen design which Apple may adjust in future devices.
The US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, was in Algeria some weeks back and warned that they should pay no attention to the rhetoric on the campaign trail in the current presidential campaign especially from the GOP end. She stated some of the values of America and how firm they still are, and warned that they should not see the US as what is coming from the campaigns.
She said this to the small number of people she addressed, but had the greater public in mind. She saw the need as a top bureaucrat to clear the air, of some of the barbs that have careless gone forth from the GOP contenders in a bid to clinch their party ticket, and presidency by November.
There have been words, unnecessary, between themselves and to President Obama and they seem not to be cautioned by anyone, because of the continuity. Calling the president a ‘slob’, saying the president wants to cripple the economy, branding the health care law as socialism & fascism, and many more are part of what have come up in the current campaign, in ways and manner that is descriptive of hate and desperation.
The campaigns have not just been the sore in this Obama presidency, there have been times that politics have threatened the economic standing of the US, with cases of extending tax cuts, raising the debt ceiling and the JOBS act. There also has been ‘silliness’ with questions like where the President was born and his ability to govern, after he has been in power for months.
Politics in a democracy like America, engages knowledge, fairness, transparency and skill. It paves way for the very best to emerge, if he’s got stuffs of necessitated value. It is open and sometimes interesting. It has voters at the center and sees them as powerful. Barbs are usually exchanged, since it is a contest but everyone is expected to be reasonable enough to stay within limits.
Politics and politicking is a real threat to the progress of present America. It allows for attacks and time wasting in some steps that should be swift. It sheds attention to issues that should be ignored and allow governments from some other parts of the world, lower than America in governance, to direct injurious words at the US.
Politics of the US at this present time is unpleasant and is causing losses in many areas from municipals to Washington. These losses might be marginal but are issues, in this world economy and for a recovering America. The US political bout and the attention given it by the media, robs the headlines of major progressing issues.
On the global scene, the rise of China is seen as a threat to the US, especially as a country where opposition doesn’t really count. China is an emerging power and many are saying it might overtake America if care is not taken. That is implausible, but might close in on America to a stage that they ’may do’ without the US.
China has thrived this much without a US-styled democracy, where going is going, without much time to disruption by unnecessary politics. China is also getting better in many areas, as jobs and quality of life is improving for the people. China doesn’t align with the US on many fronts and are opposition to the US, along with Russia.
China got some of its power with manufacturing moving to its territory and China is an export giant that challenges Western nations on trade laws and with disagreeable trade practices. China on its economy is thriving but on the global stage, China is yet to be a leader.
A China against an America is a still a teen to a senior, intellectual battle, where the former may believe in aggressive strength, but experience of the latter, gets the marks. China’s hope to close in on America is partly placed on political regression, but it forgets that the US never pursues failure, even in contention. China internally needs to settle several matters especially for those in rural China, and to also up social security.
China, with aim on global leadership, is seeking loyalty from some of the economies by investing there and also getting the ears of the government. Some of its exploration in the Caribbean is reported and it continues to, in Africa. China may be thinking military bases later on, but its clear priorities now are benefits that will yield for its economy.
The US has repeatedly welcomed competition with China, but China is yet to assume the stages of calculation and managements that will throw so many supporters behind it to equal the West. China is a world power in many respects, and it is far better than some nations usually in opposition with the West like Russia. To see the US fall for its politics, China may wait till never.
Sometimes, government move is business styled, with officials aimed at closing the best deals that pays the government’s total objective. This can come in a casserole of offers and concessions that will not be short of their target. This example was seen in the United States recent deal with North Korea to suspend its nuclear program, and benefit from food assistance.
US officials met with North Korean nuclear officials in Beijing in February, and the ‘success’ of the meeting lead to an announcement by North Korea to freeze its plutonium enrichment program, to have them benefit from the hanging 265,000 tons of nutritional supplement aid, over the next year.
The deal was close before the death of the quondam North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, last December, but continued with the new leader and youngest son of the late leader, Kim Jong-un in what appears to be needed by the people of country.
The US can afford to help North Korea, annually, with food assistance beyond a moderate level, in its tradition of aid, but are mindful of the eccentric style of North Korea through its history, showing in issues with South Korea and the nuke program.
North Korea is said to be one of the most isolated countries in the world, with China being a major ally, the country also has a reasonable military and Pyongyang, its capital is said to be the most developed place in the country. North Korea is a poor nation with starvation ravaging its people and opportunities, slim for the government’s tight grip on everything.
South Korea, its neighbor and dueller, has gone far in development and is a leading economy in Asia –- 4th — and globally –- 14th. Struggles facing the North are long forgotten in the South and those privileged to travel from North to South experience advancement and civility ‘in what it should be’.
North Korea and its leaders are beginning to understand this too, and are probably looking to slow down on their traditional-style of leadership to economically advance, nominally and per capita. They have access to remarks from without, the kind of government they are, and eventualities that may someday magnet implosion.
North Korea for the short term, do not have the resources to match the aid the US is offering, which is heart-breath needful for the people. North Korea aside this, requires assistance in other areas, but knows that its nuke ambitions will hinder interests and further drown the already slumped economy.
North Korea has its real reasons for nuclear advancement, but advantages it may bring, may never cancel the disadvantages, but rather will invoke a US-led attack that will cripple the country. This possibility is known, and the current opposition to Iran is also known.
The South Korea, they may be developing nuclear weapons to deter has become extremely powerful if they engage, even if the US, a major ally holds back, making the reasons for a nuclear weapon and its hemicranias, draining. The food is important, and further assistance is important, ‘absolute’ peace with South Korea, is necessary –- for trade advantages, as the country is trying to reset its relationships for growth.
The power of importance is showing in North Korea’s recent move, in what may eventually baby them an alliance with the States.
Jeremy Lin, a rookie in the NBA and point guard for the New York Knicks is getting so much attention globally at the moment for his showing and excellence in games, with contribution to seven games winning streak of the Knicks in February.
Jeremy Lin, 23, is a graduate of Harvard, and of Chinese descent. His parents came to the States as immigrants from Taiwan, and he was born and grew up in California. Jeremy Lin was not drafted from college to the NBA, but later signed for his hometown Golden State Warriors.
He was waived by the Warriors to free salary cap space, but was claimed off waivers by Houston Rockets where he played two preseason games and was waived again. The Knicks signed him off waivers in December, and he had the opportunity to debut for them on February 3, after a mix of happenings that includes losses and absence of star players.
Jeremy Lin is a surprise to many, as there are a handful of examples of early shiners in the NBA, his fame is basically tied to his performance but his race is playing a role too. He’s yet to appear nationally for either of the two countries he has ties to, but it appears he is more likely to play for the US than China.
Jeremy Lin is a good player and will likely make the competitive roster for US men basketball games, for the Olympics and FIBA competitions; but does the US really need a kind of him since he’s got a heroic alternative and the US is not lacking in this area.
LinChina is great gain for the US, possibly than LinUS, since he will continue with club basketball in US and economic returns for this, from Asia, will come to the States. Lin will shine more in competitions and close-in on exceeding the status of Yao Ming as a national hero. As he gets more experienced and improves, he will become a playmaker, leading his national team to victories.
Lin is American and has scruples of both sides, he speaks Mandarin, and keeps his Chinese looks, his parents sure have family back home, and he has visited and played in China in the past. He understands some of Sino-US relations and how his give backs — to the society — in future will be more beneficial in China than in the US.
He knows the quality of the United States in basketball and how his contribution if he joins, will not be out of — previously witnessed – scale. He understands the NBA system, that promotes anyone within it, regardless of national color and how much the NBA presently need an alternative to Yao for marketing in Asia.
This knowledge and the blessings of remaining in the spotlight may have Jeremy Lin announce his intent to play for China, as close as the coming London Olympics. He might have his worries playing in China with teammates and team coordinators different from what he knows for most of his career, coupled with the distance headache shuttling between the US & China, and giving up his US citizenship since China does not allow dual citizenship.
His career is priority and his active days are on, his current spotlight will forever help his career. To sustain global hearing of him, he should go with an available alternative that will not dent much of his performance in club basketball.
President Obama announced the US budget for FY 2013 a fortnight ago week at a community college in Virginia, where he proposed to raise taxes for the rich or people earning above $250,000 per annum. He is pushing this because their tax returns is relatively small, for the Bush-era cuts and the current plan won’t help deficit reduction projections.
He believes that raising taxes is another way to return more to government coffers and cut Americans burgeoning deficit. He declined making cuts to some of the entitlement programs and social security that is predicted to go out of scale by the end of this decade.
His proposal also presents a ten year outlook for the nation’s economy as it hopes to completely escape the worrying global financial mess. He also proposed financial transaction tax for corporations to give back to the source of their bail out circa 2008.
President Obama’s tax proposal has angered some people around the country, that believe that taxing the rich will cut their investment latitude and will also affect business owners who earn around $250 – 500,000 per year. He has defended his proposal and hopes to get support in Congress.
It is an election year, and the possibility of a political undertone to this cannot be snubbed, as he hopes to keep his job, and as already noticed from the plunging unemployment percentage, grow the economy. Some analysts have taken sides for and against the proposal, but many believe that, it is one of the options to cut deficits.
Raising taxes in a recovering economy, as spending mounts in other areas is worrying, and may block the expected balance needed to be seen with the tax raise. There are several cuts in the budget, with some going the way of Defense and to NASA, but the government believes that sharp cuts, if recovery must be in sight, cannot just come to some areas.
Foreign aid, research and development, and Defense, as part bases of United States power cannot drop even under this crisis. There are also local programs, like housing and health care that may upset stability for families around the country, if government does not continue its support.
The American government believes in its contribution to the wealth of many, from the fairness, trust and top-rate civility of the environment. It also knows how much of its foreign policy help local businesses thrive abroad, and is taking the word to them, pay your fair share.
Raising Taxes is solely not the best way out of deficits, but will contribute to an extent. The French Government proposed its own version some weeks back with financial transaction tax coming in, and sales tax going up. But effects of this new world approach may never be known until it comes to play.
The American economy is strong, and will definitely remain so, its approach to grow while cutting deficit may be a hard one moving forward. Sooner or later, higher taxes proposed by this administration will come to play, and as it is directed at deficit reduction, its punctures to other areas will be known.
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President Obama’s decision to have institutions affiliated to religious organizations, provide with health insurance birth control coverage, to their female employees, turned into a national, religious and political issue over the past few days leading to a backtrack Friday.
The rule was for all businesses but excluded religious organizations. Affiliates of religious organizations, such as school, hospitals, etc. were however included. Inclusion of these affiliates probably came from the fact that not all of their employees totally agree with their beliefs or are worshippers there.
The inclusion also intends to provide for women in that class, coverage for contraception that is paid for by their employees, to boost access for affordability. The inclusion and other reasons, for which it came, became what will have the White House in the middle of a religious freedom criticism.
The White House backtrack also came because of differing sense of judgment on the issue and distraction it was causing the country. The President never wanted it that way, as religious organizations were originally excluded, but, what for him should be a 21st century women workplace privilege, became a serious issue.
Religious freedoms are rooted in America’s constitution, as it is as one of the major fours, and whatever would prevent it is becomes ‘unacceptable’ by the government. The Catholic Church in this issue will be the most affected because of the chain of their institutions nationwide, and stood firm to fight it.
They know that before recruiting anyone in their institutions, the person will be expected to abide within the beliefs of the Church, they also have to a good extent, most of their worshippers as staff in their institutions, and understand that abortion or whatever resembles it is against their tenets.
They probably expected the White House to extend that privilege given to the Church to its institutions, and want it to steer clear of any imposition against its beliefs. There are smaller religious organizations that held the same position with the Catholic Church, because of that rule on their institutions, but are small to pull the effect we saw from the Catholic Church.
President Obama is a Christian, and also the Commander-In-Chief, his beliefs may guide his action only to an extent, but wields his power in options & choices more for his status than religiously. He understands the advantages with spaced child birth and the harm that many unwanted pregnancy holds.
He also understands that people may not be able to afford birth control coverage since volunteering - or something close - is common in such institutions, and the pregnancy happenchance. His decision swung to let religious affiliated institutions include birth control coverage, in a move that is of a President than a Christian.
Politics cannot totally agree with religion, albeit events recurrently engage both, decisions will mostly be taken for the benefit of all than for a relatively small group who hold & adhere to some beliefs. Politics and power over decades have thrived in many ways above religion.
Religion is the core of life for many, and its pays faithful servants to take to their beliefs than anything that contradicts it. Religion in high places, also seek to join in governance (or say) politics, watching carefully for decisions that may affect it. Religion is strong and will likely remain with humans.
Politics and decisions appear to be guided by religion, but there are many instances where freedom-to, comes first, politics will stay as a friend of religion but will be more concerned about law abiding people than religion loyalists.
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President Obama’s option of diplomacy on Iran’s nuke issue currently threating world peace is perfect for the near term. His statement during a television interview on Sunday looked from all the options on the table to have diplomacy, appropriate for this time.
Whatever has brought this stance, is coming from an end of understanding of the total situation and things that are tied to it. There have been tensions in the Middle East over the last few weeks with Israel at the center, talking tough to engage Iran in a war to destroy its nuclear facilities, because of the believe that enrichment to a nuclear weapon level is sought by the Iranian government.
The world perceives Iran is making nuclear weapons, and Iran has repeatedly denounced it, Iran also covert’s the process not allowing for standard inspection of its nuclear facility from the IAEA. Iran is an oil-producing nation and is growing in military and space technologies.
Iran has issues with Israel and does not hide it, on occasions, the leaders have said words that stings, like wiping out Israel, and some of Iranian military drills show off weapons that can reach Israel or its military bases in the Gulf. Iran is hawkish and probably more concerned about war than economic growth or development.
Israel too, has been talking and is not bad in military ability, Israel has got the backing of US and have a powerful intelligence agency, MOSSAD. Israel is key to Middle-East peace and believe in their capabilities to unilaterally take on most nations in that region.
A war between Iran and Israel is not off the table from the way things are looking and Iran may do everything to heighten the tension, in order to engage Israel, with the hope of victory. Iran – Israel may come, but a lopsided war with Iran on top may see the US wade in.
Iranian allies, Russia and China, may make demands at that point and, if provided, will support Iran in some way, the war may badly degenerate and not bode well for a fairly peaceful world of late. The US understands this and more and have taken the talk to the public aside private meetings to tell Israel to lower the grit of launching an attack first, on Iran, anytime soon.
The US may not want any further complication with regards to a war, if it is not directly concerned, since it is still reeling from the losses of the Iraqi and Afghan Wars. The US, without regards to an election year, understands how thing can get out of hand once it is started and knows that a regime like present Iran, wants nothing but a fight and can do anything to sustain it.
Iran, usually mention on a lower tone of their interest in diplomacy, and the US in resorting to that will fully explore it, there are regimes in the gulf that Iran will hear, and can act as a go-between for the nuke issue and war obviation. This should help in this direction as targets may not be given but concessions will be requested.
There is much hope for diplomacy, especially after a key US statement on that, this for the near term will be applied and all the ruction of this time will pass, as things evolve and shifts are marginal, peace will stay, but if Iran willfully stirs Israel, or Israel for whatever reason acts ‘alone’, then, what is prevented will come.
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It is easy for droves of articles whirling the recent veto by Russia and China on the UN Security Council resolution on Syria to blame their action without strongly looking at a message they’re sending and not saying. There is perhaps some displeasure with letting the US have its way on the emerging ‘option of uprising’ after the Libyan example.
Thousands have been killed in Syria according to the UN for an uprising targeted at a change of regime in line with the 2011 series. Things are bad bad bad, as amateur videos show suppression and killings, the state of things in Syria is severely criticized and many have called for the Syrian leader, Bashar Assad to step down.
In Syria or anywhere, it is painful to see a leader in power forcing himself on the people when they are rejecting him in a revolution-styled move. Leaders of this class and their cohort still govern many countries of the world and retain the ‘nothing can touch us’ ideology.
Some of these leaders do more damage than good to their economies, they suppress moves, crush opposition and prevent any possibility of a true democracy. Syria appears to be an example of this, glaring from the current uprising.
The West is pained by the news and pictures of killings there, and has the UN Security Council as a portal for action. Resolution presented before it and supported by majority was vetoed by two of five countries that have the power to, Russia and China.
Russia definitely knows about the depth of things in Syria especially after a shift of stance in December, Syria is an ally of Russia, with arm deals and other exchanges involving the two governments. Russia has a picture of the situation and is coming at it probably with that understanding.
China on the other hand is careful about things like this, it showed opposition to the Libyan War, and recognized the NTC when it believed the conditions were ripe. China is big but barely has that control over countries the way some are, all-yes to the US. China therefore, will likely move against a support-opposition, overcome, and get loyalty move, in an action they will pursue to be a lose-lose one.
Russia and China are probably also mindful of this uprising trend that may someway come their direction because of their pattern of government, and how much will be lost if majority of their people decides against them. Russia aside the uprising holds much sentiment about the US, insisting that the United States is responsible for the anti-Putin protests, on, after the December parliamentary elections.
The US aside some of her moves, get blames from many corners about its supposed intentions and domination, there are times that sincere moves are misinterpreted and extension of friendship is like a cautious signal to many. Times have changed and the US should please tread more openly and carefully to prevent some leaders from misspeaking, that harms its reputation.
Syria is an example the US should engage restrain on, it should not appear to those presuming, that the US has other interests aside humanitarian. The height of support that can be given has been given, sanctions are furthered but action insisting on Assad’s removal by military action or otherwise should be lowered by the US as it seeks to correct an impression and only engage until compulsory.
Nations whose leaders will refuse change will ever remain, those who cannot imagine anything but remaining in power will do everything to keep it, and supporters, they will sure have. For reasons the Ru’s & Chi’s believe, they vetoed a resolution that should balk at repression, the US should understand, look away, as an implosion is nigh.
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