Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, July 23rd, 2011 - 84 comments
Over the last couple of months two potential crises have been unfolding in two very different countries. Greece and America both looked to be in danger of defaulting on their huge debts and triggering a cascade of disastrous consequences. The situation is still unfolding…
Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, September 2nd, 2010 - 5 comments
Barack Obama declared the U.S. combat mission in Iraq officially over on Tuesday but said he would not take a “victory lap”. No victory? That’s quite an understatement…
Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 1st, 2010 - 12 comments
Key says his personal relationship with Obama (met the guy twice) means he can call him. Don’t think it’s your winning grin mate. Think it’s because you’re PM of New Zealand. Anyway, this ain’t a game of collecting phone numbers, John. You’ve got to deliver something concrete. How’s that free trade deal coming?
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, August 29th, 2010 - 27 comments
“The ground zero mosque” is the latest focus of and flash-point for deranged American right wing anger. The Guardian’s Charlie Brooker explains.
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, June 18th, 2010 - 7 comments
President Obama has just come out and said the US and the world needs to get off its oil addiction. But, just as we’ve been talking about climate change for nearly two centuries, before it was even a problem, and done nothing about it, Presidents have been declaring its time to end the oil age for 40 years and nothing has changed. Why can’t we get serious about saving ourselves?
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, March 23rd, 2010 - 36 comments
It has taken nearly a year and cost President Obama a lot of his popularity, thanks to the spineless behaviour of many House Democrats, but the final barrier has been passed to the US getting universal health-care. Obama’s health reform bill passed the House yesterday by a narrow margin. It now needs to win a …
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, December 19th, 2009 - 4 comments
As the final stages of diplomatic chaos play out in Copenhagen, and with at least the possibility of some truly significant goals emerging, the world is teetering on a knife edge this morning. I hope that Obama has had plenty of time to think about this letter – reposted from SignOn: Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director …
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, December 9th, 2009 - 15 comments
In America the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just ruled that greenhouse gases “threaten the public health and welfare of the American people”, and that they are pollutants that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act. Ho hum, so what? Quite the opposite. It isn’t clearly spelled out in much of the media coverage, …
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, December 3rd, 2009 - 40 comments
Well, any lingering hopes that Obama was something different can now be out of their misery. He’s just another American establishment politician after all. Drawing on the rhetoric of 9/11 Obama has committed to an escalation in Afghanistan: WASHINGTON – President Obama unveiled his plan Tuesday night to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, declaring …
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, November 27th, 2009 - 4 comments
Another instalment of “John Key’s” video diary from talented impersonator PlumedeKiwi; this time taking a comedic stab at the PM’s refusal to attend the UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Key has come under an increasing amount of pressure in recent weeks over the summit, widely dubbed one of the most important meetings in history. It’s …
Written By: - Date published: 2:28 pm, October 29th, 2009 - 6 comments
With all the noise around Obama you don’t hear much about this guy now. He was politically naive but knowingly and willingly acted as a front for much more machiavellian minds. He came to politics with lots of money and was promoted very quickly, but he wasn’t too good at inspiring confidence by way of …
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, July 28th, 2009 - 15 comments
America faces a hell of a lot of problems at the moment, but if there’s one man with the ability to inspire and lead them through, it’s Obama. “when I see the young men on the corners [of the ghettos] I say there but for the grace of God go I. They are no less …
Written By: - Date published: 3:15 pm, July 14th, 2009 - 7 comments
The shots above are small versions from this site where you can find other great images from Obama’s first 167 days in office. The official Whitehouse Flickr photostream is pretty impressive too. [UPDATE] Not to be outdone, as of yesterday, National’s photostream features Kate Wilkinson with a giant lump of earwax block of cheese.
Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, July 10th, 2009 - Comments Off
From Greenpeace USA: Greenpeace climbers hung a banner on Mount Rushmore challenging President Obama to show real leadership on global warming. The banner read “America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming.” The demonstration comes as President Obama meets other G8 leaders in L’Aquila, Italy to discuss the global warming crisis in the lead-up to …
Written By: - Date published: 5:24 pm, June 20th, 2009 - 18 comments
Obama kills a fly with his bare hands. Awesome.
Written By: - Date published: 5:01 pm, February 18th, 2009 - 11 comments
I’ve tried all day not to post this, now I’m giving in to get a good night’s sleep.
Written By: - Date published: 4:15 pm, February 9th, 2009 - 9 comments
President Obama wants to set US$500,000 as the top pay for banking executives whose firms accept government bailout money. From Boing-Boing: The lead story in today’s New York Times Styles section is all about the tremendous difficulties that executives at bankrupt companies receiving public bailouts will face if their salaries are capped at only $500,000. For example, …
Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, January 21st, 2009 - 46 comments
If you’re living in New Zealand, President Obama isn’t going to change your life. Remember, you voted for John Key. You’ll have to wait for that ray of hope to shine. But President Obama won’t go un-noticed here, because his presidency means at least four things for New Zealanders. First: President Obama means you can …
Written By: - Date published: 7:13 pm, January 18th, 2009 - 22 comments
Here’s a cool interactive feature from the NYT – “I hope so too”: The New York Times asked more than 200 people in 14 states (half red, half blue) to identify their greatest hopes for what Barack Obama might accomplish during his time as president. Their answers do not represent any kind of scientific sample—they …
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, January 10th, 2009 - 3 comments
Via SwissMiss: CrashTheInauguration.com, an online Inauguration guide created by AirBedAndBreakfast.com, is connecting last minute travelers with accommodations in Washington DC. Individuals or groups can easily rent an airbed, couch, private bedroom, or entire place for as little as $45/night. Already visitors from throughout the United States, and even European countries, are booking Inauguration accommodations directly online …
Written By: - Date published: 2:45 pm, December 19th, 2008 - 11 comments
From Time: In 1980, when Obama was a freshman at Occidental College in Los Angeles, he was approached by an aspiring photographer named Lisa Jack, who asked him if he would be willing to pose for some black and white photographs that she could use in her portfolio. She put the photos away until after …
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 pm, November 17th, 2008 - 13 comments
Written By: - Date published: 5:48 pm, November 14th, 2008 - 11 comments
While there have been reports here of distraught voters calling the police and helplines for assistance in dealing with the trauma of a National/Act government, spare a thought for the millions of Obama supporters around the world who, now victorious, find themselves with no purpose in life… (Via: Swiss Miss)
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 pm, November 4th, 2008 - 97 comments
More from 3News tonight on the secret recordings taken at the Naitonal Party conference in August. This time it’s Bill English expressing concern over Barack Obama’s “moralistic” stance to international relations: I’m a bit worried about this whole Obama and Europe thing, just because there’s a limited effectiveness in being moralistic about international relations… and the …
Written By: - Date published: 2:48 pm, August 19th, 2008 - 6 comments
The US presidential race in the States took a new direction with the McCain and Obama both appearing at a Forum on faith, held over the weekend, moderatorated by pastor and author Rick Warren. Commentators and opinion leaders are now disecting the event, offering their views. For example in the Washington Post Michael Gerson wrote: It is now …
Written By: - Date published: 12:16 pm, June 24th, 2008 - 15 comments
Click for the full-res version. (an infographic by XPLANE)
Written By: - Date published: 2:08 pm, June 11th, 2008 - 3 comments
Dreamticket or not?
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, June 6th, 2008 - 5 comments
Time has a special report on how Obama ”become the first Democratic insurgent in a generation… to knock off the party’s establishment front-runner”. Obama’s Chicago headquarters made technology its running mate from the start. That wasn’t just for fund-raising: in state after state, the campaign turned over its voter lists — normally a closely guarded crown …
Written By: - Date published: 3:19 pm, May 26th, 2008 - 2 comments
[lprent: This post has been revised due to an on-going copyright dispute] A week or so ago someone sent me this link to historical American political logos. It’s an interesting examination of trends and themes. A week or so ago someone sent me this link [removed] to historical American political logos. It’s an interesting examination of trends …
Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, May 13th, 2008 - Comments Off
After over 1100 submissions and more than 5.5 million total votes cast, MoveOn.org have announced the winner of their “Obama in 30 seconds” homemade ad competition - Obamacan by David Gaw & Lance Mungia. They’re now running a fundraiser to get it aired commercially.
Written By: - Date published: 4:15 pm, May 6th, 2008 - 1 comment
It seems that NZers are not the only ones interested in petrol prices. From The Guardian: Barack Obama, facing increasingly close primary contests today in Indiana and North Carolina, fought off a populist push by Hillary Clinton to capitalise on American unease at rising petrol prices. The BBC has this on the unrelenting politics: To …
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