Monthly Archives: January 2008

Memo To Barack Obama

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Please feel free to use the phrase “Negotiate if I can, fight if I must.”

I have been a long time fan of both Barack Obama and John Edwards.

John Edwards started rising in my interest when he honed his message to show that he was not only interested in fighting for the poor, but in also fighting for the middle class.

He started sinking when he indicated that fighting was the only possible strategy, and that adversaries would laugh at him for offering to negotiate.  If he took all his cases to trial and never tried to negotiate, then I don’t think he was representing the best interests of his clients.

I think my introductory phrase sums up the Obama position. If you could start to be more explicit about that, I think it would be very helpful.

The Price of Oil and The War Tax

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The price of oil in terms of U.S. dollars could be a deceptive thing to follow given that the value of the dollar is dropping with respect to other currencies. I decided to look at the price of oil in terms of Euros.

Crude Oil Price in U.S. Dollars and in Euros

The price of oil at the beginning of 2007 was $51.57 or 39.64 Eur. The price of oil at the end of 2007 was $85.52 or 58.12 Eur.

The price of oil rose 66% in dollars, but only 47% in Euros. We were paying a $9.71 per barrel premium because of the mishandling of our economy. This is the extra cost over the uncertaintly premium that we pay because we chose to fight a war.

At George Bush’s inauguration the price of oil was $23.59 or 25.25 Euros. To the end of 2007, it has risen 263% in U.S. dollars and 130% in Euros.

George Bush said he would not raise taxes. He did not say that he would not raise the price of oil.

Obama’s Iowa Victory Speech

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Obama’s Iowa victory speech has been posted on YouTube.

Not only was it a great win but this is a great speech.

Barack Obama is clearly setting himself for more than winning an election. He realizes that he will have to be able govern the country after he wins.

Perhaps he has the right mix of negotiate if you can and fight if you have to.

You Don’t Understand Our Audience

This entry was posted in Periodic Posts and tagged media decline vast wasteland on by

This Technology Review essay by John Hockenberry goes a long way toward explaining why you will never be too well informed if you only watch television network news.

Ironically, the editors of Technology Review magazine should see a reflection of themselves in this article. Technology Review used to have stimulating articles at the forefront of scientific research. Now they seem to have dumbed the magazine down to puff pieces on corporate technology development.

Thanks to lurker, Richard H, for encouraging me to finish reading the essay.