Foreigner's Blog

Yes, we agree - the walls will come down!

Foreigner — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:34:17 EDT

Barack gave a spell-binding speech on July 24th at Berlin about all the divisions and walls between peoples coming down.

http://www.barackobama.com/2008/07/24/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_97.php

In this new century, Americans and Europeans alike will be required to do more - not less. Partnership and cooperation among nations is not a choice; it is the one way, the only way, to protect our common security and advance our common humanity.
That is why the greatest danger of all is to allow new walls to divide us from one another.
The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand. The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down.
We know they have fallen before.

I loved it!

Especially because just four days earlier, in India, a saintly man of Christ-like love and omniscience had said the very same thing. He is known as Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I revere Sai Baba immensely.

He was addressing a Conference on Education at the ashram:

Take it from Me – in about 25 to 30 years’ time the entire world will become one. There will be only one caste, one religion, and one God. What is needed is such unity. Today, there are several differences between individuals on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language, nation, etc. Such differences should disappear and unity should prevail. The Veda has emphasised this unity in the declaration “Ekam Sath Viprah Bahudha Vadanthi” (Truth is one, the wise say it in different ways).
http://sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/EduconfDiscourse20jul2008.html

Recycled

Foreigner — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:44:52 EDT

I found this in a dKos diary... enjoy!

The O-team (Newsweek cover)

Foreigner — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:18:25 EDT

Copy-and-pasted from a dailykos diary. Enjoy. That's David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett with Barack. (Who's that behind Axelrod? Bill Burton, the Rapid Response man?)

Not. This. Time.

Foreigner — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:15:53 EDT

Copied this from a Comment in dKos. Love it! Enjoy!

Alan Fleishman wants to share a video with you

Foreigner — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:26:08 EST

afleishman wants to share a video with you

watch video

Video Description

Originally posted as "Something About The Man" this version is remixed with snippets of his "Yes We Can" New Hampshire speech. Academy Award nominated composer lyricst Arthur Hamilton (Cry Me A River), 4-time Latin Grammy Award winning producer Kenny O'Brien, and composer/songwriter Alan Ross Fleishman have collaborated to create a campaign song for Barack Obama.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN

In the tunnel it's so dark
That we don't know where we are
Somewhere up ahead there's a man
With a flashlight in his hand

Something about the man makes me want to follow him
He can lead us all the way back home
All the way back home

Something about the man says we got to follow him
He can carry us
He can walk us
He can take us
He can talk us
All the way back home
All the way back home

Something tells me he can show the way
Shine the way
Something says if we don't know the way
He'll find the way
All the way back home

Something about the man makes me stand up tall
Tells me no matter what I'm gonna get through it all
Something about the man makes me see the light
Tells me no matter what he's gonna make things right

There is something about the man
That tells me he knows what to do
He's gonna pull us up
Pull us out
Pull us free
Pull us through

A lot needs doin' and if anyone can
That man can do it.
Something about the man
Something about the man
Something about the man

Lyric by Arthur Hamilton
Music by Alan Ross Fleishman, Kenny O'Brien
Produced by Kenny O'Brien, Alan Ross Fleishman
Performed by Dennis Clark
© 2007 ARF Music, ASCAP
K. O. Music, BMI
Harmony Grace Publishing, ASCAP

Personal Message

Hi there,
I just remixed this song with snippets from Obama's "Yes We Can" speech. Please pass the link on to anyone you think might enjoy it.
Hope all is well,
Alan

WHAT IS THE TREND?

Foreigner — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 06:13:59 EST

Grassroots project - Barack Obama's Friday

Foreigner — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:35:13 EST

HELP RAISE $5 MILLION - Friday - Nov 16th

LINK TO BARACK'S FRIDAY FUNDRAISER

Link

As you can see on the fundraising page, people who cannot donate on Nov 16th, have already donated.

- copied from GM's post

8 STEPS - Maximise your impact

Foreigner — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:55:53 EDT

For Unknown User:

Hi!

You made some interesting comments! I wanted to know more about you, but found no visible Profile when I clicked on your Username. ... such a pity!

This is a real work-horse of a website! Here's a post by Sam Graham-Felsen to maximize your impact. It's called EIGHT FOR '08.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/actioncenter/eightfor08/

As you see, the first step is to set up a PROFILE... See Sam's comments about this first step at

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CtzN

For your profile to be visible to all of us, you check the box against 'Searchable' at My Dashboard/Edit Profile; and for easy messaging, you pick 'Allow messages from Unrelated Users' at Message/Settings ie being a 'Friend' is not essential.

I think you'll have more fun this way, if you stick around!

CHENEY / BUSH - ?

Foreigner — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 07:19:06 EDT

The picture and Comments below are from BAGnewsNotes .

(image: Jason Reed/Reuters. October 24, 2007. Via nytimes.com)
A cheap shot?
How about, a timely reminder about who is really running the show -- what with Cheney spearheading the "Bomb Iran" campaign. Reuters telegraphs the point in the second line of the photo caption.
President Bush left the Oval Office early this morning on his way to Southern California to view the damage caused by wildfires. Vice President Dick Cheney was in the Oval Office as Mr. Bush left.
You don't think, in previous presidencies, the subordinates would have been walked to the door as the President shut off the lights and headed out of town?

"MEMO TO INTERESTED PARTIES" - ?

Foreigner — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:00:52 EDT

I've been reading on the web at various places like TPM Talking Points Memo or Ben Smith's Blog or Andrew Sullivan's etc etc that the campaigns send out a "Memo" addressed to "Interested Parties" that attack or explain issues that are being hotly debated.

I wondered where I could find them on this website (before they appeared on TPM or Ben Smith's or First Read etc).

Well, from "Home", you can go to "Newsroom" or "In The News", and you still won't see them, unless you go down and click on "Get More News From BarackObama.com" which then takes you to

http://media.barackobama.com/ ....

where you will see the "Memos" and "Daily Talking Points", "Breaking News", etc. Eureka!! :-)

Hope this helps (there are so many doubts and questions that crop up in the "Chat Room" ie the Comments in the "Obama HQ Blog")

God bless us all, friend and foe.

Love

OBAMA / GORE? - Andrew Sullivan

Foreigner — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:34:54 EDT

Interesting, well-written comment by Andrew Sullivan at

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/10/obama-gore.html

Let the speculation begin. I think Gore realizes that Obama is the only candidate who can break out of the brutal, polarizing, calculating, post-Vietnam syndrome and actually talk to all the country in clear ways about what practically we need to do at home and in the world. Gore would instantly erase the inexperience question over Obama; Obama would instantly erase the stylistic drawbacks of the Gore persona. The three big issues for me in this election are the war, the Constitution, and the environment. A Gore-Obama combo would be extremely hard to beat if those are your concerns.
Gore, moreover, knows what the Clintons would take us back to perhaps better than anyone else. He knows the paranoia of their operation, the Cheney-like secrecy they crave, the pathologies within our political culture they would instantly reignite, the danger that they will breathe new life into a hopefully dying Christianist movement. But the Clinton machine is in full throttle. If Gore wants to help provide an alternative, he needs to intervene before Iowa. He needs to endorse Obama. For the sake of his country.

The Dixie Chicks?

Foreigner — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:16:37 EDT

What are they doing these days? Are they for Barack?

Click here to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-lJu5ibAM8

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting
I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

Profile - why I support Barack

Foreigner — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:00:56 EDT

I hadn't filled in "Why I support Barack" in My Profile. Just did it.

Why I support Barack Obama:
It was electrifying to hear him describe what he thinks his gift is: "I have the capacity to get people to recognize themselves in each other", Barack said during a TV interview.
Let me explain here that I strive to be a spiritual disciple of the guru in India named Sathya Sai Baba - and that the Ancient Wisdom (or Sanathana Dharma) of my Mother India speaks of a Oneness that Barack seems to glimpse viz "The feeling of ' I ' or 'Self' or 'Atma' within all beings is the very same ' I '.... the one and only ' I ', the One without a Second. I am You; and You are I. Love all, Serve All".
Therefore, in Barack Obama, I sense the presence of transformative good and the absence of selfish greed; as President of the most heavily-armed nation on earth, we need a 'godly' person who 'rules' with a sense of universal love for friend and foe, not narrow-minded love for just friends and family and yea-sayers.
I feel deep within my heart that Barack Obama may well be "Blessed" (as his name in Swahili implies), a chosen instrument of God for these troubled political times.
He seems to be a very rare and unique combination: a pragmatic genius from Harvard Law School with a track record in community and public service that is unselfish, compassionate and ethical. It's great that he was exposed as a child to different countries and cultures and religions in a broad-minded way, based on having a black father and a white mother, and raised by non-dogmatic, progressive grandparents. As President of USA, I sense that Barack will not be a puppet or slave of the usual greedy power cartels - he is not accepting donations from lobbyists and PACs; he is stating strongly that his political soul is not available for sale to selfish interest groups like the oil, energy, drug and armament sectors. As if this isn't enough, he is also dynamic, charismatic and spell-binding on stage! Very cool, as some young Americans might say! All of this, and more, make me support him strongly in my heart.
May God's blessings be with him in his noble efforts! Om Sai Ram!

BLACK SOLIDARITY DAY - Barron on 5th Nov?

Foreigner — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 07:14:29 EDT

I came across this powerful piece quite by accident while surfing on the web about Obama and blacks. Seems significant to me through my foreign eyes in distant Australia; is it really?

It's a Rock Hackshaw's blog at 'The Daily Gotham" at

http://www.dailygotham.com/blog/rock_hackshaw/a_november_boost_for_barack_obama. He says:

A NOVEMBER BOOST FOR BARACK OBAMA
Many black political activists, some black nationalists and even a sprinkling of black moderates, will celebrate Black Solidarity Day on November 5th, 2007; and in keeping with the theme, a large group of blacks intend to endorse Barack Obama for president on that day. Included in that group is NYC councilmember Charles Barron and his wife (and fellow-activist) Inez Barron. The fiery council member from East New York, Brooklyn, intends to put together a group of progressives of all races, nationalities and ethnicities, behind this endorsement effort. He also intends to line up many anti-Iraq-War activists, some veterans, many church and community leaders, and hopefully also a few elected officials of all races, nationalities and ethnicities.
Barron - a former member of the Black Panthers - claims that he has been closely following the presidential debates and is confident that he is making the correct endorsement.

Good photo!

Foreigner — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:13:22 EDT

Barack - Jay Leno show - nbc - 17 Oct 2007

Enjoy (2) - More Graphics by our "Terri"

Foreigner — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:25:51 EDT

Enjoy - graphics by Terri

Foreigner — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:13:06 EDT

How India reveres Abraham Lincoln - A Taste of Things to Come?!!

Foreigner — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 05:33:17 EDT

I wrote about the Gettysburg Address a short while ago, and my mind is still on Abraham Lincoln! Let me share this:

A few years ago..., they conducted a SUMMER COURSE ON INDIAN CULTURE & SPIRITUALITY at the Sathya Sai University. You'd think they'd talk about Mahatma Gandhi, but the Inaugural Address to the students was largely about ABRAHAM LINCOLN!!

It was by my Guru (or pastor, if you will). You may find it interesting... !

(Inaugural address at Summer Course on Indian Culture & Spirituality, May 16 2002 by Sathya Sai Baba)
Embodiments of Love!
The Bharatiyas (children of Indian culture) pray for the welfare and well-being of all the people of the world. This is the foremost principle of Bharathiya culture... <snip>....
Truth and Self-confidence are the Keys to Success in Life
Abraham Lincoln, who rose to become the President of America, was born in a poor family. His father was a carpenter. His mother worked hard to earn a little money to educate him. Their income was barely enough to run the family. Lincoln had to face many hardships. He did not even have proper clothes to wear. When he went to school, his schoolmates made fun of him as he was shabbily dressed.
Unable to bear their taunts, one day Lincoln went to his mother and wept bitterly. She enquired as to what the matter was. Lincoln said, “Mother, all my schoolmates look down upon me because I am poor and do not have good clothes to wear. They dislike my company.” Then his mother pacified him, saying, “Son, you should understand our financial condition and act accordingly. Your schoolmates talk in this manner because they are well-to-do. We have to conduct ourselves keeping our financial condition in view. We are not rich. We have to face this situation with fortitude.” She drew him close, wiped his tears and said, “You should not feel unhappy over such a trivial matter. We do not have rich friends and relatives. But we are rich in self-respect and self-confidence. Understand that self-confidence is our true wealth. One with self-confidence and self-respect is the richest of all. Money and comforts are transient. So, strengthen your self-confidence and self-respect. They will certainly bestow on you all prosperity. Do not get carried away by what others say.”

OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE

Foreigner — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:27:37 EDT

... My teachers at School helped us develop in Elocution and Public Speaking, using famous speeches that we memorised and delivered from stage. One of them was the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln. It's been so long since my early years in school that I looked it up on the web. Here it is, hopefully a timely and welcome reminder to all!

GETTYSBURG ADDRESS (1863)
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that the nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Source: Roy P. Basler, ed., The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, vol. 7 (1953-1955), 22.

UNITY & ONENESS

Foreigner — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 07:33:43 EDT

Appears that Al Gore's Emmy was for something called Current TV. Quick brief visit - found it be very interesting!!

One "Viewer Created Content" is this moving speech set in the CATHEDRAL DE LA IMMACULUDA

It's in Spanish I think, with English sub-titles.

http://www.current.tv/watch/35551799?list=newVidsByProducer&filterone=21848579&filtertwo=-1&sid=35551799&fr=7

Using RSS READER to keep up with the Blogs

Foreigner — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:44:44 EDT

Misty Fowler posted great advice for us at
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mistyfowler/CWmR#comment-CGjt

Check it out!

QUOTE "...I like to keep up with all of the Obama blogs, but visiting all of the web pages would be impossible for me. So, I use RSS to do it. I thought I'd share how I do it, for those who may want to do the same, but don't know how.

There are many ways of using RSS, but I'm only going to explain the RSS Reader that I use and how I use it...." UNQUOTE

Invisible Hand of God?! :-)

Foreigner — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:27:02 EDT

What a lovely testimonial from Bobby Rush (who had 'squashed' Obama in a 2000 campaign!)

Here's the last paragraph from NYT at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp

QUOTE
"... Mr. Rush has an explanation for Mr. Obama's emergence after the dark days of 2000 as a political star four years later. He vanquished a field of multimillionaires, some more experienced and better known, and benefited from fortuitous domestic scandals that sidelined two opponents and left him facing a Republican widely seen as unable to win.

"I would characterize the Senate race as being a race where Obama was, let's say, blessed and highly favored," Mr. Rush said, chuckling. "That's not routine. There's something else going on."

What was he suggesting?

"I think that Obama, his election to the Senate, was divinely ordered," Mr. Rush said, all other explanations failing. "I'm a preacher and a pastor; I know that that was God's plan. Obama has certain qualities that -- I think he is being used for some purpose. I really believe that." UNQUOTE

I too have had this inexplicable feeling that this Obama Presidency may well be divinely ordained :-). And have enjoyed seeing such articles, for example a few days ago there was mention of people having this 'great sense of peace' after listening to an Obama stump speech, etc etc

Great slideshow at NYT at this url (below) esp a lovely photo of Barqack cross-legged with several kids
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/us/20070909_OBAMA_FEATURE/index.html

Gore - Intellectual giant and global hero

Foreigner — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:02:09 EDT

I entered this as a Comment....

QUOTE:
QUESTION/SUGGESTION:

Can't Obama-supporters like all of you write to Al Gore and ask him to speak up *now* to help this campaign with massive personal support.

That will block the Name-Recognition advantage, and more - it will be a KO.

(IMHO, Gore will certainly recognise that it is in his self-interest, as well as the world's.)

God bless us all, friend and foe. UNQUOTE

J Lowe responded with advice; and so I wrote in as follows via "Contact Us" ...

Barack's Favorite Music (see Facebook)

Foreigner — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 08:02:42 EDT

In Facebook, Barack's favorite music is listed as:

Miles Davis
John Coltrane
Bob Dylan
Stevie Wonder
Bach (Cello Suites)
The Fugees

So I searched YouTube like Strong Heart :-). Here are some links:

SO WHAT --- "Miles Davis and John Coltrane play one of the best renditions of SO WHAT ever captured on film - Live in 1958."

BACH SUITE No 1 CELLO --- "By Pablo Casals. Rare and filmed in 1954 in the Abbaye Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa"

FOXY --- "The Fugees New Music Feb 2006 - Foxy"

Godbless!

GOOD WORK! CHECK THIS OUT - Something About The Man

Foreigner — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:42:34 EDT

afleishman wants to share a video with you

watch video

Video Description

Academy Award nominated composer lyricst Arthur Hamilton (Cry Me A River), 4-time Latin Grammy Award winning producer Kenny O'Brien, and composer/songwriter Alan Ross Fleishman have collaborated to create a campaign song for Barack Obama.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN

In the tunnel it's so dark
That we don't know where we are
Somewhere up ahead there's a man
With a flashlight in his hand

Something about the man makes me want to follow him
He can lead us all the way back home
All the way back home

Something about the man says we got to follow him
He can carry us
He can walk us
He can take us
He can talk us
All the way back home
All the way back home

Something tells me he can show the way
Shine the way
Something says if we don't know the way
He'll find the way
All the way back home

Something about the man makes me stand up tall
Tells me no matter what I'm gonna get through it all
Something about the man makes me see the light
Tells me no matter what he's gonna make things right

There is something about the man
That tells me he knows what to do
He's gonna pull us up
Pull us out
Pull us free
Pull us through

A lot needs doin' and if anyone can
That man can do it.
Something about the man
Something about the man
Something about the man

Lyric by Arthur Hamilton
Music by Alan Ross Fleishman, Kenny O'Brien
Produced by Kenny O'Brien, Alan Ross Fleishman
Performed by Dennis Clark
© 2007 ARF Music, ASCAP
K. O. Music, BMI
Harmony Grace Publishing, ASCAP

Personal Message

Hi, I made this slide show for the song. Please feel free to forward on this link as well.
All the best,
Alan

-----

Enjoyed watching it. What a powerful combination of talent and conviction is lining up behind Barack Obama's campaign.

May God bless us all, friend and foe

SUGGESTION: Major Islamic Convention - ILLINOIS - 31 Aug

Foreigner — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 04:02:10 EDT

Senator Obama, let me first wish you a very happy birthday! May God guide you and bless you with His grace.

Here is a suggestion/idea ref your Comprehensive Strategy to deal with Global Terrorism:

You intend to travel to a major Islamic forum in the first 100 days of your Presidency. That is excellent. Perhaps Indonesia, or Iran, or India or Arabia, who knows. However, right here, right now, perhaps you could address ISNA in Illinois on 31 August:

I note that the 44th Annual Convention of ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA is at ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS four weeks from now from Aug 31 to Sep 3. Keith Ellison is on the program for the last day. Details are at http://www.isna.net/

Godbless.

BEST DRESSED! - Photo of Michelle

Foreigner — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:23:10 EDT

Earlier today, a post by VWCAT said Michelle Obama was selected by VANITY FAIR for their INTERNATIONAL BEST DRESSED WOMEN list.

I just saw a news item about it here in Oz (Australia) with accompanying photos. Thought you'd like to see them. Click here to see the photo of Michelle :-)

The Book!

Foreigner — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:17:27 EDT

Finally stopped at Borders today and bought a copy of Barack's book "Dreams From My Father" on my way back from work. Must settle down to read it leisurely soon :-)

Wow! The Black Vote - National Urban League Conference

Foreigner — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 00:31:40 EDT

I posted this elsewhere as a Comment . UPDATE: Hope this works. HERE IS THE LINK to the video of Barack's speech at www.kmov.com

So this is what Barack did on Friday! The first time he's spoken out strongly for the Black Vote this way. Isn't this a significant move?

I came across this at Josh Marshall's Talking Point Memo at Link which takes you to the quote below from msnbc FirstRead at Link

QUOTE: “…. Unlike his previous addresses to primarily African-American audiences, Obama today overtly appealed to the black vote. "The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently, and don't underestimate that power, don't underestimate that transformation," Obama said in response to a question on racial polarization. "When the state of Black America comes out, I want it to say the state of Black America is strong. In order for that to happen, we've got to to form that base. If you don't think I'm the best candidate to do that, I will just ask you one question. Who's got capacity to put Mississippi in play, which is 40% African American?

Obama also took a gentle swipe at Clinton, stating he "is not going to have a conversation" about the need to transform the country. Later on, he said, "All of us, from what I can tell, agree with the need to expand early childhood education, all of us are talking about universal healthcare, although some of us more specifically than others" -- obviously referring to the fact that Clinton has yet to announce a comprehensive health-care plan….” UNQUOTE

Ref health, yes, I had read elsewhere weeks ago that the Hillary campaign was vague about their health-care plan, and noticed that Edwards and Obama were going easy on her and not criticising her openly. oops, I forgot to mention the occasion where Obama spoke. It was "at the National Urban League conference this morning, four Democratic presidential hopefuls -- Kucinich, Edwards, Clinton, and Obama -- discussed their agendas to help poor urban African Americans rise out of poverty."

Suggestion - Endorsements

Foreigner — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:06:51 EDT

I added this a short while ago :

Barack said he had fewer "endorsements" because he hasn't been in Washington as long as some others.

What if large numbers of you Obama supporters wrote and phoned your Reps and Senators urging them to officially endorse Barack? What if the campaign website made it easy by providing a letter-writing tool to simplify things etc?

:-) From Down Under! ... and our winter is in July, etc :-)

One Million!?

Foreigner — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:35:53 EDT

There's something I can't understand....

A few weeks ago, I watched with excitement the Number of Donors on this website rising minute by minute to 258,000+. And everyone was talking about the amazingly high number of donors in this campaign. There was no sign of any such announcement from other campaigns. You were unique! But suddenly out-of-the-blue, over the last few days, I notice Hillary's website has a 'score-board' that is ticking away very close to One Million supporters. They surely would have announced something at 500,000 and 750,000. Did I miss those announcements, I wonder! Really surprised. In 24 or 48 hours, it will reach 1,000,000 because it is now at 998,523.

I thought Barack did very well at the CNN-YouTube debate and the follow-up exchanges. I am looking forward to his speech etc at the Yearly Kos Convention (on his birthday Aug 4!)

With best wishes... Godbless.

OBAMA / GORE?

Foreigner — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:22:14 EDT

I am not an American, but I note that in various blogs, here and elsewhere, people occasionally discuss hypothetical combinations for the ticket. May I share some thoughts that came to my mind:

Looks like Al Gore may not nominate.
Hence there is no point even thinking about a Gore/Obama ticket.
Looks like Gore will never team up with Clinton.
But Obama/Gore as a team is not impossible, is it?

I realise that I don't really understand USA and US politics, so please forgive me if I am wasting everyone's time with this conjecture. But there seems to be some significant synergy there, of great value to all the peoples of the world.

Godbless....

Very true - Obama makes me feel positive towards USA

Foreigner — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 07:08:03 EDT

I had written this in response to a post 'When Obama Wins' earlier today. Amy liked it and asked that I post it in the main blog (which is here, I guess):

Very true! Let me share my views as a foreigner. I didn't have strong negative feelings about the United States until Bush and Cheney "raped" Iraq like common thugs. I was 50 something, and trying to live the life of a spiritual aspirant, busy with prayer and meditation, a Sai Baba devotee aiming for the brotherhood of man, and the Fatherhood of God, etc. But your President Bush made me feel terrible about America. For the last few years, I have despised the behaviour of USA in silence. For the last few years, I have prayed that God will step up and save this human race from the likes of your President Bush and Vice-President Cheney, etc.

And then, suddenly this year, on return from a trip to the ashram in India (something like a monastery), I saw the video of Barack Obama speaking about "Religion and Politics" on the web. I was electrified! I was elated! I just couldn't have enough of him! I then listened over and over again to the video announcing his bid for President of the United States. And Googled my life away finding out all I could about him and his campaign and his supporters. Yes, I log into this website all the time like a political junkie, an Obama-maniac. Thank God!

Best wishes

DIWALI get-together with Obama family - suggestion

Foreigner — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 22:56:57 EDT

SUGGESTION: (I entered this as a Comment a short while ago).

A festival called DIWALI is celebrated by Hindus/Indian-Americans in early November. It is a festival of light. It is a really significant one - say, for example, like Christmas.

My suggestion to Obama campaign management and Hindu/Indian/South Asian Americans is this:

Please consider arranging a Diwali get-together with Barack, Michelle and their children (I think the kids especially would have a really enjoyable time because of the delicious foods and sweets, the rows of lights and lamps and candles, the fireworks, the clothes and costumes and colours, the music and dance and art, etc etc)

It would generate good vibes within that community - I think you have about 2 million of them in USA.

In addition, the ripples would spread out wide and far to all Hindus in India and around the world - more than one thousand million people!

There is a detailed profile of the community at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_American .

Best wishes

Indian American musicians - Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar

Foreigner — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:46:02 EDT

.....

I just read that the campaign song is possibly Ben Harper doing "Better Way". Listened to it on the web last night. Uplifting words and music. Good stuff.

It got me thinking of Indian-American musicians in the USA.

Here's a suggestion that should go down well, especially with Indian-Americans:

Senator Obama, are you and your campaign aware of Grammy award-winners NORAH JONES and ANOUSHKA SHANKAR, daughters of the world-famous Ravi Shankar? Norah was raised in Texas, and Anoushka in California I think. If so, please phone them and invite them on board at some stage :-)

On their websites, I noticed that Anoushka is doing a concert tour of East-West fusion music right now... And one of Norah's recent songs "My Dear Country" relates to your 2004 Presidential elections (she is hoping for a better way, I would say).

With best wishes

BAD LUCK! NOT ELIGIBLE TO DONATE FOR DINNER WITH OBAMA

Foreigner — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:13:17 EDT

So sad I'll miss out on the Dinner with Barack. I had to reply to the video invitation today (13 June 2007) as follows:

To: Mr David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama For America

SUB: Video: Dinner Invitation..

Dear David

Thank you for writing.

I wanted to donate last week, a small token amount, but as I went through the on-line form, I realised that I am not eligible because I am not a US citizen .....

Nevertheless, I wanted to be involved in some little way because Barack excites me so ....

Yes, the world will heave a sigh of relief when President Bush steps down from office.

All over the world, we have a great stake in who occupies the office of President of the USA. We have seen how much harm can be done by him.

I enjoy following the news on Barack Obama's campaign, and wish you all the very best in building unity at home ("not Red States or Blue States, but the United States").

Hopefully, the next step will see the United States taking more steps towards building global peace rather than disturbing it; giant steps towards using its muscle for good rather than flexing it for greed; spiritually inspired steps in becoming a virtuous, loving elder of the global family of nations rather than merely a bullying, selfish economic entity.

I feel a sense of closeness towards Barack, because I sense good character in him. That he aims to inspire people towards unity is wonderful eg phrases like 'we have more things in common than we have things that divide us', etc etc. My own guru (or pastor if you like) in the village of Puttaparthi in India speaks similarly when he says:

Religions are many, but goal is one,
Jewels are many, but gold is one,
Stars are many, but sky is one,
Cows are many, but milk is one,
Beings are many, but breath is one,
Nations are many, but earth is one... (Sathya Sai Baba)

There is need for a highly evolved being, both morally and politically, to take the steering wheel in the White House. I am personally very excited by what I hear and read of Barack Obama. From my perspective, I pray that he succeeds in his run for Presidency and that he exceeds his wildest expectations by becoming an effective instrument for universal healthcare and educare, universal peace and prosperity, not merely in USA but right across the globe. To borrow his phrase, our God is big enough for that.

With best wishes