Ovi today

The Power of Apology by Leah Sellers
Just think, a Leader who Understands the importance of taking the Time and Effort to Explain himself - his Intentions - and the Direction he is attempting to move our Great Nation, the United States of America (and the rest of the World) toward.

The abstinence vote by Thanos Kalamidas
Some thoughts for the abstinence vote and the reaction it caused from politicians and the media in ...Greek

Latvian report by Euro Reporter
Expensive apartments and an airline that sells tickets in Euros the latest Euro-report from Latvia

2nd Opinion #31/09 by Thanos K & Asa B
Seriously, I think you'll need a second opinion after this.

7 Years Since 9/11

It was 7 years ago that we watched live the apocalypse toppling over NYC. Of course, the images that struck and shocked one the most were the ones of anonymous bodies publicly jumping from a burning hell made of steel, concrete and horrifying flames into death, from the 80th, 90th or 105th floors of the Twin Towers.

But 2001 marked also the start of the Bush Jr. Era early that year, with the president's popularity among the American people rising incredibly short after the 9/11 events.

Of course, the "War Against Terrorism" that followed led to that place that we know so well where... hundreds of thousands more died and despotism reigns. Now the American elections are near, and hopefully (the whole world hopes that) there is a chance to rethink both priorities and methods.

9/11/2008, a day for... deep reflection!

Ovi today

Filling the gap by Thanos Kalamidas
And his name is... Joe Biden and it was like hell for all of us who don't live in the States, not very familiar with the name and the background to find out who Biden, Mr. Joe Biden is.

Just Four Years to Go by Clint Wayne
As the immensely encapsulating Beijing Olympics draw to a close there is a real sense of anticipation and feelgood factor presently sweeping Great Britain as the 2012 London Games become a step nearer.

Humanitarian boats to Gaza in trouble by Gush Shalom
Gush Shalom calls upon the government to let peace boats reach Gaza - Message from the ships mentions electronic jamming hurting vital systems.

"Some Bodies", "I Had A Heat Attack" & "Green Tea" by G. David Schwartz
"The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth." - Jean Cocteau

Clinton and Obama rally in Unity

Hillary Clinton is to join Barack Obama at a rally - their first public event since she pulled out of the race to be the Democratic presidential candidate.

The rally in Unity, New Hampshire, is seen as an opportunity for party supporters to come together after the divisive primary battle. The event follows a joint dinner in Washington where Mr. Obama offered help to clear Mrs. Clinton's campaign debts. Mrs. Clinton is expected to back Mr. Obama's White House bid at the rally.

At least!!!

Obama helps Clinton with debt

Sen. Barack Obama has asked top contributors to help his former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, retire her debt, an Obama campaign source said Tuesday.

Obama did not direct members of his National Finance Committee to contribute to Clinton's campaign, the source said, but asked them to do so if they were so inclined. Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination this month.

She has amassed a campaign debt of about $22 million, but about $12 million of that is money the New York senator loaned to the campaign herself. Individual donors can contribute $2,300 to individual candidates. Clinton and Obama have scheduled a joint campaign appearance Friday in Unity, New Hampshire.

Obama said Tuesday that he had spoken with Clinton by phone earlier in the day as well as on Sunday. "We had a good conversation," he said. "We're looking forward to seeing each other tomorrow and campaigning on Friday."

Nothing worse than an opponent who feels sorry for you!!!

Ovi today!

Dead Parrot? by Clint Wayne
The Irish nation has spoken with a resounding NO. Will the masters of the European Union listen? Don't be so naive.

Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope by Emanuel L. Paparella
There's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and a white America and a Latino America and an Asian America; there's the United States of America.

Ireland Says "No" To Plan B, But Don't Worry, We Still Have Plan C, Plan D And Plan E by Europe & Us
Since the days of Shakespeare, drama is at home in English-speaking countries. So it was almost pathetic that the results of the Irish referendum about the Lisbon Treaty were announced on Friday 13th.

French report by Euro Reporter
Sarkozy and bin Laden... it can only be Euro Reporter in France.

Gaddafi attacks Obama on Israel

Libya's leader has strongly criticized US presidential candidate Barack Obama for saying Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel.

Col Muammar Gaddafi said he was either ignorant of the Middle East conflict or lying to boost his campaign. Mr. Obama was speaking to pro-Israel lobbyists in the US last week. Referring to him as "our Kenyan brother", Col Gaddafi also said Mr. Obama might suffer from an inferiority complex because of his African origins.

The issue of race could make Mr. Obama's behavior "more white than white people", Col Gaddafi suggested, rather than acting in solidarity with African and Arab nations. The comments came during a speech to mark the 38th anniversary since the US evacuated Wheelus Air Force base in Tripoli.

Times are definitely changing!!!

Clinton will quit?

Hillary Clinton will withdraw from the race to become the Democratic candidate for the US presidency, and back her rival Barack Obama, her campaign says.

On Tuesday, Mr. Obama gained enough delegates to win the nomination, after the final votes of the primary season. Mrs. Clinton has still not admitted in public that she lost the contest, but on Saturday she will do so "and express her support for Senator Obama".

Mr. Obama has already announced a team to help select his running mate. Reports that Mrs. Clinton was ready to concede came after she made a conference call to senior Democrats in Congress.

At a Democratic Party event in Washington, Mrs. Clinton will also "express her support... for party unity", her communications director Howard Wolfson said. Earlier, it had been announced that the event would be held on Friday, but Mr. Wolfson said it had been delayed a day "to accommodate more of Senator Clinton's supporters who want to attend".

Hillary had the ability to have a multi-collective voters and supporters often from all sides of the American political life; the big question now is if these people are going to support Obama.

Obama declares victory

Barack Obama has declared himself "the Democratic nominee for president of the United States".

He was speaking to a cheering crowd on the last day of the primary season, as projections showed he had earned enough delegates to clinch the nomination. Of the states that voted, Montana was won by Mr Obama and South Dakota by his rival Hillary Clinton, US media say. In her own speech to supporters, Mrs Clinton refused to concede and said she would make a final decision later.

Barack might declares victory but the question remains, what Hillary will declare?

US Democrats hold key poll talks

The US Democratic Party is meeting to decide the fate of two states left out of the dramatic race to find its candidate for president.

Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of representation for holding their candidate contests in January, in violation of party rules. Hillary Clinton hopes the party will reverse its decision in the two states, where she has enjoyed strong support.

She is lagging behind Barack Obama in the closing days of the race. The 30 members of the Democratic Party's rules and bylaws committee are meeting in the ballroom of a Washington hotel.

Outside, about 200 protesters holding placards gathered, chanting: "Count our vote." The Democratic Party chairman, Howard Dean, opened the meeting, saying the compromises under discussion would probably not satisfy everyone.

Hillary take a decision before it is too late!

US Democrats to hold talks

The US Democratic Party is meeting to decide the fate of two states left out of the dramatic race to find its candidate for president.

Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of representation for holding their candidate contests in January, in violation of party rules. Hillary Clinton hopes the party will reverse its decision in the two states, where she has enjoyed strong support.

She is lagging behind Barack Obama in the closing days of the race. Whatever the outcome of the committee's meeting, Barack Obama is still almost certain to cross the finishing-line in first place.

Let’s hope that they meet and come to a compromise, one of them has to be the vice president!

Fundraisers Falling Together

Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama may be locked in a state-by-state battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, but with no end in sight, the party's fundraisers aren't wasting any time.

Fundraisers for the two candidates are discussing how to merge their war chests into a single campaign focused on taking on Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona in November. Each party eventually unifies its donor base, but what makes this move unusual is that the campaign is still hard-fought and relations are strained.

The Clinton campaign confirmed the move, saying, "We believe Hillary Clinton will be that nominee." Talk of a joint war chest comes as the two candidates prepare for an expected split decision in the primaries being held Tuesday.

About time for somebody do something about this divide and …not rule!!!

Obama over Bush’s Iran barb

Barack Obama has accused George W Bush of attacking him after the US president compared those in favour of talking to terrorists to Nazi appeasers.

The White House has denied that the remarks - from a speech to the Israeli parliament - were aimed at Mr Obama. Mr Obama, who is the frontrunner to become the Democrats' presidential nominee, has argued in favour of negotiating with the Iranian regime. But he has ruled out talking to militant organisations like Hamas.

What does he care, after a few months is not going to be his problem anymore, Obama most likely will have to deal with it!

Obama takes the super-delegates

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has overtaken his rival Hillary Clinton for the first time in endorsements from super-delegates.

Four super-delegates - party and elected officials - pledged to support Mr. Obama, including two who previously supported Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Obama also has a strong lead in delegates won in state primary and caucus votes.

The Democratic super-delegates look set to decide who wins the nomination. Added to the nine who came out in support of Barack Obama on Friday, he now has 275 super-delegates to Mrs. Clinton's 271.

I’m going to say it again, time to think a united front Hillary!!!

Feminists divided between Hillary Obama

No constituency is more eager to see a woman win the presidency than America's feminists, yet — despite Hillary Rodham Clinton's historic candidacy — the women's movement finds itself wrenchingly divided over the Democratic race as it heads toward the finish.

At breakfast forums, in op-ed columns, across the blogosphere, the debate has been heartfelt and sometimes bitter. Are the activist women supporting front-runner Barack Obama betraying their gender? Are Clinton's feminist backers mired in an outdated, women's-liberation mind-set?

I think the white house needs both of them, their power combines can give better results than any other!

Poll shows Hillary’s big lead in West Virginia

Hillary Clinton holds a commanding lead in West Virginia, according to a new poll. Clinton has a 43-point advantage over Obama, 66 percent to 23 percent, according to a new survey from the American Research Group.

The poll was conducted entirely after Tuesday's primary results, and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. The poll suggests Clinton’s white, working class base seems to be holding firm for her — at least in West Virginia, where that demographic makes up a substantial portion of the Democratic electorate.

I keep saying and I will keep repeating myself, it is time for Hillary and Obama to find the half way and go after the common enemy!

Hillary to continue campaign

Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton has vowed to continue her campaign despite losing ground in the latest primary contests and her financial problems.

Mrs. Clinton beat rival Barack Obama by just two points in Indiana's primary, while he won by 14 in North Carolina. The votes were the final major Democratic primaries which help decide the party's White House candidate. Mrs. Clinton is also facing a funding crisis - she was forced to loan her campaign $6.4m last month.

It’s over and it is time for her to accept it and join Obama hopefully as the vice president for the democrats’ victory!

Obama wins N Carolina

Barack Obama has scored a clear win in the Democratic presidential primary in North Carolina, while Hillary Clinton has narrowly won the Indiana primary.

Senator Obama won 56% of the vote in North Carolina, while Senator Clinton won 51% of the vote in Indiana. Both votes were the final major Democratic primaries which help decide the party's White House candidate.

Neither scored a knock-out blow, but analysts say Mr. Obama's lead looks increasingly unassailable. A win in Indiana was seen as critical for Mrs. Clinton if she was to stay in the race to stand against Republican John McCain in November's presidential vote.

About time for those two to find the middle ground and go for McCain instead of each other!

Today's Ovi magazine

Obama's Religion by Christopher Wilkinson
One of the rights guaranteed to all Americans is the right to religious freedom. Everyone has the right to believe, congregate, and share information. There has been a lot of talk recently about Mr. Obama's religious convictions.

Missing Alex - A Greek thriller (in Greek) by Dimitra Karantzeni
Η εξαφάνιση του Άλεξ - Μία υπόθεση θρίλερ

"whiskey on the menu" by Bohdan Yuri
"You don't have to suffer to be a poet. Adolescence is enough suffering for anyone." - John Ciardi

Photoville: Microsoft walks away from Yahoo by Thanos Kalamidas
Software giant Microsoft has dropped its three-month-old bid to buy internet firm Yahoo because the two sides cannot agree on an acceptable sale price.

Tehran protests for Hillary

The Iranian government is protesting remarks from Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who said the United States could "totally obliterate" Iran if it made a nuclear attack on Israel.

The mullah’s run Islamic Republic News Agency said Iran sent a letter of protest, dated Wednesday, to the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council over remarks it calls "provocative, unwarranted and irresponsible." Clinton told ABC's "Good Morning America" that "I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran (if it attacked Israel)."

"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them," Clinton said. "That's a terrible thing to say, but those people who run Iran need to understand that, because that perhaps will deter them from doing something that would be reckless, foolish and tragic."

At least she didn’t lie! By the way, do the cleric dictators of Iran and their puppet president think that Obama will do any different?